Webber's Lodges Hunting and Fishing Blog

Moose rutting behavior and vocalization. A hunter’s guide to getting in close. Part 4 – Post-Rut.

admin — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 01:09:59 +0000

Signs of a successful moose hunt with Webber's Lodges!

Moose rutting behavior and vocalization. A hunter’s guide to getting in close. Part 4 – Post Rut.

by Kent Michie, Professional Guide, Webber’s Lodges

The post-rut stage is an excellent time to connect with a trophy bull moose. This final stage of the moose rut generally occurs after October 10 and can be action packed, with many bulls answering your calls. Fewer cows are receptive during this period and therefore less are calling for suitors. I generally call the same as I do during the pre-rut and main rut weeks, but do make some changes.

I lessen the amount of aggressive bull grunts and shoulder blade rubbing in my calling sequence during this stage. Many of the big bulls will be injured slightly and exhausted from their earlier rutting activities. Fatigued bulls may be reluctant to commit, or may even shy away from aggressive grunting and blade rubbing challenges on the brush. I find that it is best to call mainly in the voice of a lone cow with no other suitors around, until you have the bull fully committed.

Remember that when you are calling during the post-rut, a number of bulls may have broken or severely damaged antlers. Many mature bulls fight so intensely that their massive antlers will have broken points and in some cases will be missing entirely from one side. This can result in the bulls being less aggressive. Weather can also have an influence on the success of your post rut moose hunt, and conditions can be adverse to say the least.

In conclusion, the techniques I have shared with you in these blog posts do not guarantee a sure thing, but rather are observations and determinations that I have made over a lifetime of moose hunting and guiding. Please always remember that some of the aforementioned calling techniques may encourage aggressive behavior from a bull moose, so always be cautious.

I hope you have enjoyed these moose hunting tips and we certainly welcome any comments you might have.

Good luck on your next moose hunting adventure!

Our moose hunts have a very high success rate and book up quickly. If you would like more information on moose hunting with Webber’s Lodges in Manitoba, Canada, please e-mail us at info@webberslodges.com or call us Toll Free at: 1 (888) 932-2377. We would love to hear from you!

Read more…

Moose rutting behavior and vocalization. A hunter’s guide to getting in close. Part 3 – Main Rut.

admin — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 08:30:43 +0000

Webber's Lodges Main Rut Moose!

Moose rutting behavior and vocalization. A hunter’s guide to getting in close. Part 3 – Main Rut.

by Kent Michie, Professional Guide, Webber’s Lodges

The main rut runs from approximately September 28 to October 10 in most of the northern regions of Canada. About 80% of all moose harvested will be taken during this two week period of prime rut activity. I must admit this is my favorite time of the year. The land is awash with the brilliant colors of change, the skies are full of south bound geese, warm days are followed by frosty nights, and the forest is alive with the sounds of rutting moose.

During the main rut, both bulls and cows are very vocal, with slight vocalization changes when compared to the pre-rut period. One of the biggest changes in moose vocalizations comes from the cows. During pre-rut, cows primarily make calls of annoyance due to being pestered by excited bulls, but during the main rut the cow’s calls change to an inviting call for love. Unlike the aggressive calls cows make to show their displeasure towards unwanted suitors, they now make long, flowing, almost musical calls in an effort to attract the strongest of the bulls. Along with the long mooing calls of love, the cows also make very soft, short grunts and bawls. Knowing when and how to imitate these calls can make the difference between having a bull come out into the clearing or hanging up just out of range.

I was once told by a senior woodsman (who I considered a genius when it came to moose calling) that you could call in a moose with a bad cough. That might be true for some bulls, but if you want to get a look at every bull in the area in your quest for that trophy bull, I think you have to play your cards right and “talk moose.”

The cows will be calling day and night if they are not in the company of a bull. Time is short, the cows need to make sure of the next generation of moose and they know it. As a hunter we can use this to our advantage by imitating “come check me out” calls to bring the bulls in close.

I like to get out on the edge of a large swamp, lake shoreline or open ridge over a valley at first light in the morning and start cow calling to locate bulls. The call I make is a moderately low moo that is slow and steady with a slight nasal tone. I usually make two long calls, 5-10 seconds each, followed by a shorter, softer mooing call. On a calm morning these calls will travel a long way and get the attention of any bull in the area.

I repeat this call sequence three to four times with a couple of minutes between call sets. When a bull hears this and he is not already tending to a cow, he is quite likely to come in to check you out. When traveling in to check out your call, bulls will often grunt. It is not uncommon to make one or two sequences of calls and have a bull announce his interest from a couple of kilometers away.

One thing many hunters might not know is that a bull will generally only grunt when he is moving. I have seen bulls stand at the edge of a lake or swamp and grunt a couple of times while standing still, but this is not common. The bulls will grunt loudly while walking and moving towards the cow call. As a hunter you have to remember that if a bull stops grunting, it’s likely because he is standing still and listening carefully to try and pinpoint the position of the calling cow. This is a very important, as my experience shows that this is the most common time for a hunter to “get busted” by a bull moose.

