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2023 White Tail Season :
2023 Saskatchewan white tail deer hunt with Makwa River Outfitters begins!
Monday, November 6, 2023- Day 1 of Week #1
Its a beautiful morning here ... a whopping 30 degrees Fahrenheit with just a very light snowfall.
GOOD MORNING GUYS!
Von
Rip
Alex & Lewis
Joe
Dave
6:00 am ... and they are off!
Good luck and have fun!
Great stuff guys .... shortly after lunch Rip takes down the first deer of our season!
Congratulations Rip!
Nov 6/23 - Rip
***
Tuesday, November 7, 2023- Day 2 of Week #1
SOMETHING SPECIAL TODAY:
THE VERY FIRST WOLF TAKEN WITH MAKWA RIVER OUTFITTERS!
This is the first year that we have been able to get wolf tags for our clients and here is the very first tag that we got and its our very first wolf!
CONGRATULATIONS VON!
He had let me know that he and his friend Joe both wanted wolf tags.
I made sure that he was aware of the fact that. the wolf tags were "add ons" and as soon as the primary tag was used, the wolf tag was not longer useable.
In short, as soon as the whitetail deer was harvested
the wolf tag became void.
Von's reply was
"We know that. Its a long shot but you gotta think maybe, just maybe!"
That positive thinking paid off!
A nice mature wolf weighing in at 115 pounds!
One shot and it was down ... good shooting Von!
Nov 7/23 - Von's wolf
Big paws and extremely sharp claws
Von heard a twig crack in the forest and looked that way ... he saw something dark and thought it might be a small bear but that would not be possible because the bear are in hibernation. He kept watching and realized that it was a wolf. It was on the move and as soon as it got to a clearing he took his shot and it was a good one!
***
Wednesday, November 8, 2023- Day 3 of Week #1
Von is the Man Of The Hour again!
He saw two bucks at his sight and took this one this morning!
Good Job!
Nov 8/23 - Von
Thursday, November 9, 2023- Day 4 of Week #1
***
Quiet day!
No Deer!
***
Friday, November 10, 2023- Day 5 of Week #1
I have become boring!
Nothing to report yet.
I keep waiting for someone to shout out "I've got a deer down" .. but its not happening.
The deer are most certainly winning this week.
The warm weather has not allowed rut to kick in and the lack of snow has given the deer no reason to leave the comfort of their own little grass patch in the forest!
Alex, Lewis and Joe ... its been tough hunting for you!
And poor Dave .. a few days before he arrived, he had dropped a heavy moving box on his foot and we had him soaking his foot in epson salts and then on top of that, he has confined himself to the lodge as he fights a stomach flu that he contacted on his way here ... that is some BAD LUCK Dave ... we are so sorry that you are experiencing this!
Saturday, November 11, 2023- Day 6 of Week #1
***
Well .. this certainly was not the week that we planned at all!
It has been a "not much happening" kind of week and there is not a darn thing that we can do to change this weather!
Hoping for a better week coming up !
Sunday, November 12, 2023- day of arrival for Week #2
Always so good to see old friends arrive in camp.
This is John's 9th year (plus he did Bear Spring 2018 too,
Wayne's 8th year (plus he did bear spring, 2018 too) ,
Kevin's 5th year (plus he did bear Spring 2023 too),
LaShanda did bear this spring and she is here for deer this week.
Bud and Steve are our "newbies" and it is great to add them to our "family"!
***
Instructions by the guides.
I have a wonderful "hunting friend" that I have never met. Ron has been following our website since about 2011 or so. He contacted me in 2015 looking to come for a deer hunt. For one reason or another, the hunt did not materialize but every year during deer season, we "chat" via email. I feel like I have known him forever but I have never seen his face.
This year his opening comment was:
"This is Ron from Wisconsin, just looked at your website which is fantastic! Your 1st week resembles my bow season so far...Not much gong on, weather has been pretty nice here and I think all the action seems to be at night time, I am sure it will pick up."
