I had to pass on a recent trip to Saskatchewan, Canada on a waterfowl hunting trip with my brother Larry and friends, Steve Mayfield, Rodger Moon, Randy Lovegrove, and Keith Craft. Keith, Randy and Larry have made the trip many times. They have it down to a science.
The 30 hour road trip starts out on Saturday at 5:00 am. When they all meet to pile into the Chevy suburban which is pulling an open utility trailer with an electric chest freezer and a wooden crate with all the supplies. It looks like a scene from The Beverly Hillbilly’s. The Drivers take four hour shifts driving with an alert co-pilot. This is because of an early episode where a driver whose name is not mentioned, was catching a short nap while driving in the medium for an undetermined amount of time.
As with many trips food plays an important part. This trip is no exception. The drive is broken up with routine stops for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Keith makes up a special blend of trail mix that is snacked on the whole trip. Generally the conversation is centered on the expectation of hunt and of previous hunts, but meals at the lodge will be discussed in depth.
After arriving at the Canada border, we proceed through customs, which is not a difficult as one might expect considering that an arsenal of shotguns and thousands of shells are being transported. The final destination is an additional 300 miles away, but the excitement of seeing flocks of geese and ducks along the road will ease the rest of the drive.
Upon arriving at the lodge you are greeted by Greg Simoneau, a half Native Indian and Hungarian guide. He helps in the unpacking and room designations – generally segregated by snorers and non-snores, with every year being fewer of the later. After a brief nap and a snack you go for a ride to scout for tomorrows hunting site.
You return in anticipation of a great meal. Debbie the lady of the house, and Greg’s wife is a great chief. She has been hunting for elk the last couple mornings. Her stories of calling in bull elk and moose encounters are entertaining. Greg and Debbie’s son was also home from guiding for caribou in Alaska, above the artic circle. His stories were more intense particularly the grizzly bear encounters.
Returning down stairs you get ready for tomorrows hunt, followed by an evening snack and cocktail and you’re ready for bed.
The first morning you get to the field with a Kubota all terrain vehicle in tow. You unload the Kubota and pile in, a short ride across the barley field and you are in your predestinated spot from the previous evening scouting. A few minutes and the decoys and blinds are strategically placed followed by short talk on the hunting strategies. You get into the layout blinds and with all the excitement you still find it hard to stay wake. Awakened by the first fight of geese honking at a distance, you are ready. After the first volley you wonder why the dove hunting you did in preparation for this hunt seems not to improve your shooting, shooting from a layout blind is total different than shooting while standing. After an hour you have a limit of giant Canadian geese waiting to be picked-up. Everyone watches in amazement as Jake, Greg’s lab retrieves all 48 downed geese. It is amazing to watch the dog work.
After surveying your ammunition, you start to wonder if you brought enough shells for the remainder of the trip. Returning to the lodge for breakfast and Debbie’s morning elk hunting stories you are soon ready for a mid morning nap. You awaken in time for lunch and plans for the evening duck hunt.
Greg takes you to a field that he has previously seen ducks feeding in. You set up for the evening hunt while Greg scouts for tomorrow’s goose hunting location. Greg comes by a little before quitting time to watch the action and shuttles us back to the lodge for supper. A quick shower and upstairs we go to eat.
After dinner you waddle back down stairs swearing off food. You clean your guns which have fired more shells in one day than you normally would fire in a whole season at home. Getting your stuff ready for tomorrows hunt followed by a snack, cocktail and a few stories and off to bed where everyone has joined the snoring crowed by now.
Waking up the next four mornings repeating the first day’s routine.
The last morning after returning from the goose hunt you start packing, realizing you brought way to much stuff, just as you have done in the past. Greg goes and picks up the two hundred plus birds from the game processor and packs them into the freezer for the long ride home. You get your last breakfast from the lodge and listen to the last of Debbie’s stories. A few good-byes and off to the border.
This time at the border, things did not go too well. That very day there had been an outbreak of avian flu (bird flu) in a chicken ranch in Saskatchewan. The US government had quarantined all fowl from Saskatchewan. They confiscated all the birds and sent the hunters on their way. The next twenty-four hours you question how the USA plans to stop the hundreds of thousand ducks and geese that are migrating into the USA.
They return home with nothing to show for it, except memories, pictures and plans for a return trip.
Take someone hunting, Greg
