Winter Caribou Hunt 1975

Winter Caribou Hunt 1975

It was a cold morning, it was 8 am. We were boarding a bush plane, Otter and on our way to a caribou hunt. My buddies Andre, Julien and brother-in-law JM. It was the 23 Feb. and a minus -23 outside. We had no choice we had to go this morning; the plane was chartered for today and only bad weather could cancel this trip. We were all well dressed with good warm clothes, snowmobile suits and boots. Each our packsack, lunch and a thermos of coffee for the day. It looked like a beautiful day the sky was blue.

We had been flying for a good 2 hours, no tracks and no caribou insight. Yes I forgot to introduce our pilot Jean Charles, 10 years experience as a bush pilot. I asked him where are we heading? Lake Vital they saw a big herd there yesterday.

A couple of hours more flying and nothing in sight. The pilot looked back at us and said we will have to think on going back. One, the gas is getting low and about 5 hours of day light left. He said, 15 minutes more. I said look caribou tracks. The pilot made a 90 degree to the left and over on the second lake he landed. There was a herd of over 200 heads, they were standing there looking at the plane.

Jean Charles said, first if you guys do this fast we still have time to head back home, if not and it takes to long we will be sleeping in the bush at -30. What do you want to do? Yes that was cold and very cold to sleep outdoors without a sleeping bag. We looked at each other and said we came hunting and that’s what we are going to do. We told the pilot we will do this as fast as we can..

We had landed the Otter a good ¾ mile away. To close would have scared the caribou off. I said 200 caribou; it was more than 500 caribou. Out of the plane and got those snowshoes on so fast and away we went, but not Andre, Andre is not an outdoors sportsmen, he takes his time and is very slow. He yelled, you guys go ahead I will fallow behind with the camera. We said okay, take your time. We were heading for the point of wood about 1000 feet away; we could not see the caribou. I said that they won’t be far from that point. JM and I had to run if we wanted to keep up with Julien, he was 6’4” 200lbs and skinny and those long strides he was taking kept us running.

Once at the point we were all pretty well disappointed, the caribou had advanced a good 1000 feet or more and were just about ready to enter the bush. They were a good 2000 feet from us; I said shoot up high and into the bush just ahead of them. They each had 30.06 rifles and I had my 32spl. They shot; the herd turned around and yes heading right straight for the point and us. That’s happens when you shoot like this, in the bush ahead of them, is the echo they hear in front of them and makes them instinctively turn and head in the opposite direction. The herd was heading straight for the point and for us. I was laying face first in the snow and no moving at all. They were 500 feet away and still coming for us. JM said get ready their 200 feet away. Up we got and let me tell you they were at 150 feet, they all stopped and looked straight at us or in our direction. I aimed the biggest one looking at me and bang, in the neck and down it went. I shot my second one. I yelled stop we are only allowed 8. I counted 1. 5… 7, one missing, but before I finished my phrase, bang, bang two shots and two caribou down. (the pilot had a license and took the extra one)

I heard the pilot starting up the otter engine, taking off and came and landed beside us. He got out and said it’s too late to head back home; we will never make it before dark. You have a choice sleep outside at minus 30 or it will cost you $80.00 more for the charter. There’s a hunting camp 20 miles away, we can stay there for the night. No one argued about that.

We fixed up the caribou, then dug up holes in the snow with are snowshoes, and buried our caribou. This would help keeping the meat fresh and not freezing over night. We brought back with us 3 hearts and 2 livers, this was for supper.

It was starting to get pretty dark and not much time to get to that cottage. I hope that there’s a stove and wood. I was starting to feel the minus 30 it was very cold. I could see the hunting camp as we approached and yes it looked like a big and nice cottage.

We landed and Julien was the fist out and said I’m going to light the stove. The pilot asked if we could help him take out the two batteries. I have to keep them inside the cottage, warm, if not this plane won’t start tomorrow morning. We also covered the nose of the plane with a canvas tarp. Jean Charles said it’s up to -35 and I think that it may be more in a couple of hours.

