1 00:00:05,080 --> 00:00:08,719 Speaker 1: Welcome to this country life. I'm your host, Brent Reeves 2 00:00:09,160 --> 00:00:11,879 Speaker 1: from coon hunting to trot lighting and just in general 3 00:00:11,960 --> 00:00:13,920 Speaker 1: country living. I want you to stay a while as 4 00:00:13,960 --> 00:00:18,400 Speaker 1: I share my experiences in life lessons. This country life 5 00:00:18,440 --> 00:00:22,440 Speaker 1: is presented by Case Knives from the store More Studio 6 00:00:22,840 --> 00:00:26,480 Speaker 1: on Meat Eaters Podcast Network, bringing you the best outdoor 7 00:00:26,560 --> 00:00:30,840 Speaker 1: podcast that airways have to offer. All right, friends, grab 8 00:00:30,880 --> 00:00:34,240 Speaker 1: a chair or drop that tailgate. I've got some stores 9 00:00:34,240 --> 00:00:43,040 Speaker 1: to share on the loose for Moose Part two. I 10 00:00:43,080 --> 00:00:45,040 Speaker 1: hope y'all are as ready as I am to get 11 00:00:45,080 --> 00:00:48,600 Speaker 1: back after this Canadian moose. I've been busting at the 12 00:00:48,680 --> 00:00:51,040 Speaker 1: seams to tell you all about the experience of the 13 00:00:51,120 --> 00:00:54,520 Speaker 1: hunt from where we dropped off last week, and as 14 00:00:54,600 --> 00:00:57,920 Speaker 1: luck would have it, we stopped just before we were 15 00:00:58,000 --> 00:01:01,360 Speaker 1: literally dropped off at the cabin hunting out of for 16 00:01:01,480 --> 00:01:05,600 Speaker 1: the following week. Cock your pistols kids were fixing to 17 00:01:05,640 --> 00:01:07,959 Speaker 1: get to work on him and up a moose in 18 00:01:08,120 --> 00:01:17,440 Speaker 1: Northern Manitoba. The pilot leveled off the the havel and 19 00:01:17,520 --> 00:01:20,080 Speaker 1: otter out of a sharp left hand bank as we 20 00:01:20,200 --> 00:01:23,840 Speaker 1: descended toward the lake while applying the flaps that I 21 00:01:23,880 --> 00:01:27,760 Speaker 1: could see and gage out the window. The engine slowed 22 00:01:27,800 --> 00:01:31,000 Speaker 1: as we coasted downward until flaring right above the surface 23 00:01:31,000 --> 00:01:35,080 Speaker 1: of the water. For what seemed like forever, I waited 24 00:01:35,120 --> 00:01:37,080 Speaker 1: for the rush of the sound of the lake water 25 00:01:37,160 --> 00:01:40,520 Speaker 1: contacting the floats as we skimmed just above the surface 26 00:01:41,280 --> 00:01:45,039 Speaker 1: seventy miles an hour. Out the window, I could see 27 00:01:45,080 --> 00:01:47,040 Speaker 1: in the distance a boat pulled up on the bank 28 00:01:47,440 --> 00:01:51,960 Speaker 1: and a man standing beside it. The floats eased into 29 00:01:51,960 --> 00:01:54,560 Speaker 1: the water, and in a few seconds we were at 30 00:01:54,640 --> 00:01:57,160 Speaker 1: idle trolling up to the bank where my friend and 31 00:01:57,240 --> 00:02:00,680 Speaker 1: outfitter Craig McCarthy stood knee deep in the lake and 32 00:02:00,800 --> 00:02:04,400 Speaker 1: a pair of waiters. Pilot did an about face and 33 00:02:04,600 --> 00:02:08,880 Speaker 1: backed the otter into the shallow water tail first. I 34 00:02:08,919 --> 00:02:12,080 Speaker 1: don't know who was more excited me came a man, 35 00:02:12,240 --> 00:02:15,839 Speaker 1: Dave Gardner or Craig to get all our gear off 36 00:02:15,840 --> 00:02:19,480 Speaker 1: the plane and light the fuse on this hunt. We 37 00:02:19,560 --> 00:02:22,000 Speaker 1: watched as the otter taxi out on the lake and 38 00:02:22,040 --> 00:02:24,360 Speaker 1: took off, taking with it the noise that had been 39 00:02:24,440 --> 00:02:29,240 Speaker 1: drowning out the sounds of silence, and when it was gone, 40 00:02:29,919 --> 00:02:32,440 Speaker 1: nothing but the wind pushing through the trees and the 41 00:02:32,600 --> 00:02:35,639 Speaker 1: lake as it washed up and down the sand could 42 00:02:35,680 --> 00:02:39,640 Speaker 1: be heard. For a moment. We all stood there, just 43 00:02:40,400 --> 00:02:43,639 Speaker 1: soaking it in. Craig had been away from home now 44 00:02:43,720 --> 00:02:46,880 Speaker 1: for twenty six days, guiding in the wilderness from the 45 00:02:46,919 --> 00:02:50,360 Speaker 1: more Northern province, and none of it then here for 46 00:02:50,440 --> 00:02:52,920 Speaker 1: a week by the time David and I arrived. But 47 00:02:53,560 --> 00:02:57,000 Speaker 1: he knew what we were doing. We were turning the 48 00:02:57,080 --> 00:02:59,760 Speaker 1: page from all the months and meetings of practice and 49 00:03:00,120 --> 00:03:05,520 Speaker 1: preparation to chapter one of this project. And everything up 50 00:03:05,600 --> 00:03:09,040 Speaker 1: until now had been written for us. Take this equipment 51 00:03:09,160 --> 00:03:12,679 Speaker 1: and these items, be here on this date and here 52 00:03:12,720 --> 00:03:15,800 Speaker 1: at this time, fill out these forms, get them signed 53 00:03:15,840 --> 00:03:20,120 Speaker 1: by these folks, pick up these permits, stand in this line, 54 00:03:20,200 --> 00:03:23,280 Speaker 1: and we had done all of it. Everything that had 55 00:03:23,320 --> 00:03:28,200 Speaker 1: been asked and required of us had been done. Now 56 00:03:28,520 --> 00:03:30,640 Speaker 1: we were here, and the rest of the story we 57 