Moose but no moose...

[Canotrouge]

So we went and we came back... Went on a 6 day canoe trip down the South McQuesten and the Mcquesten river from North of Mayo to the Klondike Hwy bridge south of Dowson! A 125km trip of mostly flat water, with lots of wood. We did short days on the water to look for moose and to explore the area. I have paddle that river many times but since last time it as changed a lot, new channels, a lot more wood and this year, lots of water compare to the usual low water of september.

We started our 5 hrs drive from e Whitehorse on the 27th in the morning, drove all the way to Mayo in one go stop to re fuel and headed to the put in that is about 45min from there on the rd to Keno. We got to the put in where there was no other vehicles, always a good signe that at least we would be some what by our self out there!! We were living the vehicle there for friends to p/u for us and bring to the take out close to there home on the river... More about them later.

So like I said the river was high, higher than expected and than usual. We are paddling a 20 foot canoe, with 800 pounds of gear food and people on a river that is less than 40 feet wide in place and full of wood!! My partner, is not a real paddler haha, he's good, but doesn't know much about back ferry, actually, he doesn't know that back ferry is a thing!! So we start and after an hour or so found a camp spot and call it a day!

We set up camp, gather wood, cook supper and talk about the next day plans!! We don't bother with the wood stove thinking that it will be ok and that the weather won't be to cold... We woke up at 7am(pitch dark) -10c!!

Plans of the day was get up listen look, break up camp and go, float for a few hours and stop in the sun for breakfast. dang -10 is cold siting in a canoe in the shade!!

to be continued.....

(Again Pictures don't load in order... WTF)

 

[memaquay]

Nice! We are headed out canoe-moose hunting too, middle of October. Taking the wood stove though!

 

[Odyssey]

Moose or no moose I love your trips!

 

[Canotrouge]

Nice! We are headed out canoe-moose hunting too, middle of October. Taking the wood stove though!

We had the wood stove, and it was running all other night and morning!!

 

[Canotrouge]

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So here comme some more!! After lunch we kept on keeping, and float some more. We came around a corner, there is a lot of corners on that river, I think there is more corners than straight stretch... And we saw a HUGE moose on river left, head in the water, it was a cow... we hanged out with here for a bit, calling to see if she had a lover close by that would want to come out for a fight... None! So we kept going.

We stopped a bit later that day and did the same thing than the night before, set up camp, get fire wood, prep supper and call call and call some more! Then when it was to dark to see anything, we went to bed.

It was pretty much the same for the rest of the trip! We would get up early, have breakfast, pack up and get on the river to float and back ferry, lots of back ferry, actually Pat loved it so much that we would back ferry places that didn't need a back ferry!! So progress was slow!!

Herd a bull grunt so we stopped on the opposite shore, tried to call him out and I think the wind blew our position and then nothing anymore. He was gone, Never saw him!!

Next day the same, we saw an other cow, we passed within 15 yard of here and she didn't mind, so again we stopped on the opposite shore, call and trash to see if a possible lover would come out to get into a fight... again, nothing so after an hour of that we decide to keep going and find camp!

The following day, I don't even remember what day I'm at lol(Obviously, I'm no Alan Gage lol)... as we get into a slough, I let go of a bull grunt and up 20 yard from me I saw a set of antlers and the fore head of a 3-4 year old bull, so I motion to pat to back up a bit straighten the canoe, and get my rifle out and ready to shoot as soon as I get to see more of the thing... He's behind heavy brush, on a high bank, I'm in the canoe easily 6 feet below him so a head shot is not possible( my brother in law took a head shot like that with a 300 rem ultra mag and the bullet ricochet on the skull and the bull didn't even move!!) so after an entire 45sec of seeing his fore head he backs off and gone! We then go on the opposite shore of the slough to se if we can get him to come out by doing some sexy cow calls... He's an idiot and decide we aren't sexy enough for him! I'm bummed, I question my self, I wonder if I should have taken the shot or if it was smart to not take the shot since it was far from being a good one, really far!

Anyway, we think, we still have time, we talked about what we should have done different...

The next day is the day we get to stop by our friend that did the shuttle for us that live on a hight bluff about 20 up the river from the take out! Se we get there around 6pm, find a place on an island across from the access trail to there property, a 330 foot steep climb to get up there! So we go up meet with them and they invite us for supper, we say yes of course, who wouldn't say yes o free food!! These friends lived in that place for 5-6 years now, they run a birch sirup camp. they have 2 kids, 4 and 9, a few dogs, they raise pigs and chickens for meat for them and to sell, they have eggs chickens, a few goats for milk, they mill the lumber they need for there buildings. They are there all year around, Off the grid. Really neat people, a bit crazy, but really neat!!

Anyway, after a great visit with them we start our decent to the canoe in the dark, head lamps on, we cross the channel to the island and set up camp, our last night on the river, we have about 20km to go to the take out and are hopping to see a bull moose at every corner we paddle to!! No luck, we are off and driving down the road back to Whitehorse for supper!

we made a few mistake this year regarding our hunting planning, we won't make the same mistake next year!!

