Valhalla Island, Rainy Lake, Ontario - 2012

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Smiley's Valhalla Island

 

Located in the region of the north arm of Rainy Lake

near the famous "Little Canoe River" - in Ontario, Canada

 

Ducks and grouse,

pike, bass and walleyes,

moose and bear.

Valhalla Island - land of paridise, where the rest of the world disappears.
 

Landed last Wednesday afternoon, Danny and Dad, but the weather was not as in the above picture.  Winds exceeding 30 kts out of the northwest which made for a tricky landing.  A quick slip in the tiny bay did the job to the safely at the well protected dock on the island's eastern shore.  All were happy to step ashore and begin the adventure.

 

Our fine host - Smiley.

Day 1 - Driving wind and rain ruled the afternoon and evening.  But that didn't stop us from taking to the boats with pole and gun.  Some ducks fell, and the guys caught about 8 nice walleyes!



Phipps proudly shows the catch to the gawking crowd.

 

Early in the dark the next morning, we were all up for ducks.  Danny and Dad went with Smiley and Phipps in the Big Brown "Toon Barge".  Sure was fun to just be there in the tranquility, with a small pack of wolves howling to a lonely loon.




Danny and Sadie sitting on a very active beaver dam.

Smiley, Phipps and Danny pulling out.  Breakfast awaits all good hunters.

 Back to the cabin we went, all boats converging for one reason - Minn's famous breakfast!!










Never have you had pancakes like this. Minn's secret famous recipe.  Plain or with freshly picked blueberries. 


Sausage links, crispy Canadian bacon and fresh fruit plates.  Hot java to wash it all down.



Look at those eggs, they are PERFECT.



"Young Gun" Dave Jr. starts the ball rolling.



Phipps can't wait; he's whistling Dixie.

Videos



Wayne's world of pancakes.



 

 

 

Then it was time to kick back and work off the food comas, tall tales were told over and over (below).

Stories were told of past hunting escapades, including Holly's "Moose Boy" experience:

Several years ago, three of us left here for an overnight trip to hunt black bear. We left by Beaver for Zup's Camp at Lac La Croix to get a bruin. When we were all together finally in position with game coming towards us, the big bull moose of record size almost trampled Holly, who was seated on his game trail.

Shorts were almost changed.

The trip ended when the 20 horse Merc quit 8 miles from camp in the bush. The guide had a glum look on his face when he told the us that "WE" had run out of gas.

We were very resourceful, including rowing a couple of miles and then breaking into a ranger station shed to siphon weed-whacker gas. It was just enough fuel to make it home.

You talk about focus...

 

 

The following days found the weather improving.  The group went to a neighboring island to hunt grouse.  Spectacular trails winding all parts of this 200 acre island, breathtaking.  Videos below:

 

 

 

 

 

More action, more fishing, more grousing, and an Annie Oakley game, go go go. Then some down time.  Dad crashed in the hammock, Danny and Sadie made up for it.

 

Danny with Sadie outside bunkhouse

 

"Dixie Licks"

 

 

 

 

Can you spot Billy Hayes?  At the mouth of Rat Root Bay.

 

Then Danny and Dad went on an afternoon adventure, exploring the Little Canoe River, all the way north till it ended at the bottom of the waterfalls at Vane Lake.  The water was low this fall and the falls mostly dry, but our one year old lab Sadie still almost couldn't help falling aff the side cliff as we climbed the trail up.  She didn't fall off luckily...just her back end you can see in the video.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then the last night some low bush flying over the boys who were duck hunting.  It was a beautiful sunset, calm with the half moon on the rise.

 

 

 

Credit and thanks to Dave Ronning Jr. for capturing these above 4 images on my camera.

 

Back for more dockside sauna, ice cold dunking’s off the diving board in the lake, followed by the world class dinner of the most succulent roast beef, with baked potatoes and baked bread, followed by a huge bonfire.  A few drinks were had....

Up at 7am Sunday, time for all to go.  A group picture of the gang below.  A fine collection forming the 2012 hunting and fishing crew.




The 2012 boys of fall at Valhalla Island.