Count every item
Confirm rods, coolers, personal bags, food, motors and shared equipment before the aircraft departs.
Plan Your Hunt · Tent Camp Guide
TENT CAMP
GUIDE.
Arrival, camp setup and daily routines for your tent camp moose hunt.
At camp
TENT CAMP TIPS.
Your first hour
LAND.
SEPARATE.
CONFIRM.
A departing party may be boarding the aircraft that brought you in. Keep incoming and outgoing gear in separate piles, identify your bags before the plane leaves and locate the camp Garmin inReach immediately.
Clearly mark every item with coloured tape and your party name. Remove exposed fishing hooks before aircraft loading so pilots and ground crew are not injured. If low water requires hip or chest waders for your location, Wesley's will tell your group before departure.
Locate communication
Find the inReach, verify charge and review check-ins, non-urgent messaging and SOS use.
Learn the systems
Read the outpost binder for the generator and boat motors at this camp. Review fuel, water, stove, chainsaw and the camp-specific instructions before using equipment.
Set up clean
Secure food and trash immediately. Do not leave fish remains or food waste near camp.
Tent Camp systems
SETTLE IN.
KEEP IT RUNNING.
Two canvas wall tents are already standing when you arrive: a heated sleeping tent with cots and a separate kitchen tent. Check the generator, lighting, propane stoves, Garmin inReach, boats and canoe. Bring your own outboard motors or arrange rentals in advance.
Food & wildlife
Store food and trash securely. Clean fish away from sleeping areas and dispose of remains as directed—never beside camp. The only serious bear problem Wesley's has experienced followed fish remains left in the tent area.
Kitchen & power
Keep the propane stoves and inverter generator in their designated locations. Run the generator outdoors at least 6 m (20 ft) from tents and buildings, with exhaust directed away from openings and people. Never run it inside or refuel it while hot. Follow the camp binder and the unit’s instructions for starting, fuel and shutdown. The old cabin refrigerator schedule may not fit a tent camp; use the instructions at your location. Store food securely and keep the kitchen clean.
Boats & communication
Locate the Garmin inReach on arrival and agree on check-ins. Confirm your outboard setup, fuel, drain plug, paddles and safety gear before leaving shore. Read the motor starting and troubleshooting sheets in the camp binder. Bring and wear your own fitted life jackets.
Remote-bush rule
SLOW IS SMOOTH.
Injuries, burns, cuts and falls are more serious when the nearest road and hospital are a flight away. Wear appropriate protection, work with a partner and stop when tired, rushed or unsure.
Never leave a fire, stove or anything cooking unattended. Check Ontario’s current forest-fire and Restricted Fire Zone information before lighting an outdoor fire.
Satellite communication
KEEP THE
INREACH READY.
Before leaving Pickle Lake, save the Hunter’s Pocket Book to every group member’s phone and test that it opens offline. At camp, keep the Garmin inReach charged, accessible and under a clear view of the sky when sending or checking messages.
For routine questions or equipment trouble, message wesleysoutposts@gmail.com through the inReach. Leave the device on until the message sends, then check for a reply. “Sent” does not mean Wesley’s has acknowledged it; wait for confirmation when your plan depends on an answer.
For serious or life-threatening danger, activate SOS, describe the situation and follow the response team’s instructions. Give your location or GPS coordinates and the number of people needing help. Do not wait for a routine message reply before using SOS.
Water at your tent camp
BOIL BEFORE
DRINKING.
There is no running water at tent camp. Collect water from the lake or river in clean containers and boil water intended for drinking or food use. The kitchen tent has a sink with a bucket underneath; empty and clean it as directed at camp.
For drinking, preparing food or beverages, brushing teeth, making ice and washing food, bring clear water to a full rolling boil and keep it boiling for at least one minute. Health Canada’s guidance is one minute; Wesley’s customary camp practice has been ten minutes. Let the water cool in a clean, covered container.
Boiling addresses germs. If the water has a visible algal bloom, fuel sheen, unusual smell or suspected chemical contamination, choose a different source and contact Wesley’s. Boiling does not make chemical contamination safe.
ONE BUTTON
FOR LIFE SAFETY.
For a life-threatening emergency, activate the Garmin inReach SOS and follow the response team's instructions. Then contact Wesley's through the provided emergency number or inReach when possible. For a non-life-threatening problem, message Wesley's first so a safe aircraft and care plan can be coordinated.
Guests are responsible for medical evacuation and other extra flight costs. Travel insurance that includes emergency medical evacuation is strongly recommended. There is no cellular service at camp; satellite text, the inReach or a guest-supplied Starlink Mini are the realistic options.
Before the floatplane pickup
LEAVE A
FRESH START.
Finish the cleanup before the aircraft arrives, so the next group can walk into an orderly camp.
- Bag all trash and take it out on the floatplane. Take leftover food and personal supplies home. Follow current fire restrictions; never burn trash without permission from Wesley’s.
- Wash, dry and put away your group’s dishes and cooking tools; wipe the kitchen surfaces and sweep the tent floors before leaving.
- Turn off the generator as directed by the camp instructions, and return boats, motors, chainsaw, generator, grill, chairs and other equipment to their designated places.
- Pull boats fully clear of the water and tie them securely. Tilt up motors, pull the drain plugs and leave each plug in the back of its boat as the binder directs. Leave the inReach charged in its designated place for the arriving group.
- Close and secure the canvas tent doors and flaps.
- Never leave a fire or stove unattended. If a fire is permitted, keep water nearby and fully extinguish it before departure. Follow current fire restrictions.