Top Rated Outfitters • Premier Retriever Services • New 2009

Transcription

Volume 6
Top Rated Outfitters • Premier Retriever Services • New 2009 Hunting Equipment
Page 4 - Western Minnesota Goose Hunt
Page 5 - Snows & Canadas in Manitoba
Page 3
Featured Outfitter of the Year
Page 8 - Turkey’s with Magestic Ranch
Page 12 - Spring Snows with the Guru
Page 9 - Whitetails with Magestic Ranch
Page 13 - Northwest Missouri Snow Geese
MISSION STATEMENT
Dan Wennerlind
President
At HuntTheNorth.com we work hard to provide a Free Resource for YOU the avid hunter. Our goal is to
offer a full service website to utilize when planning your next hunting adventure, finding your next hunting
companion, all the way through putting that trophy on the wall. We have thoroughly researched and Hand
Selected several Premier Guides and Outfitters for each specific type of hunt, in each state covering coast to
coast, across Canada and Alaska that can provide you with the exact hunt you desire! Enjoy everything that
HuntTheNorth.com has to offer at No Charge!
Searching for an outfitter for that once in a lifetime moose hunt to Alaska? How about something a
little closer to home like a trophy whitetail hunt in the Dakota’s? Or maybe those spring gobblers get your
blood pumping. I know you waterfowl hunters live for the spring snow goose conservation season. But boy
do those fields get muddy and with gas prices the way they are scouting all day isn’t as cost effective as it
once was. Why not pull up to a pre-scouted field with 1,500 top of the line decoys already set up and start
shooting. Then after the hunt is over don’t worry about spending all night picking up the spread, unload
your weapon and go have a hot dinner. Let the guides take care of all that stuff for you. No matter what your
hunting taste, we have an outfitter who specializes in that exact adventure and can’t wait to hear from you.
For more detailed outfitter listings, be sure to check out our website at www.huntthenorth.com and enjoy
full access to all of our top rated guides and outfitters!
HuntTheNorth.com is comprised of Professional Outdoorsmen with many years of experience guiding
and hunting everything from Waterfowl and Big Game to Upland Birds and Turkeys. The service that our
website provides is a private study of many of the guides and outfitters located across the Midwest, Canada
and Alaska for all types of hunting. In an attempt to create a valued resource for the avid outdoorsmen who
desires a new type of adventure, a new area to discover or just a quality hunting experience, we have hand
picked a select group of the top outfitters in each region for you to choose from. We hope that you find our
website invaluable in your quest for your next hunting trip whatever that may be. Each outfitter posted on
our website has been thoroughly researched and evaluated to make sure that they meet and exceed our
high set expectations. We also love to hear feedback from your adventures good or bad. So please be sure to
send us a detailed review from your hunt to reviews@huntthenorth.com. Thank you very much for utilizing
our service. Good Hunting!
Areas of interest
2............. About Huntthenorth.com
6-7.......... Waterfowl Hunting Adventures
10-11...... Big Game Hunting Adventures
14........... Upland Bird Hunting Adventures
17........... Retriever Breeders & Trainers
18-20...... 2009 Hunting Equipment
Articles
3............. Featured Outfitter of the Year
4............. Western Minnesota Goose Hunt
5............. Snows & Canadas in Manitoba
8............. Turkeys with Majestic Ranch
9............. Whitetails with Majestic Ranch
12........... Spring Snows with the Guru
13........... Northwest Missouri Snow Geese
15........... Youth’s back into the outdoors
16........... EIC in retrievers, hunters beware.
Melissa Schlosser
Website Specialist
Dustin Butler
Marketing/Graphics
Keith Luckeroth
Marketing/Production
Ryan Williams
Field Representative
Kyle Hamilton
Matt Sayer
Dr. Eric Ruhland
Field Editor
Greg Ye
Field Editor
To Advertise Your Business With Our Service At HuntTheNorth.com Please Contact Us At 715-248-4648
2
By Dan Wennerlind
Chasing Spring Gobblers
in Southern Nebraska
with High Adrenaline Outfitters
2009 FEATURED OUTFITTER OF THE YEAR
As we pulled into the great town of Beatrice Nebraska, HuntTheNorth.com field staff
member Ryan Williams and myself were both fired up for our first ever Nebraska spring
turkey hunt! Outfitter Shawn Reiff of High Adrenaline Outfitters (formerly Rainwater
Basin Outfitters) had extended an invitation last winter for us to join him on one of his
fabulous spring turkey hunts and after what seemed like 6 months of freezing cold in
Wisconsin, 75 degrees and Sunny was just what the doctor ordered for these two guys!
After we met Shawn at our preset meeting point in town, he told us that we were just
in time to jump in with him to put a few turkeys to bed before we would do the same.
The neat thing about the area Shawn guides out of in southeastern Nebraska, is there
are three different species of turkeys- the Eastern, the Rio and the Merriam. Shawn said
that all three species were transplanted into the area about 20 years ago and have done
extremely well ever since. Shawn did note that getting an opportunity at a Merriam
would be much tougher then getting a chance to harvest the Easterns and Rios which
are much more abundant in this particular area. The other exciting thing about hunting
turkeys in Nebraska is that all Non-Resident spring turkey hunting licenses are available
over the counter, for either gun or bow. Also, each hunter has the option of purchasing
up to three tags per season. All of Shawn’s turkey hunts include the option of taking up
to 2 birds per hunt without any additional fees. This added opportunity is very nice and
definitely extends the hunt for those get lucky right off the bat.
Now it was time to get down to business, as the sun was setting we needed to find a
couple big tom’s for the mornings hunt. Another nice thing about Shawn’s properties
are that he has numerous parcels of property ranging from 100 – 640 acres in size. They
are also scattered throughout the county, all within a short drive of one another. That
gave us the option of hunting more then one spot in the morning if we did not hit a
“Hot Tom” right off the bat. It was very apparent that Shawn had done his homework
as it did not take us long before we had several groups of birds in the roost and ready
for the morning’s hunt.
As we made our way back to the motel, Shawn shared with us some of his turkey hunting
tactics, as well as the different strategies that he uses to be successful each spring. Shawn
was definitely a seasoned vet when it came to turkey hunting that was for sure. We also
had a chance to make our game plan for the next day. Since Ryan is a die hard archery
hunter, we elected to split up so he could use a ground blind set up, while I would be
gun hunting and have the ability to be a little more mobile.
We arrived at our morning destination just in time to get set up before the sun came up.
I no longer got hunkered down before several big toms started gobbling in the woods
behind me. I was able to differentiate three different toms right away. Boy did that get
the old heart pounding! I was set up on a field edge with a mature stand of oaks behind
me and a cut cornfield in front of me. This was the exact spot where we had seen the
birds roaming the evening before as they headed back to the roost.
The turkeys were on the move early this morning. I wasn’t set up for more then 20
minutes before I had 17 turkeys walking out in front of me, including the three nice
gobblers I had heard. It was evident right off the bat that the toms were not leaving their
harem of hens this early though. I was able to get a couple gobbles from the dominant
bird but that was it as the entire flock continued on across the field about 150 yards out
and slowly moving away from my set. Then things quieted down for a bit and I only had
one lonely hen on top of the hill behind me who was still sounding off.
Meanwhile Ryan had 2 big toms on another ridge about a mile away that were keeping
him occupied. Being the savvy turkey hunter that he is and after having the same results
that I did trying to decoy the birds, Ryan tried a sneak and was able to get with in 10 yards
of one big tom but the brush in between him and the big gobbler was just a little too
thick for him to make a competent shot with his bow. And so the hunt continued…..
At about 10:00 am we elected to make a move and try another one of the spots we
had scouted the night before located close by. Shawn shared with us that later in the
morning, the birds usually like to make their way down to a hollow by a small wooded
pond, so that would be our best bet for a late morning hunt. The area was just perfect.
Shawn had access to the entire section of land which consisted of three big hardwood
forested areas with rolling pasture hills found in between and a couple of small grain
fields scattered throughout the section, abutting the woodlots. Since one of the areas
was thick with small cedar trees and a pasture ground layer, it made for an exciting cat
and mouse style late morning hunt. Ryan and I spent the better part of the afternoon
trying to get a big gobbler to step out just enough to get a shot. Unfortunately the 30
mph winds that day made it tough to do be successful at calling in any birds and they
definitely were not standing out in the open with the existing conditions.
We wrapped up the afternoon’s hunt with a little shed hunting for some of the whitetail
antlers found on the property. That was something else that impressed me with what
Shawn had to offer. It was evident with the size of the three sheds we found, that the
whitetail hunting that Shawn offers in the fall must be incredible. Shawn shared with us
that this piece of property in particular held a big boy that they estimated was in the 200
class range. It had been spotted several times over the past two years but none of his
hunters were fortunate enough to get a clean shot at him yet. We elected at that point
to wrap it up and head back.
For the final hunt, I decided to go back to the same area that I had seen the three toms
during the previous morning’s hunt. As luck would have it, all three ended up right
back in the same field again but this time they were not with their harem of hens. They
were definitely on the move and looking for love. It took me over an hour but finally all
three toms made their way over to me. As they strutted their stuff they made quite the
spectacle. I was able to take my time and pick out which tom I wanted. All three stood
in full strut at about 25 yards for over 2 minutes. Finally I pulled the trigger and dropped
a beautiful Eastern Nebraska Tom!
