Catching the Good Life in the Canadian Wilderness

Good evening Campers, finally a break in the weather. Tonight should be near freezing, and maybe the Moose will start to move around. Hunters are having a tough time locating Moose with the low waters and warm temps! Just near dusk Geese were heard honking on their way south from James Bay, the sound was something I have not heard in years! In fact, there was a small group working the south shore later this afternoon. So time to go.

I met some nice blokes from Niagra this evening, they were looking for Moose, nothing in 5 days, hey that’s hunting as they said!! That is so true as we walk thru the wilderness, we are all responsible for ourselves and how we treat and leave the world! I seem to butt heads with a lot of people who seem to think otherwise, Awe Come On Man! Just once as Hank says, I’d like to spit Beechnut in that Dude’s eye!

Changed have occured and you will have to come and find our for yourself! That is all the people need to know as the Baron has showed his CLAW!!

Good Morning Happy Campers! Catfish Chris, and my sidekick Molly Magoo always here in spirit! Everyday I look for her and have yet to find her, almost a month has gone, it seems like forever! But my PAL, the time is coming, very quickly!

Wild weather has come to the HCO region, last week some warm, then Monsoon’s which brought badly needed rain to the area. Last check we were just shy of 2 inches, but rain, wind, oh my. A boat was buried in the lake, Bob worked tirelessly with me to get it afloat where we could winch it onto the trailer! But alas, all was fixed and only 2 very sore backs. Strong NW winds had switched straight North and the boat rocked back and forth wiggling and pounding the boat plug until it fell out. But all is back to semi=normal. I say semi-normal because I don’t really know what normal is anymore!!

Later in the week many locals found their way to HCO as Servina Shaganass passed on. Priscilla and I spoke the other day, and Amy her daughter and her family stayed with us for a while. So sorry for your loss, hope we were able to help out a little. One bright spot for me is yesterday I went over to the Shaganass compound looking for them, I ran into Martin Shaganass. A nice older bloke but Rocky caught my eye right away! Rocky is a pointer that runs like the wind and loves to retrieve. Rocky runs all over the place, Martin says he is a great Moose dog?

As Rocky ran, it reminded me of when Dixie was here, another pointing dog. Dixie and Magoo would run like the wind, in fact their is a page where those 2 were flying in the air, tongues out! You know to watch that is simply priceless, also are many other things we get here at Happy Cap Ontario!

Hard frost came last night, Bernie and Lisa are busy gathering seeds for the winter. Many Whiskeyjacks are here too, none have eaten out of my hand yet, but soon I hope! Ducks are starting to fly around, Redheads are here, first time seeing them. Time will tell if I hunt them or not, Magoo it is not the same without you girl. You know I am looking for a new girl or boy, time will tell how they do, but that dirve you had, OH BOY, I dont know if that ever can be matched.

Bear hunt will be complete by weeks end, we shall see how this finishes, but it has been a great year so far! I am looking for a group of 4 that wants to experience an adventure of a lifetime either here at HCO or at our sister camp in the far north. In fact, I will be headed there to see some Moose spots tomorrow, the rut should kick in full swing now as frost is here!

I met a trapper in the woods and Peever showed up at my door, it is really interesting how I bump into so many different people. Many have said to me, you need to write a book, well if there are any Ghost Writers that would like to help out!

Coffee is done, cabins to clean and Mouths to feed (Bears), sun is brilliant now, take care Happy Campers!

Hi Happy Campers. Bear Hunt 2024 is pretty much a wrap, recap can be seen at the Hunting Page. Thanks to all for a wonderful hunt, great memories, awesome Bears taken and for all you bring to Happy Camp. As we look to 2025, we look forward to more great hunts, thanks again take care all!

Tonight is the first night that I have sat alone without Magoo, and the empty feeling is as large as when she was taken from me 2 weeks ago. Bear hunt is over for now, incredible adventure where all hunters enjoyed the Happy Camp area, with beautiful Bears shot and many more seen and left for another day! More on that with another post, but this is for Magoo. Magoo, you stole my heart a long time ago, made me look like the best hunter in the world many times, greatest partner I could ask for. As I start to think of the next girl to walk at my side in the bush, I just wish we had one more day, one more hunt, swim, share one more sandwich, treat or just a great big deep breathe with sigh telling me goodnight, I miss you so much my buddy!!