00:03:30,680 --> 00:03:36,560 Speaker 1: would ride ourselves, with Craig's guidance Dave's camera. From now 58 00:03:36,560 --> 00:03:38,680 Speaker 1: on it would be totally up to the three of 59 00:03:38,760 --> 00:03:42,120 Speaker 1: us to tell the story, and moose or no moose, 60 00:03:42,880 --> 00:03:47,400 Speaker 1: there would be one to tell. We tolded all our 61 00:03:47,440 --> 00:03:49,560 Speaker 1: bags in cases up the cut out trail from the 62 00:03:49,560 --> 00:03:53,600 Speaker 1: beach forty yards to the cabin. The air smelled fresh 63 00:03:53,640 --> 00:03:57,440 Speaker 1: and it felt cool. We walked inside our home for 64 00:03:57,480 --> 00:04:00,080 Speaker 1: the next week, and I picked a bunk nearest the 65 00:04:00,080 --> 00:04:03,600 Speaker 1: door and furthest away from the wood heater. Dave took 66 00:04:03,640 --> 00:04:06,560 Speaker 1: up residence in the corner, and Craig was already rooted 67 00:04:06,560 --> 00:04:09,000 Speaker 1: into his spot on the opposite side of the structure 68 00:04:09,040 --> 00:04:12,720 Speaker 1: from where Dave was. Canvas cots adorned with the air 69 00:04:12,760 --> 00:04:16,800 Speaker 1: mattresses would be our slumber and scaffolds, and underneath them 70 00:04:16,920 --> 00:04:19,880 Speaker 1: we'd stow our bags and extra boots and packs. On 71 00:04:19,960 --> 00:04:24,839 Speaker 1: the mud stained plywood floor. Plywood walls with nails driven 72 00:04:24,880 --> 00:04:28,440 Speaker 1: into the tube before studs would be our clawss. It 73 00:04:28,520 --> 00:04:32,320 Speaker 1: had all the amenities of solitary confinement if you'd been 74 00:04:32,360 --> 00:04:34,880 Speaker 1: sent usd to prison on the little house on the prairie, 75 00:04:35,720 --> 00:04:39,560 Speaker 1: and I loved every inch of them. Craig whipped us 76 00:04:39,640 --> 00:04:41,840 Speaker 1: up a bit of eggs and bacon for dinner, since 77 00:04:41,839 --> 00:04:45,040 Speaker 1: we'd skipped breakfast. He cooked it on a small two 78 00:04:45,080 --> 00:04:48,679 Speaker 1: burner gas stove, brewed a pot of coffee, and toasted 79 00:04:48,720 --> 00:04:51,040 Speaker 1: some bread on the flat surface of the wood heater 80 00:04:51,120 --> 00:04:54,720 Speaker 1: he'd stoked up after we got settled in. Now we'll 81 00:04:54,720 --> 00:04:57,039 Speaker 1: have plenty of time to start our hunt this afternoon, 82 00:04:57,080 --> 00:04:59,760 Speaker 1: he said, it's legal to fly and hunt on the 83 00:04:59,800 --> 00:05:03,560 Speaker 1: sand day here in Manitoba. I'm in, but I want 84 00:05:03,560 --> 00:05:05,720 Speaker 1: to go shoot this rifle before we do. I want 85 00:05:05,760 --> 00:05:07,880 Speaker 1: to make sure this thing is still good to go. 86 00:05:09,600 --> 00:05:11,920 Speaker 1: After we finished Eden, but got our packs ready with 87 00:05:11,960 --> 00:05:14,680 Speaker 1: all the plunder we'd be token with us, and headed 88 00:05:14,760 --> 00:05:16,680 Speaker 1: off to the other end of the lake to check 89 00:05:16,720 --> 00:05:20,800 Speaker 1: the zero on my rifle. It was an issue that 90 00:05:20,880 --> 00:05:23,400 Speaker 1: had worried me since i'd left Little Rock the day before. 91 00:05:24,440 --> 00:05:26,760 Speaker 1: I checked it in at the ticket counter, and a 92 00:05:26,880 --> 00:05:29,920 Speaker 1: very helpful lady who crossed all the t's and dotted 93 00:05:30,000 --> 00:05:32,840 Speaker 1: all the eyes on my paperwork and printed my boarding 94 00:05:32,920 --> 00:05:37,719 Speaker 1: passes did everything but yell hulk smash when she slammed 95 00:05:37,720 --> 00:05:41,080 Speaker 1: my rifle case onto the conveyor belt behind the count 96 00:05:42,160 --> 00:05:44,960 Speaker 1: I swear it was so loud I thought it had 97 00:05:45,120 --> 00:05:48,240 Speaker 1: gone off in the box. The only thing that told 98 00:05:48,240 --> 00:05:50,440 Speaker 1: me different was knowing I'd removed the boat before I 99 00:05:50,480 --> 00:05:54,120 Speaker 1: secured the locks on the case. I wanted to throw Puncher, 100 00:05:54,880 --> 00:05:57,280 Speaker 1: but I wanted to stay out of jail more so 101 00:05:57,320 --> 00:05:59,920 Speaker 1: I settled on setting her on fire with my steely 102 00:06:00,000 --> 00:06:04,599 Speaker 1: eyed death laser stair as I walked away. That showed 103 00:06:04,600 --> 00:06:08,039 Speaker 1: her a mile down the lake, and three shots later 104 00:06:08,080 --> 00:06:10,880 Speaker 1: at one hundred yards and we were in business. I 105 00:06:10,920 --> 00:06:14,520 Speaker 1: had death raided, disintegrated, that articulated at the airport for nothing. 