The Fall in Northern Ontario - 12/08/23
Fall meant the changing of the seasons and the need to pack in the winter meat supply. Rich or poor, northern Ontario residents went into the bush for bear, deer and moose meat to get them through the cold months. Canoes or small, 12 foot aluminum boats were perfect for an afternoon of fishing. Being outdoors was part of our lifestyle.
Growing up meant fishing for "pickerel", known to most these days as walleyes. Some was eaten fresh, or frozen for later. A portion was jarred. The ladies were busy canning fish, fruits and vegetables from August to October. Families also hunted for ruffed grouse, colloquially known as "partridge" around Sudbury and most of northern Ontario. The younger boys were busy on weekends shooting rabbits and grouse that made great stews over the winter.
The grown ups had less time because of work, so some businesses used to shut down to let the men go hunting. Usually, young boys got hand me down rifles from their dads. Sometimes, it was a way for your dad or uncle to buy a new rifle from Canadian Tire, Simpson-Sears or mail order from the Ellwood Epps store.
"The boy needs his first rifle!"
Mom might not have agreed, but I don't recall anyone ever getting in trouble over it.
303s were popular for years because many men used them when they were in the army. It was the comfort of familiarity. And surplus meant inexpensive! Certainly much less than a new Model 70 or Remington. A few owned 30-06s, but $100-$150 was a lot of money to pay! I never saw or even knew what a magnum rifle was until I was a teenager. A close family friend harvested his moose every year with a Savage 340 chambered in 30-30. He thought 30-06s were a waste of money. Based on his success rate, it was hard to argue with him.
For many, turkey was the traditional Christmas supper and moose roasts were common for New Years. Venison was popular around the Soo (Sault Ste Marie) as was perch and other "wild" finger food. Some old folks used to refer to whitetails as Virginia deer, but that expression has disappeared. Calling walleyes "pickerel" has declined too. US television and magazines were a big part of that. The emergence of cable TV in the 1970s was a huge factor.
Before that, we looked forward to monthly outdoors magazines, the sports columns in our local newspaper and the Star weekly (later, The Canadian magazine) that came out on weekends. It was published in Toronto. Sunday gun shows were an excuse to socialize, get the latest news and check out vendors' tables for "new to you" equipment. Hunting and fishing was not considered by the press to be bad back then. It was something that northerners did recreationally and to feed their families. My own relatives still supplement their food supply with local hunting trips.
We were content to live where we lived. No one wanted to move south to Toronto! That was a place 350 miles away where "the citiots" lived. We saw a few every fall during the hunting season, but mercifully, the cool temperatures kept most away from October until after the long weekend in May.
Christmases were more traditional. We used to cut down a tree every December and take it back to the house. It was put into a metal pale full of sand, kept exclusively for that purpose. While many of the decorations were store bought, we had some "heirlooms" made by relatives when they were kids. There were paper chains and decorations made from tin foil, old wrapping paper and painted wood.
They are great memories.
Meat freezers have replaced cold cellars. Modern rifle cartridges have replaced 303s. Better roads have made it easier for people from southern Ontario to travel north. Sudbury and the Soo have changed a lot since I was a kid, but I get nostalgic this time of year. I miss friends and relatives who have passed on and simpler times when my Cooey and I managed to bag a couple of rabbits on a Saturday afternoon.
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Growing up meant fishing for "pickerel", known to most these days as walleyes. Some was eaten fresh, or frozen for later. A portion was jarred. The ladies were busy canning fish, fruits and vegetables from August to October. Families also hunted for ruffed grouse, colloquially known as "partridge" around Sudbury and most of northern Ontario. The younger boys were busy on weekends shooting rabbits and grouse that made great stews over the winter.
The grown ups had less time because of work, so some businesses used to shut down to let the men go hunting. Usually, young boys got hand me down rifles from their dads. Sometimes, it was a way for your dad or uncle to buy a new rifle from Canadian Tire, Simpson-Sears or mail order from the Ellwood Epps store.
"The boy needs his first rifle!"
Mom might not have agreed, but I don't recall anyone ever getting in trouble over it.
303s were popular for years because many men used them when they were in the army. It was the comfort of familiarity. And surplus meant inexpensive! Certainly much less than a new Model 70 or Remington. A few owned 30-06s, but $100-$150 was a lot of money to pay! I never saw or even knew what a magnum rifle was until I was a teenager. A close family friend harvested his moose every year with a Savage 340 chambered in 30-30. He thought 30-06s were a waste of money. Based on his success rate, it was hard to argue with him.
For many, turkey was the traditional Christmas supper and moose roasts were common for New Years. Venison was popular around the Soo (Sault Ste Marie) as was perch and other "wild" finger food. Some old folks used to refer to whitetails as Virginia deer, but that expression has disappeared. Calling walleyes "pickerel" has declined too. US television and magazines were a big part of that. The emergence of cable TV in the 1970s was a huge factor.
Before that, we looked forward to monthly outdoors magazines, the sports columns in our local newspaper and the Star weekly (later, The Canadian magazine) that came out on weekends. It was published in Toronto. Sunday gun shows were an excuse to socialize, get the latest news and check out vendors' tables for "new to you" equipment. Hunting and fishing was not considered by the press to be bad back then. It was something that northerners did recreationally and to feed their families. My own relatives still supplement their food supply with local hunting trips.
We were content to live where we lived. No one wanted to move south to Toronto! That was a place 350 miles away where "the citiots" lived. We saw a few every fall during the hunting season, but mercifully, the cool temperatures kept most away from October until after the long weekend in May.
Christmases were more traditional. We used to cut down a tree every December and take it back to the house. It was put into a metal pale full of sand, kept exclusively for that purpose. While many of the decorations were store bought, we had some "heirlooms" made by relatives when they were kids. There were paper chains and decorations made from tin foil, old wrapping paper and painted wood.
They are great memories.
Meat freezers have replaced cold cellars. Modern rifle cartridges have replaced 303s. Better roads have made it easier for people from southern Ontario to travel north. Sudbury and the Soo have changed a lot since I was a kid, but I get nostalgic this time of year. I miss friends and relatives who have passed on and simpler times when my Cooey and I managed to bag a couple of rabbits on a Saturday afternoon.
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