Saskatchewan…The Land of Giants

Saskatchewan…The Land of Giants

By:  Tracey Splechter

Our hunt had been planned for a few months, with a few twists and turns along the way.  The day had finally arrived to fly to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan for our whitetail deer adventure.  Kirstie Pike, CEO of Prois and I were meeting up on Saturday, November 6^th and planned to overnight in Saskatoon that evening, prior to our departure to camp on Sunday.  All travel plans went off without a hitch and we were ready to go by 9am on Sunday morning.  Devin, the outfitter, and a few other hunters met us at the hotel Sunday morning and we loaded all of our gear into the trucks and headed north.  It is approximately a two hour drive from Saskatoon to Leoville (location where ATV’s are stored for ride into camp) and the guides offer to stop in Leoville to let hunters purchase any extra beverages or snacks they need for the week.  We arrived at the base camp in the early afternoon and each hunter’s gear was loaded onto trailers which were to be pulled by quads (also known as four wheelers).  Each hunter drives their personal four wheeler for the one hour adventure into camp.  I say adventure because this is exactly what it was.  The guides had just brought the previous hunters out of camp two days prior to us making the trek but not long after starting down the trail we hit our first bump in the road.  One of the hunters dug himself deep into a mud hole and had to be rescued.  The weather was quite warm for early November so the trails were not frozen as they typically would be when hunting season begins.  The second bump:  a large tree had been chewed down by a beaver and was blocking our “train” from passing by.  The tree was too large for the six guys to lift and move off the trail, so the guides took each four wheeler around the tree so we could continue on our journey.  The rest of the ride in was uneventful, but the scenery was amazing.  We saw several lakes, miles and miles of timber, clear blue skies and wildlife galore!

Once at camp, the guides unloaded all gear and we were shown around camp.  There was the main cabin, where hunters sleep and meals are prepared, the guide’s cabin, the cleaning shed, a workshop, and the changing cabin.  The heated changing cabin is where you stored all of your hunting gear.  The owner is a firm believer in scent control and does not allow any of your hunting clothes to be brought into the main cabin to keep the scent problem down.  While the guides were busy cleaning the four wheelers, we unpacked our hunting items into the changing cabin and took everything else into the main cabin.  The main cabin has three bedrooms, each with a set of bunk beds, a bathroom with shower, kitchen, dining room, living room and deck overlooking Higgins Lake. The main cabin is also equipped with a wood burning hot tub.

Next on the agenda was the sighting in of each hunter’s gun.  Once this was complete it was time for dinner and to get all paperwork out of the way.  Each person drew for their stand placement and guide for the Monday morning hunt.  This works well as it keeps things fair between all hunters.  After a quick video, it was off to bed as the morning would come very quickly.

Bright and early Monday morning, the coffee was brewing and breakfast was cooking on the stove.  Dustin, the cook and guide, made the most amazing meals you could imagine in a back country hunting camp.  After breakfast was cleaned up, it was off to the changing shed to prepare ourselves for a long day in the tree stands.  We all loaded our gear onto our four wheelers and wished each other well for the day.  My guide for the week was Tom Beebe, the outfitter’s dad.  Tom has been guiding hunters in the area for 21 years so he knows the land very well.  It took about an hour to navigate our way into the stand.  My stand the first morning was named Jack Pine 2.  It was about 20 feet in the air and about 111 yards from the bait pile.  I had three good shooting lanes and a lot of action all day.  I had a nice 10 pointer chase a few doe around for the majority of the afternoon but I didn’t get too excited about him.  I decided that if I was in the same stand on Thursday and hadn’t shot anything, he would be my Thursday deer.  During the twelve hour sit, I also saw four 8 pointers, four 6 pointers and several spikes.  I lost track of all the does that came into the bait pile, of alfalfa straw and peas.  Every day, the guides drive around to all 35 stand locations and place fresh bait, if needed.

When we returned back to camp, dinner was ready and we all talked about the happenings of the day.  Every hunter saw several deer at each of their stands but no one had taken a shot.  We were all waiting for the monster!  The outfitter has about 20 cuddyback cameras placed at different stands throughout the week.  Everyday they pull the cards from the cameras to help pattern the deer movement.  They have a board in the lodge with pictures of deer they have gotten on camera that have not been shot.  They have each hunter study this board to be sure they know how to judge deer in the field.  The guides had spotted a very large buck on a stand they hadn’t placed a hunter so they decided to move a few of us to different stand locations.  I wasn’t really ready to move, but agreed to shake things up a bit.  Four of us were chosen to draw again and I drew lucky stand Carolina.

