njc110381 0 Posted November 14, 2008 Report Share Posted November 14, 2008 What a great time I've had over the last couple of weeks. I've been staying with My friend in Canada, being driven around the place checking out the countryside and culture. What can I say, I miss the place already. Where else can you spot a moose hanging out of a pickup truck driving through town? People would die of shock if that happened here! For some reason they're much more clued up to the realities of life there, I admire (or even envy) their way of thinking! I took my .375H&H with me for Bear protection (what a wimp!), luckily it didn't get used for that purpose in the end. First off we went out for a hunting trip in Hinton. There are miles of logging roads all over the place and you just drive around looking for something to shoot at. All you need to do is buy a tag, and then be clear of the vehicle to take a shot. Unfortunately no shots were taken at anything serious, the numbers are down due to the last winter being unusually hard on the wildlife. The sight seeing was very enjoyable though, and I found it hard to believe how big Canada really is. We spotted a moose there, and I shot a Squirrel I'm pretty sure this picture was taken in Hinton. I'm more sure that Neil will correct me if I'm wrong! After the day in Hinton, we headed out to Jasper. No shooting there as it's a national park, but it was one of the most memorable days of the trip. I didn't find the town that appealing, but the surrounding countryside was stunning! How tempting was this one..... We spent the night in Jasper and the next morning headed out to Grande Cache for more hunting. One of Neils friends kindly let us stay in his apartment so we could spend a few days there. In the end we only needed to stay one night, as I hit a good sized Whitetail Buck and we had to get it back to Neils! The meat damage wasn't huge, although the exit had taken out a few ribs. I took the shot at about 125 yards and he managed to do a good 25 before dropping. He was pretty pumped up as he'd spotted me before the shot was taken. The 270grn softpoint ended his day cleanly and I found my new rifle very easy to handle and shoot. I was very pleased with the result. The only drawback is that I'd walked about 400 yards from the car, and then the Deer ran deeper into the forest when I spooked him. Two poor chaps were about to realise how heavy this thing actually was We returned to Neils that afternoon and left the Buck in the boot over night. The temperature was perfect that night so we figured it would be fine until the morning. Next day we went about skinning and butchering it, which was quite a task. It was my first time cutting up a Deer and I have to say that for an amateur, I didn't do too badly. Neil helped and pointed me in the right direction when I looked stuck, and we ended up with some very nice (although oddly shaped) cuts. The next day Becky made us a roast from the backstraps. It was one of the best meals I've ever had, and I need to pester her to find out how she cooked it. All I know is it had garlic in it, but it tasted great! We spent another couple of days out hunting and spotted more Moose. We also got stalked by a Bear in Grande Cache which was pretty scary. The last thing I wanted was a fight with a Grizzly, so we went back to the apartment for the night! The second week we went out and met up with another guy I know, Martin. He brought some fun guns for me to use (and ammo, lots of it!). Martins .45acp Neils Glock 17 Martins .357 Martins .44 magnum And Martins effing great cannon, a Desert Eagle .50 (didn't like it much)! We also went clay shooting with Martin and got beat badly. Something tells me he has too much time on his hands to shoot as good as he does! All in all a great couple of weeks. I have to say a big thankyou to Neil and his family for making me welcome in their home and for driving me around for hours on end so I could get to see all the best places. I should also thank Martin for his hospitality and bullets, as he wouldn't let me give him anything for them! Hopefully I'll be going back again soon, and Neils planning a trip here at some point too. I'm going to have to work pretty hard to make his visit here as fun as the one I've just had! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
scothunter 12,609 Posted November 14, 2008 Report Share Posted November 14, 2008 Looks great and a really enjoyable read mate Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mackem 30,860 Posted November 14, 2008 Report Share Posted November 14, 2008 Good trip Njc,I might be out there next year,how much are the tags?None-resident? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
The one 8,598 Posted November 14, 2008 Report Share Posted November 14, 2008 Nice one mate Quote Link to post Share on other sites
andy s410c 63 Posted November 14, 2008 Report Share Posted November 14, 2008 Great post NJC Looks beautiful out there.My neighbours just went to Vancouver for a year to see if him & his missus will settle out there,i hope so because i'll be on his case to get over there.... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mackem 30,860 Posted November 14, 2008 Report Share Posted November 14, 2008 I might be moving there next year andy,once the dust here settles Quote Link to post Share on other sites
andy s410c 63 Posted November 14, 2008 Report Share Posted November 14, 2008 I might be moving there next year andy,once the dust here settles Plenty of Sock eye's over there Del My mother's got a Aunt over there but they lost contact in the mid 70's.Got to plenty of places when i was in the Navy but Canada was classed as a jolly so being on TYPE 42 Destroyers i seen far too much of Norway & the Faroes Gap Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mackem 30,860 Posted November 14, 2008 Report Share Posted November 14, 2008 I would love to have went to the faroes,thats where they have the whale culls No sockeyes for me,its grizzly and moose with a bow or nowt Quote Link to post Share on other sites
andy s410c 63 Posted November 14, 2008 Report Share Posted November 14, 2008 I would love to have went to the faroes,thats where they have the whale culls No sockeyes for me,its grizzly and moose with a bow or nowt Grizzlys with a bow,honestly Thought they were protected out there unless their causing havoc in a township or killing livestock?? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mackem 30,860 Posted November 14, 2008 Report Share Posted November 14, 2008 No mate,you can buy tags for them,I have some bowhunting DVD's with huge grizzly Quote Link to post Share on other sites
andy s410c 63 Posted November 14, 2008 Report Share Posted November 14, 2008 No mate,you can buy tags for them,I have some bowhunting DVD's with huge grizzly Well as the saying goes Del"You learn something new everyday".Hope it works out for you but" you can take the the boy out of Hendon........ Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mackem 30,860 Posted November 14, 2008 Report Share Posted November 14, 2008 f*****g hell,thatmeans as soon as I get over there I will be Twocking and doing creeps Quote Link to post Share on other sites
andy s410c 63 Posted November 14, 2008 Report Share Posted November 14, 2008 f*****g hell,thatmeans as soon as I get over there I will be Twocking and doing creeps :blush: AAH,the good old days................. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest JohnGalway Posted November 15, 2008 Report Share Posted November 15, 2008 I would love to have went to the faroes,thats where they have the whale culls No sockeyes for me,its grizzly and moose with a bow or nowt Think you might need to borrow that Desert Eagle as a side arm incase things go wrong on the Robin Hood side Mackem Those are some amazing photos. Everyone here in Ireland is mad to go to bloody Australia, I'd head for Canada in the morning It's got everything and as you say they've got their heads in the right place (not up their ass like over this side of the world). Great post, thanks for sharing it Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mackem 30,860 Posted November 15, 2008 Report Share Posted November 15, 2008 Theres a piece of footage I have watched loads of times,it goes out of focus and out of shot towards the end as I think I camera man does a runner Bowhunting legend Gary Bogner stalks a huge grizzly with his bow as it feeds on a moose carcass,grizzly gets the huff at lunch being disturbed and charges,in the final frames before the camera guy decides discretion is the better part of valour you see Bogner coming to full-draw and facing the bear down Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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