After 25 years of fly-in fishing at Kashabowie Outposts, Rich Koenig has trophy fishing down to a fine art.

“There’s always the potential of a giant fish,’ said Koenig, who along with brother Al brings groups of friends and business clients to Wapikaimaski Lake each year for Walleye in excess of 10 lbs. Primarily catch and release, Koenig said the quest is always to catch the ‘giant,’ and capture the moment on camera.

Because their trips are usually only four to five days long (he alternates between Wapikaimaski and Mosher Lake, where the group pursues large Northern), Koenig’s group is serious about fishing. “It’s a concentrated trip. We fish heavy-from morning until night.”

If trophy fish is what you’re after, Wapikaimaski Lake doesn’t disappoint, said Koenig. “I consider it a really good lake to that effect. It’s a huge lake -a totally different type of fishing.” A 20 mile long lake, it has many hidden bays and islands and fast water.

An added asset is the remoteness and the abundant wildlife. In his many trips to Wapikaimaski, Koenig says he has seen everything from otters and moose to two Caribou who crossed in front of his boat–making for some incredible photographs.

The four bedroom cabin offers “excellent accommodations” for up to 12 occupants and offers everything you need, says Koenig.

And thanks to radio phones (one of the new services added over the many years he has been a guest), “if you run out of anything, they’ll fly it in. They pay a lot of attention to their guests.”
Which means all there is to think about is finding that giant.

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1. Catching fish is fun!

“They want you to call in and just say ‘hey, we’re having a wonderful time,’ or just to let them know how you are.”

Kashabowie Outposts takes care of its guests–and is one of the reasons Ohio’s Nancy Mandernach and husband Ron plan to make it a yearly tradition.

“The owners are very responsible and caring people,” said Nancy. “They want to tell you how to fish, where to fish, and if you’re not having a good day, you can pick up the [radio] phone and say ‘Wait a minute, this is not like you said,’ and they’ll say, ‘Are you doing this?’ That’s important-they want you to have a good time.”

Safety is also of utmost importance to Kashabowie Outposts staff. “They’re very knowledgeable and they make sure you know the flight and fishing regulations.”

Guests are also oriented to their cabin, equipment, lake and its’ prime fishing spots.
Accommodations are “outstanding,” (she said indoor showers are a definite plus!) and equipment is always in good working order. “If you needed something, they’d certainly fly it over to you.”

The staff’s attention to detail and safety, combined with radio phone service, give these die-hard anglers a feeling of security, even while on a remote wilderness lake. “They always do a fly-over. If they don’t hear from you, they’ll come in and check on you.”

Great fishing and accommodations, beautiful scenery and the sense of being taken care of–for the Mandernachs they all add up to one thing.

“We leave planning our return.”

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1. I waited thirty years…

“I don’t think you tire of beauty – I just don’t think that happens.”

Nebraska’s Mark Schanbacher describes why he has returned to Mosher Lake every year since the late 1990s.

“You get some of the most beautiful sunsets and the colours are just amazing. Then there’s the wildlife; the bears, the moose, the eagles fighting…”

Of course the Northern fishing is a special attraction for Schanbacher’s yearly group which includes family and friends, what really makes it special is the “environment that you catch it in.”

There are a number of reasons Schanbacher has returned faithfully to Mosher; the beauty, isolation and the short flight. The advantages of a 15 minute flight, he says are that for those prone to motion sickness–it is short enough to lessen that likelihood, and weather conditions are less likely to impede scheduled arrivals or departures.

Located 23 miles northeast of Kashabowie Outposts air base, Mosher Lake has helped in the creation of some family memories–from tipping a boat, (with a little help from a brother who’s “not on the extremely coordinated side.”) to cliff jumping for the kids.

Of the three-bedroom cabin that comfortably holds 10, Schanbacher notes,

“They’re very nice accommodations. I think most people are surprised when they get there, by the quality of the accommodations.”

(The cabin also offers solar-powered lights, hot and cold running water, shower, cooking stove with oven, refrigerator, with barbeque and fish cooker available.)

