As with each and every year, things are never the same. This year was no exception. The border finally opened for those that were fully vaccinated, had a negative (accepted) covid test, and filed with Arrive Canada, within a 72 hour window. Again as it turns out, it was easier getting INTO Canada than it was to return home. My hat is STILL off to Canada. The drive up was fantastic. Sunny clear day. very light traffic and we were ahead of schedule. So much so that we were in Drummondville by 10 AM. Check in time at the hotel was 3 PM and they wouldn't budge on that. Neither of us wanted to just wait so we continued the trip all the way to Mont Joli. We got there before check in time in Drummondville so that was a huge plus. We spent 2 days in Mont Joli shopping, checking in at the airport, and just relaxing. The first day in Mont Joli the weather took a turn. Not real bad, just winterlike. We were comfortable and hoping for snow on the island.



Day one on Anticosti was uneventful. Warm and clear. My wife did get a shot at a doe, but failed to connect. I walked into a swamp via a trail system and got caught by a nice spikehorn. He got the drop on me before I made eye contact with him. In a blink he was gone.

Day 2 was a day to be spent on 4 wheelers. In the middle of the night, the rains came accompanied by heavy winds. Rain amounted to over 4" and wind was a steady 40 mph with gusts up to 60. Nan opted to stay in. I got into rain gear and off I want at daylight. The guide was with me. We went into another big swamp and he was grunting. Just short little quiet grunts. It was pouring cats and dogs. All of a sudden he stopped. He pointed and said "see the buck". For the life of me, I could not. Finally I spotted him well over 100 yds. I looked through my Leupold 3X9 and the lenses plus my glasses were impossible to see through. He kept up with the little grunts and the buck started to come to us. I kept trying to pick him up in the scope but could not. Finally I could make him out and I fired. A MISS. I fired again and he went down. He got back up and made it to the edge of the swamp. I had no chance for another shot. All we found was a tuft of white hair. No blood, nothing else. We spent an hour trying to get another chance at him or find him. No luck.

Day 3, my wife was up to going back out. The guide dropped me off and said he would return in about 1 1/2 hours. Meanwhile, in the thick spruces, I jumped a deer. I followed a short distance and found it standing partially concealed. I shot and it piled up. Just a small button buck, but I was in the "if it's brown, it's down" mood. The guide returned and the 3 of us relocated. There was about 6" of snow on the ground and we came over a knoll and there was a nice spike buck in the middle of the trail. Nan was getting into position and the buck turned and was walking away, Nan said something under her breath and fired. Both the guide and I thought it was gut shot because the deer hunched up. Nan stayed where she shot from and the guide and I took the track. In less than 100 feet we saw the deer laying there. We yelled to Nan and she was ecstatic. Where did she hit it? It was a perfect Texas heart shot. The ONLY one I have ever seen.






Day 4 started with light rain. Not heavy, just a nuisance. It was a 4 wheeler day and Nan wasn't happy but she wanted to go. I asked if she could ride with me and there was no problem. I got here to a nice heated blind at one of her favorite spots. Un fortunately she saw nothing. I left her and went up the trail a few hundred yards. At 9:45 a doe stepped out about 50 yards to my right and down hill. Again she spotted me before I saw her. As I turned to shoulder my rifle she bolted. It was the last day. BUT only quarter past nine. Well, as luck would have it, EXACTLY 9:45 a buck trotted out where the doe was and turned uphill towards me. I shouldered my 99 in 284 Winchester and fired. He turned away and headed for the woods. No chance for a second shot. I ran down to where he went in and JUST got into the woods. He was standing facing away less than 50 feet. I had a quartering away shot and took it at the right front shoulder. He jumped straight up and I fired again when he was air born. He crashed tot he ground, DEAD. He was a nice 5 pointer and I was happy.




After being gone for a year and with all the stress of her strokes and covid, and the border closing, we just thank God we were able to get there. We have 3 deer and a moose in the freezers and some FANTASTIC memories.

Here are a few pictures in the "after hunt" time

Always tickled to read this report. Congratulations on another successful season. Glad you folks were able to make the trip again.

What a wonderful time. Don't post often but really enjoy your annual report from Anticosti. Definitely can tell you and your wife have a good time together.

Nice!

So nice to see that you made the trip and enjoyed your time. Anticosti is an almost magical place. I haven't been there since I was stationed in Quebec in the 1980s.

That should convince you to return next year.

I read your report every year (well except last years of course). Its wonderful that you can look forward to the trip and share the experience and the memories with your bride. Kudos for a successful trip!

Congrats to the both of you on another memory making trip.

Thanks for taking us along.

Congrats glad you both enjoyed the trip!

congrats to both of you, I am glad ya'll had a good time👍

We certainly do. In that regard, I am a lucky man. Thanks for following.

All of the above! Thanks for posting and letting us in to it! You know I'm one that always looks forward to this report!

I look forward to hearing from you as well. I always enjoy your posts and points of virw.

