I hunted with Wrightway Outfitters in St. Walburg SK. Jeff Wright has been outfitting in this area since 1995, and has a great grasp of the land, and the whitetail population. The entire week I was there, was warm(for there) and all the locals were complaining that big buck activity was non existent. Daytime highs in the 30’s had shut them down. I hunted the same blind for the duration, and I was seeing deer all day long, does and smaller bucks. The other 4 hunters in camp weren’t seeing as much as I was, although one hunter has seen a couple bucks that I would have been happy with, this being my first Saskatchewan hunt, as well as my first out of state outfitted hunt. The morning of the fourth day was colder than earlier in the week, around 15F. I hadn’t been in the blind 5 minutes and a heavy 8 point appeared 30 yards in front of me. I never hesitated. I could tell the guide and outfitter were disappointed, but I was happy with him. My thought was with only one remaining day, and warmer temps on the horizon, this was going to be my best bet. If I hadn’t pulled the trigger and went home empty handed, I would have regretted it. Same morning another hunter shot a beautiful 152” 11 point. Then that was it, the other three hunters hunted the next day, and half day on day 6, all going home without seeing a big buck. Now this week the cold weather moved in, and all indications say the really big boys are on the move.
Jeff only hunts the first three weeks of the season, 6 hunters each week maximum. The deer herd is still rebounding from hard winters a few years back, and although deer numbers are good, there is a shortage of 6+ year old bucks, that takes time.
I’m not sure that this style of hunting is for me, even though this was my bucket list trip. Everything about Jeff’s operation is top shelf, and if I ever go back to Saskatchewan, I would go with him no doubt.
