Montebello – The Outdoors Guy

November 27, 2014

Another Magical Kenauk Deer Hunt

November’s Outdoors Guy column is now out in print in the Pembroke Daily Observer, or available online for folks who dont live up the valley. Congratulations again to Jordan Durocher, winner of this year’s Great Outdoors Trivia Contest:

http://www.thedailyobserver.ca/2014/11/24/another-magical-deer-hunt-in-montebello-que

Another magical deer hunt in Montebello, Que.

Deer hunting season may be deemed successful for a variety of reasons, ranging from a sagging meat pole to no meat pole at all.

My annual deer hunt to Kenauk Nature always brings with it a lot of emotion. The famous Montebello, Que. deer woods which was recently sold by Fairmont Hotels, is a hunter’s paradise with rolling hills, rugged terrain and majestic old growth forests. Climbing the peaks each autumn with my hunt gang in pursuit of a whitetail buck is always exciting, and this year was no exception. On one hand, I am in a paradise living a hunter’s dream of chasing whitetails in one of the most scenic woods in the region. Then on the other hand, my Kenauk trip marks the last kick at the hunting can for the year. Thank goodness for a lot of great trail cam images this fall as, sadly, most of antlers I saw were travelling at night after legal shooting hours.

Harvest’less hunt part of conservation

This deer season, unlike some previous ones, I was not presented with the opportunity to harvest a mature buck and that’s fine with me. It is why they call it hunting after all. Like last fall, however, I did have an opportunity of looking through my scope at a fat four-point buck which, as nice a deer as it is, was still shy of Kenauk’s six-point minimum. Not that I would have taken this young buck anyway and I trust other hunters also keep conservation in mind these days. The idea of allowing lessor bucks the chance the mature and disseminate their progeny is a ‘growing’ trend; especially as deer herds continues to rebuild in Western Quebec and Eastern Ontario. I do not personally need freezer meat so badly that I would pluck a smaller animal from the gene pool before its prime. Perhaps next year I will have the opportunity to harvest a nice whitetail but until then, I am left with the satisfaction of another fulfilling hunt. Thanks to Bill Nowell, Lynda Melanson and Celyne Fortin of Kenauk Nature for facilitating yet another trip to this little slice of heaven. To experience wilderness at its best with top notch accommodations, check out: http://kenauk.com/ For more information on deer hunting across the river a short drive from the Valley, contact Quebec’s Ministry of Tourism at 1-877-266-56871-877-266-5687.

Safety first

This time of year with some hunters still on the go, outdoor enthusiasts are reminded to be vigilant and take the necessary safety precautions. Remember that hunter orange of a minimum 400 square inches is required and for Ontario residents, a hunter orange cap as well. Be sure to keep your firearms and ammunition separated and locked away when not in use and never shoot unless absolutely sure of your target and beyond. It is illegal to shoot from a vehicle or carry a loaded firearm in or on a vehicle, and remember that any hunter who harvests a deer must immediately attach the game seal. A safe hunt is a happy hunt and a careless accident can turn a wonderful day in the woods into tragedy.

Contest winner

Congratulations to Jordan Durocher of Pembroke – winner of this year’s Great Outdoors Trivia Contest. Jordan was the first person to correctly answer all three trivia questions and will receive a generous hunting scent gift package courtesy of Terry Rohm of Tinks. Thanks to everyone who participated this year.

Next time

Check out next month’s Outdoors Guy column for another product field test, highlights from this year’s deer season and your Valley ice-fishing primer! Drop me a line anytime with your hunting and fishing news or stories: [email protected].

November 27, 2014September 5, 2017

2015 Toyota Tacoma tackles the Laurentians!

(2015 Tacoma 4X4 Limited Edition – test vehicle – BEFORE heading off-road into the mountains)

Fresh air, clean water and nature’s wondrous beauty all at your doorstep in Quebec’s Majestic Laurentian Mountains.

I consider myself fortunate to be a country boy; fortunate to have an upbringing which brought me deep into God’s country and back, on more outdoor adventures than you can shake a stick at.

Hunting, fishing and exploring nature were always a huge part of my life and pursuing wily mountain whitetail deer was at the top of that list!

This fall, thanks to Toyota Canada, I had the pleasure of taking the 2015 Toyota Tacoma 4X4 Limited edition double cab on two separate trips, off the beaten path high into the fabled Laurentian mountains of Quebec.

The 2015 Tacoma, as I discovered, is not unlike the Tacoma of days-gone-by, nor is it remarkably different from the 2000 Tacoma 4X4 sitting in my own driveway at home. (I am already a Tacoma owner)

Ok, so there are a few subtle differences between the 2015 and my 15 year old (yet still solid as a rock) pick-up truck. First off, the overall footprint has changed considerably compared to days of old, and this full double cab version I tested offers more than ample room in this small but scrappy Mid-size truck category.