Julien had the oil stove going and the wood stove. It was so cold inside that linoleum had curved up. We had to be careful not to break it. There was a bottle of Vat 69 0n the table ¾ full and over half of that was frozen solid. You can imagine how powerful the non frozen part was. This was a very nice cottage, 4 bedrooms, living room and big kitchen and washroom. Blankets, pillows and everything, but no food, yes a box of Kellogg’s cornflakes.

JM was the cook and yes caribou heart and liver plus a shot of Vat 69, powerful stuff. The meal (meat) was great, we talked for about an hour and then to bed. Yes we could hear the wind. The pilot Jean Charles’s got up and said I’m going to check the tarp and tie it down more. I asked, do you need a hand? No thanks I’m okay. When he got back he said I don’t want to discourage you guys but were here for a couple of days for sure. There’s a big storm out there.

Let me tell you that it was a storm, you could not even go outside, the wind was so strong. I prayed that we don’t run out of fuel oil because there was no more wood and no more food. We slept 4 nights in that warm cottage and thank god we did not decide to sleep outside.

The third day was nice with that beautiful rising sun; we help the pilot place the batteries back in place. I hope this thing starts this morning, I want home I told myself. We had to cut the ice around the skies as there was slush that had accumulated after the landing. Jean Charles was hoping that we did not chip a piece off the skies. He said: they cost $10K’s a pair. Off we were and back to Havre St. Pierre, back home. Everyone seemed happy to get back home.

This was all in 1975 the way we hunted. Today you don’t hunt like that anymore, unless you have your plane. Today is the American plan in some outfitter camps. Everyone travels buy snowmobile with a guide. All you have to do is shoot it. The rest is all done by the guide. But it’s still pleasant to experience.

I can book you any time in March and April for a good winter caribou hunt. Well it’s a 5 days snowmobile adventures guided by local native, living their culture, includes also, ice fishing big lakers, rabbit snaring, ptarmigan hunting and just relaxing. Cook, snowmobile and guide all included.

Our First Bull Moose on the Romaine River

On the Romaine River once again with J.M. my brother-in-law. It was Friday just before supper time. I was on duty as Chief of Police for the Municipality of Havre St Pierre. When J.M. came knocking at my door. He said I need a partner to come hunting with me on the Romaine River for the week-end. I said that’s impossible for me I have to work all week-end. Did you ask your cousin Michel? He can’t come. Also I said there is a lock-out at the Mine Q.I.T. at midnight. No I can’t go. If I bring you back tomorrow morning, just come in for the night. I’ll ask my constable if he wants to replace me for the night shift.

All was fixed up, it was 5:30 p.m. and we were waiting for J.M's wife to come back with the jeep. 6.0’clock no jeep. I called my buddy, S.Q. police Julien if he could bring us up to the Romaine River. In 10 minutes he was parked in front of my mobile home. We tied the canoe on the jeep, luggage aboard and on our way we were. Half hour later canoe on the river everything aboard and up the Romaine river we went. The weather was great and about half an hour of day light left.
It was a little past 7 p.m. when we arrived to our Island “Iles des Officiers”. Set up camp, got ready for super, it was 8 p.m. The weather was great, not a breeze of wind, it was chilly and to night was the full moon, 17th September 1975.

After our nice tasty supper and as always it was cold roast pork. We decide to take a walk up along the sandy beach of the Island. This took a good hour return. We did not even see a moose track. I said to J.M. that’s good they didn’t come, but will tonight.

J.M. got his big hip waders on and the moose call show began. I cracked a few dry branches, J.M. walked into the water imitating the moose, stopped. We listened for awhile and he gave a soft low call of the cow in heat. Waited and then the imitation of the cow urinating in the water…listened walk out of the water. I cracked a few dry twigs and listened, not a sound could be heard and it was totally quiet.

