Slate Falls

TABLE OF CONTENTS

BEFORE YOU LEAVE HOME

1.0 Packing

1.1_ Sample list of items to bring

1.1a For the group

1.2_ How to Pack

1.3_ Sample food items

1.4_ Temperature through the seasons

1.5_ Travel Plans

1.6_ Travel Tips

1.7_ Customs Information

1.8 Medical Services

1.9 Approximate distance in miles

2.0 ON YOUR WAY

2.1 the Border and customs

2.2 Arrival in Sioux Lookout

2.3 Accommodations

2.4 Bait Shops

2.5 Your flight to the lake

3.0 AT THE LAKE

3.1 Wild Creatures and other misadventure

3.2 A few Do’s and Don’ts

3.3 Getting Lost

3.4 Insects

3.5 Camp Equipment

3.6 Boats and Motors

3.7 Fishing Regulations

3.8 Fish Species

3.9 Fishing Equipment and Tackle

3.10 Fishing Tips from the Old Pro (actually I am not that old)

3.11 Garbage Transportation

3.12 Service Flights and emergencies at home

4.0 MISCELLANEOUS

4.1 Liquor and Beer

4.2 Re-booking and final payment policy

4.3 Golf and other things

4.4 Exchange Rate

4.5 Let us know how we are doing

1.0 Packing

On a fly-in package like ours it is important to not over pack. Many folks feel that this is the opportunity of a lifetime to bring every bit of camping gear that they have accumulated since the age of 8. This is not the case. Think about what you will actually use then double that and divide by 2 to get the right amount. While some may argue my logic, there is little room for electric guitars, car batteries and 20 pound anchors. By government regulation, complete with government inspectors, we can not, and will not, overload our aircraft. This means that if you bring more than I thought you would then we will need more aircraft to get your stuff in at my convenience. This raises my costs and occasionally blood pressure so I would rather avoid it. (See para 3.4 for additional info)

It is very important to pack one bag with your essential items (i.e. medications, one fishing reel and a change of clothes and your shaving kit, etc.) in the event that I need to readjust the plane schedule or weight on the plane and you only have one bag traveling with you. Even with this caution thrown in I find people think that I am kidding about packing “critical” stuff in one bag. I kid about everything under the sun but I am serious on this. At weigh in time your group stands on the scale and gets “weighed up” whatever this number is gets subtracted from 2,100 pounds and this is what goes in with you on the first plane. The rest is coming but it may be anywhere from 10 minutes to 4 hours later so you want to have your one bag of essential stuff on the first plane, not the follow up one. IF you choose to ignore my advice then please keep a set of gloves and a garbage bag in your pocket so when your organized buddies are off fishing you can be doing something useful around the camp while you are waiting for your gear, like picking up garbage !

1.1 Sample List of Items to Bring

¨ 2 rods and reels each man

¨ Fresh spare line (6#-8# walleye, 10#-14# pike)

¨ Well equipped tackle box (see 4.7)

¨ Landing net or fish cradle per each 2 anglers

¨ Insect repellant (Deep Woods Off/Muskol)

¨ Sunglasses with neck strap

¨ Compass or GPS (for the dysfunctional guy)

¨ 2 Pliers and a jaw spreader (1 to throw overboard)

¨ Pillow and a sleeping bag

¨ Appropriate bait boxes (we have minnow buckets)

¨ Towels and face cloth and soap (unless you are after that rugged he man look!)

¨ Camera and film (do not forget spare camera batteries as they are hard to find at your destination)

¨ Filet knife and stone (just in case you get lucky and actually catch one)

¨ Life Jacket (I provide vests)

¨ Sun screen

¨ A hat (preferably broad brimmed)

¨ Rain gear

¨ Advil (in case someone is bragging a bit excessively)