Days are quiet, the walls are silent. The lodge is errily empty, and the best friend, sidekick and pal who is as much of Happy Camp as I am has left. Magoo was taken from me late Friday night and I wander aimlessly thru the days doing this and that. Oddly, it never seemed like a job before, it was life full of adventures.

Just today I looked for Magoo maybe 100 times. While cleaning I found half a biscuit under the chair. I took the biscuit, sat in the chair, held it and cried. Later as I left the fish shack, I looked around the corner hoping to see Magoo, did not happen. I also looked under the porch where she used to like to lay and relax, no Magoo. Finally, as I sat in the chair with the computer on my lap, I looked down the driveway hoping to see Magoo coming into Camp, but that’s not happening!

I have asked a million times, WHY? I know there is no answer, never will be. I can only hope that one day there truly is after life and we will be reunited? But as I try to piece each day together, there are a couple things I will share the links too, one a song and the other a poem. Both of these are wonderful, hope you enjoy them:

Bernie has found his way back to camp. After being caught 5 times, he was caught again. But this time, I took the trap, looked at him and said, Bernie, you just want to be my friend don’t you? Bernie said, yes I do! So Bernie ate his peanut butter bread piece, and we agreed that he will help me catch that darn Red Squirrel. I then opened the trap and out hopped Bernie. Bernie went off into the woods, but about an hour later he was back, first under the bird feeder, then found himself right back on the north lodge steps. Bernie likes to lay on the 3rd step, back legs stretched out and his front legs crossed as he watches over the compound. Sometimes his tail wags back and forth like Magoo, so maybe part of me is hoping that Bernie will truly become a friend, but never a best friend, that is reserved for Magoo. But Bernie, time witll tell what you become.

Soon Camp will be filled with Bear hunters, baits are hitting well, so we shall see how Bear Hunt 2024 develops, time will tell! As for now, I am going to go look for Magoo some more. Enjoy the links

Magoo, my best friend has crossed the Rainbow bridge around 9 p.m. this evening. As I drove into Happy Camp tonight without her, the empty feeling has set in. I walked into the lodge, silence is deafening. Everything at Happy Camp was Magoo, we were inseparable, now we are. Good Bye My Friend

Happy Opening Day Happy Campers! Yes it is time, time for Unity, Time for Joy, and Time for the Games to Begin! Soon the Boats will travel on the Seine with the Competitors of the 33rd Olympiad! One can only hope that this is a Joyous time that our world’s athletes get together, have competition, but more importantly start the healing process the World needs! We all have been in a tailspin since Covid, and it is time to start the healing, after all, we ALL need each other in this ever changing world. We ALL need to come together, put our differences aside and LIVE IN PEACE and HARMONY!

It has started, earlier than ever, but the Fall pilgramage has begun. Today in our travels looking for Bears, we saw them, the first Migrators from the north. The Nighthawks have arrived in the Happy Camp Boreal Forest District. By my recollection this is by far the earliest on record, certainly the earliest since 2012 when we first arrived here. Nighthawks have never been in this District before August 12th, seeing them today will put them 18 days ahead of schedule! That could coincide with the very early Spring which saw the snow and ice disappear before May 1, 2024.

Also, there is an influx of songbirds that I can not figure out what they are? They appear to be the size of a Scarlet Tananger, the Male is Beautiful red with white bards on his wings, while the Female is a drab brown. They are clustered on the trails in flocks from 15-54 birds. That’s right, I counted 54 of them in a flock somewhere in the Happy Camp District. Anyone know what they are, please share? Additionally, since the compound has had extensive brushing, there are a lot of songbirds flying around. By the way. Bernie has found his way back here, I told him the last time I let him go from the trap if he made it back, he would come into fold and learn to live in a cage. Well this afternoon, Bernie was laying on the north porch, front legs crossed and his back legs stretched out like he owned the place. His little tail waves back and forth as he watched the Moose Food Plot to the north for any creatures!

Another sign of an early fall, it was pertnear 90 today, damn hot, but I just shut off the air and opened the windows as it has cooled into the low 70s already, 3 hours before dusk! Finally, the last sign I care to share is that some fish are putting on the Feedbag. Yesterday Magoo and I went to Lake #4, and soon found out how eager they were to eat. We caught many fish over 20 inches and Perch over 12 inches. The bites were solid, many of them snapped the line when it neared bottom. They struck the Pimple with much intensity and almost always on the fall, which is a sure sign that fall is here. During the other seasons, they usually strike on the lift, not the drop, but always hit on the fall when Autumn is here.