106 00:06:15,520 --> 00:06:20,279 Speaker 1: I felt bad about that. Not ready anyway, the hunt 107 00:06:20,960 --> 00:06:27,440 Speaker 1: was on. We settled into the boat and headed up 108 00:06:27,440 --> 00:06:29,760 Speaker 1: to the lake three miles to the northeast for our 109 00:06:29,839 --> 00:06:33,400 Speaker 1: first set. The wind and water sprayed a steady mist 110 00:06:33,480 --> 00:06:35,560 Speaker 1: over the back of the boat. It was cold on 111 00:06:35,680 --> 00:06:38,800 Speaker 1: my skin, and Dave stopped feeling ever so often to 112 00:06:38,839 --> 00:06:41,720 Speaker 1: wipe it off the lens of his camera. There was 113 00:06:41,800 --> 00:06:44,880 Speaker 1: so much to see and experience, and we were just 114 00:06:44,920 --> 00:06:48,800 Speaker 1: getting started. We stepped out of the boat onto a 115 00:06:48,839 --> 00:06:53,080 Speaker 1: big section of Manitoba granite and walked off into the 116 00:06:53,120 --> 00:06:56,640 Speaker 1: sponge covered muskeg and pete deposits that make you feel 117 00:06:56,839 --> 00:06:59,960 Speaker 1: every step in the small of your back until you 118 00:07:00,160 --> 00:07:04,520 Speaker 1: get acclimated to it properly. The air mattress that looked 119 00:07:04,680 --> 00:07:08,080 Speaker 1: thin and inefficient at first glance would be just what 120 00:07:08,200 --> 00:07:12,360 Speaker 1: the doctor ordered and a welcome sanctuary. Later that night, 121 00:07:12,720 --> 00:07:15,640 Speaker 1: the wind was howling. By dark that evening in all 122 00:07:15,680 --> 00:07:20,520 Speaker 1: of Craig's calls and grunts had gone unanswered. What I 123 00:07:20,560 --> 00:07:22,880 Speaker 1: didn't really understand at the time was that he was 124 00:07:22,920 --> 00:07:25,120 Speaker 1: more or less thrown out baits, so to speak, with 125 00:07:25,280 --> 00:07:29,840 Speaker 1: every call for the next day. We were positioned on 126 00:07:29,920 --> 00:07:31,960 Speaker 1: the edge of the lake, calling away from the water, 127 00:07:32,080 --> 00:07:34,920 Speaker 1: but the wind was carrying his calls across the lake 128 00:07:35,000 --> 00:07:40,800 Speaker 1: behind us. This was a twofold scenario. We might call 129 00:07:40,840 --> 00:07:42,960 Speaker 1: a bullion that was close to us on the same 130 00:07:43,080 --> 00:07:46,120 Speaker 1: side of the lake as we were, or the calls 131 00:07:46,240 --> 00:07:49,640 Speaker 1: that drifted three quarters of a mile behind us might 132 00:07:49,760 --> 00:07:52,320 Speaker 1: pull one onto the bank that we could see from 133 00:07:52,320 --> 00:07:56,040 Speaker 1: where we were. Also, a moose from two miles away 134 00:07:56,080 --> 00:07:59,440 Speaker 1: can hear the calls. Craig was periodically casting into the wind, 135 00:07:59,480 --> 00:08:02,840 Speaker 1: which could have a bull waiting in that area the 136 00:08:02,920 --> 00:08:07,040 Speaker 1: following morning. It's believed that the paddle portions of their 137 00:08:07,040 --> 00:08:10,240 Speaker 1: antlers act like hearing the ads directing sound to their ears, 138 00:08:10,240 --> 00:08:12,480 Speaker 1: and just like an old gobbler, here in one cluck 139 00:08:12,520 --> 00:08:15,800 Speaker 1: from one hundred yards away, a moose from over a 140 00:08:15,920 --> 00:08:20,320 Speaker 1: mile nose exactly where that sound came from. So even 141 00:08:20,360 --> 00:08:23,240 Speaker 1: if we didn't see or hear anything that afternoon, we 142 00:08:23,240 --> 00:08:26,600 Speaker 1: were laying groundwork for the hunts that would come next. 143 00:08:27,840 --> 00:08:30,480 Speaker 1: We made it back to camp, had supper and slipped 144 00:08:30,520 --> 00:08:32,520 Speaker 1: outside down to the edge of the lake to watch 145 00:08:32,559 --> 00:08:36,200 Speaker 1: the Northern Lights. I'd seen them twice before this trip, 146 00:08:36,240 --> 00:08:38,679 Speaker 1: once in Alaska a few years ago in August, and 147 00:08:38,720 --> 00:08:44,600 Speaker 1: once in Saskatchewan in late June. The Saskatchewan sighting was faint, 148 00:08:44,640 --> 00:08:48,640 Speaker 1: but it still counted, especially to someone who never dreamed 149 00:08:48,679 --> 00:08:51,280 Speaker 1: he'd get to see them more than once in a lifetime, 150 00:08:51,800 --> 00:08:56,160 Speaker 1: much less on more than one occasion. The best time 151 00:08:56,440 --> 00:08:59,640 Speaker 1: and place to see them in Manitoba is in Churchill 152 00:08:59,679 --> 00:09:03,840 Speaker 1: from January to March, but they're visible on average about 153 00:09:03,880 --> 00:09:07,160 Speaker 1: three hundred nights a year. We were less than one 154 00:09:07,240 --> 00:09:09,400 Speaker 1: hundred and fifty miles from there, and I was amped 155 00:09:09,440 --> 00:09:12,160 Speaker 1: to see them as I was a moose no kidding. 156 00:09:13,120 --> 00:09:15,640 Speaker 1: Churchill is also the best place to see a polar bear. 157 00:09:16,240 --> 00:09:18,000 Speaker 1: I had a hanker to see one of those two, 158 00:09:18,280 --> 00:09:22,040 Speaker 1: just not in the setting I was currently in. Also 159 00:09:22,400 --> 00:09:28,920 Speaker 1: not kidding, The lights didn't disappoint Dave, Craig and I 160 00:09:29,000 --> 00:09:32,480 Speaker 1: stood staring at the same spectacular vista in the sky, 161 00:09:33,040 --> 00:09:36,320 Speaker 1: each of us seeing differently or feeling differently about what 162 00:09:36,440 --> 00:09:40,800 Speaker 1: we saw. Called home later that night, talking to my 163 00:09:40,880 --> 00:09:43,160 Speaker 1: wife Alexis, and I struggled to come up with the 164 00:09:43,880 --> 00:09:48,560 Speaker 1: adjectives to accurately describe them. I realized it wasn't only 165 00:09:48,600 --> 00:09:51,880 Speaker 1: my limited vocabulary because of my struggle. Dave is first 166 00:09:51,920 --> 00:09:56,719 Speaker 1: and foremost a photographer. He's an excellent cinematographer, obviously, or 167 00:09:56,800 --> 00:09:59,839 Speaker 1: he wouldn't be there to begin with. But taking still 168 00:10:00,080 --> 00:10:02,960 Speaker 1: pictures is what he started out doing, and the rim 169 00:10:03,080 --> 00:10:07,000 Speaker 1: brand of the steel frame couldn't capture the totality of 170 00:10:07,000 --> 00:10:12,720 Speaker 1: what we were seeing. It was that overwhelming there. It 171 00:10:12,800 --> 00:10:16,280 Speaker 1: took me two weeks to come up with overwhelming. 