The overall hunt was truly exciting to say the least. Shawn had produced on everything
that he had promised. I was also very pleased with Shawn’s overall operation as well as
his dedication to our needs and the multiple hunting options that we had at our disposal.
Not only where there active gobblers on most of Shawn’s properties, but everything was
easy access which made for an even more enjoyable experience. For the die hard turkey
hunter looking for a new adventure this is definitely one to put on the list. Especially for
those Minnesota and Wisconsin hunters who have to wait so patiently each year to get
drawn for a tag in their home state. After having a chance to finally experience one of
Shawn’s premier guided hunts it was evident that naming High Adrenaline Outfitters the
HuntTheNorth.com 2009 Outfitter Of The Year was a choice well made.
TO CONTACT HIGH ADRENALINE OUTFITTERS FOR A NEBRASKA SPRING TURKEY HUNT
OR A WHITETAIL DEER HUNT:
Outfitter: Shawn Reiff, High Adrenaline Outfitters, Phone: 402-230-0054
Email: shawnreiff@hotmail.com Website: highadrenalineoutfitters.com
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By Dan Wennerlind
Growing up in the Twin Cities of Minnesota, fall was a very special time for me. Each
weekend my father would take me on a 2.5 hour trip to western Minnesota to hunt
the thousands of migratory waterfowl that would stage in the Lac Qui Parle Refuge and
the surrounding Minnesota River Valley, including the infamous Marsh Lake. Through
the past few years I have had a chance to meet a good friend and outfitter in the area,
in Chuck Ellingson. Chuck owns and operates The Watson Hunting Camp, which is
located inside the Lac Qui Parle Refuge. This is a well-known area to avid Minnesota
waterfowl hunters for it’s massive fall Canada goose populations.
I think what I enjoy most about Chuck’s hunting lodge is the overall atmosphere. As soon
as you pull up to the lodge and open your car door, you are immediately serenaded by
the thousands and thousands of Canada geese staging in the Lac Qui Parle Refuge,
which is just a stones throw over the hill from the lodge. For me personally it brings back
fond memories and depicts the essence of what fall is all about. From dawn to dusk and
sometimes all night long, flock after flock of Canada geese sail over the lodge. This really
makes The Watson Hunting Camp a special place, especially for young kids.
Owner Chuck Ellingson took over the lodge in 2003 and since then has devoted a ton of
time, money and effort into building an incredible hunting camp with all the comforts of
home. Chuck started by renovating an on site dairy barn into a completely remodeled
eight bedroom main floor motel, equipped with a full service bath facility and sauna.
Upstairs is a huge banquet / recreation room with a full service bar, pool table and video
arcade games. Once inside the lodge one would never know it used to be an old dairy
barn that is for sure. The trophy taxidermy mounts on the walls and big screen TV really
make the loft area a true hunter’s paradise! This is also a very nice feature for those
hunter’s who enjoy an occasional cocktail after the hunt. Chuck has also added an on
site bunk house for additional sleeping quarters and he even offers RV hook ups for the
do it yourselfers.
Now tradition has it that hunting geese around the Lac Qui Parle Refuge is done by
renting either state blinds made up of old snow fence or renting ground pits from local
farmers around the perimeter of the refuge. Then pass shooting as the geese leave the
refuge in the morning to feed. However modern times have dictated that this method
may not be as effective as it once was back in the day. In fact it is not unusual to see
hunters emptying their guns unsuccessfully at flocks of geese flying over 85 yards high!
Currently Chuck is the only outfitter in the area that can offer a true Fully Guided Canada
Goose Hunt taking place in pre-scouted grain fields, over a quality spread of decoys,
while laying in very comfortable layout ground blinds. This set-up allows Chuck to move
with the birds as they switch fields daily and offers the hunter a very satisfying “In Your
Face” goose hunting experience.
Today I would be joining a group of Chuck’s hunters from the Mill Lacs area. We would
be hunting a cut corn field located just south of the refuge about 2 miles. We were up
and at ‘em at 5:00 am sharp. We hit the field at 6:00 am and had 8 dozen fully flocked
Avery full body and Big Foot goose decoys set up by 6:45 am. With temps dropping
down into the upper 20’s the previous night, having a spread of fully flocked decoys on
hand really came in handy to help keep the frost of the backs of the decoys. This made
for some close range shooting. As you may be able to tell, Chuck spares no expense
when it comes to his equipment. Right off the bat we had a pair of honkers sail right into
the spread and they were dropped at 15 yards. No more than 5 minutes later a single
goose came in wings cupped from over 200 yards. He did not detour from his path
until he was taken down with a single shot at 20 yards- again right in the decs! This fast
action kept up for about an hour until we had our limit of 12 Canada geese (2 birds per
hunter). What A Hunt!
As we picked up the decs and headed back to camp for a late morning breakfast
which Chuck caters in for his hunters, we heard that Chuck’s other group of hunters
had just finished up and had just as good luck as we did, taking a dozen big honkers
themselves.
After lunch it was time for a relaxing hour nap to catch up on some much needed zzz’s.
That afternoon Chuck gave me the option of doing some scouting with him for the next
mornings hunt or heading out for some infamous western Minnesota pheasant hunting.
Having complete confidence in Chuck’s scouting abilities, I elected to take my pup out
after those wiley roosters. After only an hour of hunting I bagged myself a limit of wild
roosters from the area’s pristine public hunting grounds. Then it was back to camp to
meet up with my father who would be joining me on another exciting Canada goose
hunt the following morning. That evening we shared some war stories with Chuck and
the other hunter’s in camp over a few suds. It didn’t take more than 5 minutes once
my head hit the pillow that night before I was out like a light. Like clockwork the next
morning my father and I had a limit of 4 giant Canada geese by 10:00 am. The action
was just as fast and furious as the day before and it was a real treat to be able to share
a hunt of this caliber with my 75 year old father who had first introduced me to this
special area over 30 years ago.
In addition to the incredible Canada goose hunting, Chuck can also offer an exceptional
big water duck hunt on the shores of Lac Qui Parle Lake and Marsh Lake- two of the areas
big water reservoirs. This hunt is conducted out of a 17 foot boat blind, fully equipped
with heaters and a hot breakfast! Chuck also has a 65 acre pheasant preserve and can
conduct wild or preserve pheasant hunts over his professionally trained retrievers, or
hunters can use their own dogs. In early September Chuck has taken advantage of
the new Minnesota dove season and offers hunters a guided dove hunting experience.
Chuck even offers whitetail deer hunts on his 280 acre property for both archery and
shotgun hunters. As you can see The Watson Hunting Camp has a very diverse array
of hunts to offer most any hunter. It’s no wonder some hunters show up for a two day
weekend and end up staying for the entire week.
To book this hunt contact:
Outfitter: Chuck Ellingson, Watson Hunting Camp
Phone: 320.269.9136 • Website: watsonhunting.com
Address: 10370 10th St. NW, Watson, MN 56295
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Hunting Snows And Canadas
On The Prairies Of Manitoba
Driving across the prairie of Manitoba on a late October afternoon big flocks of geese
could be seen in all directions cruising across the endless wheat fields. As my co- pilot
Kyle Hamilton and I followed the endless flocks of geese towards our destination of
Deloraine, MB our anticipation grew. We were on our way to meet up with Dan
Nuemann of Feathered Horizon Outfitters. Dan had been hunting snow geese in the
very south west corner of the province for the past week, getting one last crack at the
white devils before crossed over the border into North Dakota.
The next morning at 7:00 am sharp we pulled into the field with a pre set spread
made up of 12 dozen full body and 500 sillosock snow goose decoys, spirits were
high! Kyle and I manned the left side of the spread while two of Dan’s regulars from
Minnesota- Guy Gelakoski and Mike Cassidy took the right side. Not more then 15
minutes into the hunt the action started. We had a flock of about 50 snows and blues
dump right in on us. Dan called the shot when the flock was at about 15 yards out
and the sky started falling! We didn’t even have time to get out and pick up our birds
before several more flocks of snows were locked up on the spread. This time Dan
elected to let the first 5 or 6 geese land while the big flock circled around and made a
final pass before fully committing. Birds kept falling and flocks kept coming. This went
on for over an hour until we finally decided to get up and make a tally of how many
geese we actually had down. Let me tell you we were sprinting to pick up birds as on
the horizon flock after flock of snows and blues were locked up and headed our way. It
was exactly what every waterfowler dreams of, having flock after flock locked up and
committed to the spread and finishing at less then 20 yards…over and over again.
As the action began to slow down a bit we had a chance to gather up and count our
bag limits to make sure we were not over our limit of 20 light geese per hunter. Our
first count came up with 78 geese, well within the 6 man limit. We got hunkered
back into our layout blinds and awaited the action to continue. Now the small cackler
Canada geese started to arrive and met the same fate as there white feathered friends.
What an experience, Dan really put on a show for us. By the end of the morning we
had 101 light geese and 15 cackler Canada geese in hand with a couple unlucky
mallards to boot.