The picture with the stuff in a bag, is Chaga, a fungus that grows on birch trees, it sells for $10/oz, I got 12oz of it for our own consumption. It is supposed to be really good for you and full of antioxidant!!

Anyway, it was our hunting trip...

 

[Bioguide]

Nice. I'd like to do a canoe/hunting trip combo like that one day... If I'm luck I'll make it happen.

Thanks for posting your trip report Canotrouge.

 

[Odyssey]

You're the only guy I know who wishes he sounded like a sexy cow. (LOL)
I really like the sounds of your float hunting trip. Better luck next year. I was hoping to see you return home with one.
Your friends with the homestead are living the good life. I envy them.
Thanks for the hunt report and the photos.

 

[Canotrouge]

You're the only guy I know who wishes he sounded like a sexy cow. (LOL)
I really like the sounds of your float hunting trip. Better luck next year. I was hoping to see you return home with one.
Your friends with the homestead are living the good life. I envy them.
Thanks for the hunt report and the photos.

Hunting season is not over yet... We might go for a family outing this weekend, but we are not sure yet, still have to do a bit of fire wood to be ready for winter!
As for my friends the homesteaders, I wouldn't change place with them that is for sure, it look really cool from the outside, but it is a hard life, that area is amongst the coldest in the Yukon, So they will live through a few weeks of well below -40c and it is dark up there!!

Would be fun for a year, maybe a bit more, but really I doubt I'm tough/crazy enough for it!!

 

[Odyssey]

How soon is freeze up Canotrouge? Do you have lots of time yet?
Yes the homesteader life looks cool, but I bet there is way more work than I can do.
Good luck with the hunt.

 

[Canotrouge]

How soon is freeze up Canotrouge? Do you have lots of time yet?
Yes the homesteader life looks cool, but I bet there is way more work than I can do.
Good luck with the hunt.

I mean real freeze up is still far away for the moving water, but for small lakes, pounds and sloughs, it is started, some of the sloughs on our trip had 1/2" thick ice already!!

 

[sweeper]

Before you dry your chaga get it into the final form. It's a lot easier to cut or grind it when its wet.

https://www.annandachaga.com/pages/chagahealthbenefits

 

[Canotrouge]

Before you dry your chaga get it into the final form. It's a lot easier to cut or grind it when its wet.

https://www.annandachaga.com/pages/chagahealthbenefits

Thank you sweeper! This stuff I found/harvested, seems bone dry... I usually just break it up in dice size chunk and infuse it that way... I need to look into it more!

 

[Canotrouge]

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I made that wile on the last trip!!

 

[snapper]

Canotrouge - Love your trip report and moose call. Lots of great stuff there. As for chaga, I know many people use it for tea but I don't know if folks are aware that it's a great fire starter. Before char cloth was created lots of folks (we're talking pre-18th century) would harvest the chaga and strike a spark on it to get their fires going. It's one natural fire starter that doesn't need any additional treatment before using. I've found that if it seems too hard to take a spark all you need to do is take the tip of a knife to it, scrape it into a bit of dust and then go from there. So if you're not in need of its medicinal qualities, it's always great to have in your fire starter kit.

That's all for now. Take care and until next time...be well.

snapper

PS - I understand folks also use it as a type of incense. Put a match flame or lighter to it and then drop the coal in a tin or ceramic dish/bowl. It will burn slowly, giving off a nice smelling smoke.

 

[Canotrouge]

Canotrouge - Love your trip report and moose call. Lots of great stuff there. As for chaga, I know many people use it for tea but I don't know if folks are aware that it's a great fire starter. Before char cloth was created lots of folks (we're talking pre-18th century) would harvest the chaga and strike a spark on it to get their fires going. It's one natural fire starter that doesn't need any additional treatment before using. I've found that if it seems too hard to take a spark all you need to do is take the tip of a knife to it, scrape it into a bit of dust and then go from there. So if you're not in need of its medicinal qualities, it's always great to have in your fire starter kit.

That's all for now. Take care and until next time...be well.

snapper

PS - I understand folks also use it as a type of incense. Put a match flame or lighter to it and then drop the coal in a tin or ceramic dish/bowl. It will burn slowly, giving off a nice smelling smoke.

snapper , that is great info, I did hear about the tinder ability go chaga, but never tried it, I will! I'm no incense fan, but I might give that a try to!!

Cheers

 

[snapper]

Just got back after being in VT since this past weekend. We were in the Green Mt. National Forest and were able to harvest some chaga; my friend has a permit. It was pretty spongy inside; which is supposed to be the best kind for fire starting.

That's all for now. Take care and until next time...be well.

snapper

 

[forest runes]

Sweeper turned me on to chaga during the Low's trip, now where ever I go I cannot help but search for it ! Chaga Quest !

 

[sweeper]

Thank you sweeper! This stuff I found/harvested, seems bone dry... I usually just break it up in dice size chunk and infuse it that way... I need to look into it more!

The easiest way to chuck it out is on a bandsaw. I cut it a 1/2" x 1 x 1" chucks, drill a small hole in the center and then string about 8 of these chucks together to make tea, after which you can hang them and use them again.

Dry it after you get it all together, it drills better, and doesn't slit apart as much.

 

[sweeper]