We stood on the beach for a half hour and J.M. did the soft call just a little loader. We listened for a good hour and then decided to hit the sack. It was close to 10 p.m. I was rolling out my sleeping bag when I heard a grunt noise. I said to J.M. did you hear that, he said what. I said a grunt. I turned out the gas lantern and out the tent we went slowly, not a sound’ we made. We listen a good 20 minutes and then another grunt sound just across the river. My heart started pumping, I could not hear nothing, just the booming in my ears. I touched my heart and I can tell you it was beating at a least 200 per minutes. I bit on my teeth holding them together with a lot of pressure for a couple of minutes my heart beat slowed down. It grunted again, it seemed to be close about a couple of hundred feet from us, in the bush. We could hear the branches cracking and it’s heavy breathing.

It was the full moon and as I said not a breeze of wind and it was very chilly J.M. and I were in our long john’s. We took each our turn to go back to the tent and got dressed. Every move I made I could hear I was making a noise. I picked up my sleeping bag and decided that we were spending the night outside on the beach.

A good hour had passed and not a sound. Not even a crack J.M. gave the soft cow call. Not an answer. Tried it again, not a sound. It was close to midnight and we then heard a sound of outboard motor coming up the river. It passed us and head up about a mile higher when it stopped. Some hunters that probably were working the evening shift.

It was 02 am. When J.M. called again, he said I guess it’s gone. I said I’ll give it my bull call, J.M. said yes do it. I think, I only had half of the call out, when it answered load and close just across the river 100 ft. from us. Man oh man my heart beat started again an twice as load. I could see the moose, just a 100 feet away, it was the full moon, not like day light but pretty close. J.M. passed me his rifle to have a look at it in the telescope. There was a blue line all around the moose. It had its head up and was trying to smell us. We did not move an inch. It walked into the water up to its belly, always had its nose straight up. It was 75 feet away from straight us. It stood there for a good hour. Then suddenly it turned and started running out of the water and into the bush, what a noise it was making, breaking every tree in it’s path, all we could hear was the cracking sound and the grunting. It then started running up the river. This was around 03 am. J.M. gave the cow in heat call, it still was running. I said it's going to cross on to the Island. J.M. said, give the bull call. I did and it stopped, we could not hear it anymore. I gave another bull call, it answered and was coming back breaking everything on its way. It stopped in front of us, about 20 feet in the bush. We waited and waited. This is when we heard for the first time ever, the sound of a horse, the exact sound of a horse when he blow’s and his lips hit together. It stopped and not a sound, but we knew it was there.

It was close to 06 am. and daybreak had started, we could see the other side of the river 100 feet away, no more than that. JM said give it your best bull call, which I did without hesitating and out of the bush it came and into the water. It was big, it was huge, it crossed about half of the river, 50 feet from us. J.M. had it in his sight (telescope) he shot, the moose buckled up and fell. It was floating in three feet of the water. We tied it behind the canoe and crossed to other side. It was floating pretty well. J.M. said we will bring it back to the dock, three miles down river. It took an hour with the 6 horse power motor. We pulled it onto the dock and I gutted it.
J.M. hitched hiked back to town to pick-up his jeep. Came back with the family and a few friends. We picked up the moose all in one piece and installed it on the trailer.. It was a huge bull.

I can say that we weighed every piece with the bones, the hind and front quarters, the spine with sirloin and back straps, the neck, all that together weighed 620 lbs. Total overall weight was good 1000 lbs. After receiving the results from its teeth extraction, that bull was healthy for its age, which was 14 ½ years old. The rack was 5 big horns on each side.

The caribou season for the outfitters just ended here in Northern Quebec. Canada. The hunt on the beautiful George River was a 100% success rate. In March to the end of April 2009 is the great Snowmobile Adventures. A 150 milles round trip for groups of 12 real interested snowmobilers. A 8 day trip with 5 days at the lodge, hunting ptarmigans, snaring rabitts, ice fishing big lake trout and even the possibility of winter caribou hunt. All guided by natives and live their culture.

If interested contact Fred by e-mail at wedgehills@yahoo.com

My 9th. Moose Hunting Trip on the Romaine River

My 9TH. Moose Hunting Trip on the Romaine River Quebec.

