Whonnock Boy
12-03-2011, 12:52 AM
It had been about 10 years since I last visited Saskatchewan. My Uncle Tom picked me up at the airport and we headed for our destination. First thing we did when we got there was visit my cousin to say our hello's and get the low down on the plan. The mounts on the walls definately were encouraging, especially the 183" high brow tined bruiser whitetail.
The plan for the first morning was to familiarize my Uncle and myself with the properties we were, and were not allowed to hunt. It took a few days to comprehend being that the only landmarks to go by were quansits, silos, and abandoned farm houses. A river too, but you could only see that when you were within 500 yards. I can only guess that it amounted to 10 000 acres. I guess it helps to know a relative that works for the Saskatchewan Irrigation Bureau. If that is what it is called.
We made our way out to a little piece of property that we had just been given permission to hunt the night that I got there. It was 80 acres, most of which was coulee. The neighbouring property owner was nice enough to roll a round bale down to the bottom of it to attract deer to his trail cam. It worked pretty good.
Drove up to the coulee and watched for about 45 minutes. Deer were coming and going. Both mulies and whities. At one point my uncle had 3 whitetail bucks in his spotting scope at less than 300 yards. All were 4 points including the brow tines. They were having a meeting to see who was boss I guess.
As both my Uncle and cousin were preoccupied with them, I watched a 5X5 enter the scene 200 yards behind us. He made a bee line for the 3 bucks and quickly chased two of them off. At this point the deer were 50 yards on the wrong side of the fence. The third buck needed some persuading. He pushed him to the right side of the fence. They asked if I wanted him, which I declined, so my Uncle took him. Nice way to start the trip!!!
http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g398/whonnockboy/IMG_0911.jpg
That afternoon my Uncle,cousin, and his wife pushed some river bank coullees while I was on post. Post??? I had to think for a second when they suggested it. I had never been involved in a bush push.
Not hunting any ways. My Uncle ended up seeing more deer than any of us. Said he could of shot 20 of the 30 or so deer he had seen. One decent buck in the mix. I saw a Muley buck and doe. I did not
like being on post. I felt like I was not doing anything, which I wasn't. When we met up to make our way back to the truck we jumped a buck and a doe not 40 yards from where I walked in. A decent buck. Might have scored 140, with a pencil sized 6 inch drop tine too.
Day two started off somewhat the same. We watched the coullee for a couple hours. Multiple bucks were seen, but I passed. We did our tour spotting many animals, but nothing worth pursuing.
The third day we started with scoping the coullee once again. We were later getting there. As we drove in I spotted a buck right away. One look through the binos and I was grabbing for the gun. Another five seconds might have got it done. Unfortunately it bolted. Uncle Tom backed out of there quick like, and headed for the end of the coullee that we were permitted to hunt which the buck and does were headed for. As we crested the hill we see a truck parked at the lookout. Uncle Tom being the friendly guy he is, drove down to say hello.
First thing the gentlemen says is "Who are you?", somewhat uninvitingly. We explained who we were, and he reciprocated. As we talked he definately did not warm up. About 30 seconds into our conversation here comes the buck with his 5 does. I watched hopelessly as he bounded to freedom of the posted land towards the river. A nice typical 5X5, at least 150. Later we told my cousin the story. Ends up that MOFO did not have permission to hunt there. He lives a couple miles away. He and his neighbour who's property we were on did not get along. We never saw him there again.
That night I was getting itchy. Too much driving. I like the sitting and watching, but I wanted to get out more, earlier too. I mentioned that. I swore I had just grown a second head. At least that is how they looked at me. The half hour before sunrise, half hour after sunset had them trained. We were seeing deer both early and late but the regulation stopped us from shooting. It was a tough one to wrap my head around. It was daylight long before legal time!!! I told them how it is one hour out here in B.C. You can shoot a sillouette if you know what you are shooting. The last day my explanation was proven. A nice tall 4X4 sillouetted in a field just at day break.
