Located in remote northern Saskatchewan along the scenic Canadian Shield, this new outfitter to us has exclusive outfitting access to 540 square miles of trophy black bear hunting each spring. The bear numbers are high, with a dense population of trophy class bears, as last year was the first year that the area was commercially hunted in 7 years. Their camp runs on “quality not quantity” as we guide a limited number of guests each season which in return gives you the best possible chance at taking a trophy bruin, and making your stay as comfortable as possible. Hunters stay in a modern lodge with satellite TV and cell service.
Largest Black Bears Taken Recently:
7’ 7” Black Bear 545lbs
7’1” Brown Bear 460lbs
8’0” Black Bear 483 lbs
445 lbs. Black Bear
Success Ratio: 100% Opportunity and 86% Harvest rate.
Deer hunts and May bear hunts are out of their spectacular $3.5 million Whitetail Lodge, with terrific food. Their June hunts are out of a more remote northern camp near Pinehouse, with resort accommodations. This is a hunt for someone serious about bagging a monster bear. The area has been hardly hunted over the last 15 years, and they will only take 3-4 hunters per week and 8 per season.
Their 6 day/6 night hunts start with arriving at camp on Sunday to unpack, shoot weapons, and get settled in. The average temperatures this time of year may range from 75 degrees during the day dropping down to 25-40 degrees overnight.
The location of their main camp provides us with efficient access to all of our hunting setups. Hunts take place over bait, primarily out of tree stands and occasionally out of ground blinds. Cam trackers are used to help locate trophy bears. All stands are regularly maintained and scouted. Over the course of your hunt you may sit at several different stands depending on wind directions and bear activity. Majority of the stands are setup for 20-40 yard shots overlooking creeks, lakes, jack pine meadows, poplar ridges and beaver dams. The hunts occur during the black bear rut, when the big bears are on the move. The owners and guides are all experienced hunters themselves and will take care of you over the course of your hunt and ensure your trip was a successful and memorable experience.
Hunters are usually taken to their stands in the early afternoon. During the morning, or after you have tagged out, there are several lakes nearby that offer fishing for walleye and Northern pike. There is also a terrific golf course a short drive away.
This operation runs on quality not quantity, which allows them to manage the area efficiently and target mature, trophy class bears. Archery, primitive weapon, and rifle hunters are all welcome. They are running hunts through May and into early June. The first week is generally about hunting big bears that are more patternable before the rut really gets underway. This is a great week to hunt bears that are local to the area, as they are more reliable. By the second and third week, the rut is usually in full swing. This is when new bears will appear as they are starting to travel bigger areas looking for hot sows. Sitting over a bait when a hot sow is in the area can make for a memorable night in the stand! This time of year bears usually have beautiful coats and are not starting to rub yet, and color-phase bears (blonde, cinnamon, cherry, brown) make up 30%-40% of the bears harvested.
WHITETAILS: Beginning in 2018, this outfitter is also offering trophy whitetail hunts on a 350,000-acre concession near Goodsoil, SK, in the fringe between the solid timber to the north and the agriculture to the south. He has exclusive outfitting rights to the concession. This area has been lightly hunted and well managed over the past decade, making it one of the best locations in Saskatchewan to hunt trophy whitetails. Only 7 hunters hunted here last year, but two bucks in the 180s were taken. Hunters can expect to be hunting bucks in the 150”-165”class, with a realistic chance at a 170+”, and 200” deer have been taken from this concession in the past. The last hard winters was back in 2013, and the whitetail herds here are doing well with strong numbers of good mature deer to hunt.
Beginning in 2020, this outfitter has also acquired the rights to an additional approx. 170,000 acres of prime whitetail habitat, including 80,000 acres of farmland. The previous operator hunted it very lightly, and it has produced some huge bucks, so the outfitter is quite excited about the prospects.
This hunt is ideal for the serious whitetail hunter who has already taken some nice bucks and is now looking for something special, with a “quality over quantity” operation. If you can pass up a 140”-150” buck in hopes of tagging a 160”-180”, and are prepared to go home without a deer if you don’t see a buck that big, and might even be willing to come back a time or two until you get that big one, then this is a perfect hunt for you. With success rates around 50%, this is perhaps not the best hunt for someone looking to do their first Canadian whitetail hunt, as the outfitter would prefer to let the 3.5-year old 140” bucks keep growing.