I’ll skip my 6th, 7th and 8th. Moose hunting trips as they are pretty similar to the other ones. Yes close calls but did not manage to bag one. But we gained more experience and that for a hunter is worth more than gold.

It was around the middle of September 1974 my brother in law JM and I decided that we were going in by plane and on the Romaine River once again. We had picked a spot just above the Big Falls. Not to far from our village Havre St. Pierre. about 20 miles away.

That morning the weather was not at it’s best for flying and we were not the first on the list to take off. We had chartered a Beaver bush plane on floats. We had a lot of baggage and our chestnut canoe. We crossed our fingers hoping not to have to take a bigger plane like an Otter. Big difference in the price.

The morning had gone by and we were still waiting. Also part of the afternoon had gone by and it was 4PM and no sign of the Beaver. No choice we had to wait.

At 4:30 PM the dispatcher said, we will take you in with the Otter because the Beaver is going to be in to late and this for the same price as the Beaver. We had no comments and that was okay with us. Baggage aboard and the canoe tied on the float and away we were.

Bad weather seemed to be coming in from the north and it was getting late for the pilot to get back. We decided to get off before destination and that a good 8 miles before. Unloaded the plane and away it went and the pilot was glad because he was not interested in sleeping in the bush if he didn’t have to.

Filled up the canoe and installed the 6hp and up the river we went. We were looking for the best place to set camp. The rain had started slowly and fog was starting to set in. We pulled out our rain suits from our packs and put them on. Their were a lot of places we could camp because on both sides of this beautiful Romaine River on the North Shore of Quebec are sandy beaches. The river is about 300 feet at the largest. Yes we both were straining our eyes to find moose tracks. We saw a few old ones, nothing fresh.

After travelling for a good hour and a half I said, JM this would be a good place just beside a nice little creek coming out from the north. He said yes we can camp just on that little lump a bit up in the bush and that is what we did.

After getting everything done, tent up, sleeping bags installed and ready for supper. It was already 8PM I was pumping up the naphtha lantern when we heard the howling call of a wolf and not to far. We stepped out the tent and paid more attention and then another call on the opposite side across the river. I said to JM at least 2 wolves and an other wolf started calling not to far up the river, maybe a couple of thousand feet. They answered themselves for about ten minutes and stopped. We went in, lit the lantern and stove and had a good supper, beef Bourgogne that my wife had put in jars for us. All we had to do was warm it up and with that a good bottle of red wine from Italy. What a snack we had, did not even think about the wolves, until the lonely howling sound was maybe 100 feet from the tent and on the other side about the same distance an other want howling.

It was close to 10PM and we decided to hit the sack. I always and still do today when I go hunting big game is carry along my 12 gauge pump gun and a couple of boxes of SSG (12 leaded pellets per shell) Well that shotgun when things are like tonight and are pretty close to us, that shotgun is loaded and it sleeps in-between JM and me.

The wolves howled and walked around close to our tent for about half an hour. They came and checked and smelt what was going on and left. Then the rain started coming down and pretty heavy and this for me makes me fall asleep in a few minutes and I guess that’s what happened as I woke up the next morning and must have slept like a log. I did not hear a thing.

