TLD NATGEO Channel

[Frosty]

Today on TLD NATGEO's Holiday Special - "Stand-off at Spruce Falls Bridge"

Frosty has reached the Mountain Town of Milton here on Great Bear Island and has setup his Base within the house situated at the Paradise Meadows Farm

Not being a fan of the Farm within the Pleasant Valley region, he was surprised at how welcome he felt when he first arrived, and has decided to settle down there for awhile as he loots the region and hunts for Bear and Moose  

It didn't take Frosty long to discover this Bear Den as he crossed the Spruce Falls Bridge for the first time, and he was thankful that the Bear was sleeping during his travel Eastward along the road. Frosty plans to return the next day and track the beast across the area 

The Bear is awake and patrolling not far from its Den at this entrance point into the Northern region from the South-East  

The Bear patrols right in front of the Eastern side of the Bridge now, blocking any access across to the Western side onto the road leading into the small town of Milton beyond

After some time patrolling back and forth the Bear begins to trek across the bridge to the other side. Frosty ponders the grim prospect of stumbling into the beast while crossing the bridge in the late hour, something which almost occurred yesterday he realizes. A toll almost paid in blood and guts to The Beast of the Bridge 

The Bear soon stops at this point in the road, again blocking access to the bridge, this time from the Western side

Frosty realizes to his dismay that this wily Bear is also blocking access to the trail from this side of the bridge, which is the only other way across the Falls from this point. Why venture out to forage fruitlessly for food when it can come right to your doorstep? Clever Bear

 

The Bear continues down the road Westward now, where it will continue the tactic of blocking off access to its territory

The Bear patrols from here to the felled tree collapsed upon the road ahead, ensuring that nothing will sneak by unnoticed

The silver lining here is that the Bear should be seen if travelling down the road from the West, if the weather is clear enough of course. If not and the Bear begins to charge, climbing the felled tree will provide safety from the beasts paws  

The Bear begins to retrace its steps back to the bridge now, the long road ahead Westward is unappealing to the animal as it has a secure hunting ground already

The Bear continues to roam along its patrol areas between its Den and the bridge and road, back and forth on the hunt for prey until the day ends

While tracking this wily Bear Frosty had trouble remaining undetected from the beast, as the high winds at this elevation betray his scent to the animal easily

With the Bear on the bridge and out of sight, the Trail down to the Falls is the best hope for avoiding the beast and making it to the road in time to escape

However, Frosty has encountered the Bear crossing this natural tree bridge seen here while tracking it after a blizzard struck. It seems to be the Bear's emergency return route back to its Den, so always be aware when crossing here and climbing up to the road, otherwise you may get an unwelcome surprise

Frosty returns to his outpost at a Trailer just down the road and prepares for the hunt to come. The Bear is clever, but its territory has some weaknesses that can be exploited by the Hunter 

The 'Turtle Method' will work well here, allowing Frosty to shoot the Bear and then retreat inside one of the many abandoned vehicles along the bridge for safety   

The collapsed tree upon the road will also allow Frosty to shoot the Bear from safety as it patrols nearby

Frosty decides to use whatever method that will be the most convenient, which will be based on the position of the Bear once he arrives within its territory for the hunt. Frosty is unwilling to risk payment in his own blood due to unsanctioned passage from The Beast of the Bridge, and so the hunt begins tomorrow to clear the threat from the area  

Red=Start     Blue=Patrol     Orange=Back & Forth     Green=Return

The Bear is defeated and Frosty discovers it the next morning once the blizzard that hit that same night ends. The animal bleeds out along the Trail route during the blizzard no doubt, although it is facing the direction heading up to the road

  

The 'Beast of the Bridge' turned out to be the smallest Bear Frosty has reported taking down on the Island so far, weighing only 26KG  Perhaps this clever Bear wasn't such a monster after all, and it was never as successful at snagging prey that stumbled into its domain as previously imagined by Frosty 

From all of us here at TLD NATGEO, we hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and a Happy Holiday vacation

Frosty will be back in the New Year to continue his adventures throughout the regions of Great Bear Island, so Stay Tuned for more on TLD NATGEO 

[Frosty]

Today on TLD NATGEO - "Two Moose on the Loose in Mystery Lake"

Today's episode sponsored by Big Moose Kicks Coffee

Moose are solitary animals that prefer to wander and an encounter with one is rare, but Frosty had the good fortune of running into two of them within less than two days of each other in the Mystery Lake region

This Moose roamed into the Northern access area of the River nearby the bridge at the Carter Hydro Dam at Dusk, where it browsed the vicinity for plants to eat and stripped bark off the trees with its antlers until Midnight

Here it is enjoying the Aurora just before Midnight, when suddenly it had to return home as the clock struck Twelve just like Cinderella, without the slipper of course

It returned at the crack of Dawn for another jaunt around the area, and Frosty was relieved that it did as he wasn't finished studying the animal yet

Moose are very cautious and deliberate with their movements, it is not advisable to follow the animal from behind as they tend to double back and retrace their steps to sniff out predators that may be stalking them

Anticipating where the Moose will go next through observation is the best tactic for hunter's to employ in order to position themselves safely to take their shot 

Be aware of changes in the wind as Moose can catch your scent and may investigate, so observing them downwind or blocked from the wind entirely is a wise policy.

