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I have been lingering writing this report to see how a couple of hiccups in my travel to and from British Colombia for my hunt with Dale Drinkall turned out.
To start things out, when returning to the United States if you are traveling with a firearm, make sure to set aside at least 2.5 hours for customs in Vancouver! Because I only allowed 2 hours, I missed my flight and subsequently my connecting flight. Air Canada and United Express were both very helpful in rebooking flights to allow me to get home and attend my impromptu birthday party. Neither airline charged me any change or cancellation fees to rebook. However and here is where my difficulties start, because my luggage was checked in at customs, my bags did not travel with me. Therefore when my gun got to Los Angeles, there was no one to claim it. TSA attempted to cut the lock off of my Tuff Pak gun case with no success. They were never able to get into it. They wouldnt transfer it to Santa Barbara by air since they couldnt inspect it. Air Canada stepped up and took care of the transportation by sending it to my business by FedEx. Of course now the lock is so badly damaged I can't get it open. I called NalPak the makers of the case who told me to drill it out. Once I was able to get the lid off NalPak had me send them the lid. They replaced the lock, put a new up to date handle on the lid and replaced 2 keys. All of this for only the cost of the shipping both ways! I want to thank NalPak for repairing the lock and replacing the handle in only 2 days. I felt very lucky to that things turned out the way they did.
On my hunt into the Canadian Rockies with Dale Drinkall, I knew it was going to be a real tough hunt by horseback, but I wanted to be there again. The weather was very good, absolutely beautiful, and almost too warm for September. The game was not moving much. I did end up killing a mountain caribou on the very top of a ridge that had patches of snow that can be seen in the enclosed pictures. Blair and Rebecca Miller were my guides. What a team! I have never had better. I would love to go back and do it again. This hunt pushed me to the max a couple of times. This was after I was bucked off and then kicked by the pack horse. Direct hit on my right knee. This was my first major hunt since a spinal fusion. I mention this because I am not at 100% and somehow I am over the 73 age mark.
Barbara Crown at the Hunting Report had only a few older reports on Dale Drinkall of Folding Terminus and was looking for an updated report. I spent 2.5 weeks with them and the other hunters came back to the lodge with most of the game they had been pursuing. There were 2 sets of brothers and one of them had hunted with Dale before. The other brothers had hunted with Dale 4 times previously. He has asked hunters not to say much because all residents of BC can hunt in the area if they can find the access points. I hunted from Sept. 13, 2012 to Sept. 24, 2012. We saw all game I was pursuing. We were unable to connect with the grizzly bear. We tried on two different days by working our way up through the deadfall and willows, but to no avail. The game is there. The hunter must be in "sheep shape" physically to be able to take it.
Dale is selling off the Folding Mt area to Blair and his wife Rebecca. They will be living in the lodge year-round. They are real mountain people. Dale and Sandra will live in the lodge in the Terminus Mt for the summer and fall and live in Arizona in the winter. Each area is approx. 3000 sq miles and is ideal for both couples. Dale will still do all the flying in and out of Folding Mt. Lodge.
After getting to know these two fine couples, it will make a perfect arrangement and is definitely a great place to hunt. I mentioned in my comment earlier about not having very many reports on Terminus & Folding Mt and this may be because they have so many repeat customers.
In Good Hunting,
William A. Paulin
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