So .. this lack of deer movement isn't just here - not that it makes any of us feel better but it is interesting to know.
***
Monday, November 13, 2023- day 1 of Week #2
This morning the group were off for their hunt at 6:30 am.
Good luck everyone!
What crazy weather ... 42 degrees Fahrenheit!
And then just when I was expecting absolutely no action on a warm day like this ..
Bud shoots at about noon.
The shot was a good one!
Congratulations Bud!
Nov 13/23 - Bud
This is Bud's first Saskatchewan whitetail deer!
Tuesday, November 14, 2023- day 2 of Week #2
We got a bit of snow fall overnight but still unseasonably warm temperatures as everyone heads out on their hunt.
Hey everyone! Good news!
A deer is down this afternoon ...
Yep .. the shot was very good ...
Way to go John!
So ... my message was:
"John shot"
"its on the bait pile"
"correction - its not on the bait pile"
To me, that meant a deer that the guides have to go tracking which would be highly unusual because John, undoubtedly is one of our most accurate shooters ... the deer always goes straight down.
But in reality, the deer was not down on the bait pile because it did not even make it to the bait pile!
Yep ... John is still one of our most accurate shooters!
Nov 14/23 - John
Wednesday, November 15, 2023- day 3 of Week #2
At 6:30 everyone is off to their stands this morning. the warm weather continues with 27 degree morning.
Awesome!
Around 9 am and a shot was heard!
Steve has one and it dropped in its tracks ...
Good shot Steve!
Nov 15/23 - Steve
About 5:00 pm, Kevin shoots and its another good shot!
Congratulations Kevin!
Nov 15/23 -Kevin
We always have a lot of fun filled conversation including facts, non facts and a certain amount of "ribbing'!
The discussion this evening was LaShanda's "white squirrel" ... which Kevin corrected her to be a weasel!
Kevin still hasn't learned to never correct a female!
LOL!
Thursday, November 16, 2023- day 4 of Week #2
Wayne & LaShanda head out to the forest this morning.
Steve and Bud are busy processing their meat.
WooHoo! LaShanda shot!
Was it a good shot?
... waiting to hear....
Now .. the first thing you need to understand - this is going to be LaShanda's very first deer..
not just her first Canadian deer ...
not just her first Saskatchewan deer ...
not just her first Makwa River Outfitters deer...
This is her FIRST DEER ,,, EVER!
So .. will she make a good shot or not?...
Of course ...
she made a GREAT SHOT!
We are very honoured to provide LaShonda's first deer!
Nov 16/23 - LaShonda
Everyone ... go back in your memories to your very first deer ...
remember the amazement of watching the deer ..
wondering which one to choose ...
seeing "the one" in your scope ...
slowly pulling the trigger ...
the explosion of emotion when you know that you hit your target ...
Ha ha ha ... LaShonda certainly experienced that awesome heart pounding thrill!
She said that she was so over the top excited
that as she scrambled to find her radio to call it in
she lit her pants on fire on the heater!
Ha ha ha .. hillarious!
LaShonda is pretty amazing!
First of all .. she is a good shot.
She came up with Kevin this spring for her very first hunt...
and that was for black bear..
in a ground blind!
That is a pretty intense hunt even for an experienced hunter.
She took home a bear ... one shot ...!
Now her second hunt and she takes home a buck .. again one shot!
.. like a I said, she is pretty amazing!
Friday November 17, 2023- day 5 of Week #2
Wayne goes out to his stand with his guide, Randal this morning.
Last night Wayne told us that the pressure is high...
he does not want to bring home a deer that is smaller than John's!
Ha ha ha ... now you have to understand that first of all,
this is Wayne's 8th year here.
Secondly, all 8 years have been with John ...
they met here in camp and now share a wonderful friendship
with a lot of fun bantering between them...
very highly entertaining to us all!
And by the way...
This is Wayne's birthday ...
wouldn't it be wonderful if he took a deer today?!
Nope .. it did not happen.
Saturday, November 18, 2023- day 6 of Week #2
Wayne chose not to go out today. He showed us pictures of a very "takeable" deer that he passed up.
