Moose Hunting began for us last week. My parents went to the cabin – some initial tracking, tearing the wood pile down and general maintenance of the cabin. Preparing and studying the forest is next.
The actual hunting season is 54 days away and ends 60 days from now (it is, indeed, only 6 days long).
The next sixth of a year will be very busy. There are activities to be done in the city – camp meeting, planning, cooking and buying food for up to 14 guys for up to 3 weeks. We will need to arrange for ice, water, gas and getting all of it there. There will be many phone calls, much excitement and planning.
The work up north is far greater than what goes on here. My parents (now retired) will spend a lot of time there working on trails, cutting and splitting wood, fixing trails and tracking. They will spend 5-7 weeks in the woods in this time period – at times by themselves, at times with others helping.
There will also be a work weekend for most of the hunters and a separate week for the veterans to go share some stories. There’s a porch to build and a few tree stands to clear.
There’s a lot of fun ahead and a lot of work.
Will it help? Last year we didn’t see a single moose during moose hunting (we saw more than 10 during deer season). In fact, we harvested no deer or moose last year. It was the first year that we were completely “skunked” in 40+ years but it happens from time to time.
