Hi Happy Campers, it is February 16. 2025 and winter has come in a big way to northern USA. As I write, we have about 16 inches of snow on the ground, ice in excess of 20 inches and bitter cold has blanketed much of the Upper Midwest. While Wisconsin has been scathed from the bitter cold that has gripped northern North Dakota, we will get a taste of it later today for a few days. Wind is starting to pick up and while air temps are in the low teens, they will plummet later today and our windchill should reach -30 to -40. That is just dangerous cold, no way, shape or form about it!
But alas, Spring is on the horizon and next week I will be at the Wisconsin Traditional Archer Convention at Chula Vista in Wisconsin Dells, if you are in the area, stop by and say hi. As a traditional archer myself, time will tell if I find like minded people for Bear hunt 2025 and beyond. Bear hunt 2025 will take us to Pagwa and a new experience. For certain, we will have a new face and my new partner, Rook! This young darling has spent time at Hard Knox and is starting to become more social and just loves to chase birds, shoes, socks and most everything else he can put in his mouth. Rook is the tallest Lab I have ever had, so his head is almost perfect to run out to the bird feeding station and slide his head on the bread table where the bread is for the Jays. But Rook does a nice job of vacuuming the bread into his mouth. That boy certainly can devoure bread in a hurry, just imagine if he has time to put his head into a Bear bait bucket, holy hot dog!!!
Rook and I have had a tough go of ice fishing this winter. Actually, I have not kept nor cleaned a fish yet, which had not happened since I do not know when. We had our shack in Cecil Bay, part of Shawano Lake. Last Sundy we went to dig it out and fish, but we got stuck in a drift, shoveled that out, then shoveled to the shack. I went in, drilled 2 holes, walked outside to check on Rook and he was playing in about 6 inches of water!! So I got dug out, hooked up the shack and yanked that off the ice. Actually glad we did as fishing was poor, caught only a few small Perch, Bluegill and one Pike about 15 inches. So the shack is sitting by the barn, we have been to Big Arbor Vitae, and alas more headaches. Can not access the north end, lovely snow has been plowed over the landing and ice heaves make it impossible to get out there with our shack. South end is a mess, snowmobile trails go thru the public landing, snow is soft making it tough to get out. But we got to Swiss Cheese area where Crappies used to be wonderful, now a mere pittance of that. Sadly Jumbos up to 16 inches are now no more than 10 inches, ugha!
So Rook and I have looked to other lakes and we thought we found a couple. Rook and I walked onto a lake, and he took off for a Brown spot on the lake and went thru the ice! Frantically I screamed and started to run, but what can I do, I will go down too! Seeing my buddy struggle, he then disappeared. Rook then popped up, I saw his front feet dig into the ice and he pulled himself out. Rook shook off, then ran as fast as he could to me, as I bent over to hug him he barreled me over, covering me with kisses. I hugged that boy like no tomorrow, we ran to the truck fast, I put him in the truck. We went to town, bought a couple towels and dried him off. Enough adventures for today, BUT I hope anyone who has a hunting dog realizes that the Dew Claws can save their lives. Rook was able to dig those Dews into the ice and pull himself out, otherwise he would have drowned. Thank God for Dew Claws.
Happy camp will be fishing after the Bear season in June thru Berry Picking, then Bird and Moose season. Adventures abound, boats are cached, more going to get cached just waiting for you to come and find your smile at Happy Camp Ontario. Rook looks forward to meeting all of the Happy Campers, whatchas waiting for, Come and Catch the Good Life with us at Happy Camp Ontario!!