Where To Hunt Big Whitetail Deer In Saskatchewan

Looking for a big whitetail deer? Subscriber Tim Herald has weighed in with a report on a Saskatchewan whitetail hunt he recommends to fellow Hunting Report subscribers. If you recognize Herald's name, it's because he is also an established outdoor writer and a personality on the outdoor television shows, Outdoor America and T/C Game Trails. Herald was in Saskatchewan just this past October and killed a 178-class whitetail with a muzzleloader. (See photo in the Trophy Gallery section of our web site.) He was hunting with Barry Samson of Safari River Outdoors and says he recommends the operation not just because of the quality deer taken there but because of the numbers of deer in this outfitter's area. He writes: "I have been fortunate to hunt prime areas around the world as an outdoor writer and TV show host; that includes almost every Canadian province and most of the great places for big whitetails. But I have always been very skeptical of Saskatchewan whitetail hunts because they seem to be mostly feast-or-famine opportunities. The place I just returned from is an exception to this rule.

"I went on a late October muzzleloader hunt with Barry Samson of Safari River Outdoors near Meadow Lake, Saskatche- wan. A friend who had hunted with Samson on numerous occasions recommended the place because he and his party had taken a lot of good bucks there over the years ranging from 150 to the 180s. They always went in November during the rut and when it is cold. I hate the cold and told Samson as much. He recommended I come in October and said I should have a good chance at a nice mature buck.

"My first hunt, I got on stand at 11 am and within minutes I had deer in front of me. Off and on all day, deer came and went. I had seven does on the bait at 1:30 pm, and I probably saw another dozen or more does. At 2:30, two small bucks came in and were soon joined by a third. About 3:30, my cameraman caught a........(continued)