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The Storm
One memory from 1999
After 17 years of outfitting in the central barren lands north of Yellowknife, one can be tempted to think you've seen it all. Nothing like a freak blizzard at the end of August to bring one back to reality.
Not just the reality of Mother Nature being in charge, but a sweet reminder of why we hunt, why we pit our skills against the odds. A blessed reminder of our vulnerable Human condition and the deep camaraderie that seems to grow faster as the degree of difficulty increases in the arctic wilderness.
Put a group of fourteen traditional bow hunters, headed up by Ken Grosslight -- he, incidentally just killed a jaguar with his ling bow -- together with four lady gun hunters from the DNR? in California -- their first out-of-state big game hunt -- along with Karen Mehal from the NRA, shooting black powder, and Tim Walsh, a camera man from TNN and mix them up with the guides and staff at Mackay Lake Lodge, add some scattered herds of August caribou and an arctic blizzard on a lake that is over one hundred miles long and you have the trip of a lifetime.
Three boats were caught in a storm; three bow hunters and two rifle hunters and three guides. The guides radioed their position, but they were stranded on an island with little shelter and only a few stunted trees for fuel. The next day, through six-foot swells in an unrelenting wind with driving sleet and rain, they all made it back safely, very wet, cold, and near hypothermic. Everyone at camp met them on the dock. A great general sigh of relief, everyone was going to be fine.
I have been living north of 60 for over thirty years and I have spent most of the arctic summers and falls above the tree land in the barren lands.
Back in 1985 we had a storm on September 3. I remember the summer of 1988 when it was over 90 degrees for weeks. All the Black Flies died from the heat. In 1992 all of our water pipes froze up on September 10. But, over time things seem to average out.
California Gals Spent a Night On An Island in an August Blizzard
Ice on Mackay Lake can be six to seven feet thick by mid-February then the aurora / Northern Lights are dancing the night skies.
The ice breaks up by the end of June when we have the midnight sun. The great caribou herds return from the calving grounds up on the arctic coast to Mackay Lake around mid-July. They stay in this, their summer range near the tree line until freeze-up begins around mid-October and the rut gets serious. Another great migration takes place to their winter grounds below the tree line.
In August, when we begin our hunts, the caribou are in velvet and the great bulls are scattered in small bachelor herds, sometimes with a few cows and calves, but often alone.
When Karen Mehal and the California gals asked what the hunting conditions would be like at the end of August, I told them that the weather would be good, 50 to 60 degree daytime temperatures... you need good rain gear and good warm clothes for the boat rides.
Hunting, we normally are able to give clients several stalking and shooting opportunities at trophy animals each day and the bachelor bulls, in August, are stalkable as they are not in large groups with too many eyes and they are not migrating or leaving their summer range.
I had told approximately the same story to Dr. Grosslight at Mackay Lake Lodge and also to Henry Trottier III who hunted with a group of eight bow hunters at our Warburton Bay camp that same week.
Call me a liar, we had near gale force winds for most of the week with snow, rain and sleet. Bad weather, some bad luck, some missed shots and a third of the hunters didn't get caribou. Our near-perfect success rate over seventeen years was shattered
Back to reality, how do you measure success? The deep Human emotions and the testing of the guides and the hunters' strengths and skills, the camaraderie that grew between people of different walks of life that week had little to do with killing caribou.
Dr Grosslight has booked a return trip for 2001. The California gals are also planning a return trip.
Truly,
Gary Jaeb
Dear Gary and Staff at Mackay Lake Lodge,
Here are some pictures for you I hope you enjoy them as we all enjoyed ourselves during our week there with you. It truly was a hunt to be remembered. My local news paper is doing a story about the trip and I will be sending you a copy... maybe get your name out there more than just us raving about your great camp and facilities!
The time there went by so fast and since Yvette didn't take a bull, I think her, her husband, myself and my husband are seriously planning a return trip together we would love to spend another week with you! I do think we will pass on the all nighter out on the island though! That was quite an experience! I want you to know that Yvette and I were very glad to have Joe Clark (their guide) with us, he was awesome! He kept the fire going all night and continued to show that he had our best interests at heart, I will always be grateful for his strength and great boat handling. When you told us at the orientation to trust your guides, I did not realize what that could really mean, I trusted Joe with my life, it was an experience I will never forget.
Having Archie and Joe as our guides, Yvette and I always felt they both went all out to get us close to animals and we had multiple opportunities to take decent bulls, but next time we will shoot on the first day if he is a nice one.
I really would like a map of the lake... I would like to show my husband where I shot my bull and where we spent the night out..
Thank you all so much for making us California gals feel welcome and part of the gang! I hope to keep in touch.
Take care and God bless,
Stephanie