I have learned never to change my position when a bull is stopped and listening. I usually freeze and make no sound at all, just to keep the bull guessing. If the bull hears nothing for a couple of minutes he will often grunt loudly in an effort to get a response from the cow. If that happens, I give him a response. I come back at him right away with a short, soft, sexy cow moo generally directed at the ground. The bull will usually start walking again towards your position with steady rhythmic grunts. This is when you should move if you need to get in a better shooting position.

Moving while the bull is moving and grunting will help you hide any unnatural sounds you might make while traveling through the bush. Two good simple rules to follow: When the bull stops and listens, you should stop and listen. When the bull moves and makes noise, you can move and make noise. If you have played the role of a hot cow correctly and a bull has come directly in to you, but then hangs up just out of range, there are a few tricks you can use to get the bull to step out. One thing I like to do to enrage hesitant bulls is to imitate the sounds of a young bull that has joined the cow. This gets the blood boiling in a mature bull and he will usually come in spoiling for a fight.

To imitate a young bull I use a couple of different methods. I will turn in the opposite direction of the mature bull and grunt to simulate a bull approaching from the opposite direction. I will also rake or rub the trees and brush to imitate another aggressive bull. These two techniques will agitate the mature bull into coming in. To imitate antlers rubbing the brush I use a beef shoulder blade that I have cleaned and bleached white to simulate the sound of bone on brush. Over the past 20 years I have also on occasion used an old canoe paddle for the same purpose. The shoulder blade and canoe paddle work both as a sound stimulant and as a visual stimulant, providing flashes of whitish brown that the bull can key in on and then approach directly.

The aforementioned techniques will work to get the bulls in close, but if the bull is already in the company of a cow you could get into what I call the “Yo-yo Effect.” This happens when you are calling the bull and he calls back and starts his approach towards you, but then suddenly the cow close to him calls him back. This can go on for hours. The bull starts to come to you and then the cow calls him back. This happens when the cow has determined that this bull is her preferred suitor, and she does not want him to leave when she is close to readiness for breeding. When this happens, rather than playing “Yo-yo” I like to move in close a put pressure on the bull.

I usually approach the bull as slowly and as quietly as possible, except for making small bull grunts and dragging the shoulder blade on branches as I get close. When you get within the comfort zone of the bull and you are imitating a smaller bull he will think you are challenging him for the right to breed his cow. This will provoke him to come in and challenge you. This technique can be successful but it can also be hazardous, as the bull will be in an aggressive mood and can approach you very quickly.

Years of calling moose has taught me that if you find a trophy bull with a cow, it’s not necessarily a bad thing. The bull’s attention will be fully consumed by the cow, which often gives you the advantage. You can slip in undetected and fool him into making a mistake. When faced with a bull and cow pair, be very careful not to get busted by the cow and you should have little difficulty getting Mr. Big to present himself to you in a vulnerable manner.

In part four of this series on moose hunting in Manitoba we will discuss the post-rut moose hunting stage.

Read more…

Moose rutting behavior and vocalization. A hunter’s guide to getting in close. Part 2 – Pre-Rut.

admin — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 00:33:21 +0000

The right moose call at the right time can produce...

Moose rutting behavior and vocalization. A hunter’s guide to getting in close. Part 2 -Pre-Rut.

by Kent Michie, Professional Guide, Webber’s Lodges

The pre-rut stage begins when bull moose begin to lose their velvet around August 31 and continues until approximately September 27. During the pre-rut stage bull moose will be at their peak fitness level, their fully developed antlers ready for battle. Bulls will rub their antlers on brush and trees to strengthen their neck muscles in readiness for the rutting battle that will soon ensue with rival males. Bulls are eating all they can at this stage of the rut, but they will soon stop consuming large amounts of aquatic vegetation, red osier dogwood, box alder, poplar, maple, and birch.

Bulls who were summer companions will now start to spar and assert their dominance over less aggressive or younger bulls. Both bulls and cows start to ramp up there vocalizations during this period, with bulls grunting aggressively at rivals and cows protesting loudly to the advances of amorous bulls and their premature courting. The cow calls you hear are not as inviting as what will come later, but are more aggressive and almost angry in nature. This is due to the fact that the cows are close to the readiness of their very small window of ovulation, but they still will not tolerate close contact from the bulls.

The cow’s loud calls of protest benefit her in a couple of ways. The loud calls prevent any premature mating from excited bulls when the time is not yet right to produce the next generation of moose. And secondly, not only do the loud calls by the cows fend off the advances of bulls that are close by; they also attract more bull suitors, or at least point out her location to bulls that are not in the immediate area.

Hunters can use the aforementioned behavior of the cows in several ways to harvest monster bull moose. In the morning pay close attention and listen for cows bellowing. The cow call during the pre-rut is a whiny, angry, “get away from me” type of call. She is telling the bulls that she is not ready, stay back. You can imitate this loud whiny call to bring in amorous bulls from great distances. Don’t be shy about belting it out there when calling, and vary the pitch up and down to get the “angry” effect. The call duration should be approximately 15 seconds to one minute long. Repeat the call every 5-10 minutes for three or four sets, wait about 30 minutes and start over again. Immediately after making the whiny cow calls, give out a series of light bull grunts to imitate a young bull that is excited but is being shut down.