The next morning we drove about 1.5 hours to my stand location.  This time there was one shooting lane, the bait pile was about 75 yards and my stand was about the same height.  Before we headed out, I had told Kirstie that I had a nervous feeling in my stomach.  About an hour into sitting, I realized why I was feeling that way.  Two does came underneath my stand and headed straight for the bait.  They hung out for a while and something spooked one and off it ran.  The second one stayed on the bait but was looking in the trees to my left.  I scanned the woods to my left and saw nothing.  A few minutes went by and that doe hadn’t moved.  So I started searching the woods to my left again and there he stood; the large deer with the tipped main beams that I had remembered seeing on the board.   I knew instantly he was a shooter!  No need for binos, I went straight for my gun.  The buck went directly to the bait pile and turned perfectly broadside.  I took about five deep breaths and fired away!  Wow, what a rush!  I will never forget that feeling just after you take your shot and you watch your deer trot slowly away.  I immediately radioed my guide to let him know I had taken a shot, just like we were instructed to do.  About an hour after I had shot, I got all my gear and myself out of the stand and was going to investigate.  I walked down the hill to the bait pile and couldn’t find any blood.  All I found was a pile of fur.  I sent Kirstie a message to let her know that I had shot and good news, so had she.  She tracked her deer and had a very nice 12 pointer on the ground!  The timber was so thick that I decided to go back to my stand and wait for the guide.  A couple of hours passed and Tom arrived at my stand.  We went down to the bait pile, I told him which direction the buck ran off and the tracking was on.  We found a very large pile of blood and then tracked for about an hour and couldn’t find anything else.  I was getting that sick feeling like I had a bad shot, but knew deep down I was right on.  It was getting dark so Tom decided we needed to head back to camp and we would try again tomorrow.  I was beside myself.  The entire ride back to camp, I was speechless.  I felt I had wounded a deer and left him to die in the woods.  Tom did everything he could to console me and said that if he was down, the birds would be on him in the morning and we would find him.  Once back in camp, we realized 5 of the 6 hunters in camp had shot deer that Tuesday morning and mine was the only one not recovered yet.  There was Tom who took a 182, Kirstie with a 154, Ron with a 140 and Jessie with his first whitetail deer at 127.  The wait for Wednesday afternoon was the longest 12 hours in my life.  Tom, Devin, Ron, Jessie (Ron and Jessie were from North Carolina and Florida, respectively) and myself headed out on four wheelers Wednesday in search of my tipped main beams.  Along the way we baited a few stands and finally reached Carolina.  I showed everyone the fur at the bait pile, the direction he ran off and the large pile of blood we found the previous day.  We all started off in a different direction with our eyes and ears open.  Driving in we didn’t see any birds flying overhead so that wasn’t a great sign.  Devin yelled for everyone to be quite, he thought he heard something.  We all stood our positions and then we heard them, the birds squawking about 100 yards away.  Devin and Ron took off at a fast pace in the birds’ direction and Ron started yelling he could see him.  At that point, I was sprinting through the brush, my heart was pounding.  Devin was yelling for everyone to get there as he spotted an eagle.  Ron, my savior had found my deer!  Little did we know that Tom and I were only about 10 yards from the deer the previous day but could not see him through the thick brush.  It was smiles and hugs all around.  I was so excited!  I had my first Saskatchewan whitetail deer and he was a beauty.  My emotions had gone on a roller coaster ride in a short 24 hour period but everything ended well.  We made it back to camp and the celebration was on!  We had taken five deer in one day and that was a record at camp!  We had a fantastic meal and Jessie even played a few tunes on the guitar for us that evening.  Bobby, the only guy in camp who hadn’t shot settled in early that evening as he was going to try his luck again the next day.  It turned out that Bobby wouldn’t take a shot on this trip to Saskatchewan but had several opportunities at deer over 140.  Bobby and Tom both are returning to hunt in 2011.  As for the rest of us, we will be back again someday.

Kirstie and I packed up and were ready to head back to Saskatoon on Thursday for Friday flights home.  We said all of our goodbyes to the hunters in camp with us and to the fantastic guides who we had the pleasure to get to know for a few days.  Overall this was one of the best experiences of my life and I would recommend anyone who wants to shoot a large whitetail deer to head to Saskatchewan with this outfitter.

