New Year, New packages and New Memories

Christmas has come and gone and 2012 has just begun. This is by far my favorite time of the year as most of our clients know I am an eternal optimist.  Whenever a new year begins, I always reflect over the past year and look forward to the coming year. I guess my optimism is one of the reasons that I thrive in the wilderness.  At times, the wilderness can be cruel and punishing… like when Don and I saw an eagle take a Canadian goose down or when we saw the remains of a trophy buck after it had been killed by a pack of wolves.  There was also the time when we experienced some incredible weather like the strong winds on Oyster Lake and the lightening strike or the forest fire.  Then there are incredible times that make it all worthwhile like the sounds of a far off wolf pack howling, loons wailing and owls hooting then there was the 300 pound bear swimming across the lake only 20 yards away.  Another amazing day was where Don and I caught over 80 large Smallies in a day and on the McCreedy Trip when we were catching big walleyes and Northerns the entire trip.  I can’t forget taking a seasoned Boundary Waters tripper like Neil Childs and teaching him how to fish and catching them I might add.  Other incredible experiences the Boundary Waters can offer are the beautiful sunrises and sunsets that could be on any cover of national geographic.  The Boundary Waters is the perfect fit for the adventurist/optimist.  Not only does it provide world class fishing, it also provides world class wildlife, scenery and experiences.  There are times when I will go on the same route 2 or 3 weeks in a row but being an optimist makes it all worth it... even though I go across the same portages, lakes, rivers or around the same points or islands or even fish the same boulder field or downfall tree week after week. I will never know what monster fish lurks beneath those familiar waters… what moose or wolf is feeding around the next point or island. I can honestly say that there is a stretch of about 70 miles along the international border where I can’t go a few hundred yards without it triggering a memory about that particular spot. That is why I love the boundary Waters, it is always changing it always provides and I’ll never know what will happen any given day! 

Boundary Waters Fever… Catch It!

Try the Ultimate Outdoor Experience… You Will Not Be Disappointed! Are you going to do the same old trip in 2012 or do want to create new memories that will last you a lifetime? Maybe, just maybe, you will catch the Boundary Waters fever like so many of our clients. With over one million acres in size, over 1,200 miles of canoe routes and over 1,000 lakes and rivers the opportunities are limitless. So get off that couch, put away that smart phone, shut the computer off and head to the wilderness. Experience what life is like when all is silent and you hear nothing but the loons wailing and wolves howling with the Milky Way stars spread across the night sky.  Of course there’s nothing like the sight of a monster fish exploding from the surface of a pristine setting with the perfect cast.  So give us a call and we’ll talk over your options! There’s no better time than now!

Special Thank You… to all our past WJO clients

On a personal note, I would like to thank all WJO clients, not just from last year, but all those that have taken a trip with us since the beginning, years ago. Only through your successful trips and shared stories were we able to spread the word about Wilderness Journey and the ultimate outdoor experience.  With your help, we’ve been able to move from a struggling start-up to a growing company. Deep down inside I know this pristine wilderness and all it has to offer with its fantastic fishing, drop dead scenery, bountiful & cooperative wildlife, and of course rich history, makes us look good!  Therefore, we have created a new policy for all of you that have been on trips with Wilderness Journey: 10% discount on all canoe packages.

New Dog Sled packages

A Trip for Everyone

We have three Dog sled trips that accommodate everyone’s need. Want the relaxing comfort of a north woods lodge? Enjoy dogsled outings during the day, but return to the warmth and comfort of a lodge at night or try our popular Yurt trips.

Our yurt trips are for those desiring to spend a quiet evening or two on a remote lake where stargazing is optimal and catching glimpses of northern lights is a possibility. Yurts are the traditional shelter from Mongolia. Up off the ground on a wooden platform, our yurts are heated, insulated, and just plain comfy.

For fishing and camping enthusiasts, we can tailor trips for you. Multi-day camping trips and longer expeditions get you into the heart of the forest, and if you desire, that remote fishing lake.

To book your next adventure come true call today!  734.664.0353 or e-mail us at info@gowildernessjourney.com

The Schilling Trip

Don Shilling has been on many trips with us and has already booked a trip for 2012.  He is a great fisherman and over the years he has acquired wilderness skills from the multiple trips he has taken.

Some of the Best Top Water Ever!

This week we caught 273 fish! We decided to let the others swim around so fellow campers could have a chance at some. 

Walleye for dinner? Yum! Five pound Smallies? Yes please! On one special evening I just sat back and watched what I now call “The Don Show”, where Don caught a bunch of fish and I just watched in amazement. Within a ½ hour he caught 12 fish; a five pounder, three four pounders, and eight three pounders. What an evening! He was very excited, claiming “the best smallmouth fishery in the world is the Boundary Waters!” Don is one tough SOB, but after this evening he was acting like a young boy just sitting in the canoe smiling and shaking his head in disbelief. Don managed to use his fishing voodoo to wrangle two 17-inch Smallies on one lure! I laughed and said he had finally caught his 6 pounder.

Then, I had a personal best; 4 Northerns using my figure eight maneuver. For those of you don’t know, the figure eight happens when a perusing Northern comes to the canoe and I stick the end of my rod three feet into the lake to swirl in the water in a figure eight pattern. The pike would come back and hit my lure every time! It was driving Don crazy and leveling the tally at the same time.

We had a 73 fish day and we are pretty sure 50 of them were over 3 pounds. What a day!

Permits

Except for a couple of entry points the lottery is a thing of the past. So permits will be available on a first come first serve basis as of January 25^th 2012. This is the date that all bookings will receive their permits. We will order trips in the same order that they were booked.  Needless to say, the earlier you book, the better off you are.

Free Trip Raffle

Everyone who is currently on the Wilderness Journey email list will be entered into a raffle to win a free trip with Wilderness Journey. We will be recruiting new adventurists’ emails by referral and at the outdoor shows. The raffle drawing will take place March 18^th 2012. The free trip is 6 day trip for one person.  This can be used by the winner alone or with a group. Anyone who has already booked a trip will still be eligible for the raffle.

Here is a photo of Neil Childs the 2011 winner.

Show specials, discounts and packages

Checkout our new 2012 show specials The specials are available to everyone on our email list. We are also offering a new reward for all our past clients. From now on, all past clients will eligible for a 10% discount on all canoe trips. To accommodate different budgets, we will have a variety of packages with new menu and equipment options.   Tow boat packages for those who have time constraints or a slight aversion to physical activities; Presidents Package providing gourmet meals where each client will have their own personal guide. We really encourage anyone that is interested in a 2012 trip to please email or call ASAP!

Save the DATE! Mark Your Calendar

The Outdoor shows are here! We encourage anyone who has booked a trip or is interested in doing so to visit us at the Wilderness Journey booth so we can go over your routes and trip options. Of course any past clients please come by and say hello. We will be having past clients helping us at all our shows, so if you want to ask someone that has actually been on trip with Wilderness Journey any questions they will be there to answer any questions and give any advice.