This type of calling during the pre-rut will work best in the morning and late evening. Once a bull responds with grunts you can grunt back at him to keep him coming in, but keep your grunts short, low in pitch and not too aggressive. You do not want to sound like a too big or dominant a bull this early in the rut. It is better to imitate a smaller bull which is bothering a cow. This will encourage other bulls to come to the cow’s aid and run off the youngster.

The simple techniques described above are very affective during the pre-rut and will get you in close to the big boys. In part three of this series on moose hunting in Canada we will discuss the main moose rut and a variety of calls and techniques that can be used to stir up even more awesome action.

Read more…

UFC superstar Brock Lesnar facing hunting charges in Alberta as big fight approaches.

admin — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 00:14:39 +0000

UFC Superstar Brock Lesnar

It’s too bad UFC fighter and former WWE champion Brock Lesnar didn’t choose a Manitoba caribou hunt or moose hunt with Webber’s Lodges.

Lesnar wouldn’t be facing charges right now for numerous hunting offenses committed in Alberta had he chosen Webber’s. It seems his guide either wasn’t aware of all the regulations in his province or just chose to ignore them when he took Lesnar hunting. Now they’re both in hot water.

Webber’s Lodges is known for its exceptional guides and high-quality hunts. Our guides are some of the best in the business, as evidenced by the testimonials we receive. You will never have to worry about being nailed for poaching when you hunt with us!

In any event, we wish Mr. Lesnar all the best in his upcoming fight on December 30, 2011.

Moose rutting behavior and vocalization. A hunter’s guide to getting in close. Part 1.

admin — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 22:24:41 +0000

Guide Kent Michie (right) with very happy moose hunter at Webber's Lodges.

by Kent Michie, Professional Guide, Webber’s Lodges

Sitting on an old, dead autumn stump, you watch the emerging sun as it burns through the mist rising off the water. Daylight breaks on your moose hunt and vibrant fall foliage begins to reveal itself. The damp, musky smells of the boreal forest fill your nostrils as you sit quietly, straining your ears to identify any sign that you are not alone on the muskeg delta of a northern lake. As distinct as a rifle shot you hear a loud guttural grunt echo from the Tamarack covered ridge. Your body stiffens. Your grip tightens on your rifle in anticipation of the next sound from the ridge.

Like magic you hear the grunt again, now accompanied by the sound of large antlers scraping through branches. This time it is much closer and moving directly towards you. Your heart races as your eyes search for movement. The bitter cold you felt only moments ago seems like a distant dream. Like a mythical being, a bull moose steps out of the tree line not more than 100 yards away. He appears in full view in the open. Still and stoic, he stands, like a magnificent statue. You glance at your guide.

“He’s the one we want.”

As if in slow motion, you lift your rifle and take careful aim.

One well placed shot dispatches the mighty beast.

As the morning excitement subsides, you sit and reflect on how all this could have happened – picture perfect. You wonder, “Is my guide some sort of wizard that has control over the wild creatures in the forest, or was I just really lucky today?”

I believe I can give you some clarification on the above.

I will share with you what I have learned and used for 25 plus years of guiding moose hunts during the rut. These insights are a result of both hunt experience and an education in wildlife biology. I will not bore you with a complete year-round life cycle of the moose. I’d much rather concentrate on the fall portion of the moose life cycle, which is the time of year when many of us are in pursuit of this grand animal.

I understand that not everyone will agree or even understand my outlook and conclusions when it comes to the moose rut, and that’s ok. As a wise man (my grandfather) once said, “You’ll learn a lot more by listening than talking.” So please enjoy what I have to share with you and who knows, you might even learn something new that will help you on your next moose hunt.

I think many people are misinformed when they talk about moose and their primary senses of sight, smell, and hearing. My beliefs are the result of an enormous amount of time spent in the field in pursuit of giant bulls. I believe that moose are somewhat color blind and that they see their world in shades of greys and blues, but they do have a keen ability to pick up movement. Remember that a moose weighs over 1000 lbs. and they have very few enemies in the wild. This is why they are not as skittish as smaller prey such as deer.

Moose are not intimidated easily, nor are they flighty. Their calm demeanor is often mistaken for an inability to see you, but it’s more likely that they are just not all that concerned. Secondly, many moose encounters occur during the fall rut, at a time when moose are active all day and the bulls are especially brave and aggressive. During this testosterone-fueled period, moose are easy to observe during the day, which gives us a sense that they cannot see us. But the rut brings out a “King of the Mountain” attitude in bull moose, which makes an encounter with humans even more of a non-threatening experience for them. They see us. They just don’t care.

Moose also have a finely-tuned sense of smell, which is likely due to the huge olfactory organ in that enormous nose of theirs. And along with a great sense of smell, moose may possess the most sensitive hearing in the north woods. Their satellite dish size ears are extremely sensitive and play a big part in why moose are such vocal animals.

Many of us are excited by the sounds of a bugling bull elk on a distant ridge or by the grunting of a whitetail buck in the November forest, but I feel moose have been vastly underestimated for their vocalizations, especially during the rut. Moose are very vocal animals throughout the year, but especially during the fall rut. The rut is divided into three separate stages, the pre-rut, the rut, and the post-rut. Each stage requires the use of different techniques to bring a big bull moose in close.

In parts two, three and four of this article, I will explain why, when, and where, moose use different vocalizations, and how you as a hunter can capitalize on this during the three different stages of the rut to get in close with your next trophy bull moose.