Great meals, excellent accommodations and very friendly guides all make this an unbeatable, unique experience.  My deer ended up scoring a whopping 160 4/8 and for my first whitetail, I think it will be hard to beat.  Thanks to everyone who was involved in this hunt, Kirstie (my new best friend and hunting buddy), Ron from North Carolina (who I owe my first buck too), Jessie from Florida (Ron’s son who kept things lively around camp), Bobby (the only hunter who didn’t make a shot but deserved it more than the rest of us), Tom (who had the largest deer in camp for the week), Dustin (a fantastic cook and new friend as well), Tom (my guide extraordinaire), and Devin (who almost was the first to find my deer and who I owe this incredible experience to).  I can’t wait to do it all over again.

For more information about this whitetail hunt in Saskatchewan or any other outdoor adventure, contact Tracey Splechter with Outdoor Connection.

tracey@outdoor-connection.com

620-364-5500

Hanna Pike of Prois Hunting Takes 7×6 Bull in Colorado!

Big Bull Down! Hanna Pike of Prois Hunting Takes 7×6 Bull in Colorado! By Kirstie Pike, CEO Prois Hunting Apparel for Women

Again?!? Yes, again… Hanna Pike, daughter of Prois founders Steve and Kirstie Pike, bags another trophy animal for 2009! Hanna, 17 years old, started out her 2009 season with hard-earned Mountain Goat that she took in the 13,000 foot peaks of Colorado. This week, Hanna scored her second trophy of 2009- a 7×6 bull taken in Southeastern Colorado.

Hanna, accompanied by her father and grandfather (Jim “Jim Dog” Pike) set out for the south east reaches of the state. Packing in on horseback, the threesome set up early on opening morning to glass the area. A number of sizable bulls and cows were sighted that morning. However, when Hanna spotted a nice 7×6, she knew that was the bull she wanted. After some maneuvering, she was able to set-up into position and take her shot.

The rest, they say, is history. A trophy bull is quite a prize, but the memories fabulous hunt shared with her dad and grampa are what will mean the most. Passing the torch and fueling the passion for hunting and the outdoors starts at home. It is a beautiful thing to watch our kids grow into the next generation of sportsmen/women. Oh, and by the way…Hanna isn’t done yet. She ALSO drew a Colorado Mule Deer tag for the upcoming season…stay tuned!

October’s “Woman of the Wild” Kirstie Pike

Camp Wild Girls.com names Kirstie Pike- Founder/CEO Prois Hunting Apparel for Women October’s Woman of the Wild!

Kirstie is the founder and CEO of Prois Hunting Apparel for Women.  A lover of the outdoors, Kirstie developed the unique Prois line in efforts to provide the ultimate, high-performance huntwear for women.  Living in Colorado affords her with every opportunity to be in the outdoors and hunting quickly became more than just a sport for her, it became a passion.  She has jumped head-first into the women’s hunting world.  In addition to running Prois, she is a member of NSSF, ATA, POMA, SEOPA and Vice President of the Women’s Outdoor Media Associaition.  In addition, she sits on the Women’s Outreach Committee for POMA as well as the Corporate Partner Board for POMA.  She is a wife, mom of 2 teenage daughters, Registered Nurse, Hospital Emergency Preparedness Coordinator, a past 4-H leader and assistant cross country coach.  Kirstie believes there is a lot of living to do out there, so go do it!

Próis Pro, Kirstie Pike goes on a Gator Quest!

Próis Hunting Apparel owner, Kirstie Pike, writes about her GatorQuest

Air Sickness and Air Boats…what’s a girl to do?

Gator Quest…day 1! We flew into New Orleans late last night following a vomit inducing flight from Gunnison to Denver…ok, didn’t really vomit, but wished I had. As with typical travel days, we experienced near homicidal frustration with all proveyors of transportation. So- did you realize that you can be charged $30 for a 10 minute taxi ride by a non-English speaking cabbie who does not use a meter? Nether did we. As well, upon our late night check-in to a rather sketchy hotel- I got the unique opportunity of visualizing a cockroach that was literally the size of a mouse…need I mention my dismay that the hotel room smelled of Raid.

It was all absolutely worth it! We arrived in Springfield around noon, at which time we teamed up with Chad and Dana Wall of Gatortrax tv. We had the unique opportunity of touring their gator farm which is nothing short of amazing. Within a couple of hours, we found ourselves on Tickfaw River in an airboat cruising deep into the swamps. As a homegrown Colorado girl, I found myself utterly slack jawed at the beauty of the swamps. Cypress trees, Spanish moss, lilly pads and lush folliage thickly surrounded us. The airboats can go ANYWHERE, and we quickly learned that Chad was NOT kidding when he said they can cross dry land…they can! We also had an interesting experience involving a boat, a trailer and near capsizing…I’d love to divulge the facts but I was pinky-sworn to secrecy.