Alongside the cabin, a gazebo offers the perfect view of the lake–framed by rocky shoreline and granite cliffs.

Schanbacher admits that Mosher Lake is almost a secret he likes to keep to himself, because of a feeling of ownership he feels about his times at Mosher.

“When you’re there, you feel like it’s your lake. For one week, you have it all to yourself. There’s no other cabins, no news…nothing, so the world just passes you by. Your whole universe is that lake. It’s a great escape.”

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1. Smallmouth Bass, Walleye OR Northerns!

Ron Mandernach has been waiting thirty years to catch a 35.5 inch Walleye. As it turns out, his wife Nancy caught it a year ago on a fishing vacation to Grew Lake. And he’s not even bitter about it-really. After all, “It takes a good guide-if I didn’t take her to the right place she wouldn’t have caught it.”

A well coordinated team, this couple from Ohio share a love of fishing that has made week-long fly-in fishing vacations to Kashabowie Outposts’ Grew Lake a new tradition.

“Grew Lake is probably the nicest lake I’ve been to,” says Ron (who was content with several Walleye in the over-30 inch range this year). “It’s a very easy lake to fish.” Even with last summer’s hot temperatures, which usually make for harder fishing, “We still did very well. We probably caught a dozen over-25 inch Walleyes, as well as a few 12-17 lb. Northern.” The couple practice catch and release, searching for trophy fish to capture on camera.

Nancy, who caught the fishing fever about 15 years ago, said the couple have enjoyed fishing new lakes, but have decided to stick with Grew. “This is actually the place where we have caught the biggest Walleyes.”

In addition to the fishing, there a couple of other reasons for the Mandernach’s loyalty to Grew. The wildness of this lake 68 miles northeast of Kashabowie Outposts affords some rare glimpses of wildlife, such as moose, bear and this past year, the opportunity to see wild grouse was a first for the couple.

“We go for the nature and the quiet and you get it-and it is absolutely awesome. One sunset is not like another and the colours are magnificent,” said Nancy.

The accommodations (two bedrooms which comfortably hold eight) are immaculate and the equipment always in good working order, say Ron and Nancy. Now in their 50s, they also like the security of the radio phones, and only being a phone call away.

A short flight of about 20 minutes into Grew Lake means the areas is remote, yet close enough to be convenient, when the couple has a 1200 mile return road trip ahead of them. “They come to get you about 9 o’clock in the morning and then we hit the road on the way back.”

Good fishing, quality service and accommodations combined with the familiarity they feel with the lake mean the couple plan on at least one Grew Lake vacation every summer, said Ron.

“We kind of got a tradition now-we’ll probably keep coming to Grew until we can’t do it anymore.”

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With several lakes accessible through Bemar Lake (32 miles southeast of Kashabowie Outposts), Wisconsin’s Jeff Winn says there is the option to fish for small mouth Bass, Walleye or Northern so “there’s always something happening.”

From Bemar Lake, “You can take daily trips into Quetico Park.”

After many years of fishing Sagnagons, Ross, Elevation and Bitchu lakes, Winn and a regular gang of childhood friends and their sons remain loyal to this location because of the many great fishing and scenic options. Whether boating on Bemar or canoeing in the Park, the adventure is different. With no motorized vehicle access, the Park offers tranquil beauty and excellent fishing.

Winn said the biggest Walleye the group has caught was about 31.5 lbs; the biggest Northern was 44.5 lbs; and some small mouth bass at close to 6 lbs. “We catch lots of 3 to 5 lb bass.”

Although a very popular lake, Winn said that after many years of staying at Bemar, “I don’t think anybody in the world knows more about those lakes than I do. I plan to keep going back as long as I am able.”

It’s a 12 hour drive for Winn’s gang, but now with the Paddler’s Rest Bed and Breakfast next door to Kashabowie Outposts, “You get a good night’s sleep and you’re ready to go.”

When it comes to flying in, “I like the fact that they tell you what time of your flight. Because of good coordination, it’s not a rush. They seem to have it down to a science.”