After a hunt like that we were all on cloud nine. At that point Guy and Mike decided
to head back home as they had already taken in three full days of the snow goose
madness. Kyle and I then made a game plan to head north, back to Dan’s home
town of Neepawa to chase some of the big late season greater Canadas and northern
Mallards for round two.
As I pulled the truck out of the field for our second hunt, Kyle manned the spread.
Before I could even get back, Kyle had a flock of well over a thousand little cackler
Canada geese working Dan’s spread of 10 dozen fully flocked Avery Canada goose
decoys. In fact as the birds made their final pass at 25 yards I watched Kyle pull a triple
out of the flock. Heck before I could even return to the spread Kyle pulled a double
out of another flock to fill his daily limit. What a way to start the hunt. This gave me
an opportunity to take my shots when I wanted without having to worry about my
counter part. Over the next half hour as flock after flock of hundreds of little cackler
geese rained overhead I chose my shots carefully, trying to pick out a single bird on
each shot. What an experience. After the hunt was over we both agreed that there
had to have been well over 5,000 little Canada geese that came over our field during
the course of the hunt.
For our final hunt Dan had a gorgeous set up for us. With a light breeze out of the
northwest at our back, we were set up on a little knoll in the middle of a classic
Manitoba wheat field. Dan said that the day before there were several hundred greater
Canada geese feeding in this very spot, as well as many big flocks of northern mallards
working the area. I just knew we were in for a special treat this morning. As the sun
peaked up over the top of the wheat stubble, we could already hear what sounded
like a thousand or more Canada geese waking up and getting ready for breakfast. But
before the geese finally decided to get rolling, we started getting bombarded by small
flocks of mallards. It was tough to even pick out the drakes as it was still so early. By
the time the geese started moving Kyle and I both had our limit of 8 mallards a piece.
Then the big honkers started to lift off the area lakes and sloughs. They were much
bigger then the little guys we hunted the day before. They looked like B -57’s moving
along the horizon. These geese were definitely in the 11 – 13 lb range! We decided
that when the singles and pairs would come in, we would take turns and then tag
team the big flocks. As we steadily dropped our daily limit of 5 big honkers a piece,
our guide Dan shot just as many if not more birds with his video camera.
It was a fantastic end to a World Class Waterfowling Adventure. Dan Nuemann had
definitely done his job by putting us under more geese then the normal waterfowl
hunter sees in a lifetime. What an experience. I was already looking forward to joining
Dan again on a spring snow goose hunting adventure to Manitoba as the geese make
their way back north in a few months.
By Dan Wennerlind
Outfitter: Dan Nuemann, Feathered Horizon Outfitters
Phone: 612.275.3499 • Website: fhohunting.com
Address: Box 805 Neepawa, Manitoba ROJ-0H1
5
Beams On The Prairie
Southeastern Nebraska
Specializing In: Fully Guided Spring Snow Goose Hunts
Spring Snow Goose Hunting:
At Beams On The Prairie we offer fantastic spring snow goose hunts in south eastern Nebraska staring in mid February, running
through March each year. Outfitter Dave Beam has been written up in the popular Wildfowl Magazine for his superb spring
snow goose hunts. We offer two exciting, proven strategies to harvest your wary spring snow geese:
SET UP 1: You will hunt exclusively over several hundred snow and blue goose floater decoys out of permanent blinds set up
on strategic spring roost ponds. Our big water snow goose spreads are an extremely effective method of hammering wary
spring birds!
SET UP 2: We also offer the traditional spring field hunt where you will be hunting out of high quality lay out blinds, over a
massive spread of several thousand decoys. These hunts can be combined during your stay to ensure continued success and
added enjoyment to the overall hunt.
Hunt Package and Rates: Standard Spring Package: Our standard rate is $200.00 per gun, per day, includes fully guided
daily hunt. We will also make reservations for you at the nearest motel. Meals available at area restaurants. Lodging and Meals
Are Not Included in your hunting fee. Special Hunt Combo Package: $300 per gun, per day- MORNING Crow Hunt followed
by an All Day Spring Snow Goose Hunt!
“Well boys it’s a bit foggy this morning, so make sure of your targets!” Our guide Dave Beam told all of us in the blind. Then
he lit a cigarette and hit the crow call. It wasn’t more than a minute when I stood up with my gun trained on a bald eagle at
twenty yards. Beam dam near swallowed his cig and yelled “Don’t shoot for Christ’s sake that’s an eagle!” “Yeah I know it’s an
eagle, but how many times does one get to train a gun at a bird that big at that range!” The laughter did not last long cause
that’s when all hell broke loose with crows, crows and more crows. When the smoke cleared we had a total of one crow on the
ground. Call it what you will but we had fun like that the rest of the morning. We saw close to ten thousand crows that morning. We had them coming to our decoy spread of two hundred ‘coys and a couple of owls decs for bait. The afternoon snow
goose hunt was hard to compare to the decoying crows that morning, that was for sure. Gerard Faith Audubon, MN
After years of hunting with Beams On The Prairie all over the states, my favorite setting is still Fairbury, Nebraska hunting snow
geese during the Spring migration. Every year I look forward to hunting over a big spread of floating snow goose decoys on a
large watershed, out of natural ground blinds. Over the last 10 years I have been lucky enough to take to 2 neck collared birds,
multiple leg bands and a once in a life time blue phase Ross goose. I will not miss this season, lets pull the trigger!
Kris Peterson, Glenwood Springs, Colorado
Contact Information: Outfitter: Dave Beam Phone: 701-282-0456
Address: P.O. Box 903 West Fargo, ND 58078 Website: www.beamsontheprairie.com
Make sure you mention Hunt The North.com when you book a hunt with this outfitter
Black Goose Outfitters
Northwestern, Saskatchewan
Specializing In: Field Waterfowl Hunting
Hunt 1:
At Black Goose Outfitters, we offer fantastic fall waterfowl hunts in northwest, Saskatchewan. This is a full days hunt and you
will be the only hunting party in camp. We prefer groups of 6 – 8 hunters and try not to mix groups. On a typical day you will
awake at 4:00 am to fresh coffee and rolls. On the morning hunt you can expect opportunities at Snow geese, Speckle belly
geese, lesser Canada geese, and Sandhill Cranes. We set up for specific species of waterfowl each day depending on your desire.
We usually take a lunch break around 11:00 am and will be back in the field for an afternoon duck hunt around 3:00 pm, until
dark. We use High Quality Equipment to ensure your success. You can expect to hunt over full body decoy spreads and out
of comfortable lay out blinds during the hunt. We work hard to meet and exceed your expectations! After the Saskatchewan
season wraps up, we move south into Nebraska for some fast action late season Canada goose hunting. On this hunt we offer
a high percentage kill rate on Giant Canada Geese! Contact us for more details on either of these hunts.
Hunting Package and Rates:
We offer two fantastic Saskatchewan hunts: 3 Day All Exclusive Hunt Package: $1,800, includes guide service, lodging, meals,
bird cleaning, license fees, transportation to and from the Saskatoon airport. We also offer a Non-Exclusive Hunt: $300 per day,
includes guide service, transportation to and from the field and we will line up licenses and motel rooms for your hunting party.
Also Offering: Spring Snow Goose Hunts
Hunt 2:
We offer two spectacular spring snow goose hunts. The first opportunity is an exceptional spring
snow goose hunt in the Midwest. We start the season around Mound City, Missouri and move
with the geese through Nebraska and into South Dakota. You can expect to hunt over big spreads
of full body and sillosock decoys. We hunt out of high quality layout blinds and use fox pro electronic callers. The second option we offer is an unbelievable spring snow goose hunt in northwest
Saskatchewan, Canada. The reason our customers enjoy this hunt so much is that there is little to
no hunting pressure, which makes for some fantastic hunting late in the season. We have a high
percentage kill rate for snow geese in Saskatchewan and you can expect most of your shooting
to be under 25 yards. This is an exciting hunt and one every serious waterfowl hunter needs to
experience at least once.
Missouri, Nebraska and South Dakota Spring Hunts- $150.00 per day. Saskatchewan Spring
Hunts- $300.00 per day. Daily hunts Do Not Include meals, lodging or licenses.
Contact Information: Larry Frimann and Jay Brinda Phone: 402-660-1220
Address: 2481 North 47th Ave Omaha, NE 68201 Website: www.blackgooseoutfitters.com
6
Pacific Wings Prairie Outfitters Central Saskatchewan Specializing In: World Class Canadian Waterfowl Hunting, Snows, Canadas, Specks & Ducks Hunt 1:
We are located in central Saskatchewan. Our total outfitting area covered by our license includes 18,200 square miles. We concentrate on snow geese, white fronted geese (specks), Canadian geese, ducks and cranes. All of our decoys are custom painted
to give that realistic look. Our customers comment that they are probably the best looking decoys in Canada. We hunt with all
custom blinds to assure birds landing in your face. Most of our hunting is done in pea, wheat, barley and lentil fields. Most days
you will experience a tornado of snow geese over you at 20 to 30 yards, specks in your face, ducks landing on the blind and
Canadians back-winging at 10 yards. That’s what we are all about! The guides at Pacific Wings have many years of experience
calling and hunting geese. Their expertise in decoy placement, reading the birds and calling assures that most hunters will enjoy
fast action and close shooting. While no hunt is guaranteed, a large majority of our hunters do take their full limits of geese. In
2008 we averaged bags of 68 birds per hunt. Check out our website for videos and photos of 2008 hunts. Hunting Package and Rates:
Full service modern lodge • Home cooked meals • Bird cleaning • Licenses • $1900 per person for a 3 day hunt Major airport 90 miles from lodge
Also Offering: Saskatchewan Spring Snow Goose hunts the last two weeks of April.