The already slim mid-size truck market grew even narrower when the Big 3 all but pulled-out. Tacoma sales now account for nearly 70% of this market competing mostly with Nissan, GM’s re-entry with the Colorado & Canyon, and to some extent the Honda Ridgeline; although with the Ridgeline’s unibody construction I would place it more in the crossover category. Tacoma’s have maintained a traditonal pick-up truck ladder frame construction.

But that certainly doesn’t mean Toyota should rest on their laurels and a reputation of producing perhaps the best small truck ever made.

Or does it?

So what has Toyota offered the mid-sized truck buyer for 2015?

Despite a few changes such as regular cab being discontinued, and the introduction of Toyota’s popular(albeit somewhat pricey) TRD Off-road package, this solid pick-up has remained pretty much status quo in recent years.

In my opinion, there was really little that needed changing. The Tacoma remains one of the most sought-after used vehicles on the market with an unprecedented residual value. (I was shocked by market value of my 2000 Tacoma)

The 2015 Tacoma 4X4, I tested, came equipped with the 4.0 litre V6 which kicked-out a more than ample 236 horses and 266 ft-lb of torque.

With a towing capacity of 6500 pounds and a 1500 pound payload, this truck is about the most conveniently-sized pickup you can ask for, and an ideal choice for an hunting trip into the historic hills of southern Quebec.

This truck is not the big powerhouse and workhorse of a full-sized Tundra, but by virtue of its more modest proportions serves as a nice compromise when maneuvering into parking spaces in town.

My deer hunting excursion was certainly off on the right foot once the truck was packed and loaded on a 5-day adventure to my family hunt camp near Mont Tremblant, followed closely by another voyage to Kenauk Nature in Montebello, an hour or so away.

While on the road, I found time to enjoy the entertainment options the new Tacoma had to offer which included an awesome Entune™ Premium JBL Audio system with Navigation and satellite radio!

The interior layout and comfort level was something to behold. Bright and roomy and I actually felt a bit guilty for getting the truck dirty.

The Limited Edition model boasts a lot of great amenities including full grain leather, Sirius satellite radio, backup camera, a generous number of drink holders and comfortable SofTex-trimmed seats, heated front sport seats with 4-way adjustable driver’s seat and lumbar adjustment support. (My lower back didnt complain)

Controls were upfront and clean and as far as seating and storage space, the Tacoma came with a folding rear bench seat that tucks neatly away against the back wall.

The Limited Edition also boasts such standard features such as these 18-in. chrome-clad alloy beauties, with P265/60R18 tires, chrome grille surround and rear bumper, color-keyed front bumper and overfenders, chrome fog light housing, chrome door handles, chrome power outside mirrors with turn signal indicators.

You might say chrome is running amok in this truck, and I had no complaints about that.

Another feature of the 2015 Tacoma I enjoyed was the convenient 110V outlet located along the back wall of truck bed near the tailboard. A smart idea for plugging-in an extension light while working around outside.

Once we arrived at our lakeside paradise in Montebello, the Tacoma fit right into the surroundings with its rugged outdoor appeal. Hey, there’s nothing wrong with a bit of style and class when you’re roughing it in the wilderness.

Kenauk’s Chalet Hidden was our home for the second half of the deer season.

The mood certainly was melancholy as we checked-out of our hunting retreat for another year!

All in all, the 2015 Toyota Tacoma 4X4 Limited turned out to be a more than worthy hunting companion and a head-turner to boot! The truck performed flawlessly, got decent gas mileage and held up like a charm to the punishment of many hours on some tough mountain roads!

The new Tacoma was a huge part of this year’s hunting season and from I’ve seen, would be perfectly suited for any hunting or fishing trip you can think of. (And I can think of a lot)

After having tested and reviewed several trucks over the years, by different manufacturers, in my opinion the new Tacoma is the pick of the litter!

The Outdoors Guy

For more information on trout fishing in La Belle Province, please contact Tourism Quebec: 1 (888) 883-8801 or online at: www.tourisme.gouv.qc.ca

November 14, 2012

Hunting season from heaven – life of a deer magnet

Well, I can honestly say this year I was the lucky one – a deer magnet if you will.

You know that hunter who’s always in the right place at the right time? The one they call ‘the deer magnet’?

I have no real explanation as to why some guys have all the luck some years while others struggle just to catch a glimpse of Cervid. Some seasons, it seems, I am that lucky hunter while other years I have been on the losing end.

This year was my year!

