If DeLuca's name sounds familiar, it's because he has guided on Vancouver Island for the last 15 years. He first worked with his father-in-law Wayne Weib, who owned all the hunting concessions on Vancouver Island and sold them in the early 1990's. One of those concessions went to Jim Shockey of Pacific Rim Outfitters. DeLuca was included in that deal and guided for Shockey for a number of years, as well as for Bob Welsh and Dave Fief, also on Vancouver Island. Now, DeLuca has started his own outfitting company, called Vancouver Island Guide Outfitters, and he has set up shop in Management Unit 1-8 and part of 1-7.
This area is riddled with streams and creeks where the salmon spawn and the bears come to feed on fish and the vegetation. DeLuca says clients should see from five to 10 bears a day, and at certain times in the spring may see upwards of 20 bears on some days. He also expects clients to take some very old, big boars. In fact, he thinks his hunters should be able to kill bears with at least an 18-inch SCI skull, the minimum score for the record book, and he expects numerous 19-inchers.
DeLuca's hunts are spot-and-stalk affairs, using 4wd vehicles to work around the mountains and access clearcuts and logging slashes in search for bear sign. DeLuca says he will have scouted for and located several large........(continued)