The outfitter has this to say about the whitetail hunting:
“The last bad winter we had was 2013. That winter was hard on bucks 4+ years old that weren’t able to recover from the rut. There’s always been good deer around, it was just harder to find them in 2014 & 2015. 2016 was the first good year we seen since the 2013 winter. We averaged 166” gross B&C on all the bucks taken in our outfitting area that year. The whitetail herds here are doing well and numbers of good mature deer to hunt are strong.”
This is a north woods hunt in November/December, so expect snow and temperatures from the freezing mark down to -25F, with averages around 15F. Hunting is from pop-up or box blinds with heaters. Blinds are accessed by ATV after a 20-minute ride by truck from the lodge. You will be hunting over bait, with baiting having begun in early October. These guys plans to do a lot of scouting, and will inform you of what specific bucks you are likely to see in a given location, and the guides will be scouting other locations while you are hunting. There will be a maximum of 6 hunters per week. Whitetail hunters stay in a spectacular, $3.5 million waterfront lodge, with terrific food (keep that in mind if you think that the price of this hunt is higher than other SK deer hunts).
PRICES (subject to change without notice until deposit received; prices in USD)
Bears:
Whitetail Lodge
$3,995 for 6-day 2×1 guided hunt, including meals and lodging. Non-hunting observers $200/day.
Remote Camp
$4,995 for 6-day 2×1 guided hunt, including meals and lodging. Non-hunting observers $200/day.
Whitetails
$7,500 for 6-day 2×1 guided hunt, including meals and lodging. Non-hunting observers $200/day.
Included:
Modern lodge accommodations with individuals rooms
Satellite TV
WIFI and cell service
Home cooked meals
Transportation to/from stands
Trophy care
Excluded:
Alcohol
Transportation to/from camp (may be arranged at additional cost)
Black Bear license $310; Whitetail Deer License $380 (available in camp, but you need to pre-register online)
Fishing License $80
Tax 5%
Gratuities
Taxidermy
LICENSES
The outfitter will acquire your licenses ahead of time and have them waiting for you in camp. However, you need to have a Saskatchewan “HAL” (Hunting, Angling, Trapping License) account in order for him to do so. You will need to register for a HAL account once you have booked your trip and paid your deposit. You can do so online using this link: HAL Registration, or by calling 1-855-848-4773.
GETTING THERE
Fly to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan or Edmonton, Alberta. The outfitter has special hotel room rates available near both airports if needed. Rent a car and drive about 4 hours to camp.
Exporting:
Once you have taken your bear, your guide will provide trophy care. Once the animal is caped, they will be put into the deep freeze until your departure. It is your decision if you would like to take the hide & skull home with you. We provide you with a hide sac for transportation. If you would like the hide to be transported in a cooler that is your responsibility. We also have a taxidermist (Vivid Taxidermy) in Saskatoon, that you can leave your bears with for taxidermy work if you please.
GETTING YOUR WEAPON INTO CANADA
You are allowed to bring your personal firearm with you. This includes your rifles, shotguns or muzzleloaders (NO HANDGUNS!). For your firearms, a simple one-page form is required to be filled out to obtain a temporary Canadian firearms permit. This form can be down-loaded or mailed to you well in advance from The Royal Canadian Mounted Police at www.cfc-cafc.gc.ca. Click on the link on the left hand side for visitors/non-residents, then download the NON-RESIDENT FIREARM DECLARATION (form RCMP 5589/CAFC 909). Completing this in advance should reduce your time clearing customs. DO NOT SIGN IT UNTIL YOU APPEAR IN FRONT OF CUSTOMS, but fill it out. A confirmed declaration costs a flat fee of $25, regardless of the number of firearms listed on it. It is only valid for the person who signs it and for those firearms listed on the declaration. It is a simple form to fill out. IF YOU HAVE A DUI OR A CRIMINAL RECORD, CALL US! YOU MAY BE DENIED ADMITTANCE. NO FORMS ARE REQUIRED TO BRING YOUR HUNTING BOW INTO CANADA!
Weapon of choice (Bow, Crossbow, Black powder, Rifle)
