Well, over the last month my buddies and I have been having a ball hitting the woods. Got our moose two weeks ago, have had a few excellent days of bunny hunting, did some grouse hunting again today and now there's lots of turrs on the go again. My only regret is that I missed the best window for duck/goose hunting in my area, but, c'est la vie.
I was chatting with a couple of buddies down in Indiana and told them what I'd been up to the past few weeks. They quizzed me for hours and, of course, I had to email them some pics. Listening to all the stuff and hoops they have to jump through down in the US in order to hunt something as simple as a grouse really made me appreciate just how good we've got it down here on The Rock.
Almost all the land is Crown Land that is open to everybody to hunt/enjoy. There is tons of game and lots of hunting opportunities and most guys you meet in the woods are the salt-of-the-earth and will do anything they can to help you out of a jam, even if you're a total stranger. Sure, there are a few asshats out there, but thankfully they're the exception.
Anyhow, I figured I'd post these pics in appreciation for my home province and for my buddies slaving away out in Alberta...
Can't have Newfoundland without a peat bog, or "mash" (from marsh) as we call them locally.
Here's a pic of the Clifty Pond area on the Avalon Peninsula. One of the most picturesque areas and definitely one of my favorite hunting areas. Its tough going though!
Belive me, it isn't fun humping a moose out of that valley! I was tempted to bring along the fying pan and 10 lbs of onions and eat the damn thing there!
This is my purebred Chocolate Lab "Bruiser" with the grouse we got this afternoon. Had hoped top pick up a couple more for a pot of soup, but had to get home and pick up my Moose sausage from my local butcher!
This is the result of Saturday's bunny hunting excursion. Pictured is "Belle" my number one girl, along with a half dozen Newfoundland Snowshoe Hare and my go-to bunny gun, a really nice little Fox/Savage SXS .410 that was given to me by my uncle. I tried getting "Blue" & "Rainey," my other beagles, in the shot, but that was an exercise in futility by myself!
Here's the result of a morning Turr hunting off Baccalieu. No problem limiting out...have to say I'm glad those bag limits were introduced with Conservation in mind. (For you mainlanders, Turrs, or more properly "Murres" are a common migratory sea bird found all along the Newfoundland & Labrador coast, as well as in the Arctic & Greenland. They feed primarily on fish and have a dark meat that is high in iron)
Here's Bruiser with "his" Turrs!
Of course, no hunt isn't complete without a scoff & boil-up! This was taken after tramping the bogs for about 6 hours after moose! That's my Dad on the left. Not to bad for a guy born in '44 and fighting Cancer!
A hot cup of tea and a slice of homemade bread and blueberry jam never tasted so good with a plate of bacon and beans!
heading across a bog to pick up the moose!
Another successful moose hunt!
Quarters hung and skinned out. The cool weather made for ideal conditions to hang the meat.
And finally, here's the results of another successful bunny hunt yesterday! Can you say rabbit stew? Have to say, I'm loving the new Polaris Sporstman X2 as well! The rear cargo box is just the perfect size for my XL dog carrier. Helps ensure the dogs are fresh for when we reach our preferred hunting area.
Here's a herd of Woodland Caribou...wish I had a tag!!!
Finally, here's a pic of a full whale breach taken earlier this Fall. Beautiful to watch, but does interfer with the Turr Hunting! Kinda' late for this big guy to still be hanging around. I figure he might've been feeding on herring, as there was tons of it on the go this year.
I was chatting with a couple of buddies down in Indiana and told them what I'd been up to the past few weeks. They quizzed me for hours and, of course, I had to email them some pics. Listening to all the stuff and hoops they have to jump through down in the US in order to hunt something as simple as a grouse really made me appreciate just how good we've got it down here on The Rock.
Almost all the land is Crown Land that is open to everybody to hunt/enjoy. There is tons of game and lots of hunting opportunities and most guys you meet in the woods are the salt-of-the-earth and will do anything they can to help you out of a jam, even if you're a total stranger. Sure, there are a few asshats out there, but thankfully they're the exception.
Anyhow, I figured I'd post these pics in appreciation for my home province and for my buddies slaving away out in Alberta...
Can't have Newfoundland without a peat bog, or "mash" (from marsh) as we call them locally.
Here's a pic of the Clifty Pond area on the Avalon Peninsula. One of the most picturesque areas and definitely one of my favorite hunting areas. Its tough going though!
Belive me, it isn't fun humping a moose out of that valley! I was tempted to bring along the fying pan and 10 lbs of onions and eat the damn thing there!
This is my purebred Chocolate Lab "Bruiser" with the grouse we got this afternoon. Had hoped top pick up a couple more for a pot of soup, but had to get home and pick up my Moose sausage from my local butcher!
This is the result of Saturday's bunny hunting excursion. Pictured is "Belle" my number one girl, along with a half dozen Newfoundland Snowshoe Hare and my go-to bunny gun, a really nice little Fox/Savage SXS .410 that was given to me by my uncle. I tried getting "Blue" & "Rainey," my other beagles, in the shot, but that was an exercise in futility by myself!
Here's the result of a morning Turr hunting off Baccalieu. No problem limiting out...have to say I'm glad those bag limits were introduced with Conservation in mind. (For you mainlanders, Turrs, or more properly "Murres" are a common migratory sea bird found all along the Newfoundland & Labrador coast, as well as in the Arctic & Greenland. They feed primarily on fish and have a dark meat that is high in iron)
Here's Bruiser with "his" Turrs!
Of course, no hunt isn't complete without a scoff & boil-up! This was taken after tramping the bogs for about 6 hours after moose! That's my Dad on the left. Not to bad for a guy born in '44 and fighting Cancer!
A hot cup of tea and a slice of homemade bread and blueberry jam never tasted so good with a plate of bacon and beans!
heading across a bog to pick up the moose!
Another successful moose hunt!
Quarters hung and skinned out. The cool weather made for ideal conditions to hang the meat.
And finally, here's the results of another successful bunny hunt yesterday! Can you say rabbit stew? Have to say, I'm loving the new Polaris Sporstman X2 as well! The rear cargo box is just the perfect size for my XL dog carrier. Helps ensure the dogs are fresh for when we reach our preferred hunting area.
Here's a herd of Woodland Caribou...wish I had a tag!!!
Finally, here's a pic of a full whale breach taken earlier this Fall. Beautiful to watch, but does interfer with the Turr Hunting! Kinda' late for this big guy to still be hanging around. I figure he might've been feeding on herring, as there was tons of it on the go this year.
