Lots of people wish they saw more of the technical side out there so I figured I'd give a more detailed explanation of what happened in episode 4. Rabbits were still coming and I was putting out many many snares and covering much ground (several shots of me in my shelter show squirrel hides and rabbits hanging in the back for the keen eye), but the lack of fat made getting other food imperative. As shown, some nights before I heard a moose nearby but was unable to quietly get out of my bag. I didn't want to scare it and blow up my spot, so I stayed quietly in my bag, knowing I was more likely to get another chance if I remained unnoticed.
I spent time picking berries and blowing my moose call, and it proved quite effective - the moose in this episode showed up the night/morning after I had called them.
To increase the likelyhood I would hear the next moose before it was so close that I couldn't get out of my bag, I put the can-trip wires up. I tried to place it across the path in such a way that it wouldn't clank too much across rocks and scare the moose into running away.
The setup worked as well as I could of hoped! One morning I heard the clank and a bull moose huffing and puffing - I jumped out of bed (in my long johns ha), grabbed my bow and an arrow in one hand and my camera in he other (as opposed to my quiver of arrows - turned out to be a major faux paux, but in the rush that's what happened).... I snuck barefoot over the rocks and couldnt believe my eyes! The largest moose I've ever seen alive was standing right out in the middle of the mud flat that connected my island to the mainland (I had moved there on day 1 to make less of a noticable impact on the mainland, as the island was not my initial drop off location).
It walked through the cans, got startled, ran out towards my island, and turned around - back to me - to face the cans.... I snuck out and had what looked to be a perfect opportunity!
Only one problem - he was huge, and he was standing in a mud flat with no trees or anything around to help me gauge distance. I could only sneak to the edge of the bare ground and had to take my shot. I estimated he was 30 yards away, but due to his size and lack of anything to go by I was way off...he was 40+ . My arrow dropped between his legs...he looked around and I realized I had only grabbed one arrow. He then trotted off (that is when I got the video of him shown in the episode).
I was disappointed, but also felt so excited to have seen what was such an awesome animal! I felt like I had seen a dinosaur...just huge. The disappointment was actually more than neutralized by my awe.
I tracked the moose and observed most the moose traffic was between two rocks forming about a 300 yard channel. That is where I built the "funneling" reindeer style fence. When you take on an active survival strategy, you have to keep working to create opportunities, not every one will go your way!
