Ok, I'm convinced. I'm bringing some tobacco on my next trip!

Interesting story DB.  I'm not religeous but I've grown to believe in Angels or rather our own personal guardian Angel.  Just weird coincidences usually right when I'm thinking something.  Just 10 days ago I was thinking bad thoughts about a particular extended family member and right as I had the thought I closed the kitchen cupboard and hit the edge of my head with the corner of the door.  I've never done that before in 23 years at this house.  It was very strange.  The timing that is.  I just kinda laughed and gave a nod to my Angel. 

Weird post I know, but I felt it kinda fit the thread.    Stuff like that has happened over the years.  Not often, but I take notice when it does.

Nice story db.  I've always felt that if a person respects and listens to Mother Nature, she'll talk to you and pay you back with precious moments like you describe.  I've had some profound experiences out there which transcend my level of understanding.  I hardly bother trying to analyze them anymore, I just smile and say thanks. 
Stay safe.......

Funny this title would come up now. I consider the moose PODs yesterday and today as a gift in return and I'm totally serious about that.

I normally stop at most but one in particular picto site and sit and relax while sharing a smoke while contemplating life... Eh, it's what I do.

The day of the two moose PODs, I stopped at a picto site and the light sucked so I thought I'd camp on that lake and come back and do my thing when the light may be better. As I paddled away the wind kicked up with a big gust that kept going and going.

There was a nearby campsite so I sat there for a while thinking that if there was a cold front coming, I should probably get a little farther before I camp.

The wind died down a little, still in my face but doable so I paddle back to the picto and shared a smoke. My ritual is basically half the tobacco goes in the water. I swear the moment it hit the water the wind quit. It was weird. It was as weird as when the wind kicked up to begin with.

So I proceeded to the next portage and I usually take the camera on the first trip but that time I didn't. I get back to the takeout for the last haul and there's the moose and calf doing their thing. Sweet!

The campsite I was aiming for after that was taken so I paddled a little longer to discover a, for a long time, unmarked and unknown to me one that had awesome welcome wood and walleyes right out front. (crappy landing though.)

It could all be coincidences, luck, karma, imagination... All I know for sure is it was a couple hours I'll never forget.

  I've stumbled across various "offering" sights in the backwoods on canoe trips and well as when car camping./hiking/fishing in the UP of Mich.

  Some are clearly very old even if the "offering" is very current. Most look like some read a few books, watched a documentary and decided to do something.

  I have mixed feelings about them. At what point does it become a minus not a plus to enjoying the outdoor world?

  I'm sure at some point in past times someone had to START the tradition and not everyone thought it was a good idea either. 

  I remember finding a rusty steel beer can in the woods in the UP. I had never heard of the brand of beer, probably a local beer no longer made.
  It was sitting in the center of a big stump in a clearing. Looked like someone had taken a knife and carved out a round hole for it to set in. They also had put dirt in the can to keep it from moving. A big wild flower was growing out of it.
Normally I would pack something like that out, but it had taken on a wildness of its own, so I let it be.

I came upon a ceremonial site while bushwhacking a shoreline on Eagle Lake in Ontario.  Our prop shear pin broke on the boat motor. But I remember seeing a cross and pieces of clothing and some loose change.  Not sure of the origin of this ritual.

At the bottom of page 10, in a recently delivered well known canoeing magazine, there is a mention of tobacco and copper offerings to Maymayguaishi.  (spelling varies)

Since our first trip we have always left a pinch of tobacco, but have never seen the copper reference.  Maybe we can we blame our poor fishing and general bad weather on that omission?

Searching for copper offerings, all I found was Tibetan comments.