It was 5:30AM got up, dressed and out the tent with my 32spl. That I just bought one month ago. Practised with it a couple of times. It was good rifle, a Winchester model 94. The weather was a little better, a drizzle coming down and fog on the river. I decided to walk up the river, no calling, why, because of the wolves around. I told myself with all those wolves around their no moose around and that for sure. I saw lots of wolf and bear tracks and they were fresh ones. But then the fresh female cow tracks and not to old. I looked up the river and then across the river. All I could see was four polls stuck in the sand on the other side of the river. I kept both eyes on those polls, it was hard to see or focus because of the fog and drizzle. These polls, four of them were about 700 feet away. I kept focusing them and why four polls, then the fog lifted up and the four polls was a moose. She was looking straight my way, not side ways. I can’t run back and get JM if I shoot and miss because of the distance, about 700 feet for my rifle was far. But behind the moose was a cliff not to high a good 10 feet. I decided to shoot, I had no telescope, so adjusted my sight to 450ft. max. Pointed the rifle aimed and fired. I saw my bullet hit the water about 100 ft. in front. I cranked the Winchester aimed higher and squeezed the trigger and must have touched it as it moved a few feet up the river. I shot again and another time, I could hear
JM running with his hip waders on, but not tied up to the hips. He came up to me and said where, what is it? I said over there on the other side, a cow moose and he said okay I see it but it’s looking straight at us. I’ll wait until it turns sideways. JM had a 308 Savage with scope. It had turned sideways and JM was aiming if JM could have put his whole eye into the telescope he would have done it. He pulled the trigger and I saw the moose just bend over and did not move for a few seconds and then jumped into the river and was swimming for us. JM waited with the rifle pointed at the cow waiting for it to get out of the water on to dry land. There was a sand bar about half in-between the two banks and that is where the cow put his two front legs. Then bang and it fell there with out moving. I ran down and got the canoe and up to pick JM and to the sand bar we went. Hopped out of the canoe and ran for the moose. We were both speeded, this was our first moose and it took 9 years to get it. I think that we both had tears in our eyes and a hand shake every two minutes.

It took a good fifteen minutes to get back to normal. Started the job of pulling it out of the water, it sure was a huge cow and in good health. It was maybe 3and a half or 4 and a half years old. Emptied it and started to cut it into quarters, when JM said to me in a low whisper “where is your rifle” I said beside the canoe. He says look on the other side of the river, slowly turn around. That what I did and they were there the pack of wolves 15 of them and mostly adult wolves. The leader was sitting on his behind and probably have been looking at us for some time. They were exactly where we were shooting from. On the rifles we jumped and manage to shoot two big ones.

We finished our job with the moose and transported it to the tent. Went back and got the two wolves and they were big male timber wolves. Skinned them and brought the hides back to the tent. I looked at my watch and asked JM what time is it? He said holy cow it’s 2PM. I guess I’m hungry, we did not have breakfast. But what a morning it was. We left everything as is and the bacon the beans and eggs were cooking in the frying pan and don’t forget the coffee was purking and all this smelt so good. But before we started eating we had good size shot of cognac.

We had planned to be in for 8 days we had 7 days left. We decide to at least stay for 5 days just to let our moose meat age a bit. So we hunted partridges and started setting rabbit snares. Yes we got a lot of both and also saw a nice bull moose that came out on our call. I say our call because JM does the female and I do the bull call. Yes we could have shot it a couple of times it was close enough about 300ft. JM had it in his scope for a good minute.

We had built a rack or stand about 5ft off the ground and our third night a black bear had stolen our nice moose head trophy, we did not hear a sound but the next morning it was gone. The big bear tracks were there. Our tent was to far away and decided to move the tent closer 3ft. from the rack and leave an oil lamp lit on the meat during the night. But guess what, it came back again but this time I heard it going by the tent. I can say that I saw it’s shadow through the tent.
I told JM he’s there, I had the power flashlight in my hand and JM grabbed his 308 and out I went. Turned the light on and to our surprise he was 3ft. from me on my right. He stood up on his hind legs and was walking towards me, his front legs in the air and yellow nose mouth open and growling. I heard bang and the bear dropped to his fours and was gasping for air. It took off for the bush. We decided not to go look for him as he was injured and could jump us. This
Was around 8:30PM and yes very dark out.

The next morning around 7AM JM was up and out of the tent before me. About five minutes later gave me a little shout “come and see” about 500ft. in the trail we use since we have been there, the bear was sitting on it’s rear end and dead. Was it waiting for us? We tried to save the bear hide but a little to late.

We moved out on he sixth day with an otter because of the cow, weighed a good 600lbs. This was an excellent experience and trip that moose hunters never forget. How many times have I told my children, my friends, my grandchildren and now all you people. Bye for now, until the next story.

Good hunting and be careful all you women and men hunters.

