It was a seven-river trip down from Notellem Lake to the road where the big Yellow bus waited. Everything you expected from another Yukon September, the colours in the trees, the smell of fallen leaves with wet dew, the sound of Bob’s perfect long moose calls and around every bend I would scan ahead with binoculars stretching out our field of vision; down a colourful hunters dream come true. And the thought of just being in The Yukon on a river in September hunting with Bob Daffe made you think, wow a trip of a lifetime.
As Bob was on the oars I would often let him know I was going to practice acquiring targets. This meant I would pick a safe spot to aim, lift the rifle without losing sight of the spot and hold on the spot. I needed to be ready for every opportunity a moose could come out from anywhere or even just come to a few meters of the shore but still be hiding in the bushes.
If Bob was on the oars I better be doing my part of the hunt. I would surely have a shot off before Bob could push something over with his lever action 45/70. We each had a focus and the special bond of two hunting buddies, off on another adventure was all you needed to really enjoy the day.
One particular afternoon things between Bob and I just did not seem right! Bob was very quiet something was a little different! Hours later we were looking for a campsite we had not spoken much and the awkwardness was setting in. After having found a spot to camp, we quickly set up the Arctic Oven as we had done many times before, but this time it was very quiet. This bothered me as we were usually pretty chatty and cussing out the last tough fly peg.
I went for firewood, Bob set up the rest of camp and It was my turn to cook. Watching the dinner simmer in the Dutch oven, Bob spoke and broke the long silence. “You Know You’re A Good Friend…” There was a dead pause and I waited as I knew Bob had more to say.
Then Bob went on to say “Sometimes I like to be quiet and not talk, just think of stuff.” This explained the whole afternoon, my worries had lifted. Supper time went by with laughs and old stories. Bob and I were again on a hunt of a lifetime.
Maybe silence is Golden we just have to go through the quiet times to get the Gold.