Read More…

Trophy (Caribou) of the Month at Webber’s Lodges

admin — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 21:43:29 +0000

Crystal Watson - Trophy of the Month - Manitoba Caribou

And the Trophy of the Month goes to… Crystal Watson!

Crystal joined her husband John when John’s brother was unable to make it to their caribou hunt at Webber’s Lodges this year.

John was a bit nervous bringing his wife into a northern hunting camp full of other hunters, not knowing quite what to expect, but after arriving and meeting the staff at Schmok Lake and settling into the very comfortable and modern lodge, John’s reservations disappeared.

Crystal harvested her first caribou with a bow on day one. She had taken many African animals with a bow in the past, but this Manitoba caribou was her first North American animal to be taken by bow. From an incredible 14 yards!

After passing on many other bulls throughout the hunt we decided to take a great bull on the last day with the rifle. After a grueling chase, we finally caught up with the herd and Crystal made an unbelievable shot at 456 yards to anchor her tundra trophy.

Congratulations on your pair of trophy bull caribou Crystal! You also hold the honor of taking your caribou with both the closest shot, and the furthest shot, of the Webber’s Lodges 2011 Manitoba caribou season.

Diary of a Webber’s Lodges Caribou Hunt in Manitoba, Canada

admin — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 21:32:24 +0000

Guest post by Tom Harrison

Tom Harrison & his daughter Rebecca

Caribou Hunt Sept 17-24, 2011
Webber’s Lodges
Churchill, Manitoba

Rebecca age 13
Tom age 54

On Saturday, September 17^, Rebecca and I flew from Raleigh to Minneapolis and then on to Winnipeg on Delta Airlines. After clearing Canadian customs we checked our two bags and gun case in at CalmAir for our three hour flight to Churchill.

We were met at the airport by 19-year-old Karli Reimer, the granddaughter of Doug Webber, who owns Webber’s Lodges. We also met the other folks we would be sharing the hunting camp with:

Mike and Susan from Dresden, Maine
Matt from Vermillion, South Dakota
Darren from Minot, North Dakota
Greg from Marietta, Georgia
Allyn from Camden, Arkansas
Jason from Colorado

Rebecca and I spent our first night in Manitoba at an eclectic little hotel called the Lazy Bear Lodge. There was only one other couple staying there and the hotel was locked when we got there. We had to call the owner to open up and check us in! Although the rooms were tiny, it was constructed entirely from logs from Canada’s Boreal Forest. It was really beautiful.

The next morning we awoke to cloudy skies and made an aborted flight to our camp at Schmok Lake. Only 20 minutes into the hour and 15 minute flight we had to turn back due to a low ceiling fog. On the way back I spotted a polar bear foraging on the mud flats at low tide in the early morning sun. I got some pretty good shots from the air with the bear’s reflection mirroring his movements on the wet mud.

Schmok Lake Caribou Camp

Once we arrived back at Landing Lake, Karli gave us a ride back to town where we checked in at The Aurora Inn, (where everyone else was staying). The rooms were enormous with an upstairs bedroom, a downstairs kitchen and living room with two satellite TVs. Though the Aurora lacked the charm of the Lazy Bear, it was sooo much more comfortable and was also $100 per night cheaper!

After checking in, we all went to a late breakfast at the Seaport Hotel’s restaurant. It was Sunday and everything else was closed, so Rebecca and I played a Scrabble-like game called Bananagrams on the front porch at the restaurant to pass the time.

The weather never improved enough to make the flight, so Karli took us for a short sightseeing trip to St. Mary’s Point where we saw another polar bear. This one was swimming around the point close to shore and then alongside an incoming freighter, before journeying across the Churchill River to the other side. Karli then took us to the “Bear Jail” for bad actors and finally to a spot south of Churchill, where we saw another polar bear!

The next morning, we awoke to intermittent showers and a low gray ceiling, but the forecast was for improved conditions in the afternoon. We had breakfast at Gypsy’s Bakery and remained on standby.

I was so enthralled with the bears the day before that I called North Star Tours and booked a short polar bear tour for $50 each. Seven of us went along and our guide Rhonda did an outstanding job. We saw another half dozen polar bears! I got some great close-up shots of one particular bear Rhonda called “Scary Bear”, that at one point walked up to our vehicle. Seeing these magnificent animals on the colorful fall tundra was a highlight of the entire trip. As a matter of fact it was a specific answer to prayer.

I had been praying before our trip with Rebecca that we would see polar bears, the Northern Lights and harvest some nice caribou bulls. So far, so good. I was actually glad we were weathered in at Churchill, as it gave us the opportunity to see nine polar bears!

Polar bear at low tide on the mud flats.

While we were still looking at bears, I got a call on my cell phone from Karli that conditions at Schmok Lake looked good and to return to the hotel to grab our luggage so we could fly to camp. …Great news indeed! We had now lost 24 hours of our 4-day hunt.

It was a smooth flight to camp on a monochrome cloudy day. There was one point in the flight where our pilot contemplated turning around because of low clouds mixed with fog banks, but he zigzagged his way to Schmok Lake.

