TWO stops on the way up to Pittsburg for emergency bathroom stops. I felt just awful.
I got to Indian Stream Valley at 11 am (I had left my house at 5:30 AM and this is normally a 3 hour 45 min trip).
The gate was closed on the road I needed to get to, so I decided to go to the next road down. THIS looked promising. Lots of Bull moose sign. I was getting excited and then I saw foot prints... NOT moose, but human. I wasted 4 hours just to hunt an area that had already been picked clean. It was misting rain and the ground was soggy. I hate getting soaked for nothing.
Then I fell ass over bandbox and slightly hurt my ankle and I hobble out.
SO, I drive over to Magalloway valley. Still feel like crap. Hey, wait! I remember an older clearcut where a friend and I saw the biggest bull I had ever seen.
What the hell is that noise? Why is my truck heading for the ditch? Don't tell me. Oh look at that... I have a flat. I just LOVE changing flat tires way out in the mud. This is so awesome! Oh good. My spare tire is one size smaller than the other tires on the truck. Oh well.. adapt and overcome.
I drive out of this place and think "should I just go home?" No i decide, I will head out to Perry Stream to check out a spot for tomorrow.
I drive by the guy with "ANTLERS" on his plates and moose antlers everywhere all over his house and barn. I saw him out awhile ago.
Checked out a few places for tomorrow and hope I pick a good spot.
Back to camp and eat. At least I have enough gas to cook something. A hot meal will help my outlook. Hopefully tomorrow will be better.
Day 2
Woke up at 5:16 am when two log trucks blow by at what seemed like 200 MPH and pulled the jake brake when they went by my truck. Then a Chevy truck went by at what seemed like 275 MPH! HOLY CRAP! So i got up and shook off the night. Packed up, good gosh for a mini camp I sure have a lot of crap! Happy Corners is calling for me, I need coffee. I can eat cold food for days , be soaking wet and chilled to the bone, but the one thing I need is coffee.
6:30 and I am the first one in the restaurant but many soon follow; fishermen, people fixing their cabins and ONE loud, obnoxious, down stater flirting mercilessly with the waitress who is old enough to be his grandmom. Guess this is what happens to some people when they spend this much time up here away from their women. The food came almost as soon as I had placed my order, the cooks must have been psychic. The coffee is awesome!
Drove to the first spot above the First Connecticut Lake on Magalloway Rd. It's so simple, it's stupid so let's see what we can find. Nope, I found nothing except an antler that was so chewed up that there was no base or palm left. It would have been a wicked nice one.
I went to Perry Stream and it was a great spot BUT had been hit by hunters already as evident by the big antler impression in the dirt and grass next to the trail.
I did get to see a very large bear poop and eat grass. THAT was my hint to move on to a new spot. I got gas for the truck and went to yet another place.
I have to say that this trip I have seen more animals than ever. Maybe it was the weather, or time of year or just because I am really boondocking this trip. When I first got into town yesterday, I followed a yearling cow moose for about a mile on Indian Stream. Saw my little friends, the Canadian jays but this time they did not lead me to any antlers. I have seen deer everywhere, most memorable was the buck who stared me down in that first clearcut I walked in. he had really nice beams all fuzzy with velvet.
This brings me to my last stop, on Indian Stream. Why I did not check here yesterday I do not know. I never would have gone anywhere else. I only had about 2 hours left but this place is it. I parked and walked about 200 yards and saw a moose trail going up the hill and woods to my right. Moose rubs along the trail. I get to the top and it flattens out and is DRY!
I catch a movement to my right and there is a tiny red moose calf about 75-100 yards away, bouncing about. I look at him through the binoculars. Where's Mom???? I do not see her. Baby looks at me and oh gosh Mom stands up as if materializing from the earth. She lays eyes on my and instantly charges. I RUN.... FAST. Well i thought it was fast, but NOT as fast as Momma Moose. Geez she is FAST! I fall.....thankfully I fall behind bushes and a stump. She stops chasing. Because of my "genius" move of hiding (falling) behind a stump that is only 10 inches high, I don't move a muscle. Momma moose decides I am gone and goes back over the hill to her baby. I hear him making these soft mewing type noises excited for his mom to be back. I sneak away and continue to check the area out. I finally find the main clear cut but my time is running out and I have to leave.
I get back to the road and find a neat smooth red rock, then I find three 4 leaf clovers, why couldn't I find these earlier?
Whoops, I forgot about the porcupine that was hanging out in the tree. I bet he was amused when that moose chased me because he was so high up he could have watched it all happen.
So here I am walking out with my rock and my 4 leaf clovers and I think, maybe I will just pop into the woods here and look around a little. Then I am attacked again! This time by a little fluffed up hen grouse with chicks. She charges. I stand my ground. She runs off screaming like a wounded rabbit. THIS was my cue to leave Pittsburg, the animals have had enough of me!
Rob
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