26 April 2014

Stump Thumpin & Moose Trackin

Having more travel through the next couple weeks I wanted some woods time, in spite of the new snow and the seemingly perpetually delayed Spring, I took my bow to do some stump shooting too. Out the back I trudged with Ace in tow.

The video covers everything and a little more besides, some arrow flinging with the camera on the stumps I'm shooting at.  As well as a camera tumble in the creek, just to see what it looks like in one of those little cascades. I'm still digging this camera for the quality of images, video and the fact that I can toss it in a creek with no ill effect.

Best viewed HD and full screen.



We drifted down into the valley towards the stream that winds through my property, there are many old rotten stumps through that bottom that are perfect for stump shooting. On our way in however, we cut a moose track! I've not seen a moose or found the track of one in my woods for going on two years now. This was special!




I decided to follow the tracks as far as possible, hopefully catching sight of the increasingly rare icon of the Northwoods. The near noon sun was breaking through the clouds, a light breeze from the southeast, and the temperatures in the high thirties. A fine day to be out!

The tracks led me to the stream and into it, the tracks didn't come out on the other side, the moose had turned and was walking downstream. With a grin I slipped into the icy water and followed.




Snow melt has flooded the little valley causing the stream to jump its banks. Some of it fast flowing and relatively deep and some slow and shallow. I kept checking the sides for tracks but saw none, the moose had kept to the water way. Occasionally it would cross a piece of high ground, leaving behind the tell tell sign of water droplets in the snow.


I stayed with this for nearly a mile, where the stream dumps into a bog and beaver pond.





We skirted the edge to the right, I wanted to be able to see if the moose exited the bog, I'd cut no tracks until we were on the other side. You can see where the moose went directly through and hit the ice before exiting the bog.




From there I followed another three hundred yards into thicker and thicker bush, water was deeper than my boots and the going was hard. This was the same area I'd seen a cow and calf four years ago. I believe this was a female returning to the Springtime feeding and calving thickets, at least that was  my hope. I turned and headed north, leaving the moose to the nearly impassable terrain with hope that she does drop a calf here and that they survive.



We retraced our steps, along and through the creek and past one of my day camps.


That spot looked like this a couple springs ago.

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwvPMUuJiP3J3kJllrWlhhJhJeS4Q-VWmMNpmi2te4So0wt6VtHdKDz05PMTqJ7RsCtaoREF_pebt2Ycto4LuXrRI-TAEjl9ZCBbY8PPSDs6DnboGoIZtlelNOu5TA7xHHUDg_6MJgCq4/s1600/169.jpg

This area is loaded up with stumps and I had a good time thumping them for about an hour. There's some footage in the video.


Then is was time for a bit of lunch.

Ace and I are both big fans of salmon in a can! Shameful right?



The walk out was enjoyable, though tiring. Travel was easy in the creek, not so much out of it. We still have knee deep drifts and I hit many of them along the way.










Thanks for looking!

4 comments:

  1. And spring is even coming your way!
    Good writeup as usual.

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  2. Better keep an eye out for Ace out in that timber. Someone could mistake him for a wolf! :)

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  3. Many thanks for all your great videos , photos and field gear tests .
    What kind of knife did you have on this adventure ? Looks like a Cold Steel ' Warthog ' variant .

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    1. Hi Chuck,

      In this case the knife was a Tops Tracker T1 that I've done some work to.

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