$1400 for a 3 day hunt includes same amenities as our fall hunts.
Hunt 2:
We are also in the waterfowl outfitting business in Washington State. As Pacific Wings Waterfowl Adventures we have been offering quality goose and duck hunting for close to 30
years. As in Saskatchewan we specialize in using the best equipment available and utilizing the
talents of quality guides. See many years of photos of successful hunts on the Washington side
of our website.
Our Washington hunts are $275.00 per person for a duck or goose hunt.
Package hunts including lodging, licenses and bird cleaning are also available.
Contact Information: Outfitter: Mike Franklin Phone: 509-967-2303
Address: 76708 N Yakima River Drive, West Richland, WA 99353 Website: www.pacific-wings.net Make sure you mention Hunt The North.com when you book a hunt with this outfitter
7
By Dan Wennerlind
Turkey Hunting the Missouri River Breaks of South Dakota
with Majestic Ranch Hunting Service
As the sun came up over the horizon on a beautiful April morning, the valley below
us lit up with gobbles and yelps from well over 50 turkeys. It was truly amazing to
hear that many birds sounding off at one time. Outfitter Randy Odenbach of Majestic
Ranch Guide Service and myself counted well over 13 gobblers sounding off and
countless numbers of hens. The evening before, we had a chance to put the roost
to bed. About an hour prior to sunset, as we glassed the hillside below, we saw well
over 100 Merriam turkeys strutting and chasing each other around. In my 10 years
of turkey hunting experience, I had never seen that many wild turkeys in place at one
time. Randy shared with HuntTheNorth.com field representative Ryan Williams and
myself that overall they had exclusive hunting rights to 13,000+ contiguous acres of
prime turkey and deer hunting terrain along the Missouri river breaks located in south
central South Dakota. He also noted that there were several roost sites such as the one
we were overlooking, and each one held between 50 – 150 turkeys each evening.
Trust me there was no shortage of turkeys on this property.
As I peered out of the double bull archery blind, where I was sharing my morning
hunt with outfitter Randy Odenbach, my heart started to beat a little bit faster as we
could both tell the birds were starting to fly down from the roost now. I knew it was
only a matter of time before we would be covered up in turkeys. This was an exciting
hunt for me since not only would I have an opportunity to harvest a trophy Merriam
tom, but this was my first archery spring turkey hunt. That being said I was confident
that Randy would be able to put a nice gobbler well with in bow range. We were
hunting out of a very comfortable blind, overlooking one of the new “Pretty Boy” tom
decoys and several good looking hen decoys including a stuffer King-Coy hen decoy
from Kingsley Outpost Company. Everything looked perfect. We were set up on top
of the ridge along a cow pasture that the birds had been using every morning for the
past few months. My counterpart Ryan and his guide Rod Fortuna “Tuna” were set up
about a ½ mile away on top of another knoll that was covered in fresh turkey tracks
from the day before.
Just as we expected, about 20 minutes later we had three hens and two jakes working
the spread. Then we had a nice tom walk up behind us at about 20 yards. Although
he was a very nice bird, I was looking for a monster and was not ready to end my
hunt that early into the hunt. Therefore I elected to shoot him with a camera instead
of an arrow.
But it didn’t end there, ten minutes later, out in front we had five more jakes come
walking up the trail right through the decoys and well with in range. And then four
more hens came through. It was sure nice to be in a blind as my head was on a swivel
all morning long. Randy and I were having the time of our lives!
Finally at around 10:00 am a very nice mature tom came strutting up from behind
the blind. He was 22 pounds if he was an ounce and had a beard at least 10 inches in
length. As he moved into range, he turned to strut for a few of the ladies behind him
and I drew back my bow. I took aim and let one rip. Feathers flew everywhere and
the big bird jumped about a foot. As I tried to notch a second arrow the tom limped
away down over the hill and out of range. Now it was a waiting game. Randy felt
good about the hit but being my first turkey with a bow I was still a little nervous from
all of the stories I have heard of birds never recovered. Randy stated that we needed
to give it about 2 hours to be sure the tom had time to bleed out and die before we
went after him.
8
In the mean time we had three more jakes come from the left side of the blind and
two more hens from the right side. There were turkeys everywhere! About 30 minutes
later we counted 5 big gobblers surrounding the blind about 40 yards out but elected
not to do any calling, hoping they would make their way up to Ryan and “Tuna” who
were still hunting just up the trail from us. As we enjoyed the morning spectacle I
continued to be amazed with the number of turkeys that were located on the property.
In every direction I looked, I could see birds moving up and down the hillsides.
Finally noon came and it was time to try and recover the tom I had arrowed. We
found my arrow with out too much trouble. It looked to be a good hit with blood
and feathers meshed into it but after over an hour of searching, we determined that I
had shot just a little high and missed the vitals. It was a tough loss for me as one of the
things about hunting that upsets me the most is losing wounded game. But with no
blood trail and no bird in site there was not much more we could do.
That evening as Randy and I watched Ryan and “Tuna” from our blind about a ½ mile
away, we watched about 25 turkeys work the hillside that they were set up on. All
afternoon the turkeys kept moving in between us inside the wood line and now they
were finally coming out of the safety of the trees and getting ready to fly back down
to the roost. About a ½ hour before sunset the troop moved inside the kill zone for
Ryan and we watched as he let an arrow fly. He immediately connected and the entire
flock jump up and ran about 15 yards. We could tell from our vantage point that Ryan
had connected on a nice tom. Then about 30 seconds later we saw “Tuna” let another
arrow fly and he too connected on a big Merriam gobbler. We found later that even
though the guides do not normally hunt while with their clients, since there was a big
tom still in range, Ryan insisted that “Tuna” who still had aSouth Dakota tag use his
bow on the remaining tom.
As Randy and I made our
way over to Ryan and “Tuna”
we could tell they both were
grinning from ear to ear. This
was definitely a turkey hunt
to remember. We could not
thank Randy and “Tuna”
enough for the hospitality
and good natured fun that
we had with our guides and
new friends at The Majestic
Ranch.
Outfitter: Randy Odenbach & Rod Fortuna, Majestic Ranch
Phone: 605.830.2559 or 605.830.2785
Website: majesticranchhunting.com
Address: 32941 289th Street Dallas, SD 57529
By Pete Alfano whitetailproperties.tv
Whitetail Hunting the Missouri River Breaks of South Dakota
with Majestic Ranch Hunting Service
Anytime I get a chance to hunt other states than my home state of Illinois, I jump
on opportunity, but not before I do my homework. I have a policy that I normally
will not hunt a new area without getting a first hand account of another hunter’s
experience. Recently I was contacted by Hunt The North’s president, Dan Wennerlind
and was invited to hunt the Majestic Ranch in St. Charles, South Dakota. Dan had
turkey hunted the area at Majestic Ranch last spring and shared with me how he
saw a plentiful amount of wildlife including Whitetails and Muleys on the property.
After two conversations with wildlife manager, Randy Odenbach, I felt more than
comfortable in making the 11 hour trip to St. Charles, South Dakota.
The highlight of my trip came on the fourth morning. We were set up in a creek
bottom, in a different part of the ranch. Shortly, after daylight we noticed several Mule
deer and Whitetails making their way back to bed. I spotted a doe mule deer about
400 yards away above us on the hill. My cameraman, Joe, started glassing the hillside
and said “Pete there’s a nice Muley buck bedded down with a doe!” I didn’t have to
say a thing to him, he knew. Only five minutes later, we were on our first Muley spot
and stalk with a bow. We got within 15 yards of the buck, but we couldn’t get him on
the camera in the thick cover. Eventually, the doe went down the hill, and the rutting
buck was right on her heels.
Upon arrival we where greeted by Randy and his partner, Rod Fortuna “Tuna,” at the
main lodge. We wasted no time in getting our gear unloaded and settled in, so Randy
and “Tuna” could show us some of the property. After a short drive from the lodge,
we headed down to an area where five draws came together. All I can say is WOW!
I’ve hunted upper end whitetails seriously for over twelve years now and have been
fortunate enough to have hunted some of the best whitetail ground in the country.
The amount of sign that I saw here was unbelievable. The area was covered in huge
tracks, scraps and rubs on trees everywhere. They informed me that they usually hunt
the high ground and don’t disturb any of the property in the bottoms. I was like a kid
in a candy store, every trail I followed, every creek I crossed, I found more and more
opportunity.
It’s really exciting for me to travel to new areas that truly hold and grow giant whitetails
without the pressure. Randy and Rod already have plans to acquire another 5,000 acres
for the ‘09 season for their bow only area. The Ranch consists of 13,000 contiguous
acres made up of some of the most scenic landscapes imaginable. Creek bottoms,
rolling hills, cedar thickets, hardwood stands and crop fields make this property a hot
bed for growing giant whitetails. The number one reason they have so many trophy
caliber animals on the ranch, beyond having great habitat is that Majestic Ranch only
permits a very small group of hunters on the property each year. Not over hunting
the property and placing a strict 4.5 year old or older buck policy, insures that the
younger bucks can grow to reach their maximum antler growth.
