WellPreserved Goes Moose Hunting 2010 – Day 1 – Late Arrival and a Welcome Greeting
2.45AM Late night Friday, Oct 22 (technically the 23rd as it’s well past midnight as I write this)
It’s been a long day. A long week, long month and long last little while. Don’t misconstrue that as a complaint or request for sympathy. Things have been great – just very, very busy.
“Have been busy” is the emphasis. Things are crashing to a slow halt for the next 9 days.
I work almost an hour north of where I live – the camp is about 3 hours from work. Since the pup (Shaeffer the Vizsla) was coming with me tonight and since he can’t type I had to drive south before going north this evening. Rather than crawling through rush hour traffic of our city I decided to do some final errands in Newmarket and turned the truck south around 7.30. A quick visit at home, some final preparations, packing and completing a few posts for my week away was complete by 10.00 and we pulled into the darkness of the north by 10.30.
Shaeff quickly settled into his seat with a terse grumble as we drove north; he was laying on a bed made for a king and covered in his blanket. He’s been in our lives for just over a year and it continues to be a surprise how often I am envious of him.
There was a chill in the air and the combination of fresh oxygen mixed with luke warm caffeine from less than reputable roadside coffee shops and sugar that seemed to fuel the energy of my body and the truck.
The long drive north is akin to a bridge between two disparate realities. As the bright lights of the fast city disappeared behind I could feel the expanse of Northern Darkness swallow the truck, my furry friend and myself. It’s not an entirely cosy feeling – much like jumping in a lake on a summer day, you find yourself simultaneously excited and struggling for breath and bearings before your senses adjust to the new reality and find comfort within it.
The initial feeling of shock is no more real than when I pulled to the side of our logging trail when I was halfway into camp. More than 5 miles from the last house (and pavement) and more than 5 miles from our cabin. I shut off the engine and stepped into the evening stillness. I do this every year and each time I find it just as eerie. Standing in a dark road in the middle of a forest and knowing that I am likely the only person in the middle of a circle that measures 10 miles across is an odd feeling – especially when you were in the middle of a city and a busy day only hours before.
As I sat in the middle of the woods (just before 1.30AM), it was easy to imagine a 1,000 eyes peering at me. I have thought for years that the ultimate horror movie would need no monsters, beasts, ghosts or people – just one poor sap in the middle of the world with no life around him. I stood on the road for a few minutes before I got so uncomfortable that I practically jumped in the pickup, jammed the keys in the ignition and was glad to see the spot I stood fading in the rearview mirror.
The truck crawled into camp around 2.00AM. I was welcomed by a dark fortress – the 3 or 4 guys who arrived earlier in the week (mostly the retired crew) were long asleep. I didn’t figure they’d be awake and was pleasantly surprised to see a propane light spark to life as I stood in the darkness with a yawning dog who needed to respond to a different call of nature.
I approached the camp, flung the door open and a very sleepy member of the camp greeted me – the oldest member of our crew. I only mention age to paint the picture – more relevant is the fact that we’ve known each other for more than 30 of my 37 years. We exchange a quick hug and he passes me a beer from his case explaining that no one should enter the hunt without a proper greeting. He had gotten out of bed to share a beer with me for purpose of greeting and welcoming me to the hunt.
It did not escape me how tribal this type of tradition is and I can easily imagine the day long from now that I am crawling out of bed to greet the next generation. Traditions are so solid that you can enjoy them in the moment, reflect on similar experiences of your past and predict your own future. Passing of such traditions are too rare these days and are a giant part of what pulls me into this darkness every year.
Despite being one of our statesman, my hosts age (he is in his 70s and knows more about the woods than many of us youngins ever will – combined) had nothing to do with the struggle he had with his beer – that was the function of the awful combination of beer and toothpaste. The gesture – and effort – means a lot to me.
As that beer faded, my host slid into the bunk room that will soon be filled with 13 or 14 of us. The dog has since huddled into his bed and I find myself staring into the evening darkness. I’ve definitely completed the crossing and find myself on the other side of this reality though I have yet to find complete comfort with it. The irony is that experience tells me I will undergo a similar transition when I return to the city – one I often find more difficult than this evenings trek.
8 days left and morning will come early…
This is the first post of 9-straight which chronicle my 2010 Ontario moose hunt which began 1 week ago today. The 9 days will be posted through this week and next weekend and will try to capture the essence of my experiences hunting for local food. The link above will reveal all the posts which have been published so far – as well as the complete series from last year. Last years series emphasized a lot of my personal struggle with hunting.
Every comment that adds to the conversation on hunting (i.e. you don’t have to agree with any of our views – but comments that are exceptionally short or ‘attack’ people aren’t eligible) will count as a ballot in our Food Matters Contest (full rules and explanation here). We hope to create dialogue over hunting and consciousness of what we eat and will listen to all with open ears and open hearts, willing to listen and share with all points of view).
