Deer camp canoe trip

[Robin]

I just spent 6 days at Lows Lake in NY's Adirondacks with the intent of doing some grouse/deer hunting. I brought my small wall tent with a wood stove, and I paddled an 18' wood canvas Old Town Guide.
I didn't travel light, I had a folding chair a cot and a wannigan. Paddling in the 14 miles to my site I enjoyed a smooth as glass lake.

I set up my tent and processed some beaver wood for my wood stove for the evening and breakfast. The next day started calm and I went out and found some more wood and got some time in the spruce looking for a grouse. Heading back to camp the wind picked up for what would be pretty much the rest of the trip.

The site I like to use is open and at the mercy of the north wind. It was a cold wind and I spent alot of time sitting by the wood stove. Both areas I had planned to hunt required a 1/2 mile paddle in either direction from the site so the wind really effected any hunting.

On Saturday, opening day of deer season the wind had calmed down Unfortunately my little weather radio predicted strong winds for Saturday afternoon,Sunday along with cold rain. So I packed up my outfit and headed back towards the put in, about 5 miles where the lake narrows to some sheltered areas where I thought I might find a quiet campsite and some areas to hunt.
It was a good move, the site I found offered shelter but by the time I was done setting up I had no ambition to go out and hunt. Soon the rain started for most of the next 24 hours.
My second site

More sitting in the tent waiting for the rain to stop

Just cold and damp out there with a steady wind, too nasty for this old timer.

Monday arrived with calm, cold and sun. I was low on firewood and I had had enough tent time so I packed up and headed home. The temp on my truck read 37 when I loaded up.
I liked the big 18' OT Guide, before the trip I removed that annoying thwart behind the bow seat and paddled it backwards from the bow seat. But all in all, my 16 ' Chestnut Pal is plenty big enough for my gear and more solo friendly.
This was my 3rd time doing this, paddling in to hunt deer the last week of October and I think it was my last. Setting up the camp, getting the firewood, dealing with the cold and short daylight hours is just a little to much at my age.

 

[Canotrouge]

Good report Robin, I hear you on the crappy weather and the short days, we get a lot of that up here late in the fall. But when the weather is good and the temperature warm, it makes for a great time in the bush where there is usually less people. I think our canoe tripping season is over up here, small lake and streams are starting to freeze up. Ok, time to go clean the snowshoe hare and the ruff grouse I got today wile looking for bisons.... Cheers

 

[memaquay]

I usually take so much stuff with me when I'm hunting that I have to drive in and base camp. Are there any places where you could do that? Saves a lot of effort. Paddling an 18 foot canoe solo for 14 miles and then setting up camp is enough to tucker out a teenager. Plus, you can bring pre-split firewood with you for the stove, saves a lot of time and effort. For me, hunting in the fall is more about relaxing and being alone, and less about effort!

 

[Robin]

I usually take so much stuff with me when I'm hunting that I have to drive in and base camp. Are there any places where you could do that?
For me, hunting in the fall is more about relaxing and being alone, and less about effort!

There are some real nice drive in sites up there, that might be an option. I could hunt out of my canoe at some of them but have all the comforts of my wall tent.

 

[forest runes]

I'm now teaching my two grandsons to set up my tents , paddle & load my canoe. helps to have some young porters to help. youthful energy is best directed by an old hand.

 

[Murat V]

Sorry the weather didn't cooperate. At least you got some time away from it all. Did you get your 18 footer for these heavy load, fall trips? It sure sounds like a lot of boat for a solo traveler, no matter what the person's age.

 

[forest runes]

On a trip thru the allagash a few years ago, the day we started out was stunningly beautiful,later the same day it started to rain. For four days it rained so hard it was blowing sideways.no tarp or tent would save you, could barely cook meals.paddling to the takeout point took everything you could muster ,swore I would never go thru it again. a few days later could laff at the experience & would go again in a minute, better than sitting home watching reruns on TV. Better luck next time.

 

[southcove]

What I remember about my last fall trip up there was being exasperated with the wind and THEN having to hump the load of gear/boat up and over the dam into the upper part of the lake...and then the real wind blowing down the narrows started up! There is alot to give up when you car base camp (sense of remoteness, quiet, self-reliance, etc), sometimes though, it can be the easiest & best choice to continue your off season travels. Perhaps a short walk in using a game cart to hump your gear might be a decent in between choice?

 

[Guest]

Good for you doing it!. I always wanted to try this, and you have done it. I know the feeling of reaching our limits. Just don't stop.
"A nan needs to know his limitations" Turtle

 

[Adk Keith]

Sorry you had a rough weekend Robin. The weekend before (opening of muzzle loading season) featured strong winds, periods of rain and snow. Not much better.

 

[Robin]

Sorry the weather didn't cooperate. At least you got some time away from it all. Did you get your 18 footer for these heavy load, fall trips? It sure sounds like a lot of boat for a solo traveler, no matter what the person's age.