¨ Clothing appropriate for the season

¨ ***Spare car keys

¨ Personal needs kit

¨ Medications

1.2 How to Pack

Ah, this is a favorite subject of mine. As you can see by the preceding list there is a long list of things you should bring in order to assure your comfort. Most of them are small, notice I did not say to bring you St. Bernard or horse. You should have your clothes and similar stuff in duffle bags that one man can lift by himself. If you have multiple bags please ensure that one bag has the essential items in case I have to separate you from some of your baggage on the trip in (like prescriptions, fishing reels and “gotta have” stuff). While coolers to keep food in are essential please do not bring any that will either A) accommodate a body B) can handle an outboard motor greater than a 4 h.p. on the back of them C) resembles the truck box liner from a full size Datsun, D) can double as a swimming/wading pool for the kids in the summer or E) that one man can not carry at least 20 feet. The floor deck of the Otter is about 5 feet off the ground and out a foot and my personal experience is that any cooler that big is generally heavy and I am getting smarter as I get older. (in this most recent revised edition I have found that I am not getting smarter as I get older but the heavy rule still applies). Rod tubes are also a good idea, definitely no hooks on the line or last years bait. It is sure to be a rough ride in the plane when you poke the pilot in his good eye while passing him your rods!

In the unlikely event that you bring more gear than the plane can handle I will handle it one of 2 ways. If it is jointly agreed between you and I that it is essential, then within a few hours of your arrival at the lake I will charter another plane to get it up to you or fly it up myself. If it is non-essential (like surplus beer, pop or food coolers) I will likely incorporate in to my next service flight within 24 hours.

For your calculations the Caravan and Otter can take around a ton each (counting personal body weights) the Beaver is good for about 1200 pounds and the Cessna’s are around 800 pounds. If you can do some mental math and come up with a number higher than the carrying capacity of the plane you should notify me in advance and we can work out a better plane grouping to get you in the bush smoothly. Generally, groups of 2 ride on the Cessna, 3 ride on the Beaver and 5 to 8 ride on the Otter and the Caravan. Groups of 8 or more always have a second airplane following to get excess gear in.

1.3 Sample Food Plan

This plan is designed for 4 men for 5 days. It feeds you generously. Obviously, we will have to extrapolate amounts as your group size changes. If you want us to do your shopping for you this is the menu guideline that we will use. It is very helpful to us if you can advise how many meals of fish you anticipate so we can put in appropriate batter mix and oil and delete some of the other lunch or supper stuff. If you want to do it yourself, this is an excellent guideline. Generally, food is a bit cheaper in the states but this is definitely more convenient if we do it for you.

Beverages Dry Goods

2 pounds coffee 1 jar coffeemate

2 half gallons milk (2%) 1 package pancake mix

2 12oz. Frozen orange juice 1 bottle pancake syrup

1 box tea bags 1 box breakfast cereal (raisin bran)

4 loaves bread (more if you sandwich it a lot

Meat 1 pkge hamburger buns

3 pounds bacon 1 pkge hotdog buns

1 pound sausage 1 bottle mustard

1 pound sliced sandwich ham 1 medium jar mayonnaise

1 pound sliced salami 1 large bottle ketchup

1 pound hot dogs 1 jar pickles

3 pounds hamburger 2 packages assorted cookies

8 pork chops 1 jar peanut butter

2 to 3 pounds chicken 1 jar jam

4 New York steaks 1 tub creamed honey

1 pound sugar

Produce Snacks (popcorn, crackers, nuts and chips)

1 dozen apples 4 cans Campbell’s soup

1dozen oranges 2 cans spaghetti sauce

10 pounds potatoes 2 cans mushrooms

2 pounds carrots 2 cans beans

3 pounds cooking onions 5 cans vegetables (corn, green beans)