We ended up settling in a scrub oak, in a draw that ran for miles, but was only about
eight yards across. We set up on the south end of it, which offered a great set up for
any north or northwest wind. Shortly after a quick lunch, we gathered our gear and
camera equipment and headed straight back to the stands. It didn’t take long before
we had a nice 3.5 year old buck walk straight under the tree. There was no way I could
take that animal after the sign I had just discovered. Needless to say, that night was
anything but uneventful. We ended up passing on three more bucks that normally
would be a trophy in most bow hunter’s eyes. The rest of the week we where plagued
with a full moon, so deer movement was minimal during daylight hours. The third
morning we planned on staying until 11:00 am, only to get down for a quick bite to
eat. Well, I’ll never get down out of a tree stand again. At 10:33 am I had an absolute
stud non-typical looking up at me at 10 yards as I started down my Lone Wolf climbing
sticks. Can anyone say, “sick to my stomach?” That afternoon, I also grunted in a nice
150 plus ten pointer before the crafty old buck decided that he needed to get into the
creek, to get down wind and find out what all the racket was about.
Anyone looking for an incredible Whitetail or Mule deer hunt can give Randy
Odenbach or Rod “Tuna” Fortuna a call. You will definitely not be disappointed. I’ve
already penciled in Majestic Ranch on my hunt schedule for next year.
Outfitter: Randy Odenbach & Rod Fortuna, Majestic Ranch
Phone: 605.830.2559 or 605.830.2785
Website: majesticranchhunting.com
Address: 32941 289th Street Dallas, SD 57529
TROPHIES WHITETAILS TAKEN IN THE 2008 SEASON
9
Mountain Spirit Outfitters Inc
Cariboo Region Northeast
of Williams Lake, BC
Specializing In: Grizzly, Black Bear, Mountain Goat, Canadian Moose, Mule Deer, and Wolf.
Hunt 1:
Come hunt our exclusive 1200 sq. mile concession in the heart of the Cariboo Region. Over the past ten years the hunting
pressure has been minimal which equals to high game population. The area is rich with cedar groves, muskegs, mountains,
glaciers, and avalanche slides, everything to sustain and maintain high caliber trophies. Choose your hunt and customize
it by horseback, backpack, 4x4, boat or float plane. Do a 1 on 1 or bring a buddy for a 2 on 1 hunt. You let us know and we
will try and accommodate your needs. It’s an ‘all inclusive’ hunt in our Quesnel Lake Lodge or one of our numerous comfortable
out camps.
As we offer such a variety of hunts our package rates vary. Please contact us for details. All prices are subject to 5% GST.
Also Offering: Whitetail, Mule Deer, and Wolf hunts in Alberta
Hunt 2:
Both deer species are hunted in the timber of the Rocky Mountain Foothills during November.
Whitetail are hunted out of heated ground or tower blinds located on well used trails, on the
edges of clear cuts, pipelines, and cut lines. The reclamation feed is fantastic and produces
heavy horns in both species. Mule deer are hunted mostly spot and stalk style. Our timber wolf
hunts are over bait in a heated blind from January to early March. All of our Alberta hunts are 1
on 1 unless specifically requested.
Hunt Package and Rates:
6 day deer hunts are US$750 per day and 6 day wolf hunts are US$535 per day. All prices
are subject to 5% GST. Airport pickup/drop-off, guide service, food and accommodation
are included.
Contact Information: Outfitter: Chris Franke 780-817-4349 or 780-817-1992
Address: Box 6564 Hinton, AB T7V 1X8 Website: www.mountainspiritoutfitters.com
Lawrence Bay Lodge Reindeer Lake, Saskatchewan
Specializing In: Trophy Caliber Saskatchewan Moose Hunting & Northern Pike Fishing
Saskatchewan Moose Hunting:
Owners Randy Engen and his son Phil Engen have been successfully guiding moose hunters and Northern Pike fisherman out
of the Reindeer Lake Camp since 1971. The moose hunting in our area of Saskatchewan has been remarkable the past five
years. Eighty percent of our hunters in the past five years have had the opportunity to take a bull moose. In 2007-12 hunters
bagged 7 bulls and in 2008-11 hunters took 8 bulls! This kind of success is no accident. We have quality guides, a large hunting
area, access to remote lakes by float planes, and a willingness to relocate hunters to assure success. During your trip, Hunters
may stay out overnight at a tent camp or one of our outpost cabins, although you may return to the main lodge at night if
preferred. We also offer spectacular summer fishing trips and all local flying, food & moose license are included.
We are now offering a 7 Day / 8 Night All Inclusive Fully Guided Trophy Moose Hunt For $6,990.00 per hunter. The accommodations at Lawrence Bay Lodge are all fully modern. Each cabin has its own hot and cold running water, flush toilets, shower,
electricity, and heating stove.
Also Offering: Fantastic Summer and Fall Northern Pike Fishing
Northern Pike Fishing:
Lawrence Bay Lodge is located on Reindeer Lake Saskatchewan (which to many people the best Northern Pike lake in the
world). Reindeer Lake is approximately 180 miles long and 80 miles wide at its widest point. Reindeer Lake has thousands of islands which make for good structure and these islands along with the mainland make for thousands of bays which harbor huge
Northern Pike. Reindeer Lake is simply loaded with large Northern Pike. In 2008 we caught the largest number of big fish ever!
Seventy-five percent of our customers caught fish from 18-35 lb. (40-53 inches). We also had a few over 35 lb. All of the fish are
alive and well thanks to the people that released those monsters. We also have excellent Walleye, Lake Trout and Arctic Grayling
fishing available as well.
Fishing Packages and Rates:
We can accommodate most any group size and length of stay. This is an All Inclusive fishing trip with a memorable stay at the
Lawrence Bay Lodge. One of our most popular packages is our 5 day, 6 night trip priced at $2,395.00.
Contact Information: Randy and Phil Engen Phone: 701.262.4560
Address: Box 128 Tolna, ND 58380 Website: www.lawrencebay.com
10
Barry Brown’s Game Hunts
Atikokan, Ontario
Specializing In: Ontario Black Bear Hunts
Big Game Hunts:
With nearly 1 million acres of Exclusively Leased Hunting Grounds in one of the Densest Populated Black Bear Areas in Ontario,
we are certain we can offer you a hunt worth remembering. Based on our knowledge and lifelong experience, we “guesstimate” this region sustains approximately 1500 - 1800 Bruins. Many of our Trophies are colored animals - Blond, Cinnamon,
Chocolate, Black! (White Chest Markings - V’s, Crosses, etc.) An impressive number of “Pope & Young” & “Boone & Crocket”
animals have been harvested in our many years in business. We limit the number of Hunters - generally 12 to 15 per week,
often fewer! You may hunt as close as 1 mile from the Lodge or as far as 50 miles - your choice! We maintain a large number
of baits (often 150+) and invite hunters to select the baits necessary to bag their Trophy. Upon choosing the sites, Hunters then
assume the responsibility of keeping them baited as long as they are hunting over them. You will need to furnish your own tree
stands, hunter orange clothing, transportation and firearms. Our facilities are also wheelchair accessible and to this date,
all handicapped Hunters have been successful in harvesting their Trophy.
7 Day / 7 Night – Deluxe Housekeeping Package – Party of 4 or more - $1,475.00 per hunter.
This hunt includes accommodations, pre-baiting, bait, skinning, freezer services, boat, motor and gas.
Also Offering: Ontario Whitetail Deer Hunts
About The Hunt:
We host fewer than 12 Hunters per season, over a 2 week period . Only Bucks may be harvested. The season runs the first two weeks of November. Baiting is allowed and we do take
advantage of the practice; April - November! We provide hunt transportation and in the field
every legal daylight hour. Our hunters generally “sit” or “stalk” a couple hours in the morning,
then walk back to a designated location to meet the guides. Our hunters often “post” around
a variety of woodlots while guides flush out “Whities” through the day. Our whitetail hunts
are conducted on approximately 10,000 acres of flat farmland in the Rainy River District - on
privately owned/leased land. Drive 1 hour into Ontario, Canada. The Whitetail Deer in this agricultural area are heavy bodied, both typical and non-typical racks.
Hunt Package and Rates:
6 Day / 7 Night – Deluxe Guided Hunt Package – Party of 4 or more - $2,353.00 per hunter.
Includes accommodations, meals, baited area, guide for every 2 hunters, hunt transportation
and meat care.
Contact Information: Outfitter: Barry Brown Phone: 807-597-2884
Box 1766, Atikokan, Ontario, Canada Web Site: www.brownsclearwaterlodge.com
11
A Spring Snow Goose Hunting
Adventure With The Goose Guru
As the sun came up over a sea of white decoys, from far off in the distance the sounds
of early rising snow geese could already be heard. We were sitting atop a high cornfield
setting in mid March overlooking the valley of Mound City, Missouri- home of the
infamous Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge. Every spring the Squaw Creek Refuge
is the first major staging area for the migrating snow geese as they make their way
north to the Tundra.