Planning, attentiveness and an eye to detail make all the difference, said Winn. The 10 person, three bedroom cabin is fully equipped with solar lights, hot and cold running water, showers, stove with oven, refrigerators, barbeque and fish cooker available. The large cabin (the only one on the lake) also has a large deck. A radiophone helps ensure safety but also that the guest has everything necessary to really enjoy a vacation.

“I like ice. I don’t like warm beer or pop when I’m on vacation,” explains Winn. “They make sure you have ice when they fly you in and they check in to see if you need more. They stay ahead of the game. They always stay on top of upgrading the cabins and equipment.”

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“The biggest fish I’ve ever had on my line was at Mountairy Lake. I’d estimate it was probably about 44 inches long. It was so big we couldn’t land it in the boat, so after about five tries at landing it–the hook was coming out every time it made a run. It was so big you couldn’t get your hands around it. As hard as my brother-in-law and I tried to get it in the boat, we never did. I guess maybe that’s the one I keep going back to fish for.”

While longtime Mountairy Lake devotee Tim Baron says the elusive Northern is an incentive, the lake is also, “the best lake ever fished.” With a fair amount of Northern in the 35 and 40 inch range, Baron finds Mountairy (85 miles northeast of Kashabowie Outposts) an easy lake to fish where he says you can always count on 10-12 good Walleye fishing spots.

“People talk about the old adage of ‘can you put 100 fish in the boat a day?’ and you definitely can do that,” said Baron, whose 12 year old son is anxious to join Baron’s usual group of guys next summer for his first fishing trip. “My son asks me, ‘how many fish do you catch a day, Dad?’ I say, ‘well, usually you catch Walleye until you’re sick of catching fish and then you try for Northerns for awhile.”

After many Canadian fly-in fishing trips over 11 years, Baron’s group of typically 6-8 guys has fished Mountairy in Spring, Summer and Fall and Baron said the fishing is consistently rewarding.

While the group catches enough for shore lunch, most of their fishing is catch and release, where they pursue the trophy fish that lurk in the waters, especially along the rocky shoreline.

The large three bedroom cabin comfortably accommodates 12 and with a wood stove, Baron said the group was warm even during an October trip. The cabin has all necessary amenities include propane stove, fridge and barbeque, hot and cold running water, shower, solar lights, barbeque and fish cooker available, kitchen and cooking utensils, ice house, boats and motors and all the necessary gas and bunk beds with mattresses (all you need bring is sleeping bags). Radio phones, Baron said, provide security. “Kashabowie Outposts tell you every trip, ‘call in–we appreciate it. Their attention to detail and safety factors are great. They’ll drop off ice or stop in and check on you.’”

Another attraction Mountairy holds for Baron’s group is an evening tradition. At one of the lakes fishing holes is “a spot we call ‘the rock.’ At the end of the night we’ll have three or four boats of us and we’ll meet there and fish for Walleyes. We can tell stories and still catch 25 Walleyes. That’s probably one of my favourite things to do at the lake,” he says.

Whether it’s the continued pursuit of the One That Got Away (and the plenteous other trophy-sized Northerns that inhabit the deeps of Mountairy), or the steady supply of Walleye, this is a lake that keeps Baron and his friends returning year after year.

“I’ve always found Mountairy the best
because the Walleyes are so numerous there
- and catching fish is fun.”
Tim Barron

Article by Jessica Smith

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“If you know where to go, it’s just phenomenal-and it’s not just one day, it’s every day. It’s nothing to go out in the evening and catch 50 fish.”

That’s the conclusion of longtime guest and veteran angler of Kashabowie Outposts’ Piche Lake, Perry Budreau. The Lincoln, Michigan resident has been pursuing Northern and Walleye at the lake for the past six years, and says the biggest Northern he’s caught to date has been 22 lbs. (The shallow weed beds at the southern end of the lake in particular host large Northern).

A Kashabowie Outposts guest for the past 12 years, Budreau has fished other lakes, but this lake is one of his favourites. “It’s absolutely excellent-it’s hard not to have good fishing up there.”
Kashabowie Outposts

Budreau has also hooked family and friends on the Piche Lake experience. This past summer he brought son Brian and in previous years, other family members, friends and his usual fishing gang, have joined all him at various times. The reaction of first-time guests is pretty predictable, he said.

