Late this afternoon there were a number of trucks loaded with, or pulling trailers, with ATVs aboard and that is a sure sign that its time for the moose to take cover and farmers ought to issue flak jackets to their cows and any horses worth protecting.

This part of Saskatchewan is blessed with an abundance of North America's largest land mammal the moose. Moose cows produce a calf every year and the numbers remain pretty constant despite both predation by bears (bears are hard on calves shortly after birth) and by hunters. The moose is an extremely territorial beast and likes to stay put most of the year but during hunting season they make it their business

to hide themselves in really difficult terrain. Though I do not have accurate figures talking to hunters tells me that only some hunters find a nice bull moose and a lot of hunters just catch a nasty cold or dash around the woods on their ATVs splashing through mud.

Status First Nations people do not require hunting permits to shoot a moose to put in their freezer and places like Red Earth and Cumberland House are grateful to the moose who put meat on their tables for most of each winter.

Most of the hunters I saw this afternoon were from Saskatchewan but there was on truck from Alberta and yesterday I saw a couple of outfits from the United States.