Comments
I just have to say that I had only started following your blog this summer and when you mentioned that you were doing a series on hunting I was really excited. For me, that’s very much a back of why I’m into gardening. It’s about having the skills and confidence to know that you can survive. I’ve never been hunting myself and don’t know that I have the patience for it, but I think that hunting (for food and not trophies) is very important and I hope that it isn’t a skill that’s lost in this high-tech mass-farming age.
Very interesting writing style you chose for this piece, particularly considering the topic is controversial. It sounds a bit ominous and introspective. I’ll be following to see how the remaining eight days play out.
I have been waiting for the start to this series for quite a while, and I am not disappointed by the picture you have painted. Words like a brush to a canvas, my friend.
Thank you for your willingness to share this adventure. It seems so much easier to think of eating the flesh of animals, taken in a humane way when someone else is doing the killing. Our friend Alex, takes the lives of all the chickens we eat with a prayer for their life. We may believe that we are creating a sacrifice, yet I always wonder at the willingness of the chicken to be part of the ritual. In honor of the majesty of the land upon which you walk and the courage to take a life, we send you good hunting.
This is such an interesting subject. I was just talking with my sister who still lives in a semi-rural area of eastern North Carolina, where we grew up. After asking about my brother-in-law, she told me that he was well into deer season, his favorite time of the year. I asked, “How much venison can one family eat?” She explained that her family and her children’s families enjoy all the venison they can use. She went on to say that 2 local farmers had asked Danny to come hunting on their land to help keep the uninvited “guests” from eating the crops. She said that one poor farmer had his entire bean crop eaten and trampled in one night! And because he is a good steward of the land, he happily gives anything he kills to the needy families in the area. They are happy to have it! He never has a deer that goes to waste. I am really proud of his contributions.
I know the “1000 eyes watching” feeling very well. Years of canoe tripping, often in remote areas, doesn’t leave me scared of the dark, just aware that there are just as many creatures active in the dark as in the light.
Joel, this is a nice piece of writing that makes me regret not going to the cottage this weekend.
It’s 7:37 am and more than light enough for a clear shot now. There’s a hard frost on the ground but our veggie gardens are tucked up comfortably under their plastic tunnels. It’s the first day of black powder season here. I saw Michael off in the dark this morning at 5:45 to make his way into position 45 minutes before the sun rises and the deer start moving. We’re lucky that we don’t have to travel far to begin hunting our winter meat. In truth, during bow season, I can hunt literally from the back of my house since the deer come down over the piney hill behind us and cross the property on the way to the woods on the other side of our neighboring farmer’s pastures.
While I’m waking up on coffee and blogs, I’m going over in my head the necessities needed for putting up deer if he brings one home: knives are sharpened, cutting table is set up, plenty of wrap, freezer bags and tape is at hand, the meat freezer is cleaned and ready for this year’s harvest, roaster, stock pot, pressure canner, and jars ready for stock from the day’s processing.
It is a huge feeling of appreciation and gratification that I experience looking over the jars in the pantry, the containers in the produce fridge and freezer, the boxes and baskets in the cold cellar, reflecting on the amount of food we were able to grow ourselves, purchase in from local growers, or forage this year. And, as with everything in it’s season, already I feel grateful and respectful of the animal that will give it’s life to help see us through the winter, and Michael’s skills and ability to do this humanely and well.
Love the comments and the general thoughts above, guys…
It’s a tough topic for most – including myself.
It’s interesting how the perception of hunting continues to change for many – both positive and otherwise.
When I read Rebeccas post above and contrast that to what common perception (often enforced by awful hunting tv shows), it makes me wonder how perceptions would change if we featured more stories like hers as opposed to the “trophy” hunts…
Thanks for all the comments – hope they keep coming – it’s exciting to read about your experiences and sharing back and forth…
The problem is, I think, two-fold. First, I don’t think the most of the reality tv watching public would find ethical hunts, seeped in tradition, good tv. Look at most of the reality tv shows out there that figure groups of people. Rarely are they sincerely working together, there is always some sort of competition, which leads to obnoxious behaviour. Sadly, many reality tv watchers like to watch obnoxious behaviour on tv, gives them lots to talk about. The only exception I can think of (off the top of my head) is the BBC production of “Victorian Farm,” which I thought was amazing, but does not get the same ratings as “Survivor.” Second, if ethical hunts were featured on tv or other media, the backlash from extremists in animal rights groups would be huge. Opening constructive dialogue with groups that have opposing views is one thing. Trying to reason with extremists is another. I am just pessimistic enough to think it would be the extremists who would come out of the woodwork, making it more pain that its worth.
However, I think this blog is a great, sensitively written, introduction to the many dimensions of hunting. It gives exposure to aspects of hunting that don’t get much airtime, such as the prep, the traditions, the method, the group effort, and the respect for animals. By bringing out the complexities, it moves people away from reducing the hunting debate to simple narrow questions such as “why are you murdering animals?”
I’m enjoying reading your article. We were brought up being taught that you hunt to eat and you eat what you kill. With the economy being so rough now days especially her in rural NC, gardening and hunting helps our budget tremendously. I wish you luck and look forward to reading the rest of your journal.
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