The "Wait"

I don't know about anyone else, but for me, hunting season begins the day it ends! 2010 is in the books and 2011 is in the planning stages. Armed with a dream and an opportunity the required deposit has been sent and my third Saskatchewan hunt has been put into action.

I can go on forever about what I feel can happen while sitting a stand in what has repeatedly proven itself to be the best place in the world to hunt whitetails-but I won't! This blog is about : The "Wait"! Tonight as I sit in my hotel room, ice storm looming on the horizon and tomorrow's activities being an unknown, I find myself before the computer as a means of sanity and escape. An email sent reference a close encounter between Archer and Elk started my mind rolling about the great north woods of Saskatchewan. As of today I have two of my close friends, one a repeat hunting buddy, the other will be hitting the woods with me this fall for the first time, pending Saskatchewan deposits-although committed verbally.

I'm not sure that I can top the Michigan encounter with a 170 class buck that one of them had in 2010, but hopefully we'll have some fun along the way and a picture to hold the moment.

There are circumstances holding the final decision to commit by a friend which will be resolved within the next two weeks, although I fully expect things to work out and a commitment to be made, it's hard to sit by waiting to know that all three are booked, dates set and travel plans made. All part of: The "Wait"!

For those who know me it's no secret that I find greater reward in the success' of others while afield, however the past 4 years have been slow for my efforts and all involved and Saskatchewan offers success to most all who visit her. It is my sincere hopes and/or expectations that antlers will come home and mounts will be procured for the three of us. And although two of us have committed the whole picture just won't be complete until number three sends in his deposit. I would be happy to take this trip alone, however there will be something missing should he not make the trip with us.

For those who hunt it's well known that the Rut in Saskatchewan is like being nowhere else on earth. The great north woods offers opportunity to see: wolves, buffalo and moose while on stand and many end their hunts early with a lesser buck and a realization that they missed what I call "The Movie". Spending a day on stand watching deer interact like they do in the wild is one of the most exciting events a true whitetail hunter can observe. Many focus on Saskatchewan as a place to harvest a respectable buck, I see it as one of the best learning experiences a hunter can have.

I've offered up a $100 bill to either of my buddies should they voluntarily leave their firearm in camp and sit their stand weaponless for the first day of the trip, neither are willing to bite! I suggest to you that being on stand without your chosen weapon as shooter bucks frequent the area is harder than one would think, I have visions of grown men drooling at dinner having seen multiple trophies without means to harvest them.

Saskatchewan is more to me than a place to shoot a deer, it's an opportunity to see nature being nature! During this period I refer to as: The "Wait" I have restless moments thinking about one of my hunting buddies missing out on what I earlier referred to as "The Movie". What would be the use of experiencing anything worth living for-should it not be shared!

An so the wait continues, a mere two weeks until the verdict is in and the plans begin to take form. It's my sincerest hope that he will join us on this trip as there is more to it than just harvesting a great north woods whitetail, it's an experience all it's own!

And so it goes with hunting, waiting comes in many forms for those of us with lesser means and who have to grab opportunities when we can, I just don't want to miss sharing this experience, to go it alone would take from the trip-that which makes it a trip, and would only leave "the harvest"!