THE LAND NORTH OF SUPERIOR

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There are many places to explore when you visit my world.  When you drive off the pavement you never know what you’ll find, who you’ll meet or how successful you will be.  But some of the dirtiest days can lead to some of the best memories as you explore the land north of Superior.<o:p></o:p>

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It had been a cold, wet, miserable fall.  The moose were the only smart ones as they stayed in and under the evergreens, and cedars, dry.  We scouted and tramped the woods looking for fresh sign and shivered back at our campers as we waited for enough heat from our heaters to change soaking wet clothes into only damp clothes. The weather system just didn’t want to leave.  By the third day of continuous misty rain, broken by down pours of rain, hunters were packing up and going home.  The trucks and trailers were covered in mud; impossible to tell what colour was underneath.  The forecast on radio wasn’t promising any thing but more of the same.<o:p></o:p>

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On the sixth morning there was no rain.  The landscape was invisible under a smoke thick blanket of fog.  I drove close to a beaver dam favoured by the moose for it’s aquatic vegetation and walked in.  The fog just hugged the ground and I never even took my .308 lever out of its lined gun case.  For two hours I strained to see or hear anything moving.  My calling was less than enthusiastic; I didn’t believe any moose would come out in this soup.  The rain came lightly at first, but within minutes the heavens opened up.  By the time I walked to my truck I was soaked to the skin and shivering.  Heater and fan turned on high I headed for my camper and the sleeping bag.  I hoped against hope I would have something warm and dry to put on once I warmed up.<o:p></o:p>

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The heat of the camper and the gradual warming of my body in the sleeping bag put me to sleep.  An hour passed before I opened my eyes.  The coffee pot beside the burning element was hot to the touch, steamed as I poured a mug.  I reached for some snakebite medicine to put into it and discovered that my jug wasn’t in its usual place.   About to launch into a colourful description of the kind of person who would take my medicine I looked about the camper, and spotted it on the dinner table.  I knew I hadn’t left it over there the night before.  I had poured a generous dollop into my mug before I noticed a folded piece of paper that must have been under the bottle.<o:p></o:p>

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As I unfolded the paper a ten-dollar bill floated down to the table.  I absently picked up the money as I scanned the paper.  “It was damn cold and wet once we got off the river.  Jumped into your camper, turned an element on and had a shot.�?SPAN>  The note was signed and a phone number was included.  I sat contemplated the note and the money, soon I found I needed another doctored coffee.  I made early supper that night and spent the evening reading and listening to the rain on the camper.  It was to be the next day before the sun came out and the long drying out process began.<o:p></o:p>

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Two days later I came back from the evening hunt.  A bull had come to my call and had just managed to keep me from getting a clean shot.  In the dark I had quietly left and walked back to my truck.  I hoped he would be there in the morning.  A strange truck was parked by my camper and there were lights on inside.  I parked the truck and locked the doors. There were two guys sitting at my table when I opened the door.<o:p></o:p>

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“Evening�?I said as I climbed into the camper.  “You guys having some trouble?�?lt;o:p></o:p>

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“Not tonight�? the taller of the two commented, “Nice and dry, not like the other morning�?He stood up and extended his hand.   “John Doe, and this is Rag Smith.  We stopped here the other morning and were damn near frozen.  Hope you don’t mind�?lt;o:p></o:p>

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“Been there and been helped�?I eased into the corner seat.  “You guys see anything today?�?SPAN>  I poured a double shot and sat down at the table with them.<o:p></o:p>

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So began a long friendship that continued for 15 years until one summer I received a phone call late at night.  It was Rag and the news he had wasn’t good.  John had suffered a serious heart attack and they would under no circumstances be north that year.  Later that week the worst possible news came.<o:p></o:p>

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