My Fifth Moose Hunting Trip on the Romaine River

Before I tell you about the Moose Trip, I’m still in Kawawachickamack Quebec working as a police officer. This native village is 13km north of Schefferville. It’s also caribou country. The migration has started about two weeks ago, the George River herd has left George River heading south and the Leaf River herd is heading back to Leaf River. Why? They say to many mosquitoes and horse flies, some say to much rain the lakes and rivers are too high, flooded. Some say to much air traffic, helicopters, bush planes and a lot of prospectors in the bush. It might be one of these reasons that are making them move a month ahead of time. The caribou hunt with the outfitters opened on the 1st. of August and there is still places available for this year’s hunt. If interested just e-mail me at fredasonier@hotmail.com The caribou hunt ends the 2nd. October.

This trip was with another one of my brothers-in-law JY it was late in the fall, the middle of October and the last week-end for the moose hunt. I decided that we would go as far as we could up the Romaine River without giving us to much of a hard time. We left early Saturday morning
At 5 AM. It was a nice day and pretty chilly. At 6 AM we were heading up the river with a 20 ft. canoe and the 6 hp. evinrude. We saw a few ducks and quite a few honkers, the great Canadian Goose.

Our first portage was Chute de L’Eglise a half an hour and we were on or way. The second portage Chute a Charlie’s a good hour and our way up the rapids called Les Rapide a Ferdilon . We continued close to shore looking for fresh moose tracks. Stopped a couple of times and only saw old moose tracks. This for my brother-in-law JY and I was new to us I had not been this far up the river.

We saw a nice little island ahead about 150ft. in diameter and said this is where we shall camp. In front of us on the north side was a nice little creek and that is where I will direct my call.

After getting all set up we had a good lunch, I said to JY (this is his first experience out moose hunting or just hunting) we shall be very quite, talking at a whisper and soft quiet movements and always listening for any sound, he said, no problem with that.

It was close to 3 PM. and not a sound to be heard for the last hour, yes there was the sound of the little creek flowing in front of us. I slowly and quietly put on my hip waders and walk to the shore line. Picked up a few dry twigs and started breaking them, stopped and listened, slowly got into the water lifting my leg as high as I could and doing the moose walk, and looking towards JY. stopped listened, lifted my moose call just above my shoulder filled with water and slowly pouring it back into the river, the female moose urinating, I stopped and listened and looked at JY ( he looked like he wanted to burst out laughing) I lifted my legs up high out of the water and back to shore, cracked a few dry twigs and listened for a few minutes, I looked at JY and with a shake of his head nothing. I took a few more minutes and listened. I walked close to the shore line, bent down, covered my mouth with my hands like a cone shape and gave that short and soft female in heat mosquito sound. I gave it a second time and listened.

I walked up to JY and said did you hear anything he said no, but that show you just put on,( if I were a bull moose I would come out right away ).

We listened for a good 30 minutes and not a sound our answer. I went back to the side of the river and gave the next call the same one but a little longer and louder, doing this twice. Waited and listened, cracked a couple of twigs and not a sound in return. I told JY not even a bird to be
heard. There must be something around, I said I will only be giving the soft and short call up until dark. It was close to 5 PM. And I decided to give the two short and soft calls, which I did. We listened until it was to dark to shoot. Went to the side of the river and gave two long and little loader calls.

It was 7:30 PM and time for a good supper. Nothing that we would cook, but at least make good cup of tea. My wife Mado had packed us a good lunch, a pork roast and ham. That is what we ate a little of for supper and that good cup of tea.

It was time to hit the sack, when I decided to give the big long and loud call. I said to myself not a sound to be heard, that means he is not close enough to hear my call. We are here for two more nights, why not put all the chances on my side. I told JY listen very closely and let me know how many echoes you hear after my call. Down to the river I went and started the long and loud calls, this I did 4 times one in every direction. JY said I heard two echoes at three places and on the north side I heard 4. I said good this should bring an interested bull or cow down. It was close to 10 PM. and we hit the sack.

The next morning I was out beside the river, nice and early, I could see the stars and even the northern lights it was 3:45 AM. I sat in the folding chair and just listened for a good hour. I heard a pike splash close to shore; I could here the birds chirping away. But know cracking sound or moose around. I waited and just listened, JY was still sleeping.

