BY SCOTT HADDOW
Wild Northerner staff
It was opening day last year and the ruffed grouse to finish a daily bag limit had just darted across the road. The bird was on the ground and clipping at a good pace as it disappeared into the bush on the side of an old logging road.
My hunting partner that day, James Hodgins, and I looked at each other quickly and smiled. I brought my truck to a halt and we jumped out and loaded our rifles.
We had nine grouse in the bag and this was the tenth and final bird of the day for us. We were determined to get it.
It was +34 with the humidex last Sept 15. It was sweaty and dirty work getting the birds. James and I quickly found out in the heat, the grouse were laying low in thick pine tree stands, where it was noticeably several degrees cooler than the rest of the bush. It made sense and it wasn’t rocket science. It was grouse hunting and we had a good day, but it was about to have a curveball tossed in there.
We both entered the bush and I broke right, while James went left. We both could hear the grouse trampling little sticks as it scurried away from us. We chased the grouse deep into the woods, about 100-yards. James and I rarely give up easily on a bird, so, yes, we end up deep off trails a lot.
Eventually, I stepped over a small natural depression near some exposed rock and came across a motorcycle.
It was not what I was expecting to see or find. I called out to James and indicated to him I found a motorcycle.
There was a moment of silence, He couldn’t believe it. Within moments, James made his way through the dense bush to where I was. He was actually astonished when his eyes saw an actual dirt bike.
This brought our grouse hunt to a screeching halt.
The motor bike was a 2015 Honda CRF250 with some modifications. It was a newer bike, and one that someone put serious money into upgrading. Our first thought was that it was stolen and taken for a joyride and dumped here in the middle of the bush. We also figured it was probably done in the spring time or early summer when there was no to little cover on the
trees and bushes to get it so deep off the road with no trail around. We pushed and shoved the motorcycle out of the bush and up a steep embankment. We didn’t have cell coverage, so we just decided to pull the bike out and call the cops once we reached an area with reception. We put the motorcycle in the back of my truck.
We stopped and cleaned our birds and made our way home. I got home and called the police and made the report. They arranged to have the bike picked up and ran the serial number.
If it wasn’t for that grouse flushing into the bush and giving us a chance to chase it for a second flush, that motorcycle would probably still be sitting in the bush. It was an obscure place and totally random we stumbled across it.
I’m glad we did because the bike mattered to someone who missed it big time. I exchanged information, through the police, with the owner. A man, a father, soon called me. The bike belonged to his son. It was quite a story.
The motorcycle belonged to a 15-year-old kid who had worked several jobs after school and during summers to save up and buy the bike. Due to modifications, the motorcycle was not insured. It had been stored at a garage in southern Ontario near Orillia. It was stolen in the spring time with no trace. It crushed the kid to say the least. Loss, especially something that actually means something to you, hurts. It hurts bad and doesn’t go away quick. The kid did cartwheels and screamed in joy about the news his motorcycle had been found and not damaged with the exception of a gouge in the seat. The bike started and still worked. The family couldn’t be happier.
I didn’t take any reward. Both James and I were just pleased a kid, who worked his butt off to buy his own bike, got it back after having it stolen.
Knowing how happy the kid was made everything grand.
It was an interesting combination of factors and timing – as well as complete randomness- for this to happen. I think it was kind of awesome.
It made a hunting outing a truly unique experience and one to remember.
The mystery motorcycle