salad ingredients (2 days) 1 bottle salad dressing

Salt, pepper and garlic powder

Dairy 2 gallons cooking oil

1 pound butter 1 package spaghetti noodles

2 dozen eggs 2 packages shake and bake (chicken and fish

1 pound cheese 2 packages kraft macaroni and cheese

8 puddings

Clean up Package

4 rolls paper towels, 4 rolls toilet paper, dish soap, hand soap, garbage bags,

dish cloth, dish towels one box wooden matches

1.4 Temperature through the seasons

Of course this is a tough one as weather is constantly changing and even an experienced meteorologist can’t predict correctly more than 20 minutes in advance. In general, Mid-May to early June will see daytime highs usually in low 80's but nighttime lows could go down to high 30's. A cold front out of the north could bring daytime highs of 50's and windy (quite cold). Once you get into mid-June and on until mid-August, temperatures stabilize with 90 degrees being a hot day and 65 degrees being a cold one. Remember, that our latitude, once late August rolls around it gets dark quite early and you should bring a lantern for extra light and extra money for the poker table. After mid August you still get nice days but the nights get cooler and cooler expecting frost in early September at least once. Generally, at our latitude you no longer swim on purpose after the 3^rd week in August. First snow flakes appear in the air by late September but usually will not stay on the ground. By mid October shore line ice can be expected and by late October the smaller lakes are generally frozen over. Early November is the freeze up month and if I have forgotten you in the bush at this time its time to learn how to make snow shoes and learn the hard way why moose have legs that put Arnold to shame. IF you do end up walking out you will get a 50% discount on your trip since I did not have to hire an airplane to get you out!

There is no windy or rainy season where we live. On average you could count on a day of rain every 7 to 10 days and a day of strong (25mph+) winds about 3 times a month.

1.5 Travel Plans

by road Access to Sioux Lookout is varied. Even though we are at the end of civilization we are still adequately serviced with transportation. Most folks come by car from the mid-west. Either Interstate 35 through Minneapolis to Duluth or Interstate 90/94 from Chicago to Eau Claire and then on Hwy 53 to Duluth. At Duluth you take Highway 53 to International Falls, Mn where you will clear customs (see1.7) Upon crossing the toll bridge into Canada you will be in the town of Fort Frances where you take a right at the lights on to Hwy 11 east. This will take you out of town for about 15 miles watching for Hwy 502 north. The first 5 miles or so on this highway is a 35mph speed limit even though it looks like you are out in the country. Radar is frequent here. You have been warned!! Turn left for about 100 miles to the town of Dryden. The highway goes right through town and T bones into Hwy 17. (Dryden is the last town before Sioux Lookout and has a variety of restaurants and stores with a better selection including a Walmart on the right as you leave town) At Highway 17 turn right for about 15 miles again and watch for Highway 72 and turn left on it. Forty miles up this highway you will come to a sign indicating Redpine Lodge on your right marked with a large yellow sign. This is where the bunkhouse is located (see 3.2) If you cross a metal bridge you went too far by ½ mile. If you are heading right into the airbase just keep on going another 3 miles past the metal bridge and you will see the Forest Inn and the lake on your left. As you look across the lake there should be a variety of planes in sight and you will drive by Mascotto’s Marina, Knobby’s Restaurant and then Robins Donuts. Our office is a log building on the main road beside the donut shop. I will meet you there at the prearranged time for licensing and sign in.

by air Call Red Lake travel at 1 800 465 3305 for direct travel from anywhere in the

states to Sioux Lookout. Round trip airfare from anywhere in the states is under $900 to Sioux Lookout in 2006. We will pick you up at the airport for no charge and provide you a courtesy vehicle. While you are checking rates you may want to check the North west connection direct to International Falls it is definitely cheaper and you can either rent a car there for the 3 hour drive. IF you take United Air to Winnipeg it is more cost effective for larger groups to rent a van and take the 4 ½ hour drive.

If you want to fly your own aircraft in we have a 5,500 foot paved airport with an NDB approach and lots of paved parking. Customs is available on the field by prearrangement during the fishing season. Best to contact me direct and I can give you frequencies etc. prior to arrival. We will pick you up and provide you with a courtesy car while you await your flight out.

By rail This is for the guy with some time on his hands but a nice trip. The train

stops in Sioux Lookout and a 6 hour ride will bring you through some very scenic country at a nominal fee to Winnipeg. At this point you would need to get on an airplane in order to fly south. Red Lake travel could arrange your tickets for this as well. I don’t recommend this though as it does not travel every day and coordinating the train schedule with mine is tough.