172 00:10:15,600 --> 00:10:27,400 Speaker 2: But that's the best way I know to describe. 173 00:10:28,280 --> 00:10:30,680 Speaker 1: The next morning, we were up before the coffee got ready. 174 00:10:31,000 --> 00:10:35,440 Speaker 1: It had frosted heavy outside and lightly on the inside. 175 00:10:35,720 --> 00:10:37,800 Speaker 1: Craig stoked up the fire and had me prop at 176 00:10:37,840 --> 00:10:41,400 Speaker 1: the door opened in short order. The interior of our 177 00:10:41,480 --> 00:10:45,360 Speaker 1: fourteen by sixteen tarp covered cabin would hold all the 178 00:10:45,440 --> 00:10:49,160 Speaker 1: bee to us that little stove could turn out. Seeing 179 00:10:49,240 --> 00:10:51,480 Speaker 1: my breath when I woke up was a welcome sight 180 00:10:52,040 --> 00:10:55,000 Speaker 1: and vastly different from the long, hot summer that is 181 00:10:55,080 --> 00:11:00,199 Speaker 1: still taking place outside the house here in Arkansas. Our 182 00:11:00,200 --> 00:11:02,880 Speaker 1: departure would be delayed that morning due to a heavy 183 00:11:02,920 --> 00:11:06,360 Speaker 1: fog that only lessened throughout the day. And never completely 184 00:11:06,400 --> 00:11:11,480 Speaker 1: lifted until late in the afternoon. By midday, we'd ventured 185 00:11:11,520 --> 00:11:13,400 Speaker 1: out to the opposite side of the lake from the 186 00:11:13,440 --> 00:11:16,960 Speaker 1: evening before. We were three quarters of a mile from 187 00:11:16,960 --> 00:11:19,680 Speaker 1: where Craig had called less than twenty four hours ago, 188 00:11:19,720 --> 00:11:21,559 Speaker 1: and while we stood at the edge of the lake, 189 00:11:22,240 --> 00:11:25,880 Speaker 1: we heard the lonesome, melancholy sound of a cow moose, 190 00:11:26,440 --> 00:11:29,640 Speaker 1: followed by the grunts of a bull that was closing 191 00:11:29,679 --> 00:11:33,080 Speaker 1: the distance tour. Now both of them in the area 192 00:11:33,160 --> 00:11:35,920 Speaker 1: that would have been catching our wind long before they 193 00:11:36,000 --> 00:11:38,520 Speaker 1: came to us, so we opted out of trying to 194 00:11:38,600 --> 00:11:41,200 Speaker 1: lure them to our spot. It was still early in 195 00:11:41,240 --> 00:11:46,080 Speaker 1: the hunt and we had plenty of time. We slipped 196 00:11:46,120 --> 00:11:48,960 Speaker 1: back to camp after having been treated to the cause 197 00:11:49,000 --> 00:11:52,920 Speaker 1: of those moose and watching two dozen spruce grouse pick 198 00:11:53,040 --> 00:11:55,439 Speaker 1: up enough grit to make a little box for a tiger. 199 00:11:56,360 --> 00:11:59,920 Speaker 1: Those rascals were everywhere. We even had one struck by 200 00:12:00,200 --> 00:12:02,640 Speaker 1: like a boss gobbler that was so close I could 201 00:12:02,679 --> 00:12:05,440 Speaker 1: have kicked the field goal with him. It was quite 202 00:12:05,480 --> 00:12:09,760 Speaker 1: a show. That evening we bowted around with nothing to 203 00:12:09,800 --> 00:12:12,360 Speaker 1: show for moose, and as we passed the source of 204 00:12:12,360 --> 00:12:15,320 Speaker 1: a river that fed off the lake, Craig spotted a 205 00:12:15,320 --> 00:12:18,480 Speaker 1: moose from over five hundred yards away. I don't know 206 00:12:18,559 --> 00:12:22,760 Speaker 1: how he saw it, but he did. Finally directed me 207 00:12:22,800 --> 00:12:25,160 Speaker 1: and my binoculars into the area he was looking at, 208 00:12:25,240 --> 00:12:28,120 Speaker 1: and dad, come if I didn't see two of them, well, 209 00:12:28,520 --> 00:12:30,920 Speaker 1: pieces of two of them, as they stayed hidden except 210 00:12:31,000 --> 00:12:33,960 Speaker 1: for open patches here and there and a long way away, 211 00:12:34,880 --> 00:12:38,280 Speaker 1: one bull and one cow. Craig cut the engine and 212 00:12:38,360 --> 00:12:41,480 Speaker 1: we floated downstream and made a call, but the bull 213 00:12:41,640 --> 00:12:45,120 Speaker 1: never responded other than pushing her further down the river 214 00:12:45,520 --> 00:12:48,160 Speaker 1: and smashing some trees along the way. You could see 215 00:12:48,200 --> 00:12:52,160 Speaker 1: the tops of them shaking. Things were picking up, and 216 00:12:52,240 --> 00:12:56,280 Speaker 1: we had a starting point for in the morning. The 217 00:12:56,320 --> 00:12:59,240 Speaker 1: wind was forecasting to be perfect for a play down 218 00:12:59,280 --> 00:13:01,880 Speaker 1: that river. The next morning. The bull we saw would 219 00:13:02,000 --> 00:13:04,679 Speaker 1: probably still be in the area, and even if he 220 00:13:04,720 --> 00:13:08,640 Speaker 1: wouldn't leave her and come to us, another bull chasing 221 00:13:08,800 --> 00:13:12,840 Speaker 1: after her mike. We just needed the wind to cooperate. 