Well the third week started off with a bang; 2 bears Monday night. Therefore 5 out of 7 hunters are still out on the bait sites. The temperatures have been excellent and the bears should be moving, however seems they are still moving after dark. This is a very frustrating situation being a guide as I believe my success lies within my hunters success. The first questions asked when someone inquires about a hunt is "how did you do last year?", "How many hunters did you have?", and "What was your percentage?". I also know I have no control of my hunters actions or behavior when they are out on the stands when I'm not there. Never the less, it all reflects on me and the business. I'm very appreciative of my hunters attitudes about seeing or not seeing bears, as they know hunting is hunting, not killing. It is a game and it depends on how good of a player you are. Patience is one skill that must be mastered. Most hunters simply enjoy just being out in Mother Nature; listening to the sounds of the woods and watching all of the woodland creatures.
Another aspect of the business that I enjoy is the people you meet. For the most part they are awesome and interesting; living such different lives than myself and in different environments. So many are return guests and have become more like family. I always say, "you're a stranger only once." Even with the differences we all seem to share things in common as well which provides for great conversations and lots of story telling.
I'm getting tired out, and just getting over a bad cold which has really drug me down. Big E is just now coming down with it which makes me feel worse than having it myself. I can deal with me, but it's hard to take care of everything else that I need to, plus someone not feeling well at a time like this. My days start at 6:30am and do not end often until after midnight especially when we have a large group as we do this week. We max out at 8 to 10 hunters. However we will keep plugging away and hopefully the hunters will bag their bears tonight and we can sit back and relax for a while. Next week we have a couple coming who have been returning for 7 years. They will be our only guests so it will be a much easier week. I count my lucky stars that Peter "Coyote" Cote has been back with us this year. Peter is a fellow guide, super friend and classmate. His son Nick worked with us most of the summer as well before returning to the boat builders school in Eastport. He is a young man with a very bright future and the one who gave us all the cold, but we still love him anyway. Peter has taken a lot of pressure off of Big E, being a great help. We will miss him terribly when he heads back out on the road working construction for the winter months.
Therefore it all comes down to this: we will keep on keeping on.........
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