We hit the hunt at 6am tomorrow and we’re ready to roll! I wonder if I can find Starbucks on the way…

I have to say, when I accepted Chad and Dana Wall (of Gatortrax TV) to head down to the swamplands of Louisiana, I was more than just a little intrigued.  Being from Colorado, I had all sorts of images in my head of what the swamps and gator hunting would be like.  Of course, my primal fear of bugs came to mind.  Oh, and my fear of snakes.  Can’t forget about murkey water, leaches and aligators (which I have learned ARE the top of the food chain in the swamps).  OK, and let’s face it…who HASN’T seen the movie, ‘Deliverance’?  I came to  Louisiana equipped with all sorts of cliche’d propoganda in my head..

As we set out in the morning, I was taken by the absolute beauty of the surroundings.  The cypress trees, spanish moss, saw grass and lillies were beautiful.  As well, there is a unique slant of the sun at sunrise through the swampland that casts an unparalleled.  I had never really heard the sound of bullfrogs in the caucophony of noise that comes from everywhere.  Now, the only way I can really explain it is this…if you have ever ridden the African Queen boat ride at Disneyland and recognized the canned jungle noises along the lazy river…well, now you got it!  OK, but as Chad and Dana will attest, despite my appreciation for the beauty of the swamps, I may have still reacted like a school girl in response to the baseball size grasshoppers that seemed to have quite an affinity for the boat. 

Ahh, but what about the hunting?  All I can say is that it was a thrilling experience!  Day 2 provided us with numerous gators.  I am heartily humbled by the difficulty of the hunt in terms of hitting a very, very small killzone.  Slight deviation in any direction will result in bullet placement into the animals inpenetratable armor.  As well, only a very small fraction of the animal’s head will surface which may or may not provide a shot to the hunter.  Clearly, there is a reason why these pre-historic animals have survived for millions of years!  Chad, a 5th generation Springfieldian who has hunted these waters since he was a child, spent endless hours teaching us the patterns and habits of the aligators.  We encountered a number of gators, but after some heavy rains and a 45 minute staredown with a sizable gator, I was able to get a kill with my CVA muzzleloader! 

We ended the day with 3 gators and a cantankerous boat motor that threatened to strand us in the water.  We made it safely to the landing (as we knew we would) and beat a hasty retreat to the ladies room as we determined that under NO circumstances would we venture off to take care of business in the swamps. 

Day 2 of the GatorQuest started out just as early as day 1…We launched out to another gorgeous sunrise as we ventured out to the swamps.  I was still utterly awestricken at the beauty of the area.  I have to also admit that I was more than just a little bit excited that we didn’t have Gigantor the Grasshopper and his closest friends on the boat this day! 

Today was action packed and we spotted numerous animals.  I must admit that it took me some time to differentiate the splashes of jumping fish vs. movement of gators.  More than once I performed a spastic bout of arm waving and finger pointing at jumping fish that I was certain was a passing gator.  After two days of this, Chad and Dana just ignored my fits to save me the embarrassment. 

Jennifer got on the first animal of the day and pulled a nice gator.  He was pulled aboard and we moved on for the next gator…or jumping fish depending on who you ask.  We set about the various waterways and it was my pledge to not drink a sip of water today for fear of having to go to the bathroom.  Chock that up to another valuable lesson learned.  As the day drew to a close we pulled in some nice gators and headed out to beat the heat.  Jennifer and I discovered a long lost love in Springfield, Louisiana…Strawberry Slurpees!  Giddy with anticipation (and some pretty severe dehydration!) we indulged not once, but twice in these delectable treats!  OK…so they weren’t as good as we remembered, but hey… who couldn’t get excited about a frozen treat chock full of high-fructose corn syrup! 

Our experience was awesome as was the company of the Walls.  We look forward to another adventure with Chad and Dana…maybe in Colorado…if we can cure Dana’s fear of Mountain Lions.  If you ask me, they aren’t nearly as scary as leaches and ginormous grasshoppers!  Until then…bring on the GOAT!

Do me a favor.  Check out www.gatortraxtv.com to find out more about Chad and Dana Wall and their tv show, Gatortrax Outdoors.  All fair chase, all fun!  Oh…and did I mention they are quite entertaining as well!?

Original Post found at www.Proishunting.com