During a normal spring the refuge will peak out at about 500,000 – 700,000 light geese
but this year was an exception. It just so happened that the refuge hit a new record
this week holding a whopping 1.5 million light geese! There were geese everywhere.
However as many veteran snow goose hunters know all too well, that does not mean
necessarily mean success. In fact having that many adult geese in one area can actually
make the hunting tougher then when there are fewer numbers of geese in the area,
made up of the younger birds. These birds tend to show up a little later in the spring
and are much more susceptible to decoy spreads.
But today I had no fear as we were hunting with one of the true legends of the spring
snow goose conservation season, the one and only “Goose Guru” himself, Shawn
Eldredge. Shawn runs Prairies Edge Guide Service and has been hunting around the
Squaw Creek NWR for over 9 seasons now, both in the fall and the spring. Today we
were hunting out of two of Shawn’s permanent pit blinds which provided a welcome
change from the layout blinds that are most commonly used these days for field
hunting both Snow geese and Canada geese. It was very evident with Shawn’s pits as
well as with his overall operation that client comfort and satisfaction is of the highest
concern.
Right off the bat we had a pair of snow geese drop right into the spread and with a
little extra coaxing from Shawn’s mouth call, the birds dropped right into our lap. As
Shawn gave the “Take Em” command, the pit flaps dropped as well as the geese. We
had our first birds of the day. My little chessy Jada and Shawn’s lab Molly Cornflake tag
teamed on a beautiful double retrieve. In minutes we were back to business as scanes
of geese could now be seen across the entire horizon. As the morning progressed we
had numerous singles and doubles circle the spread and ultimately commit into the
decoy spread. After the mornings hunt was over we had 11 birds in hand.
Now after spending the morning in the blind and talking to a couple of Shawn’s
regular clients, I found that last spring in this same field they harvested 138 snow
geese on the first day of their hunt and 98 snow geese on their second days hunt- truly
amazing! Shawn was quick to add to our conversation that the previous year the snow
goose hatch up on the tundra was much more successful which made for an easier
and more successful spring’s hunt, with the many more young birds available across
the board. He also added that because this year the hatch was much less successful,
the hunting was much tougher and he has even had several days already this spring
where they did not harvest a goose. This is very uncommon for the “Goose Guru”.
Shawn said that these new guides are going to find out very quickly that it is not an
easy game and it takes years of experience to be successful day in and day out during
the spring conservation hunting season. As we wrapped up the afternoon hunt, we
were able to double our morning’s take and walked out of the field with 22 gorgeous
spring plumaged snow and blue geese.
That evening I had a chance to have dinner with Shawn and two of his head guides
Kyle Phillips and Jeremy Marean at “The Klub” restaurant which is also home to the
Waterfowlers Hall Of Fame. It was very evident that Mound City, Missouri has a rich
history of waterfowl hunting dating all the way back to the late 40’s. As we shared
some stories over dinner, Shawn said that the next day I would be hunting with Kyle
near the refuge bottoms as they had a field holding over 60,000 snow geese that
morning. After dinner I asked the guys what they felt were key elements which allow
them to be successful each day through what ends up to be a very long spring season.
A couple of things that were very evident were; the fact that prior to setting up in any
field they will scout for days, even after having hunted the area for almost a decade.
The things they look for are fields holding a lot of waste grain, usually on top of a high
hilltop setting. This makes it easier for the geese to see the decoy spreads as well as
allows them to get as close as possible to the incoming birds. They both recognized
the fact the geese are much more likely to drop into gunning range when hunting
the top of a hill versus hunting a low valley type setting where they feel that the birds
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are forced to drop lower then they sometimes feel comfortable doing. And of course
having geese already using the fields they set up in is always a plus.
I then quizzed them a bit on the specific decoy spreads they run. All three of them
agreed they prefer massive spreads of windsock decoys over everything else. With the
recent buzz of the full body spreads I had to ask why they still like the windsocks spreads
over the new Big Foot and Avery full bodies. I was told that it is almost impossible to
put out the kind of numbers (up to 1,000 – 2,000) that they like to use, with full
bodies. The second factor that all three agreed upon was to add as much additional
movement to the spread as possible. Trust me when you drive by a Prairies Edge decoy
spread you will see as many flying machines and decoys in the air than with anyone.
One point they had a difference of opinion on was with mouth calling incoming geese
along with the electronic callers. Shawn feels this is a very useful tool to help drop the
incoming geese from the 80 yard distance, down to a more manageable distance of
20 – 40 yards. Kyle on the other hand would rather let the electronic caller do the
work. Thus showing even the pros have their differences of opinion.
On the second morning we were up and attem at 5:30 sharp. Kyle already had the
spread of close to 1,800 windsock decoys set up in a fresh field full of 60,000 geese
from the day before. I found right off the bat that Kyle is a stickler for details. This is
why I think he is so successful. Kyle made sure each of our blinds were completely
camouflaged. He also made sure that throughout the morning all empty shell hulls
were continually picked up and thrown into a trash bag, also a great idea for land
owner relations. Kyle made sure each hunter was completely covered up at all times
as the geese can pick out a shinny face from a mile high. Kyle had more flying decoys
and rotary machines in his spread than I have ever seen. It truly gave the illusion of a
big flock of feeding snow geese.
With a light wind if any and a heavy dampness on the ground, the morning’s hunt
was a little tough. Kyle stated the biggest adversary he faces is a no wind day. However
that afternoon the winds picked up to around 10 – 15 mph and with that the geese
worked the spread like clockwork. The hardest part was to get loaded back up and get
back down into the blinds before the next flocks arrived. We were covered in geese for
the entire last two hours of the day. When the smoked finally cleared we had 32 of the
white buggers in hand. Kyle had done his job and so had the gunners.
I couldn’t thank Shawn and Kyle enough for sharing with me not only a fantastic spring
snow goose hunting adventure to the infamous area of Mound City, Missouri, but for
sharing with me their many secrets of success and gracious hospitality. It was very clear
that at Prairies Edge customer success and satisfaction is their number one concern.
And believe me the guys take it very personal when the birds don’t cooperate. I am
proud to have Shawn and his crew as one of HuntTheNorth.com’s premier snow
goose hunting outfitters.
By Dan Wennerlind
Outfitter: Shawn Eldredge, Prairies Edge
Phone: 515-321-GOOS (4667) or 660-442-5955 Office
Website: gooseguru.com
Address: 2231 Highway P Box 351 Mound City, MO 64470
Lake Preston Motel
And The Bait Box
Welcome Hunters
Lake Preston / Lake Thompson Area
*Reasonably Priced Rooms
* Kitchenettes Available
* House Available For Larger Groups
For Reservations Call 605-847-4424
HWY 14 Lake Preston, SD 57249
12
Snow Goose Hunting Northwest Missouri
With Top Gun Guide Service
By Dan Wennerlind
As more geese started to pour out of the Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge and
make their way over our spread, more and more geese were put into gun range and
on the ground. It was also nice that there were only a handful of hunters in our spread
and when Jerry called the shot from the middle blind, he usually called it on one side
or the other so all six guns did not take aim at a single goose. This really added to the
overall quality of the hunt.
When the action finally slowed down we had a few minutes to take a break, stretch our
legs and round up any cripples that may have been dropped. I also had a chance to
ask Jerry a little bit more about our set up for the day. Jerry shared with me that we had
a spread of over 2,000 windsock decoys set out on 3 foot stakes, with braces in each
bag. This allows the decoys to spin into the wind on their own when a switch occurs
and does not take valuable time from the hunt switching all of the decoys around.
This also makes sure that on a no wind day the decoy bags do not hang limp and
look unnatural. It sure seemed to work on this day as we had multiple opportunities
to take geese well with in gunning range of less than 35 yards, with not an ounce of
wind. Jerry also pointed out that the field we were hunting was located in a major
flight path. We were set up many miles away from the refuge, on a hilltop with a lot
of scattered grain still available to the birds. It seems to be a well known fact when
hunting around the Squaw Creek Refuge that the birds will fly up to 20 miles or more
away from the roost before settling in to feed for the morning. Therefore picking the
right field to set up in is a very important aspect of the hunt. These guys were on their
game that was for sure. Jerry also shared with me that the electronic calling system
they used and how they controlled the volume also played a very important part of
the day’s success. Jerry had everything on remote and was constantly changing the
sound tracks as well as the volume throughout the hunt. It sure paid off on this day
as after the mornings hunt was over we had 32 snows and blues on the ground with
several beautiful mature geese in hand. Many avid snow goose hunters know that this
is no easy task.
Many snow goose hunters have taken the opportunity through the past 10 years to
get out and experience the spring snow goose migration and most likely have even
bagged a few of the white devils through one method or another. But not many
hunters have actually had a chance to enjoy a relaxing, successful spring snow goose
hunting experience where the birds actually decoyed in closer then 35 yards. I too
have spent countless days fighting the muddy spring fields. After putting thousands
of miles on my truck trying to locate the perfect field, I have attempted to lure these
wary adversaries into gunning range with limited success. After years of trial and error,
buying and selling spreads of decoys in the hundreds to thousands each spring and
then covering almost everything I own in mud, it was a much welcomed break to pull
up to a field and with in minutes climb into a clean layout blind overlooking a spread
of just over 2,000 decoys.