Because of the pilot’s uncertainty of actually making it to camp without being weathered in, he only let us bring our essential gear – the clothes we were wearing, gun and ammunition. That way if he had to land on a small lake to wait for improved weather, he would have a shorter take-off with less weight.

We landed on Schmok Lake and taxied to camp where another eight or nine hunters were waiting to fly out with their trophies. They had all tagged out on caribou and had lots of encouraging words for us as we worked together like a bucket brigade – first unloading our gear from the plane and then loading their gear for the outbound flight back to Churchill.

Introductions were made to the camp manager, Kent, his dog Ruger – a big friendly chocolate lab, and the rest of the guides. Rebecca and I had a room to ourselves in the back corner of the cabin with bunk beds, but everyone shared one bathroom. Unlike many remote camps, we actually had flush toilets instead of an outhouse, so we were grateful.

After settling in, we grabbed our rifles and one by one began sighting them in. Rebecca’s Kimber .308 was right on the money. My Winchester Safari Grade .270 was shooting about 2” low, but as long as I knew where it was shooting, I would know where to hold when aiming at a caribou, so I didn’t adjust my scope. I had made notes for both of us on the bullet drop of each of our rifles at various ranges.

After sighting the rifles, we were off with our Soto/Ojibwe Indian guide, Robert Flatfoot.

Rebecca and I were introduced to our guide, Robert, who was a 36-year-old Soto/Ojibwe Indian from the Duck Mountains in southwestern Manitoba. We had a bite to eat and then got into a small aluminum boat to cross to the other side of the lake to a lookout on a small knob on what Robert called “the killing fields”, because of his success there. After a 15-minute boat ride, it was another 15 minutes or so to walk across the spongy tundra.

The tundra was a kaleidoscope of colors – light green reindeer moss, bright red blueberry bushes and small willows, yellow grasses and orange lichens. The scattered green spruce contrasted with the golden tamarack trees. We could hardly take a step without putting a foot on ripe blueberries, cranberries or black currants.

For me, being back on the tundra caribou hunting in Canada brought back a flood of memories of fishing in the sub-arctic of the Ungava Bay Region of Northern Quebec many times as a boy, and of caribou and moose hunts in Alaska. It was exciting to be embarking on another tundra adventure and especially to be sharing it with my daughter Rebecca for the first time.

On the hike in, we saw a small group of caribou and passed up a medium size bull skirting a nearby lake. Once at our lookout hill we could see small groups of caribou moving here and there. It was already late in the afternoon and we were supposed to be back at camp before dark at 7 p.m. but Robert saw a nice bull bedded down on a distant hill further out in the tundra. Even though it would possibly mean crossing the lake in the dark, he wanted to at least get closer to get a better look at him. As we did, Robert thought this was a good first bull for Rebecca, so we got as close as we could, which was still over 300 yards away.

Rebecca settled in, embracing her rifle, to take a shot. Her first shot spun the bull around, but she had to shoot him again to finish him off. Then we hiked up the hill to inspect her first caribou. It was a good first caribou. We would hold out for a monster before I would let her shoot her second bull.

Rebecca shot one of her bulls at over 200 yards and the other at over 300 yards.

Robert began butchering the bull and as he threw the quarters on a tarp, I boned them out to lighten the load going back to the boat. Rebecca proudly carried the caribou horns on her shoulders and Robert packed out the meat. I brought up the rear carrying the rifles and taking pictures. When we got back to camp it was almost 8 p.m. but no one seemed to mind. Mike’s wife Susan from Maine shot a very pretty bull with long tines on top. So we had made the most of a short afternoon hunt.

For the next two days we made the same trek to the killing fields, but Robert began calling it the “killing time fields.” Robert stood glassing all day long. I gave him my Leupold 17 power binoculars and Trigger Stick mono pod to rest them on. I used my 10 power Leica binoculars in a supporting roll but spent time with Rebecca picking blueberries, gathering firewood for a small fire to take the chill off and catnaps.

During our 2-1/2 days at this lookout we saw a total of perhaps 100 caribou and three wolverines. Mike and Susan had 15 wolf sightings. Robert found a wolf skull and some caribou antlers, but we never saw any wolves. We saw Sandhill Cranes, snow geese and Canada geese and listened to their cacophony while feeding on berries on the tundra nearby. We experienced a variety of weather, from a thick fog obscuring everything to light drizzle, high winds, and on the third afternoon…. sunshine for the first time since we arrived in Manitoba!

That afternoon we savored a spectacular sunset and I got some great photos of the camp, lake, and a stone marker called an Inuksuk, which has the likeness of a man and has been used for centuries by the Inuit people as trail markers.

That night the skies remained clear and I got up about midnight to go outside and sure enough, stretching across the northern skies and washing over the Big Dipper was a curtain of yellow-green light silently dancing across the sky! I was elated to witness the Northern Lights again for the first time in many years. I joyously dashed around camp to get different angles and props for camera shots. I had a new Canon 7D digital SLR camera with a 6400 ISO that I thought would take spectacular photos. I used a 15-second exposure time and a box of rifles bullets on a chair for a tripod. I also set my camera with a 2-second timer to eliminate the camera shake resulting from me pushing the shutter release. I got one fantastic photo using a set of caribou antlers in the foreground. I went back inside and woke up Rebecca and led her outside to see the Aurora Borealis for the first time. It was another answer to our specific prayer!