Good report on Anticcosti as usual. Glad to see Nan is doing well. Problems on returning to USA?

They completely broke us down. Went through the meat with a fine tooth comb. Made sure EVERY piece was de-boned. Gave us a hard time over the skull caps. Said there was too much tissue. They gave in on that. Then they went through the guns. Made us unlock and check to make sure nothing was in the chambers. We were there close to 45 minutes or more. Two young ladies were doing the inspection.

highlight of the year reading these hunts!

Sure wish Kanada and USA would get over this scamdemic BULLSHIT already.

When we went through Canadian Customs in 2018 we removed the bolts from the gun; in 2021 we left the bolts open. The border patrol agent said he was happy to see open bolts because they have had loaded guns and not that infrequent apparently. We spent more time talking to the border patrol guy than he did checking.
Longbeard i may contact you one day about Anticosti. I have read about it since i was a kid but your stories are the best. Congratulations and good eating!!

Thank you. I would try to answer any questions you might have, but the BEST way is to call the outfitters. Sepaq Anticosti. or Lac Geniveve

https://www.sepaq.com/sepaq-anticosti/


https://www.anticostiplg.com/en/pourvoirie-lac-genevieve-danticosti

Congrads on another Hunt! Thanks for the pics and post.

Thanks, John

Good deal!

Always glad to read the hunting stories, and nice to know you have so much deer and moose venison!

Longbeardking;
Good evening to you sir, thanks so much for that wonderful hunt report and the photos as well.

I'm among the rest who look forward to your annual hunt reports.

Hopefully it's okay to say that you and your wife's hunts give me hope that I can continue on for some time to come as well.

Very, very cool all around sir and a freezer full of meat to top it off.

All the best to you both as we head into Christmas.

Dwayne

Where did you cross the border?

When we were living in Hanover we went across the border on Route 3 north of Pittsburgh, NH, and I forgot that I had an old S&W 1917 in the back. Needless to say I was glad that we didn't get inspected either going north or coming back south.

We found the crossing at Canaan, VT, was easier than any other that we used.

As always another great hunt. Enjoyed your moose hunt and now the Anticosti adventures.

We always cross at Derby Line Vt/Stanstead Canada. We have crossed many years on the Route 143 crossing instead of the one on Route I-91. The smaller one is much more cordial and informal. + we know most of them by first names. Coming back was the same. We always stopped at the American side in Derby Line, but after the CWD in Canada the guys advised us to start using the larger facility as they had a USDA person there full time to deal with the meat. Times are always changing.

I would say my wife and I are to stubborn to give up.

Congratulations LBK & Nan !!

So glad you got back & had another great trip.

Blessed by the full freezer too.

Glad you had such a good time!

Congratulations on a great hunt! Nice read on a cold blustery morning.

Thank you one and all. We got through all the red tape crossing the border and now that we have done it once, as long as the border remains open, we will have an idea of what to expect next year. Hopefully our health will remain well and Nan will continue to be stable,. We are looking forward to next year as well. Thanks everyone for the kind words.

Glad you could still make the trip. Like others, I'm a fan and look forward to hearing about your Anticosti hunt every year. This was a good read, from someone who feels like my kind of people.

Many of us think the same and that what makes life great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sounds like a good trip, glad you could go.


Hope next year is even better.

Thanks!

Glad you could partake again this year!

Congrats on a successful trip, Longbeardking!

Thanks everyone. It was stressful getting there, but once there it was another great time except for the heavy rain and wind after day one. Hoping for a better year in 2022.

Good to see your postings, Stephen. My congratulations and regards to Nan as well!

We'll talk on the other side...

Great story, LBK.

I look forward to this every year and just finished reading it. Congrats on another great trip Steve and Nan, can’t wait for next years adventure. Have a happy, healthy New year.

Think of this — you as citizens — returning, in the context of the open southern border with guns, drugs, (and terrorists?) and the Corona pouring through. What total despicable immoral hypocrites are this D Party and administration.

But, thanks for reporting your experience. I’ve read of Anticosti many times but never have been there. And I apologize if my post was a blemish on your good thread.

Your post is no blemish as far as I am concerned. It is spot on with my thinking. I have NO use for liberals, whether they reside in the USA OR in Canada. Thank you for your insight.

Congrats on that great hunt and thanks for the nice write-up & photos. Always enjoyable and I've been fascinated by Anticosti for years. First read about Anticosti back in 1987 when Mossberg introduced their "Trophy Slugster" fully rifled Model 500 shotgun variant and had some folks on Anticosti hunting with them. It was a cool story and I was more interested in reading about the island than those new fully rifled Mossberg 500's.

The island is a fascinating place to hunt and watch deer behavior. I have learned more about deer since 2003 when I started hunting there, than I have since I started hunting in 1961. Thanks everyone for your comments and compliments.

It is a lovely place! I loved the positivity there, the scenery and nice people.

'Merry Christmas!

Thank you for your words. I have met a bunch of nice Canadians and would rather be there much more often.