Wayne has hunted for many years and if 'THE BIG ONE" didn't come in, he was not interested in pulling the trigger ... a true sportsman Wayne is!
Our guide Matt, spotted some gigantic wolf tracks today ... wowza!
***
Sunday , November 19, 2023- arrival day of Week #3
It is always good to welcome back old friends! Phil Sr, Phil Jr, Walter and Luke come as a familiy unit. Phil Jr, Walter and Luke first hunted with us in 2012 and 2013 and then decided to hunt elsewhere for a change. They returned in 2019 stating that they no longer wanted to go elsewhere and this would be their "second home"! LOL! Good to hear .. cause we enjoy these guys a lot! This is now their 6th year here! Phil Sr joined them starting in 2019 so this is his 4th year here. They drove all the way from Pennsylvania (about 2200 miles)
Phil A came to us last last year also. This year he drove all the way from Mississippi (about 2000 miles).
Dick is our "newbie" .. but he fits right in as far as I can see this first day!
And if any on you noticed the above names, this is "the Phil week" ...
We have Phil Sr, Phil Jr and Phil A!
Monday, November 20, 2023- day 1 of Week #3
We woke up to a windy day ... the boys will be swaying the trees today!
Deer were seen ... none taken.
Phil A said that before the end of the hunting day,
he decided get prepared in advance for the arrival of the guide who was picking him up.
He put his firearm into the soft gun case,
looked up and the bait site had gone crazy!
There were deer everywhere!
Tuesday, November 21, 2023- day 2 of Week #3
Still, no snow to speak of.
Wind down to 4 mph ... big difference from yesterday.
It is 19 degrees Fahrenheit this morning but will go up to 34 degrees in the afternoon.
Temperature is to start dropping tomorrow...19 degrees in the afternoon... that will be better.
OK .. we have some action this morning!
Shortly after 10 this morning and one of our hunters called out that he shot!
So exciting .....
We all have to wait the mandatory 45 minutes until the guides come in to see if the shot was a good one....
11.00 ...Oh oh ...
the guides are out tracking it ..
12:00 ... nothing yet ...
1:00 .. no deer yet
Its 2:00 pm ...
The guides are out there tracking ..
We all know that Walker, Randal and Matt are good at what they do...
but there is no snow which makes it extremely difficult!
3:00 .. still haven't found the deer ..
But I still have all the confidence in the world that the guides will find it ..
3:30 .. FOUND! (whew!)
Congratulations Walter!
Nov 21/23 - Walter
Walter's deer certainly was a challenge to find!
As Walker, the outfitter, stated, Walter has always been an excellent shot
and he knew that the deer was mortally wounded and it should not have gone far
but the way that the bullet entered and where it lodged
resulted in only a drop or two of blood
and then nothing ... ABSOLUTELY NOTHING for them to go on!
And to make things worse,
it had piled up under a large evergreen bough ..
AND between the tree trunk and a large log making it virtually invisible to anyone walking by.
But find it they did ... and what a good find it was!
Wednesday November 22, 2023- day 3 of Week #3
Oh no ...
Phil A unexpectedly has to head home this morning!
So sorry to hear of this Phil....
WHAT THE HECK.....?
HA HA HA ..!
Here is a cool picture of Randal ... see the treestand in the background ..
We have a shot at about 2:30!
Oh no ...
couldn't find the deer ...
have to go look in the morning ...
no evident blood ..
if it was a miss, lets hope it was a clean miss or..
even better, they find the deer in the morning!
Thursday November 23, 2023 - day 4 of Week #3
Phil was sure that he cleanly missed the deer yesterday and the guides found no trace of blood,
they went out for one more sweep this morning.
Phil is an excellent shot and a miss would be unusual ..
but we all know that it can happen!
It WAS a clean miss...
Temperature cooling off .. the guys were seeing deer today.
No deer taken.
Friday November 24, 2023 - day 5 of Week #3
Finally ... normal temperature for deer hunting!
