I was 12 when I went on my first hunting trip with my Dad and 2 of my uncles.
Dad and I left with his pick up and drove an hour to my first uncles farm. In the back of Dad's truck, we had the canvas tent and all of our gear including a wheelbarrow. Rifles hanging in the rear window. A 303 british enfield and a Cooey 22 repeater. Some dry goods and sleeping gear.
When we pulled into my uncles yard he had the homemade camper on the back of his 3 ton Dodge grain truck. That camper was an 18 foot long and 7 foot high and the full width of the grain truck. 4 bunks in the front. a dining area in the middle and a cooking and drying area at the entrance. Coleman cook stove and heater. Sliding window and roof vents.
Everyone was there. I jumped in the grain truck with uncle Ron, and Dad and my other uncle headed north to the moose camp with the 3/4 ton. They were heading to clear the trail if needed for the truck camper.
Two and a half hours later we arrived at camp. Dad was there with the tent set up. They had used this camp in the past it had a meat pole and a bit of firewood from the previous years. We pulled in and parked beside the cook tent. We completed the camp set up. Rolling out bed rolls and mattresses.
Rest of the day was spent scouting and looking for sign with some calling. I packed the cooey for grouse. I don't recall shooting any grouse this trip. But I got to pack a gun.
The next day up early breakfast and off for more calling. 3rd moring an answer, that night a moose in camp. That's when I figured out what the wheelbarrow was for. No quads, argos, etc. we had a wheelbarrow, that the quarters went into and they pushed it out of the bush.
Two more days and one more moose and camp was packed up and we came home.
Repeated this a few more times, packing the 303 when I turned 14. Wish I could turn back the time. Those 3 men have passed on, they hunted and fished their whole lives together.
BW
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