Several times now I've encountered a loud "gunshot" sound in the canoe wilderness; where the likelihood it was an actual gunshot is very low.

First time I was on Rushbay Lake in the Wabakimi area, one of my canoe partners was with me and also heard it.

Then Sept. 2017 canoeing alone along the South Kawishiwi River, I heard the same thing.

Have others encountered this? Any idea what causes this?

I’ll pontificate a bit; grouse hunters, bear hunters, Native American moose hunters.

Tree cracking? Was it windy? Large rock cracking? I remember camping by Lake Superior in wind and hearing the deep sounds of large rocks rolling in the surf... Lots of interesting sounds out there.

They were gunshots. Its hunting season!

Beaver

There are a lot of hunting seasons open at that time. We heard shots on Birch Lake at the end of September. I assumed grouse or waterfowl hunters. But they could have been hunting any number of critters.

Your exped 9 popped?
That can make a bang.

Trees falling in the forest when nobody is around make no noise so my vote is for gun shots

Hunting within the Bdub is legal, so if there were several spaced apart I would say guns. Otherwise it could also be an aluminum canoe being dropped at the end of a portage.

Otherwise it could also be an aluminum canoe being dropped at the end of a portage."

( That's a good one! ) A friend of mine has actually done that with his aluminum canoe. He just tossed it off his shoulders and it landed with a bong. Said it was too heavy and he was tired. I still laugh when I think about it.

My guess: A beaver hunting moose and using an aluminum canoe.

Sincerely,

Cover-my-bases Molly


Seriously, once you get up yonder, inexplicable sounds are a THING!

RedwoodRez: "Beaver"

+1
Although a paddle hitting the gunwale on an aluminum canoe makes a very loud, sharp sound.

My guess would be that it was a hunter or a beaver.

Even though you may think you are remote and that there is no way a hunter may be in the area I wouldn't put it past a hunter to hike in as far as he has to in order to find what he's after. The sound of a gun shot can also travel a very long ways so what you swear is just over the next hill might be a mile away. Sitting in the woods on rifle opener it can be a fun game to guess at how far away shots are. One thing is for certain if someone fires a 30.06 close by you'll KNOW for sure it wasn't far off because you'll probably jump a foot in the air from the surprise of it.

A slap of a beaver tail can also be a very loud dramatic sound but if you've heard enough gunshots there is a distinct difference.

In the fall during the various hunting season's I always bring a shotgun with. As a result we've had some very tasty grouse and duck dinners.

Tomcat: "He just tossed it off his shoulders and it landed with a bong. "

Who the heck brings a bong to the wilderness?

Joking of course. :)

OregonDave: "Several times now I've encountered a loud "gunshot" sound in the canoe wilderness; where the likelihood it was an actual gunshot is very low.

First time I was on Rushbay Lake in the Wabakimi area, one of my canoe partners was with me and also heard it.

Then Sept. 2017 canoeing alone along the South Kawishiwi River, I heard the same thing.

Have others encountered this? Any idea what causes this?

"

Just a guess ... Next time you are paddling, smack the flat of your paddle parallel to the surface of the lake.

I think you'll be surprised at how loud it is and how much it sounds like a gunshot.

Ausable: "

RedwoodRez: "Beaver"

+1
Although a paddle hitting the gunwale on an aluminum canoe makes a very loud, sharp sound. "

Nothing like the sound of a 12 gauge shotgun or 30-06.
I realize many on the forum haven't heard gun shots in the wilderness, explaining the confusion.
The rifle has a sharper crack than a shotgun, but the sound of both will carry a long way.

I deer hunted 6 1/2 miles in from the nearest road at one time; 10 river miles. Hunters do canoe in and fire shots.