1.6 Travel Tips

-be sure that your dates coincide with mine before you leave, wouldn’t we both be embarrassed if you showed up a day early? It is the rule at Slate Falls Outposts that weather permitting you will go in to the bush first thing in the morning and get picked up on the same timetable. For this reason you should be prepared to stay overnight in our bunkhouse or nearby unless specific other arrangements have been made with Verne.

-the group leader should leave a list of party members and contact numbers with his contact person at home. In the event that your pick up is delayed for some reason then I can phone your key contact person and get the message relayed to the appropriate concerned citizens (your wife, boss, girlfriend, dog, etc.)

-someone at home should have our number (807)737 2903 so that you can be contacted in event of an emergency. Be sure your wife understands what an emergency actually is before you give her my number. (Remember* you can not do much about anything while up at your camp)

-the exchange rate varies from year to year but since the United States has made a hobby of conquering smaller countries your dollar has slid to the point that it is nearly par after a 2 decade run of escalating values. Your fee to me is in U.S. dollars so that much is stable, if you use your credit card for gas you will not need any Canadian money along the way.

-gas prices seem pretty brutal and are, we are paying around $1.15 per liter of gas which works out to about $4.60 per u.s. gallon. Ouch!!

-Canadian speed limits are posted in kilometers so 90 kph converts to 55 mph. Generally, you can get away with about 62 mph(or 100 kph) before you get snagged. Remember, that the police are not good will ambassadors and unfortunately do not give a _____ if you threaten not to return to our great land. *note border guards have the same attitude only worse. So, drive the limit, and you won’t have to deal with these guys. *** Radar detectors are illegal in Ontario*** Seat belts are compulsory in Ontario.

-cell phones work only in small areas around the towns and main highway corridors. Verizon seems to work in Sioux Lookout but A. T. and T. does not work up here but does along the way. Cell phones do not work at the outpost camps, period. We do rent satellite phones to those of you who want communication back to the real world.

1.7 Customs Information

-you are required to have Proof of Citizenship; a birth certificate, baptismal certificate or

a voters card. Or, if you have one, a passport. Photo drivers licenses usually work but you kind of hate to depend on it. Generally, only the driver is asked for ID. If you have a shady character in your midst put him asleep in the back seat. If you are all shady characters then let me know and I will send your deposit back and you won’t have to sweat the border.

-if you have minors traveling with you that are not your own then you should have a letter of authority from their guardian.

-be polite and truthful crossing the border to the customs guys. I have run across some of the most officious people on the planet earth at Customs (both sides) and there is nothing I can do about it. But, if you are honest and forthright with your intentions it will not be a stressful crossing. Generally, they are looking for drugs, excess liquor and guns, but they really should bone up on their people skills.

DUI’S this is a turn of the century invention with the Canadians where they want to stop felons from entering the country. Unfortunately, in Ontario a DUI is a felony and thereby you are inadmissible into the country. That being said, they realized that their dragnet caught some unwanted folks and changed the law to reflect anyone with an offense over 10 years old is okay, 5 to 10 is admissible with a pardon (go to their website cic.gc.ca) under 5 years technically you are not allowed but they seem to not be concerned with it at Pigeon River only at Fort Frances. So, if you have a worry I would take the extra hours drive and cross at Pigeon River. No one has to tell me it is a stupid law, I know that, but alas, our government is running neck in neck with yours for stupid decisions that have only ill effect.

OTHER LAWS

-you are allowed to bring a reasonable (undefined) amount of groceries over for your stay

-each adult can bring 200 cigarettes with him

-you can not bring potatoes over the border

-you can not bring firewood over the border

-if you have a pet, they need a vaccination certificate

-as of this spring you can only bring 24 pounds of beef per person or 1 turkey each

-each adult can bring one case of beer OR one bottle (up to 40 oz.) of either wine OR liquor without paying duty. The legal drinking age in Ontario is 19. If you do end up in a duty on beer situation generally the duty will coincidentally amount to almost the difference that you would pay for a case of beer if purchased on the north side of the river. Remember, I do stock beer at cost at my office so do not fret if you have missed the beer store hours. If you try to smuggle your beer across and get caught you will likely lose it and pay duty. Anyway, Canadian beer is so much better!! Inexpensive American beer is available at your lake by just drinking the lake water. The color is the same and the alcohol content is similar (did I mention that I was a Canadian?)