222 00:13:14,280 --> 00:13:16,559 Speaker 1: The next morning was warmer than the day before. The 223 00:13:16,600 --> 00:13:19,360 Speaker 1: wind was blowing harder than it had since we'd gotten there, 224 00:13:19,400 --> 00:13:23,000 Speaker 1: but the direction was exactly like they'd forecasting it to be. 225 00:13:23,880 --> 00:13:26,160 Speaker 1: We built a pot of coffee and waited on daylight 226 00:13:26,200 --> 00:13:28,480 Speaker 1: and by the time you could see clearly across the lake. 227 00:13:28,880 --> 00:13:31,480 Speaker 1: We were pushing off the bank and motoring the short 228 00:13:31,600 --> 00:13:34,720 Speaker 1: ride toward the river. We pulled up on the bank 229 00:13:34,760 --> 00:13:36,640 Speaker 1: across the river from where we'd seen the pair of 230 00:13:36,640 --> 00:13:40,920 Speaker 1: the night before. Craig started calling every so often in 231 00:13:40,960 --> 00:13:44,960 Speaker 1: the Turkey woods. I called that prospect, just slinging a 232 00:13:44,960 --> 00:13:48,280 Speaker 1: call out, hoping for a response. We knew there had 233 00:13:48,280 --> 00:13:52,160 Speaker 1: been moose there the day before, but the landscape is unending. 234 00:13:52,200 --> 00:13:55,160 Speaker 1: They could be anywhere by now. It's kind of like 235 00:13:55,280 --> 00:13:59,520 Speaker 1: playing pool while wearing a blindfold. Being at the table 236 00:13:59,679 --> 00:14:03,040 Speaker 1: is only half the battle. You're just poking and hoping 237 00:14:03,160 --> 00:14:06,520 Speaker 1: something goes in. We sat on a point where you 238 00:14:06,520 --> 00:14:08,600 Speaker 1: could see the lake and down the river for over 239 00:14:08,640 --> 00:14:12,120 Speaker 1: a quarter of a mile until midday, and we hadn't 240 00:14:12,120 --> 00:14:15,760 Speaker 1: seen a hair of a moose. We had several trumpeter 241 00:14:15,840 --> 00:14:19,000 Speaker 1: swans fly so close overhead before we headed back to 242 00:14:19,080 --> 00:14:21,120 Speaker 1: the cabin. I felt like I could have wrecked them 243 00:14:21,120 --> 00:14:24,840 Speaker 1: out of the sky with a yard burn. Big beautiful 244 00:14:24,920 --> 00:14:29,560 Speaker 1: birds and more can I say? Craig fed us a 245 00:14:29,600 --> 00:14:32,760 Speaker 1: half a loaf of woodstove toast, three settings of eggs, 246 00:14:32,800 --> 00:14:35,360 Speaker 1: and enough bacon to rebuild the hog that came off 247 00:14:35,440 --> 00:14:39,040 Speaker 1: of For dinner, we retired to our spots for a nap, 248 00:14:39,080 --> 00:14:41,440 Speaker 1: and by three thirty that afternoon we were shoving off 249 00:14:41,440 --> 00:14:44,480 Speaker 1: the bank for the second time, headed to the point 250 00:14:44,520 --> 00:14:48,480 Speaker 1: on the river where we'd sat earlier. The wind was 251 00:14:48,520 --> 00:14:51,240 Speaker 1: honking like a New York City taxi driver was still 252 00:14:51,240 --> 00:14:54,480 Speaker 1: in our favor, and by four pm we were pulling 253 00:14:54,560 --> 00:14:57,200 Speaker 1: back up on the bank where we tied up that morning. 254 00:14:58,200 --> 00:15:00,840 Speaker 1: We eased down the bank to a dryer piece of 255 00:15:00,840 --> 00:15:03,720 Speaker 1: ground about thirty yards past where we'd sat the morning. 256 00:15:04,720 --> 00:15:07,440 Speaker 1: The temperature continued to warm in spite of the wind 257 00:15:07,520 --> 00:15:09,760 Speaker 1: coming off the lake. And by warm, I mean he 258 00:15:09,880 --> 00:15:14,280 Speaker 1: was in the mid sixties, which is Arkansas cool. But 259 00:15:14,320 --> 00:15:19,600 Speaker 1: we weren't in Arkansas, not by a long shot. Now, 260 00:15:19,600 --> 00:15:22,080 Speaker 1: Craig said, with the wind blowing like this, the moose 261 00:15:22,120 --> 00:15:25,520 Speaker 1: are more than likely bedded down. You figure they'll be 262 00:15:25,560 --> 00:15:28,120 Speaker 1: back in their feeting before dark if the wind starts 263 00:15:28,160 --> 00:15:32,960 Speaker 1: to lay just like yesterday, but probably not before then. 264 00:15:32,960 --> 00:15:35,280 Speaker 1: He said, we should get comfortable, but keep an eye 265 00:15:35,360 --> 00:15:38,080 Speaker 1: down the river. As warm as it is, they may 266 00:15:38,120 --> 00:15:41,880 Speaker 1: come out to drink. I fastened my rifle onto the 267 00:15:41,920 --> 00:15:44,320 Speaker 1: tripod and set it up where it would be adjusted 268 00:15:44,400 --> 00:15:46,880 Speaker 1: to me while standing, and I pointed it in a 269 00:15:46,960 --> 00:15:49,960 Speaker 1: safe direction away from where we were and found a 270 00:15:50,000 --> 00:15:53,600 Speaker 1: log ten yards away that would hold three fannies above 271 00:15:53,600 --> 00:15:57,360 Speaker 1: the wet ground. I sat down closest to my rifle. 