Setting up Camp for Hunting

November 2020 (Part One)

November was a very busy month for us here in Ocean Falls.  Our time was split between working and deer hunting; pretty much when we weren’t working, we were either getting ready to go hunting, or gone hunting.  It was a fun month with lots of camping and exploring, but unfortunately we did not get a deer. 

At the beginning of November, on our first time off in the month, we had the biggest thunder and lightning storm that Jason and I had seen in a very long time.  It seemed like thunder cell after thunder cell just kept moving through the area, and we could hear and watch as each system passed by us.  It was very neat to watch the lightning show, and some of it was very close to us.  Some of the thunder cracks were a little too close and loud for comfort, and we could not help thinking about the rock face of Caro Marion looming over us.  With the thunder and lightning came heavy hail, torrential rain, and strong winds, and we were happy to be at home in the house to enjoy it. 

Two days after the storm it was a beautiful sunny morning as we loaded up Ken’s herring skiff.  Ken and Shelly took Jason and I out to the area of Clatse Lake, where there is a logging road landing that comes down across from Wallace Bay.  We nosed the herring skiff into shore and offloaded all of our gear up the rocks and onto the landing, and then Ken and Shelly headed back into town with the plan that Ken would come back out to us that evening.  
Jason and I assessed our pile of gear and prioritized what we would need to set up camp.  Our plan was to get camp all set up before Ken arrived with his quad and side-by-side, which would likely not be until after dark.  At that point, with the help of the side-by-side and quad, we could then bring all of the extra equipment up to the tent.
We had been out exploring this area in September, so we knew that about 400 feet up in elevation, and along the steep old logging road, was a beautiful landing area that would make a very scenic camping spot.  Jason and I decided that we would carry up the necessary gear. 

We started with the canvas for the 16’ x 14’ wall-tent that we had brought as our hunting tent for the three of us.  We strapped the 60-pound bundle onto a rake handle and carried it together up the steep slope.  Next, we came back for the bundle of aluminum pipes that make up the framework for the tent, the bag of joining pieces, the floor tarp, and our backpacks that included our lunch.  As we made our way up for the second time, loaded down with gear, we questioned our reasoning for choosing the furthest and highest location for camp rather than one of the lower landings, but as we walked past the lower areas in the shade and then got up to the top again we were rewarded by the sunny location that we had chosen, and we got to work with our two sets of loppers to clear an appropriately sized area of the many small alders that had grown up.  We set up the tent frame and put over the canvas, and as I raked out our floor before laying the floor tarp, Jason worked at tying out the tent. 

When we were ready for our third load we headed back down to the landing at the inlet and collected the fireplace, chimney pipe, and other odds and ends.  This time on our way up we really questioned our reasoning for our camp location, but once again it was all worth it when we got up to the top.  We set up the fireplace inside the wall-tent, and put together the stovepipe out through the heat resistant patch in the back wall. 

 

We were now all set up and ready for Ken to arrive so that we could bring up the rest of our gear.  We had not packed lightly.  The plan was for the camp to be set up for a couple of weeks and so the decision was made to bring many of the fine amenities of home.  This was a whole new type of camping for Jason and I.  With a wall tent fully furnished with sleeping cots, fireplace, table, two chairs, a microwave, toaster, induction plate, and coffee maker, we would not be roughing it.  
We received a call on the VHF radio from Ken saying that the barge was on its way into Ocean Falls and that he would get a ride out on it with his side-by-side and quad.  We heard from him again later, saying that his estimated time of arrival was 18:15.  At around 17:15 Jason and I decided to head down to the water so as to be there before dark.  
While setting up camp in the afternoon we could hear the distinct sound of whales blowing out in the inlet and when we got down to the water we saw that they were not far from shore.  We watched, and in the lessening light we listened to their powerful breaths, and then, just at dark, we saw a humpback whale breach and the massive splash lit up on the water in the last light of day.  It was a beautiful calm evening, but now that the heat from the sun was gone it started to get quite chilly.  We considered getting a fire going on shore, but instead we just stood and watched the stars come out, listened to the whales still blowing out from shore, and waited for Ken.  
We watched as the Northern Sea Wolf, the BC ferry for Ocean Falls headed into town, up Cousins Inlet from Bella Coola, and then, at around 19:00 we finally saw the barge approaching.  They turned on their powerful spotlight and made a perfect landing with their landing bridge.  

Ken brought both of his vehicles off, and we started to load up the rest of the gear.  Firewood was first on the list and once we were all up top with the first load, I stayed to get us a fire going and started preparing dinner while Jason and Ken went back down for the rest of the gear.  Two loads later and we were all set.  With the generator running we had full lights, and soon the fireplace was crackling away and pumping out heat.  With our propane tank and Ken’s grill we cooked up a delicious dinner of burgers.  Jason and I were tired, and Ken was very impressed that we had hiked up all of the necessary equipment to have camp set up and ready to go.  It was a fun day.