I had them convinced for day 4. We got into the coullee early. More deer were spotted than any of the previous days. Many that we would not have seen if we had arrived later. They were surprised how many deer were headed for cover so early. The rest of the trip we were out for first light. That sitting we watched a decent buck chase a doe into one of the coullee fingers. We thought a better look was needed. I crossed to where they entered and cirled the bluff. Just as my Uncle and cousin lost sight of me I spotted a doe coming out of the thickets. I made like a statue. She stopped not 10 yards away. The buck was in tow. We had a staredown for a few minutes and then they went about their business. They circled around to the top of the bluffwhere my Uncle and cousin could see them. They had a good laugh being that I had just went in there. I passed.
That afternoon I had them drop me off on the river breaks where we pushed bush on the first day. As I walked the breaks they watched one of the largest whitetails they had all seen in there lives from the look out point. It was on the wrong side of the fence by a few hundred yards, about 600 in total away. It would have been nice to see. It gave me hope, but it was not meant to be.
The last morning we went to the spot where we bumped into the grumpy neighbour. I figured it was time. I was not travelling 1200 miles to go home empty handed. The first buck came right by us. He was probably a little better than the second, the one I ended up shooting. I could have shot numerous bucks that were bigger, but I guess his number was up.
http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g398/whonnockboy/IMG_0915.jpg
Throughout the rest of the trip we glassed many more bucks. None of which made the grade. My Uncle would drop me off to walk, and proceed to the lookout points to watch the show. I would see a handful of deer, he would watch as many more went unnoticed by myself. He really enjoyed that. The one afternoon out at the pig farm, where we had seen a doe and two bucks the first time we went there, we sat for a few hours. No less than 25 deer were spotted within 500 yards. It included one heck of a Muley. He was heavy! The last afternoon I walked through that spot. At one point Tom had 5, 4 point whiteys in the spotting scope. All over 130. I pushed them all out of a sliver of buck brush not 25 yards wide, and a 100 yards long right beside the river. I only saw 2. :oops:
At the end of the day, I have to say it was a great trip. I visited with family I had not seen in years, and was able to hunt with them to boot. I have a good comprehension of the area, and know what I want to do next time I go.
My Aunts, sister in-law ended up getting a quality buck while I was there. She kind of put me in my place. :mrgreen: Next time!
http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g398/whonnockboy/IMG_0913-1.jpg?t=1322898375
The plan for the first morning was to familiarize my Uncle and myself with the properties we were, and were not allowed to hunt. It took a few days to comprehend being that the only landmarks to go by were quansits, silos, and abandoned farm houses. A river too, but you could only see that when you were within 500 yards. I can only guess that it amounted to 10 000 acres. I guess it helps to know a relative that works for the Saskatchewan Irrigation Bureau. If that is what it is called.
We made our way out to a little piece of property that we had just been given permission to hunt the night that I got there. It was 80 acres, most of which was coulee. The neighbouring property owner was nice enough to roll a round bale down to the bottom of it to attract deer to his trail cam. It worked pretty good.
Drove up to the coulee and watched for about 45 minutes. Deer were coming and going. Both mulies and whities. At one point my uncle had 3 whitetail bucks in his spotting scope at less than 300 yards. All were 4 points including the brow tines. They were having a meeting to see who was boss I guess.
As both my Uncle and cousin were preoccupied with them, I watched a 5X5 enter the scene 200 yards behind us. He made a bee line for the 3 bucks and quickly chased two of them off. At this point the deer were 50 yards on the wrong side of the fence. The third buck needed some persuading. He pushed him to the right side of the fence. They asked if I wanted him, which I declined, so my Uncle took him. Nice way to start the trip!!!
http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g398/whonnockboy/IMG_0911.jpg
That afternoon my Uncle,cousin, and his wife pushed some river bank coullees while I was on post. Post??? I had to think for a second when they suggested it. I had never been involved in a bush push.
Not hunting any ways. My Uncle ended up seeing more deer than any of us. Said he could of shot 20 of the 30 or so deer he had seen. One decent buck in the mix. I saw a Muley buck and doe. I did not
like being on post. I felt like I was not doing anything, which I wasn't. When we met up to make our way back to the truck we jumped a buck and a doe not 40 yards from where I walked in. A decent buck. Might have scored 140, with a pencil sized 6 inch drop tine too.
