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  Voyageur Quote:  "We do not see nature with our eyes, but with our understandings and our hearts."  William Hazlitt  

 

 

Voyageur Canoe Race Crew 

    

Weather Report

The week of July 13th brought beautiful summer temperatures in the 70's and 80's with sunny skies.  In the evenings temperatures only dipped into the 50's which is just perfect for sleeping in a tent.  We haven't had too much precipitation lately except for an inch on the 19th of July.  The forecast calls for temperatures in the high 70's during the day and lows in the high 50's at night.  Lots of sunshine in the forecast and little rain predicted has made conditions in the forest dry.  The USFS will be implementing a Level 1 Fire Restriction starting Friday, July 30th.  This means that campfires will not be allowed during the day but will only be allowed from 7:00 PM to midnight.  Be sure to keep an eye on our website for updates on fire restriction levels.  The new moon has brought the northern lights out for all to enjoy this past week.  Come on up and enjoy all the beauty the Boundary Waters has to offer. 

  

  

Wolf on Gunflint Trail

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wildlife

Odd Occurences-  This is one of the photos Mike took of the wolf he saw the other week driving along the Gunflint Trail.  The other night Marilyn yelled to us to come and look at an animal that was up in her tree.  She started to explain it to me and I thought it was probably a pine marten.  She said it looked like a raccoon.  I said, well we've been up here 12 years and I have never seen a racoon here.  Well, there is a first time for everything and sure enough there was a racoon up in the tree.  It was a very large racoon that looked like it was the size of a small bear cub.  Not sure where it came from as they are not known to be in this area.  Other animals such as skunk and porcupines have also been making their appearance on the Gunflint Trail in the past couple of years too.  Before that they were pretty much non-existent.  You never know what type of wildlife you might see when you're on the Gunflint Trail.   

  

   

Voyageur Canoe Outfitters

"Where the Trail Ends Your Voyage Begins"
Mike and Sue Prom
1-888-CANOEIT
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What's New?

Canoe Races- The Gunflint Trail Annual Canoe Races were held last week and Voyageur Canoe Outfitters brought home the travelling trophy for the 3rd consecutive year.  Our staff and a few additional paddlers, including Quetico Park Ranger Janice Matichuk had an excellent day at the races.  The races are mainly for fun with names like Broken Paddle Race and Gunnel Pumping, but at Voyageur we take them seriously, kind of.   The Crew did an awesome job and had alot of fun in the process.  The races and raffle for a Wenonah Canoe and other gifts helped raise over $11,000 for the Gunflint Trail Volunteer Fire Department.

Berries- The berries are ripe in the Boundary Waters.  It is the only time I can remember having Strawberries, Blueberries and Raspberries all ripe at the same time.  The Strawberries are almost gone, but the Blueberry picking is just about perfect.  Our guests are enjoying picking them to make pies and adding them to their pancakes.   

 

   

Crazy Crib LEX w/Tarp  

 

 

 

 

 

Product Review: 

Crazy Creek makes an awesome camping chair and an even better hammock.  They call their hammocks Crazy Cribs and they are lightweight and easy to use.  We have the Crazy Crib LEX with tarp and it makes a great one person tent for someone on a solo trip.  It only weighs 65 ounces and fits into a small stuff sack.  It is a fully enclosed hammock that has mosquito and no- see-um- netting to protect you from bugs.  The 77 X 104" tarp keeps you dry and out of the sun.  There is even a pocket along the bottom so you can put your sleeping pad in for extra sleeping comfort.  It's a great product for any camping trip or for just hanging out!  Find out more about the Crazy Crib and other products by Crazy Creek by checking out their website.

  

         

Fishhook Removal

 

 

 

 

 

 

Skills

Fishhook Injury: This is a common injury in the canoe country wilderness and one of the main reasons for emergency visits at the Cook County Hospital.  We have a rule when we are out fishing and it is that if a rod is left unattended with a lure on it, then the lure is up for grabs.  An unattended lure is an accident waiting to happen.  It's always best to portage and travel without a lure or a hook on your line and to use caution when casting near other people.  However, even with all the care and precaution you can muster you can still end up with a hook in your finger.  It is never fun to end your trip early due to an injury and if you are far from medical help and the hook is not in your eye, then you may attempt to remove it on your own. 

  • Use ice, cold water or hard pressure to provide temporary numbing.
  • Step A: Tie a piece of fishing line to the hook near the skin surface.
  • Step B: Grasp the eye of the hook with one hand and press down about 1/8 inch to disengage the barb.
  • Step C: While still pressing the hook down (barb disengaged), jerk the line parallel to the skin surface so that the hook shaft leads the barb out of the skin.
  • If the fishhook is deeply embedded, another option is to push the hook the rest of the way through the skin, snip off the barb, and remove the hook.
  • Wash the wound thoroughly with soap if possible and cover with a bandage. (Medica Health Handbook)
  

 

Bob Baker 22" Walleye

  

 

Fishing Report  

How's the Fishing? -  The fishing is always fun and catching fish is even better.  The best way to catch fish is to try different things and different places and to not get stuck doing the same thing in the same place.  This is what I learned the other day while out fishing with Bob Baker from Gunflint Pines Resort and Campground.  If the fish aren't out in the deep where you think they should be, then head to the shallow area and try your luck.  If night crawlers aren't working then try leeches.  If  live bait doesn't seem to be doing the trick then switch to a crankbait.  If the speed at which you are trolling isn't producing then go faster or slower.  The lakes in the Boundary Waters and Quetico Park are all a little different so the techniques used to catch fish should be different as well.  The key to catching fish is to try different things throughout your fishing trip and sooner or later, something is going to work.