The next day was our last day of hunting and we needed to harvest nine caribou for everyone to get two apiece. While we were eating breakfast one of our guides spotted a herd of caribou coming into camp with a large bull amongst them. Greg and Matt were already tagged completely out. Jason and I were the only two hunters in camp who had not shot our first caribou at the point. Jason was a bow hunter and I suggested he plug this one with a rifle, being the last day and all. So he got set up on the shooting bench, but the herd had spooked and headed back where they came from. Jason and his guide took off after them and managed to get one of the bulls before they escaped about 15 minutes later.

You could hardly take a step without putting your foot on ripe.

The wind had been blowing a gale all night and our boat was swamped on the beach in front of camp. We changed strategies and left camp on foot, walking several miles north. It was much rockier terrain and easier walking except in the low spots where we had to cross boot-sucking muskeg. We didn’t see any caribou on the way in, but once we achieved our vantage point, we immediately started seeing caribou scattered across the hilly tundra. We were confident we would be successful.

We had not been there long when I saw a big bull back to the north. Big caribou, like all big game, don’t need to be studied. You know immediately it’s a monster. This was a huge bull! It was the kind we had been looking for all week. So we took off on a forced march to get in front of the traveling herd, jogging when we could to cut the distance. I stopped in a grove of spruce and let Robert and Rebecca carry on across the open tundra so there was less chance of spooking them.

I watched the subsequent events through my binoculars. They had successfully got in front of them and waited in position below a brow of a bald hill. The caribou were going straight to them. Rebecca was down on one knee resting her rifle on the Trigger Stick monopod waiting for the caribou to come into sight. When they finally did, it only took one shot from her .308 at just over 200 yards to put the big bull down. The closer we got to the fallen monarch, the bigger his antlers got. They were extremely wide with long main beams. Rebecca was all smiles. We were all ecstatic! This was another specific answer to prayer!

We decided to leave Rebecca’s bull and continue to hunt while the caribou were still moving. It wasn’t long before Robert spotted a herd that had several bulls further north from our current position, so off we went. The caribou were approaching a small lake fringed with spruce and tamarack. We were not sure which way they would go around the lake, so I told Robert, “ Let’s try to get closer and ambush them before they make up their mind.” It turned out to be an easy stalk through the timber and we got extremely close to the herd. I looked them over and picked out the one I wanted.

As I looked through the scope I continually communicated the bull’s position in the constantly moving herd to Robert, so I stayed on the right one. At one point Robert saw the bull in the timber with us 10 yards away, but the bull spooked and trotted out onto the open tundra in preparation for flight from potential danger. When he stopped broadside at about 50 yards out, I dropped him. His rack seemed about half the size of Rebecca’s bull, but had a lot of character. I had no regrets and certainly didn’t want a bigger bull than Rebecca’s.

I looked seriously at another bull in the same herd as they ran and stopped, but at the last minute decided not to shoot. Robert quartered and boned out the meat while Rebecca and I hiked to a vantage point to look for my second bull, but we didn’t see anything.

The golden tarmac trees reminded me of the quaking aspen.

Robert decided to pack my bull back to camp and get one of the other guides to help pack out Rebecca’s caribou while I continued to hunt on my own. Rebecca went back to camp with Robert. I found a good vantage point and tucked myself in best I could against a brain-numbing gale blowing across the open expanse of the tundra. Over the next three hours I saw several caribou but nothing worth going after.

Just as Robert and Eric came into view I watched a bachelor herd of three bulls about two miles away heading in my direction. I could see their antlers and white manes indicating mature bulls. I thought their antlers must be big, as I was able to see them so far away.

I met Robert and Eric at Rebecca’s caribou and told them about the three bulls. Eric said he would cape and cut up Rebecca’s bull while Robert and I made an end-run to cut off the three traveling bulls. It was another forced march, including more jogging. We got to them just as they crested a hill, but they were still about 500 yards away. To make things worse, they had seen us and had disappeared from sight on a trot.

So now it was on! Time was running out on the last day and the bulls were running to get away from us. We remained still until they went out of sight, then we took off jogging to get ahead to intersect them. The next time they came into view they were about 300 yards and stopped to look back at us. That was enough. One shot from my .270 and it was all over but packing it out.

Wow! What a day! Rebecca and I harvested three bulls and had seen more caribou than we had seen on our entire caribou hunt. We also walked more than we had all week put together, probably over 10 miles. I was grateful for Eric for helping to pack out the caribou, but it was a very satisfying hike back to camp that last afternoon. The sun was casting warm rays across the landscape; we had seen God’s glory displayed in so many beautiful ways; and we had so many prayers answered.

As I reflected on our trip I was very proud of Rebecca. Not only had she shot well and shot the biggest bull, she had never complained about anything. She hiked, jogged, and waited patiently day after day, sitting on the tundra or sitting by the fire (and had a great attitude). What’s more amazing is that she was on crutches with a sprained ankle when we left home! Rebecca was a pleasure to be with and everyone in camp was impressed with her manners and her character.

There were five more bulls taken that day. We finished with 17 bulls for 18 tags. Everyone was tagged out except Allyn, the bow hunter from Arkansas, who didn’t get his second bull. We enjoyed another spectacular sunset that evening as I hiked around camp taking pictures. I got some great silhouettes of hunters holding their caribou racks against the colorful sky behind them.

