Pope & Young or Bust

Pope & Young or Bust

from the desk of David Simmons

I drew my bow as the 140 class 12 pointer stepped from the juniper jungle. I settled my twenty yard pin behind his front shoulder as my partner and camera man Matt Glander gave me the signal he had him in frame. I touched the trigger on my release.

This hunt started three years ago when my friend and long time hunting buddy, Steve Deibler, stopped to visit friend and taxidermist Charles Watson at his shop and saw the deer he and his group had taken in Big River Saskatchewan, Canada. We wanted in at first sight.

March of 2005 Steve called and told me there were three openings and did I want in. Do I have to tell you my answer? Steve, Matt and I took the spots. Now the planning begins whole heartily. The first thing was to check on possible weather conditions in Saskatchewan the week of Thanksgiving. COLD! Says it all. Pack all the warm clothing I own.

Over the years I have taken my share of game with a bow, but never a good buck. This leads me to my bow. A Blade runner Iso force, the only true center shot bow on the market.

During the summer of 2005 our company signed on with Blade runner as pro staff to shoot and highlight their new bow on our upcoming television show. As I practiced over the next couple of months, I grew to really appreciate the fact that this bow made me a better archer. I decided I would shoot this bow in Saskatchewan with a little persuasion from Steve, who would also bow hunt.

In August Steve, Dennis and I found out we had drawn alligator tags in Georgia.Another good hunt for our new bows. Early in September I was able to tag a 10’8” gator with a brain shot. But that’s another story.

We started talking with the airlines for airfares and decided it would be cheaper to drive because of all the camera equipment, Amerstep ground blinds and tree stands we would be bringing with us.

November 17^th finally arrived and we were packing Steve’s Ford Excursion for the 36-hour drive to Big River and Big Bucks. On the ride the talk was of practice with our bows and our goals for the hunt. Steve and I were looking to harvest pope & young bucks and Matt was hoping for a 150 class boone and crocket or better. We gave Matt a hard time for not bringing his bow.

28 hours later we were tired and in need of sleep that was not in the seat of the truck. We stopped in Winnipeg, Manitoba and found a room at the Holiday Inn. Day light Saturday left us with 10 hours to go to be in Big River. This is lovely country and made us glad we stopped so we could see it in the daylight. At 5 pm that afternoon we were in Big River at the motel that would be home for the next week.

We met with Johnny Johnson (who would be our guide for the week) that night and discussed what we could expect for the week and the type of stands they used that we could set up with the chain on’s we brought with us.

Sunday hunting is not allowed in Saskatchewan Canada but scouting is. We were off to look at stand locations and the areas we would be hunting. We saw lots of deer sign at two locations and decided to put up ground blinds and brush them in.

Finally Monday the 21, the first day we could hunt was here. Matt and I were hunting together, Matt was filming and I had first shot since I was shooting a bow. Johnny brought us in to the stand sight with his four-wheeler and trailer.

As Matt and I set up in the blind, Johnny was freshening the bait sight. Oh, by the way, did I mention that all the hunting up here is done over bait? Johnny wasn’t out of hearing when the first deer were on the bait. Four does and a small 6 pointer. 30 minutes later a nice 12 pointer was here to get on film, I looked at him and said he was too small.

At around noon there was more deer on the bait. We could hear a deer grunting off to the south in the brush out of sight. When I say out of sight folks, that doesn’t take much up here in the fringe land, if you aren’t on the bait sight of a four wheeler trail you can’t see 30 yards. At lest that’s what Matt and I could see here. When the buck finally showed himself, he was a 150 to 160 class Pope & young. When he came in to point he could see the blind, he knew something was out of place. He turned and skirted the bait sight and never offered me a shot. Over the rest of day we saw the 12 pointer and a very nice 10 pointer that was on the bait sight several times, along with lots of does, fawns and young bucks.

That night at the motel we were reviewing film with Johnny. When he saw the two bucks he told me they would both go 140 P&Y. That set me up for a sleepless night. The next morning I had made up my mind that if either deer showed today I would try the shot. At 9:30 am we could see the 12 pointer just off the bait and coming in. This brings us back to the start of this story.

After the shot and a one hour wait we found my arrow covered with bright red and foamy blood indicating a lung shot. After a twenty yard track job I had my buck. That evening back at the skinning shed we scored my buck at 136 & 2/8. I had my pope & young buck and also the first for Blade runner bows unless Steve scored before I did.

During the hunt my partners were able to harvest very nice deer also. Steve’s deer scoured 128 & 6/8, the second for blade runner and Steve’s first. We gave Matt more hard time ribbing for not getting his 150 class. But he harvested a very nice 10 pointer that scored the same as mine, 136 & 2/8.

Over all we had a great hunt with good people and new friends. We know the deer we harvested are not the biggest in the area but that sets up next years hunt for the big ones.

For a guided hunt of a lifetime by Deibler Outdoors or to join one of our group hunts contact Deibler Outdoors at (770) 377-5321 or visit us on the web at: http://www.deibleroutdoors.com

Be sure to watch for our upcoming television show of this and other hunting and fishing trips with Deibler Outdoors, taking ordinary people to extraordinary places.