I woke this morning, as usual, to the sound of Kevin’s excited voice in the next room discussing the day’s plans with Larry.  Seems like its Kevin’s voice that is the last thing I remember at night, and the first thing I hear in the morning, who needs an alarm clock?  All kidding aside these have been a great bunch of guys to share hunting camp with, and I’m sorry that this was the last day in camp.  We did enjoy another hearty breakfast and then struck out in an attempt to fill the remaining tags we were blessed with earlier in the week.

Once again Mark and Billy headed to the other end of the lake to look for the two stags they had been chasing.  With the constant reports of the two “monster” stags still running around the bottoms in that direction (part of a herd of 50+ animals), it was hard not to plead to go with them.  It was determined that Andy, Ron, and I would strike out again from camp on foot in search of moose, and so we did.  Kevin also left on foot, but Larry drew the other boat ride this morning.

We spent the morning hiking and calling for moose to no avail.  We saw two cows, but there was no bull with them, so we pushed on.  By mid morning I felt we had seen all there was to see south of camp, and put my vote in for a westerly swing that would take us to the bottoms where Mark had headed.  It would have been a long walk, but what’s ten miles if the weather is nice and there are trophy class animals to chase?  I was voted down by Andy who advised that he had brought no lunch.  Seems the guides had voted to only work a half day, and left camp in the morning only prepared for a morning hunt.  I was a little disappointed, but Ron had two stags, and I had a good stag and a great bear, so what could be bad?  We headed back and made camp shortly after noon.

By the time we arrived at camp all but Mark were already chowing down. Before we sat down to eat I heard the sound of a motor boat and knew Mark and Billy were close at hand.  Andy was right, everyone had decided on a half day!  After lunch we all spent some time cleaning up and packing our gear.  Ron was still working on his second cape and the guides were breaking down camp.  We were, after all, the last group for the season and there was much to do to get things in order before the long winter season.

Larry and his super trophy

It did give us some extra times to swap stories, and put a tape to a few sets of antlers.  While there wasn’t much in the way of action today, Mark did find the big herd of caribou again.  He also got close enough again to be sure that at least two of the stags with that group were bigger than Larry’s.  That is really saying something, as Larry’s is the largest stag I’ve seen in five hunts at this camp and two prior trips to the Province combined.  I can’t wait to put a tape on it when I get home!  Mark did locate the stag he had put an arrow into two days prior.  He was running with the herd, and seemed unharmed, but as he was shot, he was fair game for Mark to hunt.  Mark closed the distance to about 65 yards, but the stag wanted no more close contract with him and took off.  He ran right for a large lake and proceeded to swim across to the other side.  There was no catching him, so Mark’s hunt was over.  Mark had really wanted to try his luck on a black bear, but got so tied up in the search for a trophy stag that the week had gotten away from him.  He assured me it didn’t matter; he had already decided to return next fall!

Kevin didn’t see anything worth chasing this morning, but let me know he’d had a great hunt and was also coming back.  Next year he wants to join Mark, but also bring his son.  Larry wants to return, but knows the chances of taking a better stag are not good.  He wants the opportunity to share the experience with his grandson however, as they have become good hunting partners of late.  Ron also wants to come back, but is heavily booked for next season already and will have to see how he can squeeze it in.  One thing for sure, they all understand now why I keep coming back!

The capes ready to load

Most of the antlers and capes went out yesterday, however we still had a couple sets to play with this afternoon.  Ron’s larger stag green scored right at 241 inches after deductions, making it a respectable trophy in anyone’s book.  He knows he can do much better, however and I’m sure he’ll be back to give it a go in the not to distant future.  As expected, Kevin’s didn’t quite make it.  Ron and I (both Pope  & Young and Boone & Crockett official measurers) green scored it at just under 217 inches after deductions.  The fact that one side was weak on top and there was a lot of difference from one side to the other had cost him the last few inches he needed to break the 220 mark for entry in the Pope & Young records.  There is always next season!  There is little doubt that both of Larry’s won’t make the records, and I’m very sure of mine as well.  I actually believe that mine and Larry’s smaller one will make the minimums for the Boone & Crockett three year records, and that Larry’s bigger one will surely make the all time Boone and Crockett records.  I also believe it’s a safe bet that it will place in the top five ever taken in the Pope & Young records.  As I’m taking all the antlers back with me to avoid difficulty with the airlines, I’ll get to tape them all and report the findings in a couple days.  Should be interesting.

Our transportation out