As we enjoyed an action packed day in the field, Jerry shared with me that two of the
other guides were currently out scouting today for fields north of our set up as they
were already predicting a migration movement in the upcoming days. Jerry stated
that it is always important to keep up with the birds so their next clients are not left
staring at empty skies all day. Overall I was extremely satisfied with the hunt and had
no complaints what so ever. As the day ended I could not thank Jerry enough for all
of his hard work and dedication. I am already looking forward to hunting with Jerry
again next spring. Maybe I will try Kansas or possibly South Dakota for my next hunt
with Top Gun Guide Service.
Today I was fortunate enough to spend time with one of Top Gun’s top guides- Jerry
Nelson. After a few hours of hunting I found that Jerry to is a die hard waterfowl hunter
as well as a snow goose hunting fanatic. Jerry has been guiding spring snow goose
hunters for the past 3 seasons with Top Gun Guide Service and has been chasing the
white birds for the past 10 years from Canada down into North Dakota each fall. I
could tell right away that Jerry has a passion for hunting snows. In his opinion there
is no bigger rush in the waterfowl hunting world then having the big flocks of spring
snow geese working the spread.
Not only was I impressed with Jerry’s professionalism- from the stand point that he
made sure the geese were fully committed and in range before calling the shot, I was
also comforted by the fact that safety in the field was Jerry’s number one concern.
Before we even started the hunt Jerry had all 6 hunters gather round and informed us
of the Do’s and Don’ts in the field for the day. He stated that under no circumstance
was there to be anyone walking in front of the blinds with out prior consent from him
first. If that were to happen all guns were to be facing up with the actions broke. Jerry
had total control during the entire hunt which gave me a sense of reassurance.
Outfitter: Matt Kostka, Top Gun Guide Service
Phone: 507.696.0208 • Website: topgunguideservice.com
Address: 4921 Savannah Drive Rochester, MN 55901
13
Pheasant Phun
Hitchcock, Spink County, South Dakota
Specializing In: All Inclusive Ringneck Pheasant Hunts
Hunt 1:
When you check in to the new Pheasant Phun Inc’s Bunkhouse at Olsen’s OJ Bar Ranch, be prepared for the “PH” kind of Phun
and adventure. We understand just how precious and rewarding time in the outdoors can be so our team takes pride in helping each group build a custom hunt tailored special for Hunter and Huntress. Evening before check ins are available so you are
well rested for the beginning of your outdoor adventure with us. You will awake to a country breakfast and proceed to warm up
your shooting skills on some clay targets. Your trip will include; Guided hunting on private land for wild birds, Hearty lunches,
Full service on site wine, beer or spirits for your pleasure after the guns are put up, Bird cleaning / freezing / packing for shipment, Fine dinner and fellowship at the end of each days hunt, All local transportation included. It is our wish you have the
best hunt we can offer while you relax and enjoy the comfortable bunkhouse and our flavor of Hospitality. If you do not have a
safe, pleasant, and satisfying outdoor experience with us, your next stay is on the house. Indoor kennels for the dogs, references
available, deposit required.
Nicely packaged custom hunts from $550.00 per hunter, per day, 4% state tax and gratuities not included.
Corporate, youth, specialty and multiple booking discounts available.
Book a hunt prior to April 1st and reference Hunt the North.com to receive 15% off your total hunt package!
Also Offering: Optional for additional fees:
Airport pick up by tour bus • Daily Massage therapist (on site) • Private shooting lessons • Game shipment
to your home via over night service • Hunt packaged with Golf “T” times at three local courses • Air charter
service available • Non hunting guests welcome • Exclusive lodge use available • Youth Discounts • Other
hunting, fishing and other outdoor adventures can be arranged for your group • Video and photography of
your hunt • Agri-tours • Mini Lodge for self guided hunters. Customize the best hunt package for your group.
Testimonial 1:
I have heard stories of 100 bird flushes but until we hunted the food plots at Pheasant Phun I couldn’t believe
it was possible. My arm is still sore. WHERE DO ALL THOSE BIRDS COME FROM? Goldie From Montana
Testimonial 2:
I have Hunted Pheasant Phun with family and also with corporate clients, awesome full service lodge with
all of the attention to detail. My groups always get both their limit of birds and great PHUN. When they
say all-inclusive, you can expect NO hidden cost, what a great surprise. Gerard F, South Dakota
Contact Information: Dave Olsen Phone: 605.266.2848 or 605.450.0501
Address: PO Box 85 Hitchcock, SD 57348 Website: www.pheasantphun.com
14
A
HuntTheNorth.com Field Staff
s the world continues to change every day, in turn so do the daily choices
that our youth have to make. Should they spend the weekend on the computer,
playing video games or outside enjoying nature and the outdoors? With the divorce
rate at an all time high and single mothers raising many of our children, the number
of hunters across the country is slowly dwindling each year.
ramped through society these days, the youth obesity rate is also at an all time high
and there are more and more childhood diseases occurring now more than ever.
Teaching a kid how to shoot, clean and eat his own game is more then just a tradition;
it should be instilled as a way of life that is getting lost in today’s society of fast food
and pizza parties.
Even with the aid of the Early Youth Hunting Season’s, that most all of the states
now offer, kids still need a mentor to get them started on their journey into the great
outdoors. They need someone to inspire and coach them through the Firearm Safety
classes as well as follow through and introduce and teach them how to hunt. From
showing them how to be a successful hunter, to explaining the ethics of harvesting
and eating the game they shoot. With the big screen TV’s and video games running
It is the responsibility of all outdoorsmen and women to take on a heightened
responsibility and take as many youngsters hunting and fishing, as often as we can
every year. As you can see in the pictures below, by the smiles on the faces of these
kid’s, they truly enjoy being with family and digging what Mother Nature has to offer.
Again, we all know the future of hunting lies in the hands of our children. Getting Today’s Youth
Back Into The Outdoors
Derek Guyer’s first ever duck hunt was a
very unique day. Derek had many chances
to shoot his first duck, but unfortunately he
did not get one. On the way home his dad
asked him what he thought about the hunt,
Derek replied ”Dad that was so awesome!”
He also went on to say that missing a mallard that was banded was no big deal, there
will be others.
Hi, Im Kate Ray and I went on the duck hunt.
I’m 14, a girl and I love to hunt! This was a
new experience for me, since I had never
been duck hunting. In the morning we set
up both duck and goose decoys. Then we
set up the hay bale blinds. We had dogs
and we were ready to hunt! Two geese flew
nearby, Shawn called them in closer and told
grandpa and me to get ready. Then he told
us to shoot. I GOT ONE! It was a pretty big
goose! I had a great time and would love to
do it again. Kate Ray
Many outfitters today also realize the importance of bringing the new generation into
the sport of hunting and offer discounts for younger kids, if not the option to join in
the hunt at no charge.
For nearly two decades, Prairie’s Edge has foreseen this and has made a commitment
to young hunters from all across the US. Outfitter Shawn Eldredge realizes that the
young sportsman will be the pillar and future of all outdoor sports. Shawn has always
made it an easy choice for the young hunters’ parents or guardian to include them
on their guided outings by not charging a guide fee for children 15 years old or
younger in Iowa and offering half price hunts for kids in Missouri and Minnesota.
Shawn takes great pride in demonstrating / teaching youngsters how important,
concealment, location, knowing your quarry - such as reading a flock of birds, and
most importantly, how important calling your game in close for an ethical and lethal
shot is. Therefore brining a young hunter on a hunt with Prairies Edge is an excellent
choice for introducing the sport to a new hunter.
Dan Guyer of Iron Duck Hunting also sees the importance of youth in the great sport
of hunting. He has been guiding waterfowl, turkey and deer hunters since 1990.
Dan donates multiple hunts each year to Ducks Unlimited and The Delta Waterfowl
Association, to help get kids out into the marsh. But it doesn’t end there. On the hunt
Dan wants the kids to be full participants. He will frequently break out the Waterfowl
“The youth hunt was a great experience for
me, and hopefully many other kids will have
the chance to give duck hunting a try. It just
goes to show that hunters of any age can
enjoy the sport.” Madelyn Lensing age 12
The father and son outing showing a
succesful day goose hunting. The boys had
a great time and left with a wonderfull learning experience of goose hunting from setting
up, watching the dogs retreive and showing
off their trophies.
ID book and help the kids identify the ducks that are passing by. He also gives each
kid a duck call to go home with and encourages and teaches them how to blow the
call as well as what calls to use and when. He also allows the kids to work the retrievers
once a bird is down and shares with them how to command the dog to the duck.
Dan also feels that creating more workshops for the youth of today such as building
wood duck houses, having waterfowl identification classes and waterfowl calling
demonstrations in the off season, through the non profit organizations will instill the
waterfowl tradition into the kids and get them active at a young age.
Todd Lensing of Flyway Fowlers states “As a guide, I have had the opportunity to
participate in the Wisconsin Youth Hunt over the past several seasons. All of the
hunts have been donated to Wisconsin Waterfowl Association banquets, so it’s a win/
win situation for the kids AND the ducks. We have always had great experiences,
and I’ve been proud and happy to see them get excited about hunting, especially
waterfowling.”
