'Chasing tags' leads Thunder Bay moose hunter to build portable camp

The archery moose season is underway in northwestern Ontario, while the rifle hunt opens this weekend in parts of the far north.

But cuts in tags for adult moose issued by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry is forcing some hunters to hunt in different wildlife management units (WMU). 

George Clark is a veteran moose hunter from Thunder Bay.

He says major cuts to moose tags in WMU 13, the wildlife management unit closest to the city, have pushed him and his party north.

"In the system they have now, you are almost chasing tags all the time," Clark said. "We were fortunate enough to draw a bull tag for WMU 15B. And my son is involved in the forest industry and we are going to zero in on a certain spot up in the Graham area."

Clark and his son have been preparing for their northern hunt by building a large, portable moose camp.

He says the hunt area in Graham is too far away to do drive back and forth from the city every day. So Clark and his son decided to create a home away from home while in the bush.

"It's 12 by 20 feet, the door is on the 12 foot width end. You might think there is a lot of room here, but there's not, Clarkc said. When you put two seven foot cots in here, you put a kitchen counter with a kitchen sink in it, you put a wood stove and stack some fire wood, a table, and there is not a lot of room."

Clark said he created his own design, and put down his rough plan on a spread sheet which he then sent it to his son, Dustin, who accessed it and said "we need to talk."

While they did come to an understanding on the final design and construction commenced, Clark said portability was of paramount importance.

"This comes apart, and its bolted together in ten panels,' said Clark. "The roof will be a double tarp system with a gap to allow for condensation and we have flooring to put in, like a carpet."

Clark wasn't forthcoming in the cost of his project, estimating it will run in the four-digit range but he considers it an investment. And because of its portability it won't take up too much space to store it until next hunting season, Clark said, however he and his son haven't sorted out where the moose camp will be stored off season.

Moose camps and other structures erected on Crown Land cannot stay indefinitely.

The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry says a 21-day time limit applies under the Public Lands Act.