K-stove+Megamid, Small Boats+Big Water = Moose?

[FlatbowMB]

Not quite, but almost... more on that in a bit. A friend and I had 3 1/2 days to get out archery hunting and we decided to work the shoreline of one of Lake Winnipeg's large bays. This bay was approximately 20 miles long and 10 miles wide and can go from reasonably calm to extremely violent in short order.

The general plan was to use the 16 foot inflatable for travel on the big exposed water and the small umiak with an electric trolling motor to check out some of the creeks & marshes that drain into this bay. The empty umiak was to be towed to the mouths of these creeks, load up daypacks, bows & quivers and then work our way along these creeks calling. What we found was that pretty much all of these creeks which looked navigable on the map (and probably were back when the map was printed) had diminished to small trickles. Nonetheless we found a few sheltered bays where we were able to use the umiak.

Within the first 2 hours out, my buddy saw a Bull about 80 yards from us in a thick cattail swamp. We tried calling it in but with no luck. The next day we spotted a large calf from about a mile or so offshore while in the inflatable (the umiak was back at base camp at the time. We landed the boat about 300 yards away. This was within clear few of the moose but was the furthest spot we reasonably could land, give the type of shoreline. We stalked to within about 200 yards, then the moose started moving along the shoreline towards us. There was no really good spot for us to get cover, so we tucked in as best we could in small indentation in the low lying brush.

The moose came to within about 28 yards (it was paced off afterward) and stared intently at us for about 30 seconds. It then started to turn away from us i drew my longbow and I let my shot go. I completely missed judged the distance, which I figured was about 20 yards. The arrow sailed about an inch under it's chest, at which point it turned and fled not to be seen again.

That was the only shot opportunity we got during the hunt, though we cut across alot of tracks. Hoping to get back out at some point next week. Here are the pictures;

The Gemini Dive 470 (tunnel hull inflatable):

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d147/alphawolf_/P1010556.jpg

My friend's fiberglass umiak:

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d147/alphawolf_/P1010559.jpg

The Black Diamond Megamid (I'll be sewing in a fiberglass stove jack soon):

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d147/alphawolf_/P1010560.jpg

Me posing in my top dollar camo wool sweater (from the local thrift shop). It blends into the landscape there extremely well.:

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d147/alphawolf_/P1010564.jpg

A small K stove busy multitasking stuffed to the brim.:

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d147/alphawolf_/P1010569.jpg

A nice stubby (~ 1 3/4" - 2" diam) piece of ash gives a pretty good burn time.

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d147/alphawolf_/P1010570a.jpg

Obligatory night skyscape picture:

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d147/alphawolf_/P1010577.jpg

Obligatory daytime shoreline picture. If you look closely you'll se a bald eagle in there. The shorline of the vast majority of this bay was like this - very shallow and hard to findcover. There is maybe about 6 places along both sides of that whole shoreline with high enough ground to pitch a tent without fear of being flooded out if there is a change in wind direction.:


http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d147/alphawolf_/P1010578a.jpg

[AeroNautiCal]

Great shots,

The GD 470 looks good, I got two infatables myself, Alpacka Raft Denali Llama and Dory Packrafts.

The stove looked to be doing sterling service, a proper little furnace. Best shots I've seen of the small stove in action.

The camp cot is interesting and I'd like to know the make and model if possible. I was thinking of getting the LuxuryLite UltraLite cot, but yours is a far lower (and I guess, lighter) type as I now use.

Thanks,

[FlatbowMB]

Aeronautical,

That was my friend's cot. It was a very bulky thing when folded up. I've got a downmat 9 dlx which I'd highly recommend over any cot.

[AeroNautiCal]

Thank you,

much appreciated.

[Bonasus]

Flatbow, have you read Eric Severeid's "Canoeing with the Cree"? Eric Severeid, the late US newscaster, took a long canoe trip as a youth (1930's if I recall) with a friend. They started in Minneapolis and ended at one of the famous trading houses up on Hudson Bay. Lake Winnipeg constituted a large part of their trip north. If you've not read it, I recommend it. You can find it used on Amazon or Barnes and Noble.
Bonasus

[Ken]

Great pic's!!...good luck next go-round!

[FlatbowMB]

Bonasus,

I have read a little bit about Eric Severeid, but haven't yet read his book. I'll have to seek it out. What he did when he did it is truly amazing. I believe he reached the hudson bay coast at Port Nelson. Given the limted amount of information about the Lake Winnipeg that would have been available at that time, I would imagine there were some nasty surprises in store for him.

Lake Winnipeg has a very evil disposition, and is capable of going from real calm and placid to raging violent sea in a matter of minutes. If you are in a canoe, you need to stay very close (less than 100 yards) to the shoreline at all times. There are certain bays you would not want to enter with a canoe because most of the shoreline is wet marsh/bog and suitable landing/camping spots (high enough not to get washed out by a wind tide) can be several miles apart.

[FlatbowMB]

Aeronautical,

How do you like those Alpacka rafts? How durable are they?

[Woods Walker]

Nice. I have used the small stove for a camp fire in areas that don't allow or need a normal fire ring. Kinda fun to see the pipe turn all red and the flames in summer too.

[Bonasus]

"As we tightened the last strap on our packs, within the inn, one of the men put his hand on my shoulder and said, "Listen."
We were motionless. Then through the trees came the small sound of the sighing wind. Gradually it grew louder, like a siren coming nearer.
With stunning suddenness a storm, a northwestern gale struck the settlement. The wind howled and the shutters of the inn banged and clattered. Frequent jagged streaks of lightning, followed by thunder which reverberated throughout the darkened forest, illuminated row upon row of ghastly white billows, far out on the lake, crashing toward the shore. At last all the tales of sudden death on Lake Winnipeg had been confirmed.
The thought of being out there in the canoe made me turn pale." p 102-103, Eric Severeid, "Canoeing with the Cree"

[FlatbowMB]

Good stuff - Which settlement was he at at the time of this storm?

[Whitepalm]

I too have a Denali Llama, packrafts are extremely durable. Nice pics.

[scothill]

I am still in a bit of lust with your gemini, and very very jealous of your method of hunting. I love boats and the water and hunting from a boat is just a damn good time.


Aero
do you prefer the llama or the dory?

[FlatbowMB]

Scot,

If you're ever in the Winnipeg area during our open water season (early May - late October), give me a heads up and we'll get the boat out for some fishing.