272 00:15:57,560 --> 00:15:59,720 Speaker 1: Dave and Craig each had a spot a little further 273 00:15:59,760 --> 00:16:04,160 Speaker 1: down the log. Now, before I left Arkansas, I downloaded 274 00:16:04,440 --> 00:16:07,640 Speaker 1: a ballistics calculator app on my phone. My friend and 275 00:16:08,120 --> 00:16:11,600 Speaker 1: Sikh Sire engineer Matt Burns, who helped me citing my rifle, 276 00:16:11,680 --> 00:16:13,960 Speaker 1: set it up for me and helped me load all 277 00:16:14,000 --> 00:16:18,480 Speaker 1: the data from my rifle into the calculator. Now, when 278 00:16:18,520 --> 00:16:22,120 Speaker 1: I raised the target, I could input the data distance 279 00:16:22,160 --> 00:16:26,080 Speaker 1: to the target, wind elevation, and the calculator would tell 280 00:16:26,120 --> 00:16:28,640 Speaker 1: me how to adjust my scope for the yardage I 281 00:16:28,680 --> 00:16:32,320 Speaker 1: was shooting. Now, that's basic stuff for all you long 282 00:16:32,400 --> 00:16:34,760 Speaker 1: rifle shooters out there. But I ain't no rifle shooter. 283 00:16:35,720 --> 00:16:37,280 Speaker 1: I ain't never shot at a deer more than a 284 00:16:37,320 --> 00:16:40,680 Speaker 1: hundred yards away. I never went to sniper school. I'm 285 00:16:40,680 --> 00:16:43,960 Speaker 1: a bow hunter and all my police training and operations 286 00:16:44,120 --> 00:16:48,240 Speaker 1: was on the entry team close quarters battle. In bow hunting, 287 00:16:49,000 --> 00:16:52,200 Speaker 1: this was all new to me, but Matt had me 288 00:16:52,280 --> 00:16:57,480 Speaker 1: dialed in. We'd been there less than ten minutes, Dave 289 00:16:57,560 --> 00:16:59,760 Speaker 1: and Craig sitting to my left and me studying the 290 00:16:59,760 --> 00:17:03,000 Speaker 1: blistic sapp on my phone by putting into different yardages 291 00:17:03,000 --> 00:17:07,600 Speaker 1: and familiarizing myself with the data output. Really just killing 292 00:17:07,680 --> 00:17:11,440 Speaker 1: time waiting on the Golden hour. Dave and Craig were 293 00:17:11,440 --> 00:17:13,320 Speaker 1: talking about with the wind. I couldn't hear what they 294 00:17:13,359 --> 00:17:16,720 Speaker 1: were saying. I punched in some numbers and was staring 295 00:17:16,760 --> 00:17:19,439 Speaker 1: at my phone when I heard Craig say, there's a 296 00:17:19,440 --> 00:17:22,520 Speaker 1: bull on the river. Get your rifle. I looked up, 297 00:17:22,560 --> 00:17:25,000 Speaker 1: thinking he was messing with me, to see him spreading 298 00:17:25,040 --> 00:17:27,240 Speaker 1: by me, heading towards my rifle with a Dave in 299 00:17:27,320 --> 00:17:31,120 Speaker 1: hot pursuit. I glanced down the river and walking down 300 00:17:31,200 --> 00:17:37,199 Speaker 1: the timber was a dinosaur with moose antlers. The only 301 00:17:37,320 --> 00:17:40,240 Speaker 1: thing between that moose and the sun was the outside 302 00:17:40,240 --> 00:17:43,240 Speaker 1: of the moose. He was lit up like he was 303 00:17:43,280 --> 00:17:46,080 Speaker 1: in a movie, the sun turning the edges around him 304 00:17:46,119 --> 00:17:48,639 Speaker 1: a sharp yellow that glistened in the sun like like 305 00:17:48,680 --> 00:17:53,159 Speaker 1: a twelve hundred pound nugget of gold. I remember watching 306 00:17:53,240 --> 00:17:55,359 Speaker 1: him take his second step into the river when I 307 00:17:55,400 --> 00:17:58,640 Speaker 1: realized I needed to do what Craig said, and get 308 00:17:58,680 --> 00:18:02,240 Speaker 1: my rifle. I turned stepped over the log to get 309 00:18:02,280 --> 00:18:05,440 Speaker 1: my weapon. When Craig passed me again carrying it, and 310 00:18:05,560 --> 00:18:09,240 Speaker 1: Dave ride behind him with his camera on his shoulder recording. 311 00:18:10,840 --> 00:18:13,159 Speaker 1: I jumped behind the rifle settled the crosshairs on the 312 00:18:13,200 --> 00:18:15,720 Speaker 1: moose as he walked further out into the water. He 313 00:18:15,800 --> 00:18:17,840 Speaker 1: was knee deep a third of the way into the 314 00:18:17,840 --> 00:18:20,920 Speaker 1: stream and just standing there looking across the river at 315 00:18:20,920 --> 00:18:24,960 Speaker 1: the other bank. Craig ranged him and said four sixty. 316 00:18:25,720 --> 00:18:28,640 Speaker 1: I put four to sixty in the calculator. I read 317 00:18:28,640 --> 00:18:32,359 Speaker 1: the response and adjusted the scope turret. That moose didn't 318 00:18:32,400 --> 00:18:34,679 Speaker 1: look like he was four hundred and sixty yards away. 319 00:18:35,160 --> 00:18:36,880 Speaker 1: It looked like he was as close as the next 320 00:18:36,880 --> 00:18:41,399 Speaker 1: door neighbor. How far. Craig said four to sixty. Ranged 321 00:18:41,400 --> 00:18:45,520 Speaker 1: it twice. I checked the calculator and the scope turret sitting, 322 00:18:45,600 --> 00:18:48,760 Speaker 1: and I was right on it. I took a deep breath, 323 00:18:49,080 --> 00:18:51,840 Speaker 1: I exhaled most of it and clicked the safety off 324 00:18:51,880 --> 00:18:55,159 Speaker 1: and settled the crosshairs right behind the shoulder of the 325 00:18:55,200 --> 00:18:58,000 Speaker 1: biggest game animal I had ever looked at through a 326 00:18:58,080 --> 00:19:02,840 Speaker 1: scope and a hot weapon. I don't remember putting my 327 00:19:02,920 --> 00:19:05,080 Speaker 1: finger on the trigger, so when the rifle went off, 328 00:19:05,119 --> 00:19:11,760 Speaker 1: it surprised me. Bak, a six hour crosschambered in three 329 00:19:11,840 --> 00:19:16,760 Speaker 1: hundred PRC is a big round. It's a loud round. 330 00:19:16,800 --> 00:19:19,520 Speaker 1: But not only did it surprise me when it went off, 331 00:19:20,280 --> 00:19:24,920 Speaker 1: the sound was minimal at best, and the recoil not existed. 