“When I take people up there, they just can’t believe it. I’ve had two or three couples go up with me numerous times, and [now] they just look forward to it.”

Piche Lake’s two-bedroom cabin comfortably holds six and has all necessary amenities. Located 65 miles northeast of Kashabowie Outposts air base, it is the only cabin on the lake.

For Budreau, a Kashabowie Outpost fly-in fishing trip has become a yearly opening weekend tradition-a fact that has a lot to do with the quality of service from the experienced pilots and staff. They have been providing fly-in fishing vacations for over 20 years, and “[They are] an excellent group of people to work with. They bend over backwards for you-it’s just been a pleasure to go up there [every year].”

And when it comes to Piche Lake, Budreau puts it simply.
“If you like to catch fish, that’s the place to go.”

More on Piche Lake

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Great Walleye and Northern fishing have kept Jim Basara and his gang returning to Gridiron Lake for nearly a decade.

From the cabin on Gridiron, the group can access Sassafras Lake and the Minneapolis, MN resident said the group likes both lakes because the fishing is good (the biggest Walleye the group has reeled in so far is 28 inches.) and is the right size for easy fishing.

“We’ve been to other lakes in Canada where the lake was 50 miles wide and about 150 miles long. Here, if the weather turns nasty, you can get back to the cabin quickly. Even people we bring up for the first time can figure it out.”

Basara and friends have brought their wives and returned to Gridiron as many as three times in one summer.
“Everybody comes home happy.”

The eight person, two bedroom cabin has a small beach in front and ice house and with solar lights, stove with oven, refrigerator, cold and hot running water, showers and radio phones, provides all the necessary comforts. Over the years, the continual upgrades to facilities such as the installation of electric water pump to replace a gas pump, has eliminated the need for priming the generator and “it means more time for fishing.”

Kashabowie Outposts

“Kashabowie Outposts run a top notch operation. They maintain the facilities and have kept current,” said Basara. “I’ve always been very happy with the level of service.”

An easy day’s drive, Basara said the group likes to come up the day before departure to Gridiron and stay at the Paddler’s Rest Bed and Breakfast, right next to the Kashabowie Outposts hangar.

It’s those memories of Gridiron that brighten a long Minnesota winter and keep Basara planning return trips.

“I enjoy the time I spend with my friends in the boat, fishing. We always have a good time.”

More on Gridiron Lake

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2008 Biggest Fish Contest Winners!

Biggest Walleye 2008

Joe Davidson – 31″ on Wapikaimaski Lake – July 8th Brett Boeing (age 13) – 30 1/4″ on Bemar/Ross Lake – June 26th (2nd place)

Biggest Northern Pike 2008

Shawn Finley – 49″ on Gridiron Lake – July 2nd Joe Kaiser (age 10) – 47″ on Kershaw Lake – June 8th (2nd place)

Biggest Smallmouth Bass 2008

Will Lentz (age 12) – 21″ on Bemar Lake – June 28th

1st place winners will receive a FREE sweatshirt!

2nd place winners will receive a FREE hat and t-shirt!

You can pick these up on your next Kashabowie Outposts fishing trip.

2008 Winning Picture:

Every year we have given away a free fly-in trip in our annual best picture contest. It is not easy to pick the best all around picture: whether it is nature, fish or just a good cabin shot. This summer we asked you to take pictures of the cabins with a bit of the lake in the picture. We have chosen the moonlight photo of the Bemar Lake cabin taken by the Gary Mortag group.

“Moonlight Over Bemar Lake”

Upgrade Report 2008

Since the floor for a new cabin at Kershaw Lake has been built, we hope to send a work crew up to work on the cabin as soon as it fits their schedule. If all goes well the new cabin, along with a new motor shed, should be up and running for the 2010 season. But we will have to see how things go.

“If the fishing is good, what else matters”

We are planning to put in new flooring at Gridiron Lake. With all the sandy soil around the cabin, a type of hardwood will hold up better than the painted floors. This will be completed for the 2009 start up.