-you should not bring a gun unless you are on a hunting package. You can not bring them in to the lake with you as it is considered hunting. There is only one thing that you need to protect yourself from and you do not need a gun to do it. (See 4.2 dangerous creatures)

-HANDGUNS are flat out PROHIBITED

-you are not allowed to bring live minnows or leeches into Canada. You can bring worms if they are packed in bedding and not soil. All three live baits are available locally.

1.8 Medical Services

There are two hospitals in town that can repair any minor injury you inflict on yourself but generally you will have to pay cash and go after you insurance company for reimbursement. If you have prescription medicine please bring an adequate supply with you and KEEP IT ON YOUR PERSON while going to the lake.

1.9 Approximate Distance in miles

From	Madison	Minneapolis	Reno
Sioux Lookout	700 miles	500 miles	2000 miles
Time	13 hours	10 hours	poor me

2.0 YOUR ARRIVAL

2.1 The Border

Effective in 2009 you will need a United States passport to re enter the United States. The

Canadian rule on importing yourself at this point is unchanged, a birth certificate.

2.2 Arrival in Sioux Lookout

Well, you have finally made it. Float planes pounding the waves and roaring through the sky. Blue water lapping the tree lined shores. Now that was worth the one day drive!!

Now, you should check in with us before you do anything else. I will be either at Red Pine Lodge where the bunkhouse is (3 miles before town) or at the airbase in town (Slate Falls Airways) or off in the plane checking on guests. Your best bet is to check in at Red Pine and get your bunkhouse room sorted out, check in with Andrea or I while there and we will give you a start time for the morning. If you are arriving late I will have a message on the board telling you which room and what your departure time is in the a.m. If you are arriving in the morning for a flight then proceed directly to the water-base as I will be waiting for you there.

Now, it is time to eat. While we have no cooking facilities in the bunkhouse there are a number of restaurants in town (about 10 to be exact). In order of preference I would choose the Forest Inn or Knobby’s, both near the air base. For early morning coffee and a donut Robins Donuts right behind the air base on the main street is fast and good. If you want a full on breakfast then Knobby’s is the place but keep in mind the service is usually slow and you will need to allow 1 hr. extra from the time I told you that I would meet you in order to not screw up my schedule. It opens at 5 a.m. in the summer months though so generally, if you do not mind getting up early you can still eat. The 5^th Avenue on Front Street is okay as well. There is a Subway in town as well and a Chicken Chef.

At Red Pine and at the airbase we issue fishing licenses, do sign in, and have lake maps. At the airbase we also have a selection of hats and shirts as siouxveneers to take home. At the air base I also keep pop and beer. Large orders should be phoned ahead but anything under 10 cases I will have already. At Red Pine we have minnows ( please pre-order) available in bulk and I will bag them up in the morning to take with you if required. You can pre-order leeches by the pound as well. Ice is available at the office in town for purchase and outpost ordering at $2 per block.

2.3 Accommodations

Bunkhouse- is located at Red Pine Lodge and consists of a 2000 square foot building with 3 bedrooms that will accommodate up to 6 people per room (bunk style) and 2 bathrooms (with showers). The front room has a pool table, card tables and a TV room. The setting is lake view among the pines and is convenient to me for questions or general B.S. (Not from me but you) It is available by reservation on a first come first serve basis. You will need your sleeping bag and pillow. Cost is $20. Per person per night.

Sometimes in July or August we will have a housekeeping cabin available for the night. This includes a kitchen, linens and your own cabin. Cost is $40 per person for the night. Check with us for availability if interested.