Day two started off somewhat the same. We watched the coullee for a couple hours. Multiple bucks were seen, but I passed. We did our tour spotting many animals, but nothing worth pursuing.
The third day we started with scoping the coullee once again. We were later getting there. As we drove in I spotted a buck right away. One look through the binos and I was grabbing for the gun. Another five seconds might have got it done. Unfortunately it bolted. Uncle Tom backed out of there quick like, and headed for the end of the coullee that we were permitted to hunt which the buck and does were headed for. As we crested the hill we see a truck parked at the lookout. Uncle Tom being the friendly guy he is, drove down to say hello.
First thing the gentlemen says is "Who are you?", somewhat uninvitingly. We explained who we were, and he reciprocated. As we talked he definately did not warm up. About 30 seconds into our conversation here comes the buck with his 5 does. I watched hopelessly as he bounded to freedom of the posted land towards the river. A nice typical 5X5, at least 150. Later we told my cousin the story. Ends up that MOFO did not have permission to hunt there. He lives a couple miles away. He and his neighbour who's property we were on did not get along. We never saw him there again.
That night I was getting itchy. Too much driving. I like the sitting and watching, but I wanted to get out more, earlier too. I mentioned that. I swore I had just grown a second head. At least that is how they looked at me. The half hour before sunrise, half hour after sunset had them trained. We were seeing deer both early and late but the regulation stopped us from shooting. It was a tough one to wrap my head around. It was daylight long before legal time!!! I told them how it is one hour out here in B.C. You can shoot a sillouette if you know what you are shooting. The last day my explanation was proven. A nice tall 4X4 sillouetted in a field just at day break.
I had them convinced for day 4. We got into the coullee early. More deer were spotted than any of the previous days. Many that we would not have seen if we had arrived later. They were surprised how many deer were headed for cover so early. The rest of the trip we were out for first light. That sitting we watched a decent buck chase a doe into one of the coullee fingers. We thought a better look was needed. I crossed to where they entered and cirled the bluff. Just as my Uncle and cousin lost sight of me I spotted a doe coming out of the thickets. I made like a statue. She stopped not 10 yards away. The buck was in tow. We had a staredown for a few minutes and then they went about their business. They circled around to the top of the bluffwhere my Uncle and cousin could see them. They had a good laugh being that I had just went in there. I passed.
That afternoon I had them drop me off on the river breaks where we pushed bush on the first day. As I walked the breaks they watched one of the largest whitetails they had all seen in there lives from the look out point. It was on the wrong side of the fence by a few hundred yards, about 600 in total away. It would have been nice to see. It gave me hope, but it was not meant to be.
The last morning we went to the spot where we bumped into the grumpy neighbour. I figured it was time. I was not travelling 1200 miles to go home empty handed. The first buck came right by us. He was probably a little better than the second, the one I ended up shooting. I could have shot numerous bucks that were bigger, but I guess his number was up.
http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g398/whonnockboy/IMG_0915.jpg
Throughout the rest of the trip we glassed many more bucks. None of which made the grade. My Uncle would drop me off to walk, and proceed to the lookout points to watch the show. I would see a handful of deer, he would watch as many more went unnoticed by myself. He really enjoyed that. The one afternoon out at the pig farm, where we had seen a doe and two bucks the first time we went there, we sat for a few hours. No less than 25 deer were spotted within 500 yards. It included one heck of a Muley. He was heavy! The last afternoon I walked through that spot. At one point Tom had 5, 4 point whiteys in the spotting scope. All over 130. I pushed them all out of a sliver of buck brush not 25 yards wide, and a 100 yards long right beside the river. I only saw 2. :oops:
At the end of the day, I have to say it was a great trip. I visited with family I had not seen in years, and was able to hunt with them to boot. I have a good comprehension of the area, and know what I want to do next time I go.
My Aunts, sister in-law ended up getting a quality buck while I was there. She kind of put me in my place. :mrgreen: Next time!
http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g398/whonnockboy/IMG_0913-1.jpg?t=1322898375