It was just passed 5 AM. And time to start the cow in heat imitation. Did all the same process as yesterday, then the soft and short call a couple of times. Then just listened, I had told JY not to move and just listen. A good 30 minutes later did the little louder and longer call. Waited, did another call, louder and longer, and that was it until I get an answer I told myself.

It was exactly 11:10 AM and I remember that time, we heard a call like an owl call, but just once, not one long and two short like the owl. I said to JY that is a moose answering but it’s far, we have to be very quiet. There was no wind, it was calm. We waited a couple of hours and not a sound.

I started the same imitation cracking twigs, but always listening a little longer, the walk in the water, back out and the soft and short call. Not an answer. JY said to me maybe he did not hear your call, I said I’m sure he heard it or she heard it, maybe because the bull and the female are together and if that’s the case it’s going to be longer for the bull to come out. The female that’s with him will do everything to keep her bull.

That is exactly what happened, that day, night and the next morning not an answer. It was noon and it was time to head back. JY thanked me and said that he enjoyed his week-end.

Maybe my next little story will be the one with success, until then.

Seal Hunting on the Gulf of the Saint Lawerence

Hello everyone, I’m still in Kawawachicamack near Schefferville, Northern Quebec. I just wanted to tell you about our fishing trip. My wife and I drove 11 km. on the old mine road to a small lake called Elizabeth Lake. We casted from shore. Too make this story short we caught 6 nice lake trout in an hour. Not big ones but good eating size from 2 to 3 pounders. We cooked up a couple for supper, they were excellent.

It was the month of July 1968 my brother-in-law JM and I decided to go out hunting seals, the Ranger seal. Why, there was a bounty on the seals, $10. for the young seal and $50. for the adult, all that you gave the Fisheries Department was the bottom jaw to get your check. Also they are great to eat. The meat is a black or dark colour but tender and excellent in your plate. The reason that they had a bounty on them in those days and not today, is that the government decided that there was to many seals and they were killing too many lobsters, crabs, sea trout and salmon.

We left Havre St. Pierre very early that morning, the weather was great, not a breeze of wind. We could see Anticosti Island 23 miles away. The island looked like it was floating it was so calm. We were travelling with a 18 foot home made speed boat with a 18 horse power Evinrude. We saw a couple of whales a lot of dolphins and a few big seals, not close enough for us to shoot. We had been travelling out at large for a good hour and then decided to go closerin shore to check the bays out.

The first big bay called Saint Lawerence Bay was the one that we entered, the tide was at it’s highest and we were close in and barley moving with the boat. JM said look in front there must have been 500 seals, big ones and small ones. They were jumping over each other because they were in shallow water. Probably having a fiest on the crabs. JM gave me the boat to drive while he got in front with the 12 gauge shot gun. I even saw a young seal pass under the boat and we were in about 6 to 10 feet of water.

All we had to do is find one and follow it and not give it time to stick his head out to breathe to long. I did just that, I could even see the “V” line just in front of it’s head as it was still under water. I was following it at about 30 feet away and all that JM was waiting for is for it to stick it’s nose out of the water. Then bang and all I saw was red I could not even see the seal. We got the long rod out with a hook at the end and hooked the seal with it to drag him aboard. This was a young seal but weighed a good 200 pounds.

JM killed 6 in a row and then it was my turn and I killed my six also. We went shore for a good cup of hot tea and a sandwich. I checked the boat out and said to JM. we have a pretty heavy load, but the weather still nice and we didn’t see any problems making it back home.

That summer we did a good 10 trips and were lucky each time, we made a bit of money to pay at least for the gas. Those hunting trips we did and pleasure we had was worth alot more than money.

I would like to talk a little about this great product eeFuel, like I said before it works, I tried it myself and was the first in Canada to try it.
Have a look at my website at http://www.fuellegacy.com/fritiz This one bottle for $30. can make you save up to $500.00 on your gas at the pump.

So long for now until the next story. Fred