Cancer, Canada Day and a Winchester.

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Canuck Bob
Senior Levergunner
Posts: 1830
Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2009 11:57 am
Location: Calgary, Canada

Cancer, Canada Day and a Winchester.

Post by Canuck Bob »

Today I wandered off into the bush west of Rocky Mountain House, Alberta, to shoot my 32-20 92 rifle on Crown Land. I found an old clearcut and jumped the barricade ditch with my Jeep TJ. Within a few clicks of the highway I next jumped a bedded big bodied bull elk. As usual I got a great view of his rump and little else, but he was a big fella!

There was a natural safe shooting range up the trail so a half box of Remington 100 gr lead bullets slaughtered a dozen or so stump knots. Another dozen or so lived to die another day. I'm a little shaky these days but I proved I can still get the job done from the center of a 100 meter circle. Also it was the first time to really crank up that long rifle's 10 shot mag. That 92 is a sweet handling rifle that can lay down a quick ten hits faster than a Lee Enfield.

There was a Golden Eagle working the warming slope and the constant eagle cry really worked its magic on me. I am a hopeless romantic when it comes to my country. I reflected on Canada's birthday tomorrow and vowed to describe the families service in foreign wars to my young children. Our known history started in 1812 and lasted until Korea.

As if on que two CF18 fighters screeched directly overhead at a 1000 feet. It is likely it was two young fighter pilots enroute to some Canada Day celebration tomorrow. It was my private air show. Two of Canada's finest throttled up and in attack formation. A leading hunter killer and a loosely trailing wingman, there is no doubt it would be a very bad day for anyone these kids paid special attention to. As sappy as it sounds I stood at attention and saluted, even if they were Air Force.

I was also celebrating cancer and the fact it can't keep a good man down. My partner and I closed a deal this morning that has almost wiped me out from working too hard and long with chemo getting in the way. This field trip was a reward for taking care of my family. Thier financial future is secure.

I've always been a strong man, a real fine middle linebacker once on an American scholarship. Now at 58 chemo makes me weak and exhausted to a degree I've never imagined. So today I tracked a big bull with my 32-20 and a cane just to see were he liked to sneak off to when spooked from his bed, once a hunter always a hunter. He broke up slope fast then quickly cross slope to test the wind on me. He pegged me as a pretty pathetic risk because he casually strolled away and I never did put a bead on him.

There was tons of whitetail sign, they have really invaded the Rockies east slope in my lifetime. Moose were feeding in the willows, probably a cow and grown calf. No bear or wolves were evident anywhere and this was a surprise. Wolves are a growing population around here. And I got skunked on mountain lion sign yet again. It is always a treat to find sign of that slippery cat.

I thanked God for the privelage to raise my children in Canada. I said thanks for our health care system. I pay a lot of taxes here but I don't have to kiss my employers or some insurance guys rump to get medicine and niether do the poor. I'm proud to support that. My measure of a society is how we treat our widows and orphans.

So if life sucks right now grab a Winchester, a thermos of coffee, and go out somewhere alone to a wilder place and smell the freedom.

Happy birthday Canada and the USA, fine neighbors and allies since we adjusted your attitude in 1812.
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