AREA HOTELS	Estimated Cost 2 to a room	Located	Phone
Lamplighter	$75/room	On your way into town on the left by bait store	807 737 1014
Sunset	$85	On your right 1/4 mile before water base	807 737 1113
Forest Inn	$98	On your left ½ mile before water-base	807 737 1330
Best Western	$95	Across from Forest Inn	807 737 4444
Sioux Hotel/ Wellington	?	Hope that you don’t find it!	?

Or, 60 miles before Sioux Lookout is the town of Dryden. There are several dozen motels/hotels in this area.

Whatever accommodation you choose, please be sure that I know what it is so that I can keep my flight schedule coordinated.

**Please be advised that you should book your accommodations at least 2 weeks in advance to ensure you get a room. Quite often all of the hotels and the bunkhouse are full and sometimes even Dryden is full. Think back to your journey up here and you can figure out which state the last available room was.

2.4 Bait Shops

There are two in town: Ojibway Baits on your left on the way in has the best tackle selection and opens early. Al’s Sports downtown past the water base does not open as early and has a more modest selection of tackle but they do also have live bait. I prefer Ojibway Baits though they can be busy at 6 a.m. sometimes. If you have a big bait order it works out smoother if you pre-order it from me so I will have it ready when you arrive at Red Pine.

Keep in mind that I can look after all of your minnow orders personally as long as I know in advance what your requirement is. I air bag them that morning for your flight out and can also look after mid week minnows if required. Leeches we buy wholesale and need to be pre ordered a day in advance at least.

2.5 Your Flight to the Lake

Once you have been licensed and lake briefed by Verne then it is time to unload your gear at the designated dock. Weigh it as requested and be prepared to hit the northern skies. We have a large parking lot where you park your vehicle while you are gone. DO NOT block another car in without leaving us the keys. DO NOT leave your sunglasses or other essentials under the seat that I will have to retrieve and deliver to you in a couple of days time. DO NOT leave life giving medications in your car when you need them with you.

Now, we have a simple wait for your turn on the plane. If the weather has not given us a delay then the flight should be within 30 minutes of my previous days guesstimate. I will be there with you to assist the pilot to load the plane and explain any last minute things that may come up. Of course, every airplane has a maximum allowed weight to carry and if your group

has inadvertently exceeded it then we have what I call an “overload”. At this point by mutual

agreement we determine if there is anything that can be left for my first service flight in a day or two. If everything is essential, then I check the plane schedule and let you know what time later in the day the excess can be expected. I always book the right amount of planes for your group, subject to occasional availability, but if the weight is heavy then the extra plane may result. Since this is not costing you extra then I reserve the right to minimize my costs by working it into my other flights. IF you are a big spender and price is not an objection then you can feel free to bribe me and the airline to move your stuff ahead of anyone else. (make sure you are thinking in 6 figures, counting the decimal or you are wasting our time talking about it at all)

Once loaded, your pilot will give you a short emergency briefing, and the plane will take off and head north. The first 15 minutes or so of your flight will be over Lac Seul and the odd logging road. After that the countryside turns virgin, lots of trees, lots of lakes and the next road to the north of you is in Russia someplace. A flight to Maskara is about 20 minutes. If you are going to Zionz then the flight is around 50 minutes ( note the Caravan is about 50% faster). Feel free to ask your pilot any questions that may come to mind. Often you will see moose on the flight but generally we fly too high for all but the most experienced eyes (my kind) to see. You will be amazed at how flat and how treed Northwestern Ontario is from the air!!

Every seat is a window seat so do not fret about a poor spot. Generally, the heaviest in the group will occupy the co-pilot seat. Be sure as you climb in that you do not bump any switches or expensive to replace looking stuff. The pilot will appreciate this, as will I. *Note on tipping. If you feel that the pilot showed you some personal enthusiasm for your enjoyment then a tip would be in order. When is the last time you tipped a cabby who showed no enthusiasm whatsoever? Definitely do not feel obligated but it is a nice reward for good behavior which I am always working on the guys to do.

