Pics of my trip

[jzmtl]

Looks like a fun week, wish I could come next time.

You and anyone else here has a standing invitation J!

Mind you I've never shot anything other than air rifle, are you sure you want me there? 

Did you carry a fixed blade?  I think I asked you in another thread what you were taking but I forgot

I think I saw a black handled one in Bob's gear pic, duno what it is thou.

[duckman1975]

A+ Pictures and write up bob, I'm glad that the lone hunter/hunting culture is alive and well, its a skill mankind cannot live without inspite  of our "modern living" IMHO.
Hope you have sorted out whats need to be sorted.......... Picture request picture of the prepared deer dish or processed deer would be nice  

[J-sews]

Awesome story and pics, thanks Bob.  I'd love to explore that island..were there still standing settlements/farms, or has it all been eaten up by mother nature?

So how did you find out that the ship wasn't coming to pick you guys up?  Did you all just meet up at the dock and realize you were all there for another day?

Did you carry a fixed blade?  I think I asked you in another thread what you were taking but I forgot

There are several old farmsteads Anthony, although they are rapidly disappearing. The ravages of time and weather seem more intense out on the island.


As regards the delayed ferry ride, the park rangers on the mainland radioed the island crew and informed them that the boat would not be coming. We hunters were all packed up and waiting on the dock at that time. The tall hills behind us were blocking the wind, so we had no idea there were mountainous waves crashing through the channel! (we found out later that a park employee did indeed come across, in an inflatable rough-weather raft and wearing a full survival suit in case he got washed overboard!)

Needless to say, none of us was THAT anxious to get home!


My fixed blade:

[prime77]

Just curious Bob. How well did the Surefire A2 perform for you and how many sets of batteries did you go through?

[ringzero]

Excellent write up and pics!  Gives a good sense of what it's like to be on the island.

Seriously, this is good enough to be published in one of the outdoor mags.

I'm amazed that only 26 people show up to take advantage of the opportunity.  Seems like there would be enough people applying that they'd have to limit the number through a lottery or something.

.

[Shane769]

I would go just for the camping and exploring! Looks like a neat place to hang out for a week. Congratz on the tag mate

[ducktapehero]

Congrats on the deer Bob. It sure looked like you had a great time. I don't recall it being asked but what rifle and caliber did you use? I got a deer this year too. But I didn't use a rifle, I used that ultimate deer killer, a Ford. 

I would go just for the camping and exploring!

Yeah, I'd like to go and do that too. Not too much of a hunter anymore since my eyes went to craps but I think it'd be fun to see how well I could do in the woods for a week w/o any modern conveniences. That no having any fire rule would make it twice as hard IMO.

[ringzero]

Congrats on the deer Bob. It sure looked like you had a great time. I don't recall it being asked but what rifle and caliber did you use? I got a deer this year too. But I didn't use a rifle, I used that ultimate deer killer, a Ford. 

I would go just for the camping and exploring!

Yeah, I'd like to go and do that too. Not too much of a hunter anymore since my eyes went to craps but I think it'd be fun to see how well I could do in the woods for a week w/o any modern conveniences. That no having any fire rule would make it twice as hard IMO.

No, no, no!

Not having a fire makes it twice as easy.

You don't expend valuable time and energy gathering wood, starting, and then feeding a fire.

You can camp anywhere without consideration if it's a safe spot for a fire.

Instead of ruined night vision from a bright fire, your eyes undergo dark adaptation and you see more of what's around you in the night.

Without the crackling of a fire, you can hear the wildlife all around.

Critters will sometimes come right into your campsite, which they would never do if you had a fire going.

.

[ducktapehero]

I like fire. 

[ringzero]

I like fire. 

Because you're still a Neanderthal at heart. ;>

Well, maybe you've progressed to Cro Magnon.

.

[Spoonrobot]

Nice pics Bob, looks like quite the experience.

As for myself, I require some sort of heat once the temperature drops below 65 degrees F. My thin suburban skin can't handle those frigid conditions.  

[ducktapehero]

I like fire. 

Because you're still a Neanderthal at heart. ;>

Well, maybe you've progressed to Cro Magnon.

.

I do carry a club, although I call it a cane and no one seems to mind. 

[J-sews]

Just curious Bob. How well did the Surefire A2 perform for you and how many sets of batteries did you go through?

An hour past sundown and deep in the forest with an overloaded buck cart, my A2 was absolutely invaluable for scouting a path home. Had it just been me walking, there would have been no issues. But with the loaded cart, I constantly needed to avoid thick brush in the woods, ditches, fallen trees, etc. The incandescent lamp on the A2 lit things up nicely, allowing me to plan a path around obstacles before I actually reached them.

On the downside, the batteries were already failing before I got back.

   

[J-sews]

Congrats on the deer Bob. It sure looked like you had a great time. I don't recall it being asked but what rifle and caliber did you use? I got a deer this year too. But I didn't use a rifle, I used that ultimate deer killer, a Ford. 

My little sweetheart, a Browning A-bolt in .25-06

[ringzero]

Just curious Bob. How well did the Surefire A2 perform for you and how many sets of batteries did you go through?

An hour past sundown and deep in the forest with an overloaded buck cart, my A2 was absolutely invaluable for scouting a path home. Had it just been me walking, there would have been no issues. But with the loaded cart, I constantly needed to avoid thick brush in the woods, ditches, fallen trees, etc. The incandescent lamp on the A2 lit things up nicely, allowing me to plan a path around obstacles before I actually reached them.

On the downside, the batteries were already failing before I got back.

   

Princeton Tec Eos:
http://edcdepot.com/princetonteceosheadlamp.aspx

Get one.

Preferably before next year's hunting trip.

Nice to have the hands free for the cart, for pushing branches out of the way, and for whatever comes up.

Nice to have hands free light around camp for cooking, reading in bed, and whatever.

Nice to have a 3.7 oz light that gets decent runtime using 3AAA cells.

. 

[rp252]

That was a fascinating read Bob; well written with great pics.  Well done for bagging yourself a buck!  It looks like you had a great time; I'm intending to get into that sort of thing over here

Of all the excellent experiences you must have had, is there one that truly stands out as the best of the trip?

[Poncho65]

Thanks for the pics and all the caption on them Bob Glad the coyotes didn't eat ya and that looks like a very nice buck you got there

[Teofilo]

Bob, 
 

[Grant Lamontagne]

I was talking with another hunter who went on that trip and he says he saw you get that deer.  He sent me this pic thinking you may want a copy of it!



Def

[PyroJames]

I was talking with another hunter who went on that trip and he says he saw you get that deer.  He sent me this pic thinking you may want a copy of it!

(Image removed from quote.)

Def

Uhh... umm... nice hat, Bob!

[Shane769]

I was talking with another hunter who went on that trip and he says he saw you get that deer.  He sent me this pic thinking you may want a copy of it!

(Image removed from quote.)

Def

Uhh... umm... nice hat, Bob!

[donvito]

Just came across this thread for the first time, was a very nice entertaining and educational read Bob.    on the headlamp suggestion, I use one on every camping/hiking trip. Thx for sharing 

[BlueDot]

Bob,

Are you planning another island adventure this fall?
This was the first post I ever read on MT.O, and I've never looked back (despite above pics).

[J-sews]

Oh man, you must be reading my mind!! The application period for the island hunt is September 1st through the 30th, and this weekend I started dreaming about going again. I reeeaaalllly want to go, but we've got a lot happening at work right now, and I don't know if I could get away for the whole first week of November.


Damn, I might just do it though!