Inuksuk

The next morning I spent getting some final shots including another Inuksuk I found on the east side of camp. We took a group photo in front of the cabin holding our caribou antlers just as the Otter came careening in over the tree tops and landed in front of us. We were supposed to be on the second flight out of camp, but the pilot told us that we all had to leave together, so Rebecca and I had to rush into the cabin and pack with about 15 minutes notice.

The flight back was gorgeous! The sun illuminated the myriad of lakes, rivers, rocks, and caribou trails across the tundra. We could see geometric frost patterns on the tundra that resembled a giraffe’s skin. Once again we saw beluga whales as we crossed a portion of Hudson Bay.

Our sub-arctic hunting adventure in Canada had come to a storybook end. Rebecca said I was, “the best Daddy in the world”, and she would not have changed a thing. It doesn’t get any better than that!

“From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the Lord is to be praised.” Psalm 113:3

An Incredible Experience. Humbly grateful to once again experience God’s majesty in the Garden of Eden’s “North Forty”.

Good news for Canadian hunters as Feds honour promise to scrap long-gun registry

admin — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 04:19:39 +0000

Webber’s Lodges is pleased to inform you that the final nail is being hammered into the coffin of the long-gun registry here in Canada.

No long-gun registry needed here...

The Harper Conservatives, in power since 2006, have tried in the past to do away with the intrusive and unnecessary registry but due to a minority government situation, they were unable to get it done. Now, with a landslide victory in 2010 and solid majority under their collective belts, they announced this week that the wheels are being set in motion.

According to the article, Feds honour promise to scrap long-gun registry, which appeared in the in the Oct. 26, 2011 Calgary Herald:

The federal government is making good on a promise to rural Canadians and law-abiding firearms owners to scrap the long-gun registry and destroy all evidence of its existence so future governments and other jurisdictions can’t easily resurrect it.

Many critics expected the registry to be scrapped – most were blindsided by the bill’s insistence that records would be destroyed. This is a move that speaks to correcting legislation that proved to be a violation of individual rights on many levels. More from the Calgary Herald article below.

A controversial subject that has long pitted urban dwellers against their rural neighbours, the 20-page piece of legislation drew reaction from stakeholders almost immediately after Public Safety Minister Vic Toews tabled the bill Tuesday in the Commons.

New Democrats and Liberals argued the move seemed counter intuitive for a government hell bent on law and order, while hunting enthusiasts and members of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation applauded the long-awaited bill.

Even those of a similar mind appeared divided over the issue. While some police chiefs and victims groups – including Canada’s ombudsman for victims of crime – condemned the move, an Ottawa woman and victims advocate who lost her grandson to gang violence joined Toews on a 16-square-kilometre industrial farm west of Ottawa to tout the new legislation.

In the Conservative’s past attempts to gut the registry the opposition NDP and Liberal critic’s arguments brought many differing opinions. Politically appointed police chiefs said the registry was an essential tool for front-line officers while the actual cops on the beat called it a useless waste of money and resources.

When picked apart and given a critical, reasoned look, the opposition’s argument fantastically dreamed that registering responsible gun owners like hunters and collectors would somehow curb street crime, which is largely due to imported and already illegal hand guns and automatic weapons. Canadians disagreed with the nonsensical arguments.

The efforts of hunters, industry organizations like the MLOA, and Conservative MPs, finally seem to have paid off. You can also sign the petition to to scrap the long-gun registry here.

Good riddance.

Father and son hunters score big on Manitoba caribou hunt

admin — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 04:18:55 +0000

Five very happy Manitoba caribou hunters!

by Kent Michie

The beginning of the 2011 caribou hunting season found two father and son pairs at Schmok Lake Lodge – Ross and Jason Roy and Gerald and Jeremie Kuhl.

Ross and Jason booked their hunt with Webber’s Lodges after Jason spoke with me several times at the Hunt Fest Show in Winnipeg. I could instantly see that Jason was very excited about the prospect of shooting two bulls on the trip and the fact that he could hunt for these majestic tundra monarchs with his father.

Gerald and Jeremie Kuhl were the lucky recipients of a caribou hunt that was donated by Webber’s Lodges to the Steinbach Fish and Game Club as a raffle prize. After a few e-mails and phone calls, both were keen to venture north and hunt the big herds of Manitoba caribou.

It was warm and sunny with a hint of wind from the west when the float plane landed at Schmok Lake to kick off the 2011 caribou season. The father-son pairs tossed their gear into their rooms, enjoyed a short orientation and struck off across the tundra.

With countless small herds of caribou milling around Schmok Lake, caribou wandering through the camp and one large group of bulls bedded down on a nearby ridge, the hunting was exceptional. It wasn’t long before the meat racks were full!

The tags were filled in about three days and the guys had time to do some fishing for lake trout and the always tasty northern pike. Jason and Ross shared their favourite fish batter recipe with me and it was delicious! A must-add to our shore lunch menu at North Knife Lake Lodge!

Gerald and Jeremie also enjoyed some great fishing at Schmok Lake after tagging out early in the week. Jeremie was a highly motivated young man who was not afraid to assist with some of the camp chores and maintenance. With his hard working attitude and great personality I might have to hire him to work for us in the future. His help was greatly appreciated!