Generally all the cabins need regular maintenance throughout the season, such as docks, walkways, boat ramps, outhouses, etc.

The McGinnis Lake cabin will be set up and running for the 2009 season. This is a good opportunity for all of you smallmouth bass fishermen.

“So Clean, You Can Eat Off The Floor!”

In the spring the ice, high water and strong winds did major damage to the dock at Gridiron Lake. After two days of work and a few walleye caught, the dock was rebuilt along with the sauna being finished.

At Mosher Lake the cabin footings seem to need to be replaced every 4 – 5 years. This year they were due for repair after the heavy spring run off sank them even further into the ground.

At Bemar Lake the bears finally tore down the old outhouse. I guess it had seen better days anyway. That same day a work crew flew in and put up a new biffy while the fishermen were out on the water. I guess they never heard the plane coming in or leaving, so it left them wondering how that change happened!

Fishing Report 2008

May 17th was opening day for the 2008 walleye season. With the ice going out later than normal on Eva Lake where our base is located, we had to fly out of a neighboring lake that had opened earlier just to get operations underway. Eva Lake did not open until May 15th, a record late ice out for us since 1996. This spring we were flying in guests to some cabins without having them set up as well as we normally would.

The Kashabowie Outpost crew was off to a very late start. The water levels were mostly high this spring. The dam above Mosher Lake was left closed until we received a couple of major rain falls. The dam was then opened and water levels rose 5′ in two days. The Firesteel River that flows into Mosher Lake had excellent fishing during the first few weeks of the season. As the water levels receded, the fish went into deeper water throughout the lake.

The late spring kept water temperatures below normal. The north side of the lakes warmed up much quicker from the sun. Kershaw Lake was a good example of how the walleye schooled in the warmer waters.

Here is a picture of a Blue Northern

that are specific only to Mosher Lake

MNR Fish Studies

The Gridiron/Sassafras Lake chain produced some big fish this season. There were northern caught in the upper 40″ range with walleye exceeding 10lbs. During the last week of August, the Ministry of Natural Resources did some fish studies on Grew, Wapikaimaski and Loganberry Lakes. All bodies of water were very healthy. Northern size ranged from 15″ – 40″ and walleye size ranged from 8″ – 28″. The biggest walleye were in Grew Lake, that measured up to 32″.

Mountairy Lake was a busy lake this summer. Many trophy northern were caught in the spring and 1 1/2 – 4lb. walleye were consistent all season. The last group fished Mountairy Lake in early October. Ninety-six year old Dave Wertzberger and his 3 sons challenged the elements and the tougher fishing, but still had a great time!

Not many people can claim the fame of having taken a remote fly-in outpost fishing trip at the age of 96, but Dave Wertzberger from Dubuque, Iowa can! Not only that, but this was his 2nd trip, he was with us when he was a young lad of 94! I said to him on the flight out, “Dave, I can’t believe that you are 96 years old”. His response was “Don I’m not 96, I’ve been 96 and now I’m working on 97″!

We hope that you enjoy many more fulfilling years Dave!

The “catch and release” policy is a positive solution to excellent fishing. With all the fishing activity on the Bemar Lake chain, it produced a lot of smallmouth 16″ – 20″, northern greater than 40″, and 30″ walleye caught on Ross Lake.

The over all weather this summer was on the wet side. Water levels were higher than normal, which resulted in less damage to the outboard motor propellers. The forest fire hazard was very low during the 2008 season as a result of high rainfall.

So all in all the fishing was a success for 2008. The kids kept up to the adults with landing some of the biggest fish in all categories. Thanks again for your dedication and loyalty. We could not do it without you! See you next season!

Moose Hunt 2008

Each year the archery hunt starts on the 3rd Saturday of September. This year September 20th was opening
day. The weather before Saturday was perfect, calm and cold. We figured this would get the bulls thinking about their girlfriends early. Well, we were in for a big surprise. Once the hunters showed up, so did our Indian summer, with warm southerly winds. This lasted for about a week. There was very little response from the bulls, maybe a grunt here, a grunt there, the swamp donkeys would not come into bow range.

