In the beginning of our trip, we werent sure if I was even going to be ale to go. Just being diagnosed with Lyme disease and starting the antibiotics, knowing there could be side effects and not being close to the hospital or doctor was worrisome for us but I figured I can get sick at home or at the cabin so we left.
Region 5 (the beautiful Cariboo)
The first day we decided to just go on a scouting day. We had an idea already from last year where we wanted to hunt but because of the fires we were still waiting for certain bans to be lifted in certain areas for back roads and ORV to have access.I had called the Wildfire HQ before we left to find out about if bans were going to be lifted and was told to bring the quad with us as chances are we would be able to use it at some point.
As we were coming out of on forestry main road, we noticed a truck pulled to the side of the road. Right away we knew they were COs. They stopped us and asked us about our day and what we were up to, what we saw (we mentioned a bull moose carcass we found that was a few days old and the antlers were cut from it so we know it wasnt a critter kill), they were quite concerned about that moose because back country roads would still have been closed to all vehicles and from where this moose was killed, was a very long hike out, they said they would be going to look into it, checked out our rifles, checked that we didnt have anything loaded, looked in the truck both inside and the back, checked our licenses then I mentioned my disability permit. The CO, whom I was talking to asked to see it. He has never seen one before so I gave it to him. He was quite interested in it because it gives me permission to have my rifle loaded on my quad or boat and I can shoot from them but to shoot from my truck I must have one foot on the ground and load my rifle from outside the truck. There are a few other details with my permit but I wont bore you. Anyways he called his partner over and they read it thoroughly and thank me for sharing as it was the first time they have seen one. Then a truck pulled up behind us and didnt seem to be happy about being inconvenienced because at the time it was still shooting light. We were told the campfire ban would be lifted at noon the following day and all back-country roads would be open to ORVs. Headed back to the cabin for supper and an early night to bed for early rise hunting.
We left as soon as we were ready in the morning and headed to our first pick of areas. Was a beautiful crisp morning. I was feeling horrid and not functioning. My antibiotics are making me nauseous and the back-road driving is not helping. Peter and Azshia are doing the hiking and I am sitting in the truck, glassing from there, watching the slashes for any sign, we have our talkies. Not much is happening in this area so we move on to the next spot.
It is mid afternoon by now and we have seen no sign of animals, no deer, no bears, no moose and just a few grouse which are nicely tucked in the back of the truck to become supper. Time to move on.
We are driving into a new area we found last season and start seeing more sign than in the morning. At least we are seeing tracks, not fresh maybe a few days old but at least it something. Peter and Azshia take a walk about and Peter is teaching Azshia how to moose call. Me, I am sitting in the truck. We are getting into that time when you know its still shooting time but in-between light so we decide to head back to the cabin. Peter is driving at a pretty good pace and I told him to slow down or he may get a moose with the truck instead of his rifle and sure enough just as he slows it down we come around a curve in the road and standing right there is a beautiful moose (cow). She was tall and filled out, staring us down. We watched her for about 10 minutes before she decided to turn around and start up the road. She had no fear, she walked very slowly up the road so we just held back driving as to not stress her in any way. Once we got to the junction she went left and we went right. We know where there is a cow, there is a bull . Tomorrow is another day
Here we are another morning, mist on the water, smells gloriously fresh, colours are changing. We headed straight back to where we saw the cow. Again, I was feeling sick. By now I know the antibiotics were not my friend. I asked Peter to pull over as unfortunately I had to share my breakfast with nature, we discovered a horrible mishap (something everyone dreads will happen in the bush), we had a flat tire. Now think in mind, Peter drives a Dodge Ram 3500 Cummins Diesel Mega Cab and he is still fighting injuries from a car accident of 2 ½ years ago and he has a vomiting sick wife (no help at all) and a thank goodness for his daughter to help with this flat tire. They get the spare tire onto the truck and Peter decides not to chance the rest of the morning driving on the spare (well Azshia basically told him it wasn't a wise idea). He takes us ladies to our friend's in the Forest Grove area to hang out while he drives into 100 Mile to get the tire fixed. He figured we would get at least the night hunt in by the time he gets back.
