Big Grass Big Black Bear

Big Bears

Big Grass Big Bear

Buddy nails this 6 ft monster with his Kimber 30-06.  He watched a sow and cubs Wednesday nite and listened to a Ruffy Grouse do the mating call all evening withing 20 yds behind the stand.

Night four to the  Park stand to have a doe walk near bottom of stand  by 530.  Wow I thought I was Bear hunting! he says…   730 2 young bear arrive to check out the menu at Big Grass…   Patience she Says!  A Big Boar!!   Do you believe everything an Outfitter says? well Buddy was Patient and and hour later he Rocked this Bruin…  just minutes after pulling the trigger he heard the death moan. Wow what a Rush!!

Then the next Rush begins.

Llooking for the bear  its almost dark.    Wow there it is, Chris has no problem locating it about 60 yards from the bait, huge trees laying down it was a jungle back there.. A tarp to wrap it in and start to Tug!

thank gosh for mobiles  JUdy Harley HELP!!  and they arrive, with the Wolverine wiggle closer winch out and pull that Big Bruin back to the bait.. Winch it up in the box and 6 guys just barely got the the box tipped, heading home for the Glory and to retell the story!

sow and cubs

new born cubs at the bait

young bears

bears eat at the baitsight

marking his territory

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Could you ask for a better lunch?

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Do you cook you wild meat ? Fergies Duck Burritos and Smoked Crane, with 8 starving hunters, and the crock pot was empty in no time.

RECIPE: clean and prepare duck/goose breasts, slice into strips about 1 inch wide, marinate in Pepsi 8-10 hours, drain and pull apart with fork, add 8 oz BBQ sauce, 2 onions 6 tomatos, and some peppers, and any other veggies you may want… cook 6-8 hours. torilla shells, shredded cheese of any kind, some people prefer a little heat so add some hot sauce. its all up to your taste buds.. Enjoy>

Stealth sees everyone !

P18_T_FG=1750,FT=65000,NIR=0,GM=2,CT=128,EV=45,TY=98,PY=102,DY=31,GB=0x80,NY=0,AE(320,80,160,320,1),0

D65IR_V075.D00031.062__FG=10000,FT=166624,NIR=0,GM=2,  EV=66,PY=9,DY=40,GB=0x80,SG=0x74,EL=3092,AEY=0,AEM=0,AEW=160,AEH=320

Stealth captures awesome photos day and night, here a young doe is watching something, and a big old bruin is visiting our dead beasty pit, We had only seen a couple of foot prints in the spring, but he has now returned.  we have watched a small bear each year and if this is same bear it is likely 10 yrs now and likely weighing up in that 350-500 this fall… HOW Ever not baits here at the lodge..

Time for walleye fishing in Manitoba

IMG_8057 IMG_8064 IMG_8138 IMG_8131An evening at the Assiniboine River, a day on the Lake of the Prairies and some great walleye eating at Big Grass Outfitters,  but no worries we hope to have a fish fry this fall when hunters are here.  |It was nice to be in the boat on a nice day.

Feeding Birds in Manitoba in the spring

IMG_5744IMG_5738Every winter Judy spends hours sitting at the window by the bird feeder. We take time in the morning to see what is coming Blue jays, siskins, chickadees, Downy and Hairy woodpeckers, nuthatches, Red poles, Grosbeks Evening and Pine. Now spring is in the air, many have left, Grosbeks are gone and we are seeing the odd Ruffy grouse scouting past the feeder. on the left this Ruffy roaster struts his stuff trying to attrack a girl in the area. Canadian geese are sitting out back clucking away trying to impress their partner and beginnings of making nests have begun. we put a couple bales out back on the big slough for the geese to make nests on. hopefully I can use digital camera and get some good shots of the gosslings. IMG_4770IMG_4772

Baiting bears at Big Grass

IMG_5729IMG_5731Beavers is the main food of a Bear in the Spring prior to grass turning green, the beaver may be out cutting trees or the bear will dig into a beaver hut to access the beaver kits for food.. We are lucky to know Elzivar who traps fur in the winter and spring. Just the other day he called to say he had a bunch and would like to bring them over as he doesnot have a deep freezer and temps outside are rising.  here are 20 carcasses he bought over, and he will continue to trap till we arrive in the area for our spring bear hunt. We chop the beaver in pieces and wire the pieces to the so bear will have to work away at trying to release it to eat it..This gives the hunter time to determine how big the bear is and to get a good killing shot. We also use oats and grease for bait along with meat scraps, sweets and a scent control to spray hopfully covering the scent of the hunter in the tree, plus this scent is an attractant.

Wildlife in Manitoba

IMG_4703IMG_7042Cameras and feeders is what is in Judys plan for the winter.. just outside the kitchen window we have many birdfeeders, with many Blue Jays, Grosbeaks, siskins, chickadees, feeding daily. then Surprise, I had been feeding the other animals the scraps as the dogs sure did need them, every couple days Id take a bag out in field to feed the other travelers of the area,  then one morning after putting fresh peanuts and some dried berries and bread crumbs in the feeder, LOOK who showed.. Slowly she moved towards the feeder.. , Hoping I was going to get a shot I got out the Canon and SNAP I got it… Not sure if it is Mr or Mrs I named her Mrs Fox..    daily she travels around the yard, and Ive seen lots of activity on the field and in slough where she has caught mice and squirrels.   It is amazing what you see if you just look and have time to spend in the outdoors

Manitoba Ice Fishing Derby in the Russell area.

IMG_7147IMG_7261IMG_7264Our 7th annual Ice fishing Derby on Lake of the  Prairies held Feb 27, Judy did the photos at the derby..    You know the Papparazzii thing she is always got the camera.. Well 556 people attended 1200 holes were drilled, we caught 39 fish, Northern Pike, Walleye, and Perch.. largest fish 68cm Northern Pike took home $12500. second fish 64cm northern $5000,  Winners choice raffle tickets and she took home a Polaris Side by side.. not bad for a little ice fishing  derby here in Manitoba.  If it wasnt for our volunteers and our local sponsors we would not survive.. but it brings some Tourism $$ in and some good fishing stories of the one HE didnt catch.. but all have FUN IN MANITOBA!

Santa Claus Parade at Russell

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local businesses put together a great Parade with lots of floats and Santa bringing up the end… Many local residents braved the cold to watch and cheer on the Christmas fun.

Manitoba whitetail Buck Night

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Russell Big Buck Nite over 20 heads were brought in to be scored and for show..  Some great animals masses of 3.5-4 inches is always great to see on our trophies. Our past winters and the pressure of predators has had a negative effect on our whitetail herd of late..  the Conservation has limited our season to 2 weeks with only Bucks to be harvested, hopefully giving our herd a chance to rebound.. Now just finished the second year we are already seeing the results of this..  Bigger bodied animals, larger horns, but our numbers still have not rebounded to the numbers we would want in our area. We have a good number of Youths showing up with nice horns so our hunting enthusiasts are still in the field, young and old…