Lows Lake solo canoe in deer camp 2015

[Robin]

Now I know this is not a hunting trip, but I did post a video of my recent trip into Lows Lake on Youtube, and thought some folks might like to see it.

 

Just like the last 3 out of 4 years I plan to head back into Lows opening week of deer season, the last week of October barring any drastic weather forecast.

 

I used my same fall outfit, a small wall tent, wood stove, cot, food box (wannigan), I ate good got some quiet paddling in with my wood/canvas canoe, drank alot of coffee cause the beer/booze is a thing of the past for me these days. 

 

I had planned to cut and cache some firewood for October this trip, didn't happen, but I found a good source so I'm pretty confident I'll be good this fall.

 

 

[DirtTime]

Great video again Robin. Thank you for bringing us along.

My favorite still picture is the evening one. Withe mountains in the background and the tent lit, it gives an ambiance that really captures a tent trip near dusk.

Again, thank you for bringing us along on your adventure.

[Steve D]

The Adirondacks are a very special place for me. Have spent quite a bit of time there over the years and always look forward to going back. Haven't been up in awhile but your video(s) take me back and remind me of what a beautiful part of the country it is.

 

I have never been there in the spring....but thinking it may just be one on the best times to be there. Once the black flies & deer flies are out it can make a trip pretty unbearable. Fall & winter have always been my favorite times because of the bugs.

 

Usually this time of year you would be contending with snow melt & mud but it looks like conditions are the best they could be right now and the best part is no crowds. As I am sure you know; it can get pretty busy up there at certain times of the year.

 

Fantastic  trip, endless memories, and great video. Thanks for sharing and hope you have many more!

[grampy]

Your videos never fail to make me smile. Thanks.

[DirtTime]

The thing I love the most about Robin's posts it is really hunting. No cams, no food plots, just a hunter, the woods, and a will to be in nature. I read his posts and look at the pics and vids, and I get pumped to be in the woods. Be it camping, hunting, hiking, or w/e. 

[Robin]

Thanks Folks,

 

I'm glad you enjoyed it. My two sons are very good hunters here in Connecticut, they each harvested a bear just over the border in Massachusetts last year plus bow/rifle deer here at home. Unfortunately, work/family keeps them close to home so trips like this with me are hard to do, so I go solo whenever the conditions allow solo, and I have found these Gopro videos a fun addition to the solo trip. I don't do alot of physical activity once camp is set up, the canoe is easy on the legs so I do most of my scouting from it, I checked every sandy beach and every muddy area for tracks, very little sign. I did see a nice big deer standing in the water/grass close to where I put in, but other than that nothing. My plan is to head back in by late Sept to prepare for my October hunt.

Thanks again for the nice thoughts.

 

[Doc]

Now here is a guy that knows a bit of something about living life and getting the most out of it.

[Robin]

Thanks Doc, appreciate that.

[wolc123]

Thanks for posting the video.  We were up in the area that same weekend to celebrate my sister's and my mother-in-law's birthdays.   My sister's camp is about 100 mi NW of Tomar, up on the St Lawrence.  The in-laws is 40 mi NW, on the edge of the Adirondack park.  It would have been nice to have had a little more time to enjoy the great weather.  We spent too much time that weekend celebrating and driving from camp to camp and from home and back.  That is the first time we went up there for just one night and that is not enough.  I only had about a half hour out on the lake on Sunday, but it was great with lots of sunshine and hardly any wind.  Your video is a great reminder of just how nice it was up there that weekend.    

 

I am glad to hear that you are planning the fall hunt.  I think your odds of some whitetail action should be very good there this year.   I don't remember a milder winter up there than this last one.   In late February, the ice was less than 12" thick on the lake up at my in-laws (most years it is more than 3 ft thick at that time).   That made it much easier than usual putting in some holes, and I was finally able to get a nice lake-trout thru the ice.  There is obviously a lot of deer around, because there is still a very visible browse line all around the lake.  All the evergreens are trimmed neatly to about 6 ft from the waterline.   That is about how high the deer can reach as they stand on the ice munching on the greens.  I appreciate that activity, as it makes for a lot less lost jigs, while casting the shoreline for smallmouth bass from the open water all year.   

 

I am not certain of the extreme dispersal range of a whitetail buck, but I do know for sure that there was at least (3) young bucks and (1) old one that very likely survived thru gun-season in that 40 mile to the NW location last year.   You may or may not come across any of them this fall, but there should be plenty more up there based on the lame excuse for a winter we just had.  You may want to bring a bigger canoe or go a little lighter on the provisions this fall to leave room to pack out some venison.                       

[Fletch]

Thanks again for sharing Robin!! Your thread is one of my favorites on here. Enjoying life and the outdoors.

[Robin]

Thanks for posting the video.  