As you can see there are many, many guides and outfitters today that are more then
happy to teach and assist in bringing a kid into the great sport of hunting even if the
parent does not have the background needed to show the youngster how to get
started. So let’s keep the kids off the video games and introduce them to the Great
Outdoors!
15
By Dr. Eric Ruhland
Exercise Enduced Collapse (EIC)
In Retrievers. Hunters Beware!
Gundog lover and veterinarian Dr. Eric Ruhland shares his thoughts about a newly
discovered disease effecting Labrador Retrievers: Exercise Induced Collapse. All those
tests sound great doc, but my dog comes from great bloodlines Oh boy, don’t they all.
If I had a dollar for every time one of my fellow bird hunters told me that in my clinic
I could have retired by now. The fact of the matter is that some of my clients might
be right. Their dogs may come from an impenetrable linage of field trial champions
that has produce award winning sires, and puppies that belong in a Cottenelle toilet
tissue commercial.
paying close attention to this and you will not want to be behind the ball when a buyer
asks what about EIC. I know it can be tempting to say, well I just want one litter for
myself, because I hear it almost every day in my clinic. Your puppies genetics however
will not belong to you. In one to two generations there will be hundreds of families that
will own puppies from your lines, and to pass EIC on would be a gigantic blunder.
The second undeniable fact is that all Labradors, whether from California, or from
Maine have similar lineages, and carry with them, the same genetic makeup. When
we deal with genetics, you take the good with the bad. This has been the case with
the recent discovery and unveiling of Exercise Induced Collapse (EIC) in purebred
Labradors and in particular field trial champion lines. If you do not know, or have not
heard what EIC is, then stay tuned, because it is the next large scale breakthrough
in sire and bitch testing since Hip Dysplasia. This work has been spearheaded by
Dr. Ned Patterson at the University of Minnesota, and his work has been groundbreaking in the Labrador world. He has recently discovered the genetic makeup and
inheritance of the condition, and has also patented the only blood test in the world
that is available to detect carrier.
Although initial testing is being done primarily on the Labrador Breed, all canine
breeds have potential for EIC. It is also important for all puppy buyers to demand
genetic clearances for the sire and dam of a litter to include CERF (eyes,) OFA (hips
and elbows,) CNM (canine nuclear myopathy,) and EIC (exercised induced collapse.)
to insure the best possible long term health of each new puppy. All reputable breeders
will have this information readily available for their puppy buyers.
Lets first start with a breakdown of what EIC is. Exercise Induced Collapse is a recessive
genetic disease effecting skeletal muscle and neuron function. Recessive means that
in a pedigree it takes a sire and a dam that are both carriers to have affected puppies.
For this particular reason the disease goes unnoticed, simply going from lineage
to lineage with no consequence until two carriers pair up. The outcome of such a
breeding yields puppies and young adult dogs that are intolerant to high levels of
physical activity. Their muscles essentially shut down after 5 to 10 minutes of heavy
work or physical strain, and long periods of rest is needed to restore function. Not
all puppies of such a breeding are affected however, and some pups have varying
degrees of the condition. EIC has no treatment, and the condition is lifelong. Up to
30% of all Labradors have been identified as carriers and researchers estimate that
number to remain steady as more dogs are tested.
Selective breeding for dogs clear of EIC is the only way to remove it from the pedigrees.
For this reason I stress any person who is passionate about the Labrador retriever, and
believes their bitch or stud to be superior enough to breed should have their dogs
tested at an early age. The future buyers of puppies and pedigree analyzers will be
16
The only way we can beat this disease is with coordinated and concentrated efforts by
owners and breeders who are passionate about the breed. Your local veterinarian can
perform a simple blood test and submit it to the University of Minnesota’s Diagnostic Lab.
Until next time here is to birds in the air,
and a steady dog at foot,
Dr. Eric RuhlandVeterinarian at the
Hastings Veterinary Clinic.
For More Info See:
www.hastingsveterinaryclinic.com
Ten Mile Kennels
New Richmond, Wisconsin
Specializing In: Professional Retriever Training
About The Trainer:
Ten Mile Kennels has trained and/or handled retrievers to over 150 Hunt Test qualifying scores with the majority being at the
Master Level. Ten Mile Kennels has owned, trained and/or handled retrievers to over 25 Field Trial Awards in the Qualifying and
Derby events. Since opening our doors in 1997 as a full-service training kennel, we have developed an untold number of fine
hunting dogs for the discriminating hunter.
Services Provided:
Ten Mile Kennels is a FULL SERVICE Retriever Training Facility. Owned and operated by Greg and Kären Ye. Our goal is to
provide you and your dog with a quality training experience. Greg is pleased to announce that Ten Mile Kennels is currently
offering a 3-month foundation retriever-training program for the serious hunter! Training includes: general obedience, trained
retrieve, collar conditioning and experience retrieving live shot birds on land and water in a typical hunting environment. We
are now accepting reservations for puppies 6 months of age & up. Rates start at $600 a month.
Contact Information: Greg Ye Phone: 715-246-7040
Address: 1182 140th Ave New Richmond, WI 54017 Website: www.tenmilekennels.com
Make sure you mention Hunt The North.com when you contact this trainer
Luttrell Kennels
Clark, South Dakota
Specializing In: Professional Retriever Training / Started Retrievers
About The Trainer/Breeder:
Head Trainer John Luttrell has been working with the top retrievers in the country for over a decade and has the experience and
knowledge to handle challenging dogs as well as offering the avid hunter a trained companion that can reach all desired levels
of training.
Services Provided:
Luttrell Kennels is a quality dog training facility. From the design of the kennel building, care of the dogs, to the training programs - no details have been overlooked. Owner and trainer John Luttrell will work with you and your dog to meet and exceed
your needs. Whether your dog is here for gun dog training or preparing for retriever hunt tests, building a solid foundation of
obedience, collar conditioning and force-fetching is essential. We mesh the dog’s natural abilities and trained behaviors to produce a finished hunting partner for upland or waterfowl hunting.
Contact Information: John Luttrell Phone: 605-532-4142
Address: 906 1st Ave. W. PO Box 89 Clark, SD 57225 Website: www.luttrellkennels.com
Make sure you mention Hunt The North.com when you contact this trainer
Greenmeadows Retrievers
St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin
Specializing In: Specializing in Golden Retriever and British Labrador Retriever Pups Bred To Hunt
About The Breeder:
For over 20 years, Greenmeadows’ goal has been to produce exceptional Golden and Labrador retrievers. Through selective
breeding, we strive to produce competitive performance dogs and hunting dogs with desire and trainability. Our senior golden
stud, Counterpoint’s Captain MH WCX OS became a GRCA Outstanding Sire with many offspring earning titles in several areas.
He is also the sire of many outstanding hunting dogs and family dogs. When breeding litters, we look for classic conformation,
proven pedigrees and good health. All breeding dogs have health clearances.
Services Provided:
Puppies and Stud Service - Started dogs sometimes available. Dark red golden puppies and Lab pups in all three colors
Contact Information: Wendy Spangler Phone: 715-483-5217 or 715-225-0973
Address: 2118 150th Ave St. Croix Falls, WI Website: www.greenmeadowsretrievers.com
Make sure you mention Hunt The North.com when you contact this breeder
Dreamcatcher Retrievers
St. Paul, MN & New Richmond, WI
Specializing in: Pure Bred Chocolate Labrador Retriever Puppies
About The Breeder:
At Dreamcatcher Retrievers we specialize in breeding Premium Chocolate Labrador Retrievers. We offer Chocolate Labrador stud
service and have 1 – 2 litters per year. We are one of the only breeders of Chocolate labs in which all dogs used for our breeding program have had a minimum of AKC Master Hunter accomplishments. All of our dogs are extensively hunted and trialed
throughout the United States. They are well socialized with people and live in our house and kennel. Our breeding program
produces intelligent dogs that are competing and hunting across North America.
Services Provided:
Services Provided: We are one of the only kennels in the United States that has 2 Chocolate AKC Master Hunters at Stud; both
have obtained multiple field trial accomplishments. Both of our males have produced exceptional puppies that show drive,
desire, trainability and good looks.
Contact Information: Breeders: Mike Conroy and Bill Domeier Phone: 651-774-7007
Address: 962 Arcade Street St. Paul, MN 55106 Website: www.mnceramic.com/dogs
Make sure you mention Hunt The North.com when you contact this breeder
17
SOUTH ROCHESTER
ATTENTION GOOSE HUNTERS!
Make Holiday Inn South in Rochester, MN
your goose hunting headquarters.
• Corporate rate for all hunters
• In-room coffee makers • Dogs welcome
• Viking lounge sports bar & grill
1630 So. Broadway, Rochester, MN
507-288-1844
DEER’S FOOD LOCKER
Deer Park, Wisconsin 54007
Offering Wild Game Processing
Custom Processing:
Curing & Smoking • Sausage Making
Retail:
Meat by the half, Quarter or Pound
Cheese and Sausage • Locker Rental
715-269-5118
18
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Top Rated Outfitters • Premier Retriever Services • New 2009

Transcription

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