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hey gang, Another year, another trip to the bush for a shot at my ever elusive moose.. Didn't get my moose this year but I thought I'd share some pics of area that we hunt. We've hunted a section of the Montreal River for 30+ years now and it's always great to come back.. I've yet to get a proper tag but our WMU has a guaranteed calf tag, so rather than go astray and hunt elsewhere, we just stick with what we're familiar with. It's really a magical place and the break is good for the soul. Normally, we space out the rest of our party accross the territory and it's my job to patrol the creek with my canoe. Which is fine by me. I'm not much of a hunter, but I enjoy the paddle, the fishing is good and the upland birds are plentiful. I'm pretty serious about the hunt, so I'm on the creek before first light and I don't return to camp until after dark, but when boredom sets in I put a line in the water, chase grouse and basically try and just get back to basics. There were signs of a cow and a good sized calf this year but they didn't show during the week we were there. Normally, if the beavers are active in the creeks and there is enough water, there is ample aquatic vegetation and the older cows will stick to them if they have a calf. They do wander from one swamp to another and cross in the open, but they will only do so at night, when we're dozing in our napsacs.. I'm getting better with my estrous call and did manage to coax a young bull down from the cut to the creek one night, but the light was too dim to wait for him to show and get a decent picture. It was pretty cool hearing him running full bore through the saplings though!! He stuck around for a few days and I just kept on fooling him lol. Anywho, I wouldn't have bothered with a write-up if there wasn't pics so here's the skimpy!! From the launch, low water mark. When the level is at its highest, the point is barely visible. Looking back at the launch... A vast, clear, uninterrupted blue sky. From the back of creek. Before Lower Knotch was built in the 60s, this creek emptied into the Montreal River. Now the creek joins slack water and resembles a long branchy inlet. Had a lone moose chew on a willow sapling one morning in this bay. Never did see her though. The rocking tree was the only thing that gave her away. Overlooking the main river. again at the low water mark. For those who know their Anishnaabe (Ojibway), that's the firebird on the bow. Glasssssss.. Breaking trail. My father and mentor, Jean-Marc. Again overlooking the main river. High water mark. Bull tracks off the main river. Cow and calf. The calf may have been a male because his tracks were ontop of one another. Three sets of tracks at this spot. The freshest of which unfortunately meant she vacated the area. Decent smallie! Perfect chop for a drift.. One of inlets off the main river. I've spent many an evening at this spot. It's a natural highway for wildlife. Spewed up log perch... My trusty Remington 150th anniversary 30-06, with a coupla snot rockets for dinner. Hope you enjoyed. cheers HD