3.0 AT THE LAKE

When you are dropped off you will help the pilot unload your gear. He will not carry it

or you to the cabin (unless you were a very big tipper!). You should take this opportunity to have a quick chat with the outbound guests and find out where the fish have been biting and any problems there may have been at the cabin since I was last there. The pilots are knowledgeable and can answer most any question you may have or relay a message to me if required. Keep in mind that I will be in within a couple of days and can be talked to personally at that time again.

You should ensure before the pilot leaves that you know how much gas you have and how to start the outboards. If in doubt ask him before he leaves. Gas at the camp is in a 130 gallon container premixed that I try to keep full. Gas is brought to the camp in 5 gallon containers and we try to keep a few spares at each camp so that you have the ability to take one with you if you plan on going out and getting lost.

Water at the lake There is no problem with drinking the water right out of the lake. It looks

dark but is not a problem. It is a good idea though to freeze water in quart or larger containers at home and use it as ice until it melts then you can use it as drinking water. Folks like to think the same trick will work at the outpost but problem is: in the spring the water is cool and freezes readily, but in the summer the water is warm and only defrosts your freezer, better just rely on ice from us in the summer months.

The cabin should be clean from the previous guests use. Remember, no maid service, and I expect each group to clean up after themselves and leave the cabin like they would like to find it. (unless you are a garbage dump dweller in which case rent a book from the library on house keeping before you come). All old food stuffs should be taken out with you when you go, otherwise they just accumulate.

Anything that is burnable should be burned in the cabin inside the wood stove. Do not burn in the fire pit outside. All garbage must be flown out with each group unless the pilot says that

there is no room in which case you bring it to my attention upon arrival back in Sioux and I will pick it up before the next bear.

Guests are responsible for needless damage so be careful.

3.1 Wild Creatures and other misadventure

You are now in the middle of nowhere and far safer here then you are in any city in

America. Yes, there are wild animals in the woods but they are of no consequence.(except one) To be sure they should be treated with respect but being wild they have little use for humans. The only animals that have the capability of eating a human are bears and wolves. Wolves are practically never seen in the summer, though you may see their tracks on a beach somewhere. They are very shy and suspicious and easily able to detect you before you even knew they were there and are long gone without you ever knowing it. In recorded history there has only been two fatal wolf attacks, one was a wild wolf in a pen killed a researcher the other was bad luck up in Saskatchewan somewhere. Considering the millions of people over the last century who have inadvertently been near wolves the chances of you finding the next nasty one are very very very small and nothing to consider. Bears also have a similar temperament (they are spooky) with the exception of bears that have been acclimated to humans. This will only happen if you break my rules about keeping the camp area clean. If you treat my cabin like you treat your house you will not have a problem. DO NOT pour bacon grease on the ground. DO NOT throw excess food off the porch for “squirrels”. DO NOT bury anything that resembles food or scraps DO NOT burn garbage of any type in the outdoor fire pit. DO NOT leave fish guts laying about while you are gone fishing or gone to bed. If you do encounter a bear keep in mind that you do not know what kind of ill training this bear has been getting from previous guests and he should be respected but not feared. Since 1986 we have only terminated two nuisance bears and we haven’t had anyone attacked. (That I was told about). They will only come around the cabin and hang around if you don’t follow the above rules and start feeding them (on purpose or inadvertently makes no difference to them).

There are no ticks up there in God’s country (the mosquitoes out compete them!!) Oh yes, I did say there was one dangerous creature up there. The answer is: YOU. That’s right, if anything happens to you while you are up in the wilds it will most certainly be caused by yourself. Filet knives are sharp and can gut things other than fish. Fish hooks are ouchy and stick in things besides fish. Drunken warriors fall down steps. Drunken anglers don’t swim well. Axes split firewood and other softer things. Boats squish soft things between themselves and the docks. Oh, you get the picture... be careful!!

3.2 A few Do’s and Don’ts

Do fly out your garbage and left over food

Do be considerate of wildlife if you overtake it in a boat and do not go too close for a picture

Don’t chase skunks near the cabin or 2 days before we pick you up in the airplane

Don’t chase bears anywhere, anytime

Do put only one motor on your boat, if I thought it was safe to have twice as much horsepower on you boat I would have given you a motor twice as big or a boat half the size.

