STUCK AND WOLVES HOWLING BUT LOVIN' IT ALL

It finally happened. After 25 years in the Canadian Bush I was stuck deep in the bush, stranded, center stuck, high centered, marooned without a shovel or hi boy. For two sleepless nights and almost three days, I grew to respect those that lived by trapping of homesteading. What raised the hair on my back was when the pack of wolves come to visit and howled for some time within 30 yards. I dare not get out of my bag to stoke the fire. There were six and had the Grand Cherokee surrounded. I imagined the movie "American Werewolf in London," and I was on the Moors. I was 15 miles back into the Saskatchewan FORREST. I had fire, water, sleeping gear by accident weapons and my two faithful dogs but I was stuck and was not about to walk the 20 miles back into town.

I counted on being found by Moose hunters. Who drove the trails in their quads looking for the elusive animals. We were coming back after a day of ruffed grouse hunting and with my limit I was anxious to return to the town bar where the Owner Carmen promised to let me watch the World Series. I would miss the greatest game ever played in the World Series where LaRussa and Lance Berkman undid the Sabermetrics and made baseball a game of magic again. Thank God they beat the Texans with two strikes against them.

By the second day, I was getting concerned as the snow fell. There was more panic than real but with the instinctive reactions to wolves singing at night and little progress trying to get the Jeep of center stuck and hoping for a sound my imagination was going wild. If I had SPOT but then again it is a weak system in the deep forest.

NORTHERN LIGHTS ARE RADIANT AND MOVE THE WATERFOWL SOUTH

The cold nights make for great sleeping as long as it doesn't get below 20. I detached the Jeep and went into the Badlands in search of grouse and found they had not conveyed up. Instead of 50 eyes looking out there were only 12 to 20 making for excellent rough shooting. Sharptails after feeding on grain and alfalfa make excellent table fare and since I was on a "bush meat" diet for the next 3 weeks I cooked the whole birds. I prefer grouse of the Hungarian Partridge.


The Drahthaar, Griffon, Poodle Pointer, Wirehair combo hunting machine, Fe her nick name for Drath Fe Dar was in her elements and overshadow the Labrador Pup. She was so intense on her hunting that quickly she was on point quivering at a buffalo berry patch.I closed my Hollis hammergun I kept the Lab at heel like we do on the grouse Moors in Scotland and when I got within 10 feet the brush exploded with the familiar AHAHAHAH cackle of flushing grouse. I remember a right to left swing flush, then a faint recall of a fallen grouse before turning to a quick straightedge flush but I went blank. Rarely can I recall anything after the mount until a bird has fallen. It is all instinct. When I can recall I miss because I am bird watching lifting my head to high watch the beautiful flush. Sometime I think I miss just to watch the grouse sail across the slough.


The pointer quickly retrieves the first grouse and I must get the birds from her quickly for she loves the taste of blood. The lab bring the second grouse to heel and I have a brace in the Filson. I tag my birds as required in Saskatchewan and decide to hunt for Huns

THE WESTERN-PACIFIC FLYWAY STAGING WAS INCREDIBLE

One never tires of the journey northward to witness the waterfowl staging. Magic and miracles are the best way to describe these days in the field camping alone, I prefer western staging to the forest. The process place your soul into a zen meditative stare knowing there is no rush and you can make camp anywhere you wish . I watch for hours bird behavior and flight. They meet and travel in group towards they south eating and playing along the way. The resident game birds endure all seasons the Prairies throw at them like many Saskatchewan Farmer but many other take heed and follow the waterfowl. I've been blessed and often with my wife and children and certainly my firends the canines drive the same routes of the Western flyway for the last 23 years spending the new years and winter in Arizona and Mexico camping, hunting and fishing

THE SKY OPENS AND I AM ALONE FINALLY

I never have problems with Canadian Immigration when I pick small towns. Avoid Sweetgrass, Montana crossing at all cost. It is run by trainee trying to make a mark. I can chat with Canadian Immigration about hunting, politics with crops as oppose to the American who are testosterone driven in full flack-jacket regalia with Glocks, mace and Tasers weighing them down. They watch too much TV. Once through the American maze across the border, I signed my declaration forms for my smooth bores totally seven side by side. They included my

• 1876 W.C Scott and Sons Premier Grade thumb-lever Hammer gun with dolphin head rebounding hammers. The wood was Turkish walnut and was without doubt the finest handmade gun of its kind. It was made the same year and month Cuter bit the dust at the Battle of Little Bighorn. The weapon 2 of 4 belonged to Earl of York and was used by Lord Ripon when he came home from India
  
• Winchester Model 21 made in 1947 Duck model that brings down biggest of waterfowl. Tom Clancy, the author, once told me this weapon was on par with flak batteries over Normandy. It shoots sweet with my Hevi and Bismuth Shot. Stan Baker the Seattle wizard of barrels modified the tubes to handle steel. The Model 21 was commissioned by General Omar Bradley
  
• A Holland and Holland SLE 20 bore royal ejector circa 1936 for upland. I compact wello made weapon a new as the day it was made. It was brought over by Marshall Fields of Chicago and given to my father for an Architectural favor when he lived in Barrington, Ill
• I Hollis 1873 12 bore dolphin head rebounding hammer bar action with with exhibition grade timber and engraving worthy of Sharptail. I acquire this masterpiece on a trip with my eldest son to the South Island of New Zealand on a camping and fishing trip. It was acquired the same day Pope John Paul died in Rome.
• Work of Art an exquisite Favure LePage y Fils and Son PARIS, a 1892 12 bore SLE with the finest engraving I've ever seen. Made with articulated triggers circa and was a gift of Napoleon III to a Scottish courtier who lived to Oban Scotland to shoot driven grouse and wood pigeon. I acquired the rare LePage in Oban north west of Glasgow on our 20 wedding anniversary trip for grouse hunting near Balmorl. Made in 1892.
• AYA model 53 SLE 20 Ga with Picasso style engraving Many trips to Argentina
• Lastly a 1864 McCririck made in Ayr Scotland. A rare under lever back action with Damascus tube worthy of North Dakota Pheasants. This is the only under lever hammer gun I have located made in Scotland.

I look back to America and remarked that the new American border complex seem over-the-top in such a small place with less than 20 crossing a day. The Canadian laughed and said they built six of the 70 million dollar bunkers across Montana and remarked, "no wonder the government has a debt problem." How right he was.
At last I was on my way, felt the freedom to hunt and camp any where I choose, a feeling I am sure many cowboys experienced before the fences.

My first night was off the road next to a stream where I shot a mallard for supper. Camping , hunting, beaching with our Lance Camper remind me of my days with unlimited expense accounts but only better. It had everything to make the adventure comfortable and hunting a pleasure. Of course it is my incredible Ford 7.3 crew cab dually that was the horsepower to carrying my backpack us from the Great Basin up to short-grass Prairie home to spectacular upland and incredible numbers of waterfowl and then onto the forest where wolves greet you with songs and the ruffed grouse flush like no other game bird. We would in 4 weeks,weather permitting, pull the plug in the North Country usually near the Pas or Flin Flon as winter came to Saskatchewan.

For the next several days I jump shot mallards and teal and chased Huns who managed to escaped the brutal winter. You must be self sufficient out here. There not no towns or accommodation for 70 miles and that is why the hunting is superb.