This is a true story My Encounter with a Great Grey Owl in Northern BC Besides having small Owls, Stellar Jays, and all kinds of other small birds land within arms reach of me while hunting, and recognizing how wonderfully made all of creation is, and enjoying those fine moments, there is one particular instance that really stands out in my mind as God speaking to me through nature. I wasnt going to share it, because its a bit long and because its always been one of those special moments in my life, that Ive only shared with my wife, and maybe my buddy Ken (not sure). A few years back, I had an opportunity to go on a moose hunt, in Northern BC, To a place called Pink Mountain, with a fellow, I didnt really know that well, but had shared a hunting camp with him once. I was really looking forward to the trip and my hopes were high. I had bought a cell-phone, just for the occasion so I could call home every day and let my wife know how things were going, only to find out when I got there, that there was no cell-phone service way up in this lonely area, of the BC wilderness. It was going to be a long week, without communication with my wife Diana, and I knew she would be worried. To top it off, when we got there, I was asked by my new hunting companion, if I was into maybe shooting a moose at night, if we didnt see anything the first couple of days. Well, I was kind of in shock at hearing this, from this fella, and this was the moment the hunting trip all went downhill for me personally. I told him exactly what I thought of the idea, and in no way wanted anything to do with it. Then I found out all he wanted to do was drive logging roads, That was his method of hunting moose. Well it wasnt mine, so I told him to do what he wants, and Id just go out and hunt from camp. I found a really great spot about 1/2 mile down the road, where an old cut-line crossed the main road and went for miles, intersecting many other cut-lines in the process. It was perfect, for still hunting moose, and I saw plenty over the next few days, but no shooters. Him and I were not getting along at all in camp. He was very insulting, now that he knew where I stood on his hunting methods and poaching, and we were just not getting along at all. I wanted to just go home, but I was basically trapped, in a situation, I no longer wanted to be in, so I tried to make the best of it. As the week wore on, we were barely speaking to each other in the evenings after me hunting, and him driving around all day, and I was getting very discouraged with the whole trip. On the second to the last evening, is when my little encounter with God and his wonderful creation happened. I was about 1-1/2 miles back on the cut line. I had seen a nice big cow moose, and was hoping something else would show up. I had been praying for strength, and protection, just to get back home safely and get this terrible trip over with. I had stayed back on the cut line, until just before the sun went down, before making my way slowly back to camp, which was 2 miles away. The coyotes and wolves started to howl around me in the distance, and I was feeling a bit uneasy, knowing I would be walking in the darkness for the last mile. I bowed my head and asked for Gods protection on the way out and in the next few days to come. I started walking down the cut, as the sun began to set, and this huge bird came swooping down from behind me, and right past my head. It landed just ahead of me, alongside the cut-line. I didnt know what the heck this thing was, because I had never seen one before. I found out later, it was a Great Grey Owl. I walked up to it, and it just sat there, looking at me, and looking both ways down the trail as it turned its head, this way and that. I said to it Hey, how are you tonight? and it answered me with a hoot, while tilting its head from side to side inquisitively. I began talking to it, telling it, that it was a very pretty bird, and Id never seen anything quite like it before. ..LOL. It really seemed to love the conversation, and wasnt afraid of me in the least. Well, I told it I had to get going because it was getting dark, so I said Goodbye, my friend and starting walking again. I got about 25 yrds down the trail when swoosh past my head, about a foot from me, he flies past on silent wings once again, and landed on a branch just ahead, as before. I thought this was pretty cool, and as I walked past him, I told it that, I just didnt have time to stop and chat, because it would be dark soon, and I still had a long way to go. To my surprise, he swooped down past me again and kept repeating the performance all the way out to the main road. I couldnt believe it after a while. I mean, the first few times, was a real rush, and special, but this critter was actually keeping me company all the way out of the bush. 1-1/2 miles out of the bush to boot. This Great Grey Owl must have swooped down within inches of me at least 20 times, on the way out to the road. That is a long way to have any of Gods wild creatures follow you in such a friendly, comical, and companion sort of way. I was astounded and amazed as I walked by him every time, and he would hoot or bob his head up and down ..LOL...he was a riot, (not to mention a real Hoot too. :) When we got to the main road, he just sat there as I walked away toward camp. He didnt follow me. I turned to see what was up, it was really getting dark and I could just make out his shadow now, so I gave him a wave and said thanks for the company fella(chuckling to myself at what had been happening) As I walked in the darkness toward camp, I heard that still, small, whisper of a voice ...I will always be with you, and it wasnt until then, that I realized what the Owl encounter was all about. The rest of the trip, and the trip home(even though it got a bit worse) was made easier by that little encounter, and the whisper I heard. We didnt get a moose, and it was the worst hunting trip I have ever been on, :crazy: but Ill tell ya, Id do it again, for that encounter, with the Owl, and hearing that still voice. Ive never seen a Great Grey Owl since then either :grin: :D
Posted on: Sat, 12 Jul 2014 18:40:50 +0000
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