Do ensure that you have matches, a map and a compass with you in the boat

Don’t leave any type of food or smelly stuff around the cabin

Don’t throw fish entrails off the dock

Do bring guts out where the sign indicates and leave them for the gulls

Do remember that cans and bottles do not burn in our clean northern air and should be treated as garbage and flown out.

Don”t leave a fire smoldering in the yard when you go to bed or when you go out fishing. You are living in a flammable environment, no 911, and the financial responsibility of paying for the cost of putting out a forest fire. (I have insurance on the cabin)

Don’t head way down the lake by map when you do not have the ability to read a map to find your way back to the only pleasant place to spend the night on the lake.

Do treat cigar and cigarette butts like they are trash

Pretend your wife is going to check out the cabin when you leave and you want to impress her.

3.3 Getting Lost

Boy, don’t you hate when that happens? If you get lost up here you are screwed. You will be impossible to find. But, there is an easy solution: do not venture into the woods beyond sight of the lake so you can always find your way back. Unless, you are on a portage that is marked out. The worst part of getting lost is having the local mosquito population remove your blood one drop at a time, a slow but sure death (it does take awhile but what the heck, you will be there awhile). At south Gull I have went to the trouble of putting in a wonderful 2 mile hiking trail, bring you compass in case you get turned around so you can find the lake.

3.4 Insects

A favorite question but one of little consequence unless you are lost in the woods (see

Getting Lost above). In a land of so many trees and lakes there will be insects. Insects prefer restricted areas like brush and grass and do not do well in windy, exposed areas. So, during the day there is a nil to minimal supply around the cabin and essentially none out on the lake. About an hour before dark they will appear around the cabin if it is a year when they are plentiful. You need to restrict your outside activity at this time of day unless you want to wear insect repellent. In the cabin if you should have some PIC coils (smoke rings) these will kill any mosquitoes in the cabin and prevent others from joining you. My experience is that you do not need netting in our neck of the woods. Our mosquitoes do not carry anything contagious that far north. There is talk about west Nile virus but no documented instances of it actually being available to you After about 6 days in the wilderness the mosquito’s hum starts to sound like a catchy tune and you know it is time to leave the bush!

Generally, the worst time for mosquitoes is the month of June with July and August being very light. Black flies can be around any time but seem to prefer August and early September. Their bite does not hurt at all but some folks swell up mildly and usually you will bleed a bit at the site as they inject an anti-coagulant in to you prior to feasting. Generally, they travel in packs of 100 or more so they can be annoying buzzing around you but are generally not encountered much and they deter well with bug dope.

Another insect encountered just at dusk in some locations is the no see um. These practically invisible bugs are undetectable until they bite, which you can feel (and now detect them), but they respond well to insect repellent also. Once they have imbedded their fangs in your hide they are easy to slap and kill. Warning: the sound of your hand slapping your skin attracts more of them to you.

The nastiest insect that does not respond well to treatment is those boat ankle biters. They look like house flies but seem to get great delight out of biting peoples ankles who would

rather be fishing than chasing 2 flies around the boat. If you can kill the two that are around you, 2 more will appear immediately to keep up the harassment. They do not respond well to bug dope but socks help. They only seem to be a nuisance out on the lake and their bite is not itchy.

And finally, a word on ticks. We do not have any that far north and you do not have to worry about Lymes or anything else.

Also, there is no poison oak or poison ivy in our area, whew!

3.5 Camp Equipment

Each cabin has the following essential items located there.

Pots and Pans for the maximum occupancy of the cabin

Cutlery and dishes

Propane BBQ and a large cabin deck to put it on

Propane deep fryer

Large shore lunch pan

Table and Chairs

Mattresses

Solar powered lights

Solar powered running water complete with showers and flush toilets

Propane powered oven, fridge, stove top, hot water tank and chest freezer

Each cabin is pre fabricated log construction and is about 800 sq. feet with 2 to 3 bedrooms