I came across that Old Town 18' along with a 20' in a deal I made. I actually did a solo trip with it's previous owner to the Adk's, he in the 18', me in my 16' Pal. We both had separate kits with wall tents and wood stoves, so I figured if he could do it....like Turtle said, "a man needs to know his limitations"...haha very true.
I agree with forest runes, in a few days I'll only remember the good times and laf off the hard times...happens every time.

Here's the 18' and my 16' Pal at Little Tupper Lake back a few years, the 18 looks pretty big at this angle.

 

[Canotrouge]

18 footer solo is really manageable, even 20 is ok... But I think I like 16 up to 17 a bit better. especially if there is tight spots on the trip!
One day, one way I'l have a nice W/C like a lot of you do!!

 

[Robin]

So what with the heavy rain today from that storm coming out of Mexico, I managed to post a Youtube video, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwA1BmBrc6U

 

[forest runes]

Robin, Thanks for the video. Just recently acquired a tent stove , no chance to put it to the torture test yet. Does your flue damper help much? How much burn time do you get out of a loaded stove. I was thinking about bringing a bag of hardwood charcoal on trips.

 

[Iskweo]

That is looking pretty good from where I am sitting right now Robin. I would trade you in a New York minute.I have been mulling over the idea of an outfitter tent and I reallllllly like the frame on yours. Out here we usually use two A frames and a ridgepole to hold it all up but finding local trees the right size is a bit of work and they always have sap and crap on them ...I like your idea better.

I may have to hang with Bothwell and crew some weekend this winter to get back into the winter camping thing.

I would say sorry about the weather if I didnt know you enjoyed it anyway and had a barn full of canoes at home to play with as a consolation prize. I will have moose burgers this week in your honour. I might even cook em on the fire like last weekend. I will probably take a pass on sleeping in the back yard though.

It's good to be you my friend.

Christy

 

[Guest]

Never did this kind of canoe camping even though I have all the stuff from rendezvous camping and a Novacraft Pal to carry it. No excuses I guess.
Turtle

 

[Rippy]

Robin, sorry you didn't get any hunting in. Right now I would trade a day at work for a day in your tent listening to the wind blow while feel cozy. I can smell some meat cooking in the cold handle pan on the wood stove as the wind blows through the trees. Thanks for the TR. Dave

 

[Robin]

Robin, Thanks for the video. Just recently acquired a tent stove , no chance to put it to the torture test yet. Does your flue damper help much? How much burn time do you get out of a loaded stove. I was thinking about bringing a bag of hardwood charcoal on trips.

My stove was originally 12" x 12" x 24" and my tent was alot bigger too, 8' x 10', which made both too big for back country solo trips, so I cut them both down. I'm no "tin knocker" or seamstress, but having no clue about something never stopped me yet (like running a website...haha), so my stove is not a very good example. I only use it to take the chill off inside the tent, I don't winter camp and I don't sleep with it on, but it throws off enough heat to heat the tent up nicely even with a strong cold wind outside. Sometimes I have to fold the tent door open to let out the heat.
Anyway, about the damper, I just use it to slow down the fire when I need too, like cooking or if it gets too hot in the tent, and I never have more than a couple of 3 inch birch beaver sticks cut to about 10" and split twice, quick hot fires that don't last very long. My stove is not air tight like it was when I bought it so the damper helps, but also throws some smoke back in if not carfeful with the size of the fire.

 

[Robin]

That is looking pretty good from where I am sitting right now Robin. I would trade you in a New York minute.I have been mulling over the idea of an outfitter tent and I reallllllly like the frame on yours. Out here we usually use two A frames and a ridgepole to hold it all up but finding local trees the right size is a bit of work and they always have sap and crap on them ...I like your idea better.

I may have to hang with Bothwell and crew some weekend this winter to get back into the winter camping thing.

I would say sorry about the weather if I didnt know you enjoyed it anyway and had a barn full of canoes at home to play with as a consolation prize. I will have moose burgers this week in your honour. I might even cook em on the fire like last weekend. I will probably take a pass on sleeping in the back yard though.

It's good to be you my friend.

Christy

Thanks, nice thoughts. I use pine closet pole for the frame, with an angle kit I bought with the tent. That frame goes up quick, and is alot stronger than it looks. I can increase it's strength with a couple of beaver sticks propped under the ridge and the guy lines off the tent keep it grounded. Finding poles where I camp is next to impossible, you can't cut live or dead standing trees so it really helps to have a interior frame. My outfit costs a fraction of what a Snowtreeker tent would have cost me. Not to say the ST isn't worth it, but just trying to live within my means..haha
Now about those moose burgers, I would still be in the woods if I had had some moose meat to cook up on the wood stove in my cold handle!

 

[Robin]

Never did this kind of canoe camping even though I have all the stuff from rendezvous camping and a Novacraft Pal to carry it. No excuses I guess.
Turtle

We should have a spring ice out trip, lots of folks around the NE close to the ADKs with hot tents, even alot of the folks north of the border are closer to the ADK's than most of us...just an idea.