Mild temps slowed deer movements right before the guiding season began, but as the week went on, Mother Nature gave us a helping hand. As the temps dropped and the snow started to accumulate, bucks showed up. Rutting activity also increased and we started to see more action during the day.
While it’s possible to sit all day and see few animals, there are days when the action is non-stop. Clients had days this week where deer were present from sunup until sundown and some only had fleeting moments. But as any deer hunter knows, it only takes about 30 seconds for things to change.
Some nice bucks were shot, while other hunters who’ve had success in the past, waited for bigger deer to show up. Keith, who’s been coming to Trail’s End Outfitters for 21 years, had multiple moose hang around and even bed near his stand.
“In the years I’ve been hunting with Barry, I’ve shot 16 deer, ” Keith said. “I’ve got 4 or 5 that are in that high 150’s – 160’s range.”
Those are great deer, but they weren’t as big as the animals he saw this year.
“3 different days I saw moose come in to the stand,” Keith said. “I had a cow and a calf one day, a cow, calf and a bull another day and that cow had a radio collar on. Today, I had a different cow moose come in.”
While Keith was seeing moose, longtime Trail’s End guest, Greg, was seeing unicorns!
“12 days I waited for that deer,” said Greg, who’s been coming for 15 years. When the deer appeared, he contemplated glassing it, but the thought didn’t last long. “No I don’t think I need to glass it, I’m going to shoot it!” The buck was worthy of the shot and as he brought up the gun, he was able to see that it was, indeed, the unicorn buck.
The dark-racked, big-bodied buck has an extra antler growing out of it’s head. It seemed fitting to call it “Unicorn.”
Danny Thompson and his father, Lee, also hunted during the first week, with Danny continuing a streak of good luck. While he’s been successful back home this fall, he has dreamt of coming to Saskatchewan for the bucks the province is known for. He scored with a beauty bush buck on day 2. He actually saw the buck on day 1 and considered shooting it then, but ultimately passed.
“There was a lot of excitement going in to day 1,” Danny said. “It was fun the night before. We all gathered around on the couch as Barry hooked up his phone to the tv and went through all the trail cam pictures. There were a couple nice ones at the stand that I was going to, so I was excited.”
It didn’t take long for him to see deer. “From the time I climbed in to the end of the day, I was covered up in deer. There was actually a really nice buck that came in, with a big body and a dark rack.” He decided to pass.
“Just as he was stepping in to the bush I thought, maybe I should have shot him,” Danny said laughing. That buck showed up on day 2 and Danny decided to pull the trigger.
I was in camp filming for the Fish Hunt Forever YouTube channel. After four days of sitting with only sightings of small bucks and does, I decided to move to a new stand after seeing a trail cam picture of a nice buck during the day.
I asked Barry right away if he was ok with me shooting it. He was everything I was looking for with a tall, dark rack. I knew that if I saw him, I wasn’t going to have to think about it.
That’s the right approach because most of the time, the bigger bucks won’t stick around long. They come in searching for does and keep moving if the does aren’t around.
I had just climbed into the stand when a small buck stepped out in front of me. He hung around for a bit before disappearing into the thick forest. Shortly after, I heard a noise and looked up too see my target buck standing there, staring at me! I had to get it on film, so I hit record and tried to focus best I could before lifting my Dad’s old .30-06 against my shoulder. It was a bit chaotic because I didn’t think he’d stick around long enough for me to shoot. As the rifle cracked through the woods, the buck jumped and ran. After a short search, we found him 30 yards away and the celebration began.
While Trail’s End is booked up for this year, there are a few spots available for next fall. They book hunters for November through early December to target the rut and the colder weather. They can accommodate groups up to 6 with heated blinds for late-season sits.
The smaller group size allows for a more personal experience, with owner Barry doing the cooking. The lodge brings everyone together with a great view of Tobin Lake.
If you have any questions about booking a hunt, contact them today. Or ask one of their previous repeat guests, like Keith:
“Barry is very adept at making sure you have a good experience,” Keith said. “He checks where the deer are moving to make sure you have the best opportunity possible.”
Learn more about season dates, packages, rates and more by clicking here. Thank you Barry and Tourism Saskatchewan for a great experience and I’m looking forward to editing the video from the hunt!
PS. If you’re looking for a fun ice fishing trip this winter, Barry has some new fish houses on Tobin Lake. Tobin is a great fishery, holding the world-record for a walleye through the ice, plus big pike, burbot, perch and more. We filmed there in 2023 and you can see that video here. We might just have to come back up again this winter! Get ice fishing details here.
Trails End Outfitters 