19.   This year, none of the crew held a big game license, but we still planned a fall hunting trip to Maffer's cabin in Tors Cove. With plans for Hunting, ATVing, and some work around the cabin we wouldn't be looking for something to do.

Maffer and Sooley Managed to get away from work Tuesday so they, along with Maffer's Labrador Retrievers Duke & Windsor, were the first to arrive at the cabin. After unloading the trucks they set about straightening away the cabin and pulling up alder trees that had started to overgrow the driveway and around the cabin. Sooley also set a few snares, then they took the dogs for a walk in Gully Pond Road in search of Grouse or Rabbits. The dogs got their exercise but the boys came back empty handed.

18.   Wednesday night Matthew French arrived at the cabin,

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16.   but it was Thursday before French and I managed to get away from town. I loaded the bike on the trailer, picked up a small game license and arrived at the cabin a little after lunch.

15.   Meanwhile in Tors Cove the boys ran into contractors widening Gully Pond road in an effort to keep beavers from falling trees and damming a Hydro Waterway. They were stacking the larger logs to one side and said it was first come first serve for anyone who wanted to take it. That evening we took them up on their offer and acquired quite a bit of firewood for the woodstove in the cabin, which was quite fortunate as our stock was getting very low.

14.   Later that evening we had a bonfire to get rid of brush cut earlier the year and relaxed for the night.

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12.   Friday brought wind, flurries, and rain but that didn't dampen out spirits. After a hearty breakfast we set about cutting up the new firewood and stowing it away. French got the chainsaw going and did the cutting while Maffer, Sooley and I threw it aboard the trailer to haul it to the stack behind the cabin.

11.   Later that day, Sooley started bottling his stockpile of last year's Moose while French and I took a run to Gully Pond Road in the truck to look for small game. We spied one Grouse, but it flew away just as French got out of the truck to load the gun.

10.   Not seeing anything else we headed back to the cabin to help prepare a Turkey dinner with all the fixings. It was definitely a meal fit for a king.

9.   That evening we relaxed around the cabin spinning yarns over a few brew.

Saturday morning was still drizzly and generally too damp and miserable to be trekking about the woods, so after a few chores were completed around the cabin we all headed out for a couple hours hunting from the trucks. French and I headed in a remote dirt road in his pickup and 20 minutes later Maffer and Sooley brought up the rear in Sooley's truck. This time I saw a grouse in the trees just as we passed, French managed to get out, load the shotgun and make the kill. From there we tuned around at the end of the road and on the way out we met Maffer & Sooley who were still empty handed. Not five minutes after passing Sooley we saw another grouse, this time I made the shot and we had 2 birds in the bag. We headed back to the cabin to get a snack in the oven, Sooley and Maffer arrived about a 1/2 hour later still empty handed. After a quick lunch French and I headed in Horse Chops road but never spied a living thing. Maffer and Sooley went back to Gully Pond Road where Sooley tried to fire an unloaded gun at a Grouse, but Maffer managed the kill shot in time.

8.   That evening we had  feast of BBQ'd steak that had been marinating for 2 days along with pasta and a large pan of mushrooms and onions.

7.   On Sunday morning Sooley had to head back to town early so I helped him load up while French and Maffer went out for a trek in search of small game.

6.   After Sooley was ready to go I took a couple hour ride on Project Foreman in the Mobil First Pond Road area. If I had a shotgun with me I could have had a couple grouse, but that's always the way.

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3.   When I arrived back at the cabin, Maffer & French were back so we went to check the rabbit slips and remove them as this would be the end of our trip. We managed one rabbit in the slips, all in all not a bad hunting trip given the weather!

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1.   With a few grouse and a rabbit in the bag, the cabin winterized and a fresh stockpile of firewood drying outside we are now ready for winter!

Cheers, MIKE