 

You may want to bring a bigger canoe or go a little lighter on the provisions this fall to leave room to pack out some venison.                       

 

Thanks, I have been working on my 16" Chestnut Pal, it's a little bigger than the 15' Chum in this video, hopefully it will be ready for the fall trip. After many trips both in the ADKs and Canada it was in need of alot of repairs, alot are done but it still needs to be finished.

 

Your correct, I need to go lighter on the provisions, leave room for all that venison I'm going to haul out.

 

Thanks Fletch, I'm glad you like the thread. Hopefully this fall will bring another trip and maybe some success, although just getting out there is alot of fun and I would say somewhat successful.

[Robin]

I'm getting the itch to get back into Lows this fall first week of northen zone. I had some health issues this spring, prostrate cancer, direct result of my infantry days in Nam according to the VA. Alls good now, but the radiation has left me a little fatigued by afternoons these days. 

All my friends here, please keep an eye on your PSA #'s, early detection can save your life, it saved mine.

On a brighter note, I just got back from 6 days solo canoe trip in northern Ontario. Weather was all over the place, fishing was very good, and I spotted a couple of Woodland Caribou one almost walked over me while I was taking my afternoon nap..haha

during a big lake crossing, I just made it to an island before the real wind came in.

from lake to frying pan, a fine shore lunch in northern Ontario,

 

[DirtTime]

Glad you are better now Robin. Hope you have a great hunt this fall and look froward to seeing your pics.

[grampy]

Good to hear from you Robin and happy that you're feeling better too. And thank you very much for your service sir.

As always your pictures alway leave me with a desire to get out to my own wild places. Though mine are not quite as wild as yours. 

[wolc123]

I am looking forward to your film from the first week of rifle this fall.  The scenery is always fantastic.   It looks like the state has decided to close ML season to antlerless harvests this fall so, other than a better chance at warmer weather, not much advantage for you going up a week earlier this fall.   Maybe one of the three button bucks I saw last fall in the 40 miles to the NW of Lows location, will disperse that far wearing its first set of antlers.  I am moving my own trip another week earlier (October 12) and packing my crossbow.  I hope to get a crack at the big boy I saw up there last fall, but I would be happy with a 2-1/2 year old buck or even a fat doe (I think they can still be taken, until opening of rifle, with archery tackle including a crossbow over the last 10 days).  

With possibly as much as 9 days up there this October, there should be plenty of time for some smallmouth bass and lake trout fishing and also a little grouse hunting.   The grouse population looked good up there last fall.  It has been several years since I have been blessed with one of those excellent-eating birds.  I just bought my NY tags today including turkey (there were also a lot of them up there last fall).  Getting one of them with the crossbow would be cool.  I don't care for their meat but my in-laws, wife and kids all love it.  I am glad you are feeling better and look forward to more videos.  Thanks for your service.      

Edited August 21, 2016 by wolc123
spelling correction

[Robin]

Thanks for the well wishes, means a lot. 

This year I have a friend joining me, he has his own wood canvas canoe and a nice hot tent too. He's retired too, and like me he won't be spending all his waking hours in the woods. Moderation is the game plan.

I also received a note from another hunter that he too will be hunting Lows the first week of the big game season. He has done some prep work, scouting and cut/split some wood. I offered to help move a deer if needed.

So everything is moving along well, I'm not sure how many times I'll go thru my outfit between now and then but that's half the fun.

 

[Fletch]

Glad you are doing well!! The C is no joke I had my first battle back over a decade ago in my early 30's. What a kick in the nuts and chemo sucks. It makes you really take stock in living your life to the fullest. I am glad you are back out there and sharing your wonderful trips with us!! Good luck this fall and thank you for your service.

 

 

[wolc123]

I am glad to hear of your plans and wish you all the best over there.  Due to a vacation conflict at work, I had to push my own trip back a bit.   Now I am heading up for the opening of ML season on Sat October 15th.  Fortunately, a close study of the map shows that a large portion of the area that I hunt is in zone 6C, where antlered or antlerless deer are fair game up until the opening of rifle on Sat October 22 (I killed my big buck a couple years ago just over the border of 6F, which is "buck only" during ML this fall).  I will still bring the crossbow, but only hunt with it if it is warm and rains.  I will also be bringing along my 30/06, and if the weather is favorable, I will likely stay up there thru Sunday October 23 (I don't need to be back to work until the 24th).  

I would be thankful for one antlerless deer from the trip, but it is good to know that I could bring back two, plus a rifle buck, if everything goes just right.  If that happens, our family would be set for the year with venison, and I won't need to hunt at all down here at home in the southern zone.  One thing that is guaranteed, is that the spectacular scenery (which comes across very well in your videos) always makes the trips up there memorable.  Seeing deer is just the icing on the cake.  Good luck to you and your friend.  I hope to see some video of that "icing" on your canoes this fall.