This is as close to a Moose one can get using concealment by crouching, so always be on the move if the Moose is advancing towards your direction

Moose will become aggressive and attack people they spot within range, but they also startle easily and will flee the area for a small amount of time if a rock is thrown nearby them. This will allow the Hunter to reach a safe spot where they can strike at the animal from when it returns  After getting too close to the Moose Frosty is suffering from some Broken Ribs, leaving him unable to sprint or climb, along with a decreased carrying capacity. Bed rest of 120 hours will be required for a full recovery after bandaging himself up and taking some painkillers 

Heading North from Alan's cave one may find one of the five trees marked by the Moose within this area 

The next marking may even be within sight of the last, as seen here where Frosty snaps a shot of the second tree marking with the third also in view

The last two are West of the bridge within sight of the railway

The Moose by the Dam spawned nearby this Tree Marking and then wandered onto the River to patrol within the surrounding area of the 5 Marked Trees. Moose are active both during the day and at night, making it difficult to anticipate when they may appear next. Frosty witnessed the first Moose appear at Dusk the first day where it remained until Midnight, reappearing at Dawn which is the second day at the same location. The second Moose was seen between Noon and Dusk nearby the Trappers Homestead. 

Frosty theorizes that on the day the Moose does appear it will do so only once and it will be at the start of one of the four phase's of the day (Dawn, Noon, Dusk & Midnight) and it will leave once the next phase of that day begins. It is possible that the Moose leaves at the start of the next day which would be Midnight, but that would mean the Moose can be active nearly the entire day if it appears at Dawn for example, which Frosty thinks is unlikely. 

The fact that two Moose were seen within the same region only two days apart suggests that either every region has at least one Moose or that all Moose on the Island wander between all the regions at their own pace. Frosty is betting on the former, but of course more documentation of the Moose throughout the Island will be needed to absolutely confirm this theory 

Moose Sighting & Tree Markings Map - Mystery Lake

Moose Hunt #1 - Frosty throws a rock to startle the Moose out of the area and then finds a perch on the large rock next to the bridge to await its return

The thick double layer hide of the Moose is tough and Frosty is upset that he left his Rifle back in Forlorn Muskeg, but fortune favors him with a 1-shot kill with the Bow. He takes a long nap and awakes in the afternoon to harvest the Moose for its monstrous hide and the lean meat he will soon be cooking up at his Camp at Alan's Cave 

The Moose is just under 33kg and the meat is tasty and free of parasites  Frosty packs up in the morning and heads back to his Base within the region 

Frosty returns back to base in shock to find a second Moose browsing around the Trappers Homestead, and again he curses himself for leaving his Rifle behind

 There is a lot of space in the field so Frosty decides to test the aggression range of the Moose just outside the Barn in case he has to retreat inside

Standing at this range of the Moose will trigger its aggressive stance, they do not enjoy company and will warn you of that fact by snorting and pawing at the ground with their hooves to signal their intent to charge if pestered further

Moose Hunt #2 - Dusk is nearly here and the weather is turning for the worse, so Frosty combs the area and forms a plan of attack. The large rocks near a collapsed tree nearby should have a decent vantage point to strike at the Moose from safely   

 The beast doesn't bleed but goes down after the fourth arrow enters its body and the deed is done. Frosty noticed the beast stagger slightly once the impact of the arrow struck home, leaving it momentarily stunned, which would give a skilled bowman quick on the draw an opportunity to land an additional shot      

The visage of the Moose from this angle is almost pleasant, and Frosty imagines that the animal may even be capable of a smile in the right circumstances

This Moose is a little larger weighing in at 36kg, and Frosty is thankful that he doesn't have to worry about his meals for some time during his stay within the region.

Frosty heads back to Forlorn Muskeg and retrieves his Rifle while the Moose Hides cure in the Trappers Cabin. Soon he will craft the Moose Hide Cloak and Satchel

 The cloak has great protection and is highly resistant to wetness, weighing 1kg less when compared to the Bear Skin Coat, and Frosty can move faster while wearing it but at the cost of less warmth. If the condition gets too low and Frosty doesn't have another Moose Hide to repair it with, he can simply Harvest the cloak to get the Hide back and make a new one

This satchel will come in handy when moving supplies and equipment across the regions of the Island but will require Cured Leather to repair it once low in condition

Frosty had a very eventful few days and learned a lot about the Moose that roam Great Bear, which he will be reviewing during his healing time within the safe confines of the Trappers Cabin. Frosty will continue to study and observe the Moose he encounters across the Island in the future, so Stay Tuned for more on TLD NATGEO   

[JAFO]

Well done sir!

Lots of useful information in your recent posts.. kudos!