From the very first day of this deer season I had a gut feeling I was in store for something marvelous. First chase of opening day and a dandy 4-point yearling strolled out to me at the end of a lake I was watching. He got to within 10 feet of where I was sitting and never even knew I was in town. I knew this little buck well from photos I had seen on my trail cam, and I had no intention of raising my rifle on him; especially first thing on opening morning.

I sat there quietly and enjoyed the sight of this young lad as he disappeared up the hill behind me…man, these are the moments I live for.

The following day, we hunted the top of one of our favourite 2000 ft. mountains and I watched in amazement as yet another 4 point buck bounded his way to within 50 feet me. It was a different forkhorn this time. This guy was bigger and sported a slightly larger rack, yet I let him pass hoping other hunters might do the same if they saw him.

Call it what you want, but choosing to pass on first year bucks is something I do in the best interest of our (recovering) deer herd. I have hopes that by letting these yearlings walk they will, one day, grow up to produce a damn fine progeny; seeding the deer woods with quality genetics. We have gone home empty-handy several years as a result…but so be it.

Ok, so they say some guys have all the luck. By the end of the first week of deer season I had seen, by far, the most deer of anyone and two bucks to boot, while the remaining four members of my gang saw scant few deer and no antlers at all.

It’s just luck I tell myself, as we prepare for our annual luxury trip to Fairmont Kenauk in Montebello, and surely it will run out eventually.

First day of the hunt at Kenauk and my deer numbers are going sky-high. On one chase alone I had 8 deer come out to me including two more bucks; one a spike and the other another forkhorn. Man, I’ve now had 4 bucks make an appearance at close range and I still haven’t raised the rifle.

The boys were getting a little ticked at this point. I chased, I sat, I stalked and it didn’t matter, the deer were all around me it seemed like I was the Pied Piper or something; leading the mice out of the town. Was it something I was wearing?

To be honest it was a bit weird…and somewhat of a burden to carry.

The final day of our season arrived and I promised my 81-year old father that HE would sit in the hotspot where the 8 deer had been all over me the day before. I explained that I would take the post he had and put him in my special ‘hotspot’, with hopes of sharing the wealth…

The chase was on!

I could hear the chasers(doggers, as some call them) on the radio commenting on the fresh buck sign from the day before. I watched the knoll in front of me with another more watchful eye over in my father’s direction with finger’s crossed.

Today has to be HIS day, I thought.

Surely if the big buck which had been making all the rubs and scrapes were around, he would appear and practically run my father over in his hotspot. My poor Dad had seen but 1 whitetail all season long and he deserves this chance at a nice buck.

But alas, as irony and my fate as deer magnet won out, I heard the rustling of leaves on the knoll above me and the glimpse of antler caught my attention.

OMG, here sneaking down the ridge, was one of the biggest set of ivory white antlers I’d ever laid eyes on!

“How could this be?” I thought to myself. “This isn’t the hotspot, the oldman is supposed to see this deer over there!!” A small but persistent wave of guilt come over me.

Finally, instinct took over as I picked out a semi-clear window in the brush I figured this majestic beast would step into. And as my continuous knack for doing everything right won out, the deer stopped into the very spot I had chosen; as if on cue.

Within seconds it was all over and the most beautiful 10-pointer I had ever seen was down and as I walked up to this magnificent beast I knew this had to my destiny this year, and I just couldn’t fight fate. As much as I tried to share my good fortune as deer magnet with others, it simply did not work.

This deer was a very special animal indeed and not your run-of-the-mill whitetail. He sported an almost perfectly symmetrical 5X5 crown with long sweeping main beams and even showed signs of piebald pigmentation along his lower legs and hooves. Two hooves were half white and half brown. It almost looked like the old fellow was wearing white slippers!

Yes, some guys have all the luck and this year was my time. The way things go, next fall lady luck may shine out of someone else’s arse. Man I hope so, I’m not sure I handle the pressure any more. It’s like the weight of the world and extremely tiring to be so popular…

How can one member of a hunt party see 5 bucks during the season, and the rest of the guys see none? I don’t think we’ll ever know for sure…

Anyhow, enjoy these images of one magnificent whitetail buck that wouldn’t have been possible without the other guys in my gang – Rathwell Morrison, Ken Campbell & Jim Bindon.

Next fall, it could just as easily be someone else who plays deer magnet, but just in case, I told the boys I would be leaving my rifle at home….

Outdoorsguy(AKA Deer Magnet)

P.S. A special thanks to Bill Nowell & Celyne Fortin of Fairmont Kenauk and Denyse Murphy of Tourism Quebec.

(The look of an exhausted but very proud deer magnet)