All four hunters harvested two caribou each and said they had a fabulous time with us. But don’t take my word for it… just read the quotes below, that they left in our guest book.

This was our first time on a caribou hunting trip. We first met Kent at the Hunt Fest Show in Winnipeg in 2010. Jason, my son, was so pumped that we decided to take the trip of a lifetime. We tagged our trip “The Caribou Craze” and it lived up to everything promised. Thank you very much to Kevin for the superb meals and to Kent for the fantastic hospitality, the entire crew at Webber’s Lodges did a bang up job. Thanks again from Jason and me.
– Ross Roy, Sept. 2011

Truly one of the most memorable times of my life, from the start of the journey to the end it was an awesome trip. I have to personally thank Kent for making one of my dreams a reality. Thank you very much to Kevin for the company and awesome meals, and to the whole crew and guides at Webber’s Lodges. This place is a hidden gem and it makes me proud to live in the beautiful province of Manitoba. Thanks again Webbers.
– Jason Roy, Sept. 2011

This was an awesome hunt!! From the phone messages to the follow up conversations with Kent I really got pumped. Thanks Kent for sharing your knowledge and teaching us about skinning caribou and filleting fish. Thanks Kevin for a bang up job on the grub, conversation and humour.
– Gerald Kuhl, Sept. 2011

Never did I think I would see so many caribou in one place. Best week of my life and most enjoyable time ever. I will return again. It was way more than expected. The people were great and the relationships we built made it so much better. Thanks to Webber’s Lodges for everything.
– Jeremie Kuhl, Sept. 2011

I have a strong feeling that Ross, Jason, Gerald and Jeremie will be back again for another great Canadian caribou hunting adventure with Webber’s Lodges.

I’m already looking forward to it!

A Polar Bear Wedding Announcement for Rebecca and Fraser

admin — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 22:59:33 +0000

Rebecca and Fraser are getting married! It’s true. Our daughter and her lifelong friend Fraser Issac have decided to throw their hats into the ring and tie the knot!

Rebecca & Fraser

Rebecca and Fraser will be married on October 8, 2011. The ceremony begins at 3 p.m. on our yard in Kleefeld, Manitoba. They have decided to take a chance on Mother Nature and have planned for an outdoor wedding, so we are hoping for a beautiful fall day. There should be an amazing backdrop for the event with all of the leaves changing colour. The trees will be gorgeous and the leaves that fall will provide us with an enchanting kaleidoscope carpet!

Let’s back up a few years and I will tell you how this all came to be.

Seven years ago, the Reimer Family decided to make the fateful move to Kleefeld, Manitoba from our long time home in Churchill. It was a heart wrenching move, as Churchill was the childhood home for five out of the six members of our family.

Our move came about fairly quickly, without a lot of time to find just the right home, so we moved into a tiny house on Hanover Road until we could find what we needed for our family. The family next door was the first to visit us and welcome us to our new home. And they had kids!

We became fast friends. Their eldest, a boy named Fraser, just happened to be the same age as our oldest daughter, Rebecca. Their daughter, Anja, a bubbly, friendly girl, soon spent many hours with our daughters. Fraser made it his mission to welcome the new girl in his grade and the two fast became a pair.

Rebecca and Fraser “hung out” for all of Grade 9 and most of Grade 10, back when Rebecca was still taller than him! By the end of Grade 10 their social circles were changing, we had moved to a new home down the road and their paths did not cross as much for a few years.

Fast forward three years and we found our daughter in college and living in Winnipeg with relatives and Fraser working in the city in between his university terms. They seemed to find time to start “hanging out” again and before we knew it, they had made it official and started dating. That was a year and half ago, and we are so pleased to have Fraser joining our family. He is literally the “boy next door”, but now MUCH taller than Rebecca, working on a college engineering degree and growing into a man of strong integrity who we have been proud to welcome into our lives.

As previously mentioned, Rebecca is our oldest daughter and just recently turned 21. She has grown up with Polar Bears at Seal River and fishing at North Knife Lake Lodge. She has been charged by a Polar Bear (fortunately when on the right side of the fence!), caught Manitoba Master angler fish and had a photo published in National Geographic Traveler. She has also spent countless hours snowmobiling with her family and friends, successfully hunted caribou and moose with her dad, been back up driver on Seal River ATV tours. She’s proven she can take on anything that’s thrown at her. Rebecca is thrilled to have found someone to share her love of the outdoors and adventure with. Fraser has embraced the north, but has also shown her the magic and beauty of the south.

Rebecca's photo appeared in National Geographic Traveler Magazine in a story about Churchill Wild's Seal River Heritage Lodge

We expect to see both of them making cameo appearances at the lodges over the next several years – if we can’t hook ‘em into some full time work!

Immediate future plans involve living in an apartment in Winnipeg while Fraser finishes the last year and a half of his education. From there, the possibilities are wide open!

You can read their engagement story and see their smiling faces on www.FraserandRebecca.com. Thanks for reading and sharing in our lives!

Please head over to our Webber’s Lodges Facebook Page, “like us” and send your comments to Rebecca & Fraser.

Jeanne & Mike