[Prestermatt]

11 hours ago, Frosty said:

If the condition gets too low and Frosty doesn't have another Moose Hide to repair it with, he can simply Harvest the cloak to get the Hide back and make a new one

There's a problem with this somehow, but I can't quite put my finger on it... 

[Frosty]

3 hours ago, Prestermatt said:

There's a problem with this somehow, but I can't quite put my finger on it... 

Thanx @JAFO 

Well it does still cost you the time to remake it as well as the cured guts, but Harvesting the cloak gives you the hide back and you need only one to craft the cloak or satchel 

[Frosty]

Today on TLD NATGEO - "Max's Spirit of Vengeance"

This Bear Den is located East of the Trapper's Homestead within the Mystery Lake Region, and is a little too close for comfort for those who enjoy residing at the Cabin

Frosty has nearly recovered from his injuries inflicted by the Moose weeks earlier, and while scouting around the Homestead found his neighbor deep in slumber

The Bear awakes and is off to search its territory for any source of nourishment it can find

 

The Bear doesn't travel far before reaching this woeful, solitary tree in a small clearing, which it patrols around for awhile as it sniffs the air 

Frosty notices a corpse close by the tree, a victim of this very Bear no doubt. A brief sadness will always strike him as he discovers any fallen human being on the Island, but the melancholy in the air that surrounds this tree is so profound that Frosty must stifle a tear   

The Bear is continuing on now, and Frosty is determined to investigate this area later on when the Bear isn't on the move

The Bear is within sight of the Trapper's Cabin now, and Frosty watches as his mystery neighbor approaches the Homestead uninvited

The Bear patrols the field for some time, seemingly unconvinced that there is nothing around to be found

Frosty notes that the Bear reaches a decent firing range from the Cabin where a rifle shot can be successfully landed  

The Bear gives up hope of any sustenance to be found at the Homestead, and starts to return back to its Den

The Bear sniffs around for awhile as the rabbits scatter, and then calls it a night soon afterward

Frosty is tired also and says goodnight to his neighbor and heads back to the Cabin for rest. He is feeling much improved and believes he will be prepared for the Hunt soon. Tomorrow he will scout around for more spots to ambush the Bear from, and examine the body at the tree that he cant stop thinking about   

Red=Start     Blue=Patrol     Green=Return

The air is calm the next day, and as Frosty approaches the gnarled Tree a somber mood suddenly befalls him, compelling him forward to investigate the grim scene.

The man is frozen solid, his fatal wounds from the mauling he suffered by the Bear are now iced over by the fallen snow. How long ago his last stand at this tree against the Bear took place cannot be determined, and time abruptly freezes for Frosty after what he finds within the mans pocket. A wallet with identification belonging to someone Frosty had grown to know well in the past, a man who he respected and considered his mentor. He was his Survival School Instructor here on Great Bear a mere two years ago, before Frosty was prepared to tackle the hardships of the Island on his own. His name was Max Robeson, and as the heart of Frosty sinks at this revelation, he knows by the hatchet and broken rifle found nearby, that his dear friend had not gone out without a fight..... as was his nature

Max had mentioned that he might stay on the Island after Frosty's training was completed. He had stated more than once during their time together that he had developed a certain kinship with the land here, a feeling that he could never fully comprehend nor explain. Max was no doubt living off the land here while staying at the Trapper's Homestead, just as Frosty is now, and although the thought of his last days here are painful he cannot help but feel comforted to know that he was here, and that in spirit he will always remain

The day has passed swiftly during Frosty's lament, and he is jarred back to reality by the fierce wind that has suddenly erupted all around him. The crack of a branch raises his head as the wind swirls to alert him, and Frosty is confronted with the murderer of his dearest friend and mentor. Frosty is not prepared, he is healed but he has only a bow with a few arrows and no advantage of position against the beast. He backs away slowly as the Bear advances, and his mind frantically struggles to find a solution to his dismal situation. A tree is collapsed nearby so he heads for it, unaware if it will be high enough to be out of the Bears reach once it charges. The wind sings its elemental tune as Frosty nocks an arrow and takes a deep breath. He aims at the Bear and declares, "This is for you Max..."   

The shifting wind appears to grasp the arrow with a spectral hand, darting it into the vital organ of the Beast, killing it instantly. The Spirit of Max Robeson has been Avenged, and Frosty breathes a sigh of relief under that tree which somehow appears joyful now, and he smiles at the irony of the Bears final resting place

Frosty gathers his friends hatchet and rifle, and carries them along with Max back to the Trapper's Homestead for burial      

The wind is calm once more as Frosty completes the cairn for his fallen comrade, and he recites a poem Max was fond of quoting about respect for the natural world 

Frosty harvests the Bear for its meat which he will savor with every bite in memoriam of his friend and mentor Max Robeson 

Frosty will return next episode for another Bear Hunt on Mystery Lake, so Stay Tuned for more on TLD NATGEO

[JAFO]

Damn.. that brought a tear to my eye.. well done!