23 degrees .. I expect a busy day today.
9am ... Phil Jr calls in .. he has a deer! ... for sure this time! LOL
Nov 22/23 - Phil Jr
Around 2 pm ... Luke takes his deer too!
Nov 22/23 - Luke
Dick saw 15 different bucks over the last two days .. the one that he was most interested in just didn't come in properly ... maybe tomorrow. Dick had to come back to camp early today as he had a muscle spasm but he is ready to head out there first thing tomorrow morning.
Saturday November 25, 2023- day 5 1/2 of Week #3
9:30 am ... Dick Shot!
Nov 25/23 - Dick
Then I get a text message:
"They let us back in!
See you very soon!"
Rich and Dick are driving in from Pennsylvania!
And I smile .. those boys are fun!
Monday November 27, 2023- day 1 of Week #4
Message just came in
"KATHY"
"I JUST SHOT A DANDY BUCK"
"I wasn't here 5 minutes"
"Holy cow I'm so freaking pumped"
"I LOVE MAKWA RIVER OUTFITTERS !"
WooHoo! Way to go Rich!!
Rich's deer where it dropped.
Nov 27/23 - Rich
This is Rich's 8th year with us.
Then ... right after 12:00 Tim took his deer .. Its a mighty fine day!
Nov 27/23 - Tim
This is Tim's 10th year with us!
But that's not all folks ...!
We have one more deer yet today!
Dick has a deer down too!
Nov 27/23 - Dick
I love it when a father and son
(Rich and Dick)
get a deer on the same day!
This is Dick's 8th year with us!
Tuesday November 28, 2023 - day 2 of Week #4
Awesome picture of doe watching the sunrise yesterday morning .. the date on the camera was wrong ... it was 11/27/2023 not December!
No deer taken today
Wednesday November 29, 2023- day 3 of Week #4
It's crazy how little snow we still have!
Wait a minute ... WAIT A MINUTE ...
.. as shot has been fired shortly after 2:00 pm ...
It's down and done!
Congratulations Rob!
He is a beauty a REAL BEAUTY!
Nov 29/23 - Rob
This buck emerged from the woods about 20 yards away and Rob knew immediately that this was THE ONE!
But before he could take a shot, it spun around and disappeared back into the forest.
When it came back, Rob was waiting and pulled the trigger.
It ran into the forest but Rob knew his aim was good.
Rob called in his deer to the guides but then a buck came into the bait site ...
it kind of looked like the one he just shot ...
Rob put the scope on it ... no blood ..
which meant this was not his buck ...
They easily found the downed buck but the second buck that came in right after was a good one too!
Matt & Randal caping out Rob's deer.
That's Rob with his Grandfather, Bob in the background...
Grandpa is PROUD!
We are so honored to have two individuals with us this week who have chosen to hunt with us for 10 years!
Tim started hunting with us in 2008 with his Dad, Don. They missed a few years and they returned in 2014. Don no longer hunts with us but Tim has been hunting with us since 2014 to now ... thank you Tim!
The gun case that we gifted Tim with is custom made with Saskatchewan Whitetail deer hide.
Bob's first hunt with us was in 1995. He too missed a couple years and then hunted with us in 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006. Then out of the blue he called me stating that he wanted to bring his grandson, Rob for a hunt with us this year! It is sooo good to see an good old friend!
The backpack that we gifted Bob with was custom made with Saskatchewan Whitetail deer hide.
Thursday November 30, 2023 - day 4 of Week #4
Kevin and Bob go out hunting this morning.
No deer today but check out this gorgeous sunset that Walker and Matt took..
Just spectacular!
Friday; Dec 4, 2023 - day 5 of Week #4
Alas ... neither Kevin nor Bob took a deer this week.
Here we are ..
at the end of another deer hunting season.
We have greeted old and dear friends ...
and welcomed new ones into our group...
ALL ARE SPECIAL TO US ...
Everyone is gone home...
There is a silence in the forest ...
A silence at camp ....
Until next year folks, Take care!