Newfoundland Day Six (9/27/17)

PHOTOS AT BOTTOM
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Today was a long and unproductive day. In the morning, we hunted an area near where we hunted on the first day. We covered a lot of ground and saw good moose sign, but not a single animal. We got back to the truck around 11:00 and I asked John if it would okay if I stayed out instead of returning for lunch.

He dropped me off at a spot that I was familiar with and where there is a large rock outcrop, restricting a well used trail.  Any moose coming down the trail would have to funnel within 30 yard of my hiding spot in clump of blown down trees. I stayed until 2:30, calling every 45 minutes, but saw nothing.

In the afternoon, we hunted a new spot, but despite good sign we again got skunked.

The other two hunters in camp (Mario and Charlie) both heard moose calling and had them respond. Charlie took video of a large cow that came into 15 yards in response to his guide’s calling. Charlie is the hunter who shot the cow earlier in the week, so he wasn’t even carrying  a gun. In addition to Mario and Charlie, Michel has two other gun hunters who are staying elsewhere in a small cabin. Yesterday they got a cow and a small bull, which they brought here to hang. I’ll try to get some photos.

This gives me hope that the rut is picking up. Getting within recurve range of a moose without being able to call them in will be VERY difficult. Everything here is wet and it’s nearly impossible to stalk without making tremendous noise when your boots break free of the sucking peat/mud.

On the upside, I am having a great time with my new French Canadian friends. They are very friendly and happy, and are enamored with traditional bowhunting. They ask many questions and show great respect for what we do. We laugh a lot and usually one of them understands me well enough to interpret for the others. Except when I’m with John during the day, I’m surrounded by people who don’t speak my language. This has been unexpectedly fun and I feel a real bond with these people.

Tonight for dinner a local guy brought fresh cod that he had just caught a few hours earlier. It was some of the best fish I have ever eaten—a completely different food than what we buy in the grocery stores.