332 00:19:26,640 --> 00:19:29,080 Speaker 1: I heard the two hundred and twelve grand bullets slamm 333 00:19:29,080 --> 00:19:31,639 Speaker 1: into the moose, who, as far as I know, didn't 334 00:19:31,640 --> 00:19:35,800 Speaker 1: even flinch. I saw water kick up beyond where he stood, 335 00:19:35,800 --> 00:19:39,280 Speaker 1: and the river reinforcing what I just heard. I shot 336 00:19:39,400 --> 00:19:43,200 Speaker 1: right through him. I chambered another round and set the 337 00:19:43,200 --> 00:19:45,760 Speaker 1: crossairs once again. With the bull turned away from me, 338 00:19:46,400 --> 00:19:48,800 Speaker 1: face down, rivers still standing in the third of the 339 00:19:48,840 --> 00:19:54,960 Speaker 1: way out into the water. Time stopped. I could hear 340 00:19:55,080 --> 00:19:58,680 Speaker 1: my heart beating in my ears, and whether I sat 341 00:19:58,720 --> 00:20:01,320 Speaker 1: out louder in my head. I guess we'll find out 342 00:20:01,400 --> 00:20:04,320 Speaker 1: next year when we all watched the film. But I said, 343 00:20:04,320 --> 00:20:08,960 Speaker 1: if he turns either way, I've got him. Slowly, he 344 00:20:09,040 --> 00:20:11,639 Speaker 1: turned to the left and started to go back the 345 00:20:11,680 --> 00:20:15,360 Speaker 1: way he came, and once he was broadside, I sent 346 00:20:15,400 --> 00:20:19,280 Speaker 1: him another one. What I heard it hit him in 347 00:20:19,359 --> 00:20:21,520 Speaker 1: less than a second after I shot just like the 348 00:20:21,560 --> 00:20:25,719 Speaker 1: first time. If he flinched, I couldn't tell it. I 349 00:20:25,760 --> 00:20:27,639 Speaker 1: worked a bolt as fast as I could, and I 350 00:20:27,680 --> 00:20:32,520 Speaker 1: sent him another one. What he was now walking up 351 00:20:32,600 --> 00:20:36,240 Speaker 1: out of the water and disappeared on the bank into 352 00:20:36,280 --> 00:20:42,119 Speaker 1: the timber. A flood of emotion, amazement, disbelief, and wild 353 00:20:42,200 --> 00:20:46,040 Speaker 1: eyed excitement came over us. All now I can't tell 354 00:20:46,080 --> 00:20:49,960 Speaker 1: you what I said, because I don't remember, I recalled, saying, 355 00:20:50,000 --> 00:20:52,119 Speaker 1: I wish my brother Tim was with me. And I 356 00:20:52,560 --> 00:20:56,639 Speaker 1: scrambled to find the shell cases to give him. I 357 00:20:56,760 --> 00:21:00,920 Speaker 1: found one, and it's his. Got it with my life 358 00:21:00,960 --> 00:21:02,880 Speaker 1: until I got it home. And by the time he 359 00:21:02,880 --> 00:21:07,959 Speaker 1: hears this, he already have it in his pocket. We 360 00:21:07,960 --> 00:21:11,320 Speaker 1: waited twenty minutes before Craig said, let's go find your bull. 361 00:21:12,640 --> 00:21:15,040 Speaker 1: We loaded the boat and we drifted down river toward 362 00:21:15,119 --> 00:21:18,320 Speaker 1: where we'd last seen him. Played it over in my 363 00:21:18,440 --> 00:21:21,879 Speaker 1: mind a thousand times before we got there, and I 364 00:21:21,920 --> 00:21:25,080 Speaker 1: felt as confident as I'd ever been about shooting, but 365 00:21:25,320 --> 00:21:29,919 Speaker 1: intimidated by the monumental task that we'd all just undertake it. 366 00:21:31,040 --> 00:21:33,920 Speaker 1: What comes next? Are we going to have to track him? 367 00:21:34,240 --> 00:21:36,560 Speaker 1: How tough is this animal that just walked off toting 368 00:21:36,680 --> 00:21:39,840 Speaker 1: six hundred and thirty six grains of stopping laid down 369 00:21:40,400 --> 00:21:43,000 Speaker 1: that was traveling at almost twenty eight hundred feet per 370 00:21:43,080 --> 00:21:46,240 Speaker 1: second when it ran into him. Dave was in the 371 00:21:46,280 --> 00:21:48,800 Speaker 1: front of the boat, filming backward towards me in the middle, 372 00:21:48,840 --> 00:21:52,639 Speaker 1: and Craig running the motor. Dave saw him first, and 373 00:21:52,680 --> 00:21:56,199 Speaker 1: then Craig. I was straining my guts out, trying to 374 00:21:56,200 --> 00:21:59,560 Speaker 1: see what must be so painfully obvious to everyone else 375 00:21:59,560 --> 00:22:02,880 Speaker 1: in the boat. Where is this thing? I was searching 376 00:22:03,040 --> 00:22:06,320 Speaker 1: every inch I could see for a clue, and then 377 00:22:07,720 --> 00:22:12,160 Speaker 1: I saw him. He was fifteen feet from the edge 378 00:22:12,160 --> 00:22:15,840 Speaker 1: of the water, laying on the dry ground, and all 379 00:22:15,880 --> 00:22:19,399 Speaker 1: of a sudden, the guy that gets paid to talk 380 00:22:19,480 --> 00:22:27,080 Speaker 1: and tell stories couldn't think of anything to say. I 381 00:22:27,119 --> 00:22:29,760 Speaker 1: walked up to him and made sure he was dead. 382 00:22:31,280 --> 00:22:35,000 Speaker 1: Before I reached down to touch him. I stared at 383 00:22:35,040 --> 00:22:40,800 Speaker 1: this beautifully massive animal that laid in my feet. It 384 00:22:40,920 --> 00:22:45,800 Speaker 1: was a lot to take in. Now was when the 385 00:22:45,840 --> 00:22:48,760 Speaker 1: real work starts. But in a flash of consciousness, I 386 00:22:48,800 --> 00:22:52,639 Speaker 1: relived the last fifty something years of my hunting career 387 00:22:52,720 --> 