Base Camp Three

02/14/2013

Today I had six escapes... leaves and sticks kept the traps from grabbing and we should have checked at night while they were still caught. After brekky we moved to base camp three (BC3) and hiked up to set the traps up on the ridge.

At the end of the line we got reception and we sent Samala a text to ask for more lure. I also responded for a position as a caretaker at a ski resort on the South Island. On the way back we found that we had already caught one rat and one possum.

02/15/2013

Today we caught one rat and one possum. After Aaron went home I headed back for camp and foraged for some water cress on the way. Back at camp I built a teepee and cooked up minced meat with veggies and the water cress.

02/16/2013

Today I got a new fur bag and caught three possums - two large and one small. I cleared the whole trail on the way up to make it easier and set seven traps so I didn't get back to camp until late. After taking a shower under the moonlight using the camp shower I had pasta, some bland veggies and tea.

02/17/2013

Today I saw four goats on the slip on the way up to check the traps. I caught three possums - two large and one small, one escaped.

I set eight more traps and on the way back saw what looked to be goats or maybe boar walking in the scrub. After tea I had tea made from leaves of the Kawakawa shrub.

02/18/2013

Last night I was woken up by scratching on the tent at 1 am so I checked the traps by the camp and found one rat and one large possum. In the morning I found five possums - three large, one small and one juvenile caught by his stuff... three escapees. I made a basket and ended up putting four legs in it by the end of the day. Later that evening I smoked them.

02/19/2013

Today I caught two rats and six possums - five large and one juvenile, none escaped. For dinner I had pasta, two possum legs (kebab and pan fried), rice and tea.

02/20/2013

Today I caught three possums - two medium and one juvenile, one escaped. Back at camp I thatched a roof for the teepee and weaved a hat. Aaron soon arrived and noted that I had the "wild eyes" - a condition where your forehead becomes completely smooth, your eyes kind of squinty and your facial expressions change very little as a result of being removed from the stimulation of society. That night we ate Paua patties and Aaron gave me a mini palm-sized camp stove to help with my packing woes.

02/21/2013

Today we caught three possums - two medium and one juvenile, one escaped. Later we hiked up and looked for a place where Aaron came off his bike a few months back. He was severely injured and had to be rescued by emergency services.

02/22/2013

Today we caught one baby possum and decided to head out. Back at the house we had some drinks, cooked up some steak and sausages on the barbie then fixed a problem with the bike by sanding carbonate off the spark plug and cleaning the air filter with petrol.

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