snytrophyhunter
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Saskatchewan Bear Hunt - 2008
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Tuesday, July 22, 2008 9:46 AM
( #1 )
Saskatchewan Bear Hunt – 2008
We flew into Edmonton on Saturday June 7th high with anticipation and raring to reach bear camp, some seven and a half hour drive on the following day. My brothers, Don and Joe, and I had made the same run in 2006 resulting in two bear with one making the record book.
Our Bear camp is an outpost cabin on the eastern shore of Dore Lake, owned and operated by our outfitter, Jim Williamson, and his charming wife Dar. Access to the cabin is either by boat or by quad from the end of a lumber road some miles distant.
We were up at 2:00 am and on the road before three. Thunder and lighting rolled across the vast expanses of Alberta as we drove due East on Yellow Head Highway (16) encountering downpours and a stretch of road buried in three inches of marble sized hail. As dawn approached the skies cleared and the temperature warmed. The remainder of our stay in Saskatchewan would be favored by Bluebird skies for the most part, and temperatures in the high seventies with lows near forty at night.
We reached the end of the lumber road at Jim’s staging area just as Jim came rolling in from the bush on his quad with another hunter. They had just recovered the hunter’s bear that had been arrowed late the night before. It’s always good to see Jim. I’ve hunted with him for the last nine years on twelve different hunts for both Deer and Bear. Every time I hunt with Jim I learn more about the game we pursue and an invaluable knowledge of the Boreal Forest and the creatures that it holds. He is without doubt one of the best and knowledgeable outfitters I’ve had the pleasure to hunt with.
Typically hunters leave camp on Saturday and new hunters move in on Sunday. Jim had a camp full of bow hunters that hunted right through to the end of Saturday this week. They eventually were all transported back to the line and were gracious enough to help us gather up all of our gear and get it back to the cabin for us. They had done well with nearly every hunter taking a bear. The hunters that had not scored, had all seen bear, but held out to the end hoping for the big one. Unfortunately, Dar was leaving as well. She had been in camp for the prior two weeks using up her vacation time from her regular job and now had to head home. She’s delightful and has a great sense of humor. We always have a great time in camp together.
We were also joined in camp by Todd Shoup. Todd originally from Michigan had become a resident of Lloydminster, Alberta after a job transfer and had become a good friend and neighbor of Jim. This was his first bear hunt but is a highly experienced hunter and fisherman with years of quading experience under his belt. A true gentleman with a great sense of humor as well.
We settled into camp and prepared our equipment for the next days hunt. It was decided that we would all hunt up through the North line. The toughest and farthest set of stands within Jim’s hunting area. The quading is extreme in that it necessitates negotiating rough trails, floating bridges, mud holes and the ever present muskeg. The farthest stand would be about 15 miles for Todd, my relatively close by at approximately 14 miles and Don and Joe’s stands at 8 and ten miles.
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jimgiven
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RE: Saskatchewan Bear Hunt - 2008
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Monday, July 28, 2008 10:57 AM
( #2 )
Sounds like a great experience....better luck next time!
Jim
Take your kids hunting before you have to hunt for you kids!!!
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badandy970
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RE: Saskatchewan Bear Hunt - 2008
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Monday, July 28, 2008 2:11 PM
( #3 )
Wow better luck next time
Semper Paratus Final Approach Pro-Staff Foiles Migrators Pro-Staff Rig'Em Right Pro-Staff Duck Junkies Pro-Staff Clearwater Fl. Ducks Unlimited Committee Member TEAM TRIPPLE H TEAM BUSH QUACKED
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