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, ATV riding, and working on the cabin we certainly won't be bored!

Maffer and Sooley Managed to get away from work Tuesday so they were the first to arrive at the cabin with Sooley's TRX300 4x4 ATV in tow. After unloading the trucks they set about straightening away the camp, then set to pulling up alder trees that had overgrow the driveway and property around the cabin. Sooley set a few snares, then they took the dogs for a walk over on 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.   It was Thursday before French and I managed to break away from our work commitments in town. I loaded Project Foreman on the trailer, picked up a small game license and arrived at in Tors Cove a little after lunch with Mark arriving shortly thereafter with his 2001 Foreman.

15.   That afternoon while small game hunting we ran into contractors widening Gully Pond road. They were cutting down trees in an effort to keep beavers from falling them and damming an NL 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 them. We took them up on their offer and acquired quite a bit of free firewood for the woodstove in the cabin, which was great timing as our stockpile was getting low.

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

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

11.   Later that afternoon, Sooley started bottling down 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 some 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 a successful harvest. From there we continued on then turned around at the end of the road. On the way out we met Maffer & Sooley who were still empty handed. Not five minutes after passing the boys 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 a successful shot just in the nick of time.

8.   That evening we enjoyed a feast of Barbeque steaks which had been marinating for 2 days, paired 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 headed out I took a couple hour solo ride on Project Foreman in the Mobil First Pond area. If I had taken a shotgun with me I could have had a couple grouse, but that's usually 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 found 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 & a rabbit in the bag, the cabin winterized. and a fresh stockpile of firewood drying outside we are officially ready for winter!

Cheers, MIKE