I suppose the Moose will start rubbing their velvet anyday soon, perhaps they will find a sweet spot in the Moose Plot that is here for our viewing. Magoo Bernie and I are anxiously awaiting their appearances.

Bear hunt is full for this fall, if anyone wants to be considered for the Spring 2025, get in touch with me soon. It is looking like an awesome fall hunt, many, many bears of all sizes are running rampant thru out the Happy Camp District!

Well it is time for the gathering and Lady Goo Goo is performing, time to go and watch, enjoy the reason everyone!

Good Day Happy Campers, hope life is treating you kindly in this ever changing world! For us, twists and turns everywhere seem to unfold many new items, some exciting while others are mind boggling. First, to see a Coyote in the far north is perplexing but also are the numerous Cranes and other critters that have never been here are very visible! One could easily decipher this and it is quite possible that man has pushed them out of their areas again. Ever wonder what is the true purpose of so many people who do nothing more than fill their selves, destroy, then move on and think they are doing a great thing. After all, why does anyone need 40 Pickerel fillets, 40 Grouse, or 200 bags of Blueberries in your freezer? Wny not gather a few of them, enjoy and share, then go back and get more, what is so hard about that?

Berries are getting there, but new adventures await as the Berry spots have been destroyed. Anyone wanting Timmy Hortons, get in line along the Fry Road! There are some great fishing spots, but when we got there, we had to wait in line to drop the boat in at the landing, waht’s up with that?

The other day in our travels we were following a vehicle when they chucked out a wrapper that landed on our windshield. Sadly they could not put their McDaonalds wrapper where it belongs. How did we know this, because we had to stop and remove it as it was stuck to the windshield and hampering our sight!

Where is there respec anymore, anyone please share with me, I would love to be enlightened. You know we live in the bush, very few people except in town, so how do people find their way 35 miles away and run into us during our travels. Never ceases to amaze me, but then again I am a Dinasaur in a Mosquito world!

As Mr Z, said very simply and the statement holds true yesterday, today, tomorrow and beyond, The Times are a Changing! Off to the woods, Birds, Bugs and Bears are wonderful, take care!

Good Morning Happy Campers! Yes it is soggy, warm, humid and just 100% today! With all the commotion one would think we are in Tilleda, Arnott or the ever popular Garfield! But alas, we are in Hillsport, banging, clanging and so much activity going on! Soon the parking lot will be created and the foundation poured for the Secret coming to town. There are limited memberships as most have been snatched up by the locals. If you are interested, and enough on that 100%!

Weather ups and downs have made for unstable fishing. In fact, with the cold snap, the 1st lake as it is reffered to by some, has ice. Not enough to walk on, but enough to keep us out of the 2nd lake. But for a few days, the Horse flies that average 4 inch in length are gone, and that too is 100%!

Woodland Caribou are beginning to gather near the Dam for their trek back to the promised land. Last head count there were 35, but apparently some more were seen near the Geko Mine headed north, but may have turned onto RabbitSkin for a dip in the Archibald Pool, so they may be late. But the Trail will be well trampled so they are fine, as long as they don’t stop to long to dine on the Saskatoons that are slowly ripening, that too is 100%!

Many large Landlock Salmon are now seen in the tributaries to the West and North. These behoemoths have ventured out of their quarry near American Can in Caramat, thank DJT, our saviour, that he is allowing the ladder to be reopened. That along with the departure of the Aluminum deposits in our Pop Cans is truly a special offering to our savior, DJT, perhaps 100%!

Zander are very active off Pointers reef nearly every evening in 6-12 feet of water. Many fish over 45 inches come to the surface and are feeding heavy on Black Poppers or the secret lure that came from the Orient! This red tailed Wet Fly really works great when ripped acrosss the surface in 3-5 foot waves, 100%!

Whats with the Balloon thing, apparently they didn’t know they cant land up here, many balloons are stuck in the trees up here, who the hell knows why?

For now, Let’s All Go to the Lobby for some JuJu’s and Corn, see you there. Enjoy your day, 100%