As the hunt went on, the archery hunters at Mosher Lake had a great opportunity and bagged a 50″ bull by the end of their week. Another 2 1/2 year old bull winded the hunters, so he will still be around for next year.

On the 26th of September the first bull was taken with help from guide Dave Maynard. The Loberg group arrowed a unique looking 48″ bull. Both Loganberry and Gridiron Lake hunters are old rivals of the sport. After 10 days with the weather not cooperating, they had plenty of action, but just could not put a bull on the meat pole.

Fern was out every chance he could get. He too was having very little response. On the rainy night of the 29th, the message on the GPS Spot was “moose down”. By noon the next day, the 44″ bull was being transported to the truck with the 4-wheelers. The wind never seemed to die down during the hunt. On the 27th, Jim had two mature bulls wind him. Once in the morning and again that same evening, a bull in the high 50″s winded him. On the morning of Oct. 1st, Jim was positioned down wind and arrowed a respectable 40″+ bull with the black widow.

Fern’s 2008 Trophy

The same evening, an archer from St. Paul took a spike horn that swam out into a lake, which made retrieval a little more difficult. On Oct. 3rd the mature bulls were still vocalizing with the cows. With some challenge calls and thrashing, an aggressive 52″ walked into a fight with the hunter. The last bull was taken on Oct. 5th. With Fern being the caller and camera man, another satisfied hunter took his first archery moose, a mature 46″ bull. Overall the peak of the rut was a week later this year. The archery hunt is always a challenge, but a lot of fun!

Jim’s 2008 Trophy

As the rifle hunt approached, the Indian summer kicked in again. The moose did not move at all. So the fishing rods came out and walleye were on the menu. Three days into the hunt, the temperatures started to drop and moose hunting improved. Bemar Lake hunters shot a 45″ bull and spotted other cows the same day. A rutting 56″ bull at Mountairy Lake came out to a challenge call and was taken by the hunter.

The Mountairy boys also took a 2 1/2 year old by the end of the week. Five miles away is the famous moose sanctuary, Gridiron Lake. Cows, cows, cows! Finally the boys filled their bull tag on the last day. Two hunters had some great action on Loganberry Lake with different sightings of moose, but they could not get the perfect shot.

Guide Paul Duquette flew into Wapikaimaski Lake with 2 hunters. Close to the end of their hunt, they shot a trophy 54″ bull and passed up a 3 1/2 year old bull.

During the second week of the hunt, the moose started to move away from open water.

“Mike Little’s 2008 56 1/2 in trophy”

In the second week of the rifle hunt the two hunters at Bemar Lake ended up with a cow moose during their one week stay.

Over all the 2008 hunting season was a challenging one but still considered a success. I guess that’s why they call it hunting and not shooting!

Moose hunt hits the spot for widow

Mary Brucker was successful in her 1st moose hunt ever,
at McGinnis Lake.

Here is an article that was printed in The Pantagraph (Bloomington,IL) on Nov. 16, 2008:

Bloomington Pantagraph Pantagraph, The (Bloomington, IL) November 16, 2008 Moose hunt hits the spot for widow Author: Scott Richardson Edition: Main Section: GO! Page: E1 Article Text: Mary Brucker, 62, of Bloomington, didn’t want to sit at home after her husband, Roger, died two years ago. But rather than join a club or take up bridge, her answer was to go moose hunting. She bagged an 800-pound yearling in the woods of Canada in October. “I wish I could knit or something,” said Brucker, a life member of the National Rifle Association and a retired federal worker with the Department of the Treasury. “Shooting is my passion.” Brucker, who is active with the Illinois State Rifle Association, started shooting at age 15. She was supposed to go to church one night. But when her dad, former Bloomington Police Chief Frederick Giermann, asked if she’d rather go to the shooting range at the Armory with him, she jumped at the chance. She became a crack shot with handguns. She enjoyed being one of the few females in the sport, where she could compete on par with men. “It kept me out of trouble as a teenager,” she said. Today, she’s a certified NRA training counselor who teaches experienced shooters to become training instructors. “It’s about the sport of having a fun, but it can promote so much for a quality of life,” she said. Brucker’s husband didn’t shoot, but he supported her interest. About 15 years ago, she picked up a shotgun for the first time to hunt deer. She’s harvested several whitetails since then. All were does. “I’ve been out there when it was 10 above in a tree stand 18 feet high,” Brucker said. Not long after Roger died, a former co-worker of hers from the Chicago area, Joe Billmeier, telephoned and asked if she’d like to go moose hunting. “He said I was the only friend of his who could shoot straight,” Brucker recalled. “I said, ‘Oh, no, they are way too pretty.’ ” But on a trip out West to be a crew member on a hot air balloon, she was in a restaurant in Colorado with several sets of antlers on the wall. One was very large. She assumed it was a moose. “Oh, that’s a beautiful moose rack,” she said. “My dear, that’s an elk,” was the answer. Nevermind that she got it wrong. The antlers gave her an idea of what she might expect from a moose. She changed her mind about going north. “Once I was determined, I gave it 150 percent,” she said. She bought her first rifle, a .308-caliber Winchester equipped with a scope. Billmeier contacted Kashabowie Outpost, Ltd., in a place in Ontario called Atikokan, which translates as “caribou bones.” But it was a moose they were after. The outfitter supplies the tags for the hunt, which Canadian game officials monitor closely. “The rules are adhered to the ninth degree. That’s the way I like it, and they should be… You do it the right way. That’s the true meaning of the sportsmanship of hunting,” she said. From town, they flew to an outpost where Brucker quickly learned what was really important to her. “I slept with a roll of toilet paper, a flashlight and my ammunition,” she said. She was paired with guide Rob White. Billmeier was set up on his own while Brucker and White explored the shore of McGinnis Lake by canoe. Being taller, White could see a moose in the grass of the black spruce swamp. He urged Brucker to fire. But her scope wasn’t set right, and the close-up she had was just a patch of color in the dim evening light. Not convinced of her target, she waited. The moose backed up and circled. This time she got a side view. It stopped and turned its head toward her. She shot twice. She soon learned one pierced the heart, the other the lungs. Both were fatal. “It was magnificent,” she said. “He is 800 pounds, a yearling born in May of 2007. I wanted the big bullwinkle one (rack), but I’ll take what I can get. I was so happy.” Word spread through the area that, “Mary got a moose.” Her friend was very pleased. After a woman pilot (Liz) ferried them back to town, Brucker loaded the meat and the head in her pickup truck and headed for the border. After customs officials made sure all was correct, she dropped the meat off in Minnesota for processing and went home. Rocke Taxidermy in Eureka is finishing the head. The trip cost was $5,000. “I’m looking for work,” she joked. That amount may climb even higher because the finished mount will be huge. “I have a small house. I thought I might need to buy a bigger one,” she said, laughing. But her time spent in the Northwoods is a priceless example to everyone, particularly women. “When Roger died, I could have given up, I could have sat down and cried,” she said. “But I wanted to show you can go for your dreams. You can do anything you want to do. Life is good if you give it an opportunity.” Copyright (c) 2008, Pantagraph Publishing Co. Record Number: 081814483

2009 Sport Show Schedule

December and January remind us how bitterly cold Northern Ontario can be. This morning, Dec. 10th, as we write this, it is -28C or -20F! We always enjoy our visits south to somewhat warmer weather, since the summer season has come and gone so quickly.

Come out and see us at the Sports Shows and talk about next season.

View our 2009 Sport Show Schedule

Fern, Don, Jim, Carol, and the rest of the Kashabowie Outposts Crew would like to wish everyone a Happy and Healthy New Year in 2009.

See you at the Shows!

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1. Fly in Fishing Report 2008

Fern,Don,Carol

Thanks to you and all your crew.

We had a great time nice weather and great fishing.

It was tough to go back to work Tuesday but it just gets us one day closer to coming back.
See you at the All Canada show.

Have a safe moose season and thanks again.

Gary Georgenson

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1. We had another fabulous year!