For the second year in a row, the Backwoods Boys hit the road, making their way to King Buck Safaris in Sasckatchewan. They were looking for the big color-phase and black bears King Buck - Larry Leschyshyn - is known for.
Dan Wallace and Taft Love made the trip this year and, as always, Larry had things all ready for them. We’ve said it before… Larry knows bears. If you’re serious about hunting big bears, Larry’s the guy you need to see. The baits were popping with bears and the action was fast and furious.
With five guys in camp that week, bears were hitting the ground left and right. But Dan was continuing a chess game he started last year with an old, smart color-phase bear affectionately known as "Big Red." The game began last year when this 500+ pound red bear made his first move. Larry has been hunting this bear for a number of years, when he made his way into the bait site last year, it seemed the game might be over before it had a chance to get interesting. Big Red was almost in range when a hot sow caught his attention and drew him out of harm’s way.
Then, a week before the boys hit camp, Larry started getting trail camera pictures of Big Red, and the game was back on.
While Dan and Larry were plotting their next move, Taft took to the trees with his Darton bow. After watching a number of other bears come in and out of the stand, another old acquaintance showed up - a bear known to Dan and Karl as "Cut-Nose."
He got his name last year, when Dan and Karl were hunting in the same area. He was a good bear last year, and was unmistakable with a long, deep gash across the bridge of his nose. Cut-Nose travelled over 7 miles in the course of a day and made regular appearances - even getting into knock-down, drag-out fights with other bears on the stand.
This year, Cut-Nose was a definite shooter bear, and he was still unmistakable with that long deep scar across his nose.
Taft settled in, drew his Darton back, picked his spot, and let the arrow fly, sealing the deal on an old friend.
Meanwhile, Dan and Big Red were locked in the heat of their chess match. As the week wore on, it seemed that Big Red would control the board. As it became more apparent that Big Red was engaged in activities with the girls, the Excalibur Crossbow started to grow impatient, and when a big Saskatchewan black bear snuck into the bait site, he conceded this round and put the Excalibur to work.
The Boys had a great week at King Buck Safaris. Five guys in camp took four exceptional Saskatchewan bears, proving, once again, that King Buck Safaris should be at the top of your list when looking for a quality bear hunt.
As luck would have it, a couple days after their return, Big Red came back to continue the game.