With all this driving we have still only seen that one cow, no deer, no bears. We thought with the fires in the Cariboo that the animals would be displaced and have moved to where the fires didnt get to. Its like they were ghosts. By the time Peter got back from getting the tire fixed and after he visited with our friends we pretty much lost this day of hunting so we just grouse hunted our way back to the cabin ..
Once again tomorrow is another . This was becoming our daily saying.
Today we wished we never left the cabin. It was freakin nightmare. It started off like each morning did. We got ourselves dressed. Had our breakfast and coffees, tea, you know what one does before heading to go hunting. Hopped into the truck, drove the 1km up to our gate, drove the 10km to the main forestry road and hear the truck making a horrible sound. Peter got out of the truck to investigate and
ANOTHER FLAT TIRE.
Yes, truthfully, we had another flat tire. Only this flat tire was not repairable. It was done. So once again Azshia and Peter get out the jack and the spare and begin the change. Peter gets the truck jacked up and as he is bringing the spare down from underneath the truck, Azshia says Dad, I think the jack is lowering .Peter looks and sure enough the truck is lower, so he looks under and words I didnt know existed came from that mans mouth. In his frustration of having another flat tire, he misplace the jack and we now had a bent drive arm which is why truck was lowering. Thru a lot of cursing, we get back on to the main forestry road and we carefully drive into 100 Mile to now look for someone who can find us a tire and find us a used drive arm and do the work. Next to impossible because this is the end of September and as of Oct 1 the law says everyone up north must have snow tires installed so every mechanic/dealership/tire place was swamped.
We must have had stars aligned for us because the guys at the tire place who fixed our tire the day before called the auto wrecker/parts guy he knew who just happened to have the drive arm we needed and imagine that he had the exact used tire as ours which was in better shape than the tires we had. SOLD. ......tire place squeezed us in to put new tire on rim from old tire ..all we needed was to find someplace to put in the drive arm, I remembered Remington Jim worked at the a Dealership but I contacted Leaseman for confirmation and he told me he moved to Kamloops so that nixed my idea to contact him I ended up contacting my moms guy that worked on her car and ironically the auto wrecker guy did too so he was already expecting us and fit us in while they were doing the drive arm, they noticed the universal joint needed replacing as well so all in all our day hunting was a day walking around 100 Mile house in full hunting gear and $1000 poorer.
And it was scorching hot I must add.
Tomorrows another day
After spending all day in town yesterday, there was a lot of discouragement and feeling beaten. I was starting to feel like an albatross hanging on Peter and Azshias neck because I was not pulling my weight other than keeping them fed. Peter wasnt hunting the way he usually does and I was blaming myself for it. Even though we were in the cabin, our camp was falling apart. I had to do something to change that. This morning, although I was still being hit hard by these antibiotics, I decided to give it a go and hike in with my hunting party and be another set of ears and eyes. Ok, my hike in wasnt as successful as I hoped but I went as far as my body was about to let me go. Of course, they went farther lol
We sat in this area for a couple hours but the day was getting very warm and we all know animals dont move when it is too warm. Back to the truck to regroup and decide strategies. Moved on to a cooler area near one of our favourite lakes that has been productive in the past with moose signs. It is so hard sometimes to figure out where private land leaves and crown land begins and at this one spot I saw the most magnificent black bear (finally) but it was that grey area of which land was which so I couldnt take the chance. But hey finally spotted another animal. Suddenly, we started seeing critters. 5 deer ran across the road. No antlers but where there is does mean bucks close, rabbits. Confidence was coming back to our little group.
Peter parks the truck and he and Azshia hike down towards the lake shore and I stay in the truck. I just cant do it. Body is just down from mornings try. Ive decided my job now is to keep them positive.
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