00:22:58,240 Speaker 1: that all led to this pinnacle of accomplishment. I saw 388 00:22:58,320 --> 00:23:02,119 Speaker 1: all the people, friends, family, everyone that played even the 389 00:23:02,200 --> 00:23:05,719 Speaker 1: smallest role in getting me to the spot I was 390 00:23:05,760 --> 00:23:09,800 Speaker 1: now standing in on the bank of an unnamed river 391 00:23:09,880 --> 00:23:14,480 Speaker 1: that fed off an unnamed lake. I certainly didn't get 392 00:23:14,480 --> 00:23:17,520 Speaker 1: here by myself, and without all those people, my dream 393 00:23:17,600 --> 00:23:23,600 Speaker 1: hunt would still be just a dream. It took us 394 00:23:23,640 --> 00:23:26,679 Speaker 1: two and a half hours to skin quarter and remove 395 00:23:26,800 --> 00:23:32,600 Speaker 1: all the meat and loaded in the boat. We each 396 00:23:32,640 --> 00:23:35,159 Speaker 1: took our spots, with Dave setting beside me on the 397 00:23:35,200 --> 00:23:38,520 Speaker 1: way out. The sun was just fading away at dusk, 398 00:23:38,560 --> 00:23:41,560 Speaker 1: and it was easier to see and navigate the river 399 00:23:41,680 --> 00:23:47,200 Speaker 1: without any headlights. I sat there, still in grateful disbelief 400 00:23:47,240 --> 00:23:51,240 Speaker 1: in what I had just experienced outside of my family. 401 00:23:51,280 --> 00:23:54,320 Speaker 1: There's no way to top the feeling I was having 402 00:23:54,960 --> 00:24:02,880 Speaker 1: at that moment. And then I looked up. The northern 403 00:24:02,960 --> 00:24:06,280 Speaker 1: lights were out early, and they were brighter than they'd 404 00:24:06,320 --> 00:24:10,240 Speaker 1: been since we'd gotten there. They would shine a couple 405 00:24:10,359 --> 00:24:13,840 Speaker 1: more nights, but nothing like they did then. It was 406 00:24:13,920 --> 00:24:18,800 Speaker 1: a dancing ribbon of beauty, celebration, and gratitude, and it 407 00:24:18,840 --> 00:24:23,920 Speaker 1: made me feel very small and mostly insignificant, and not 408 00:24:24,320 --> 00:24:27,320 Speaker 1: in a bad way, more like it put me in 409 00:24:27,440 --> 00:24:31,439 Speaker 1: my place in the grand scheme of things. I was 410 00:24:31,520 --> 00:24:35,359 Speaker 1: affected by that trip in the purest way. While it 411 00:24:35,480 --> 00:24:39,359 Speaker 1: was somewhat emotionally intimidating, it solidified my position as a 412 00:24:39,400 --> 00:24:43,000 Speaker 1: participant in the daily grind for survival in a place 413 00:24:43,040 --> 00:24:49,280 Speaker 1: where survival isn't easy. Once the hunt was over, we'd 414 00:24:49,320 --> 00:24:52,600 Speaker 1: flown back and we left Dave and I dropped off 415 00:24:52,640 --> 00:24:55,320 Speaker 1: all the meat except for the backstraps at the meat 416 00:24:55,359 --> 00:24:59,560 Speaker 1: station in Ericsdale, Manitoba. I'll be picking the rest of 417 00:24:59,600 --> 00:25:01,959 Speaker 1: it up later this year when Craig brings it down 418 00:25:02,000 --> 00:25:04,879 Speaker 1: when he goes grocery shopping with his rifle into the 419 00:25:04,880 --> 00:25:08,399 Speaker 1: lower forty eight. The skull and hide I left with 420 00:25:08,440 --> 00:25:12,879 Speaker 1: Thomas Myers in Stonewall, Manitoba. I'm having it tanned and 421 00:25:13,040 --> 00:25:17,480 Speaker 1: skull clean. That skull will hang on my new office wall, 422 00:25:17,800 --> 00:25:20,080 Speaker 1: and in that form, it's my way of tipping my 423 00:25:20,200 --> 00:25:25,000 Speaker 1: hat to the folks to send me there. The backstraps 424 00:25:25,040 --> 00:25:27,560 Speaker 1: I had frozen and stuffed them into two thirty quartz 425 00:25:27,600 --> 00:25:31,240 Speaker 1: soft coolers and flew home with them. One backstrap in 426 00:25:31,320 --> 00:25:36,640 Speaker 1: each one weighed forty nine pounds and the other fifty one. 427 00:25:38,200 --> 00:25:41,679 Speaker 1: One hundred pounds of the purest protein around that tastes 428 00:25:41,720 --> 00:25:49,200 Speaker 1: better than ice cream. It is so good well, there 429 00:25:49,240 --> 00:25:54,720 Speaker 1: you have it, The Moussa. But wait, there's more. You'll 430 00:25:54,720 --> 00:25:57,320 Speaker 1: get to see it next year. Is a feature length production, 431 00:25:57,400 --> 00:25:59,720 Speaker 1: and I can't wait for you to see it. I'm 432 00:25:59,760 --> 00:26:01,760 Speaker 1: proud out of what I believe we captured in a 433 00:26:01,800 --> 00:26:05,399 Speaker 1: place where everywhere you look is a picture and every 434 00:26:05,480 --> 00:26:10,320 Speaker 1: sound you hear is a song. Thank you so much 435 00:26:10,359 --> 00:26:14,840 Speaker 1: for listening to me. Backwards University and Bear Grease. There's 436 00:26:14,840 --> 00:26:17,199 Speaker 1: some new This Country Life t shirts available on the 437 00:26:17,200 --> 00:26:19,359 Speaker 1: website if you like that sort of thing, and the 438 00:26:19,400 --> 00:26:22,120 Speaker 1: tickets are going fast on the Mediator Live tour that's 439 00:26:22,160 --> 00:26:26,880 Speaker 1: dipping down south of the Mason Dixon. I plum give 440 00:26:26,880 --> 00:26:29,960 Speaker 1: out after all that until next week. This is Brent 441 00:26:30,040 --> 00:26:32,600 Speaker 1: Reeves signing off. Y'all be careful