» Outfitter Updates

Got Waterfowl…

admin — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 14:22:20 +0000

these guys do, and plenty of them. Marc Glades, President of Outdoor Connection has been there several times and has a group of clients going back for their third season this year! Marc says, “Hands down the best waterfowl experience I have been on”.

Below is a a link to a MUST SEE VIDEO and a special offered by the outfitter! I can’t wait for my first experience with Tony and the Crew. To receive the special offered give me a call Greg Ray 918 407 2586 or email greg@outdoor-connection.com

Update From Manitoba Fishing Outfitter

admin — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 02:19:37 +0000

Here is an update from one of our fishing outfitters in Manitoba. We have been booking for them for many years with great success. If you are interested in a top notch Canadian fishing experience give me a call Greg Ray 918 407 2586 or email greg@outdoor-connection.com and I will be happy to send you more detailed information.

The BIG ONES are biting!!

Hello OC,

What a wonderful season it has been so far. Thank you to all of you who have made it out. As we approach the final lap I can’t help but sit back and think about the many memories that have been created this year. Fishing has been off the charts and it’s thanks to our dedicated guests who fought hard and kept their lines in the water. Your patience, determination and trust in our guides have made the first part of the season a success.

Congratulations to you both and to all you other folks who have made it on to our big fish list.

End of summer bass fishing has taken us by surprise. We have noticed an increase in large bass caught for this time of year. Our peak season is in June but big ones have been making their way into Eagle Nest boats lately. August has proven to be Junes’ competition. It’s thanks to all of our anglers who have fought hard to make the catch.

With some rain days in August the water levels have remained high. We are taking full advantage of this and have been able to hook into some ”healthy” walleye. These big ones have been hiding in the fast current, both in shallow and deep water. Don’t be fooled by their initial “snag” like feeling. They sit on the bottom and you’ll have to force them up. The suspenseful fight is well worth it. Shore lunch walleye are plentiful but on the move. You can always find them on the humps.

A special note goes out to all of our guests who have requested photos from our guides. We are working on the best way to get these out to you and I apologize for the delay. Your patience is very much appreciated.

For anyone looking for last minute plans the first weekend of September. I am happy to announce that our staff are taking some time off and we will be offering a 3 day/3 night Housekeeping plan Friday, September 3rd to Monday, September 6th. For groups of six interested in more information please give us a call.

As we begin our final lap I wanted to mention the transition from overnight camping to seasonal lots at Eagle Nest Landing has been a success. We have decided to make this transition permanent and will be upgrading our facilities to include seasonal aenities. Thanks to those of you who have made this transition easy. We are excited about the new phase.

I want to remind anyone interested in renting a boat that you do not need a boating license to rent from us. A quick overview and a run through of our boaters safety checklist before you head out for the day is the only requirement. Thank you to those of you who have kept us busy with our cabin rentals. It’s always nice to have you visit. For the avid fishermen interested in a more modified plan with increased service and guided fishing, please ask about our Wilderness Lodge packages. We can customize a package to suite your needs.

Well, time to get back out there and throw another line in the water. Thank you for your kind comments about our staff and services. I have passed along all of them and appreciate how our efforts do not go un-noticed. If you have photos you’d like to share please send them my way and keep your eyes open for them in our newsletters, brochures, and website. Many times they will appear. Thank you to those of you who have already contributed.

Happy Fishing,

Jessica

Discounted Alberta Whitetail Hunt

admin — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 16:07:21 +0000

This Alberta Whitetail hunt is almost discoutned by 50% and includes tag and license! This hunt takes placeout of Robb Alberta in November during the rut, fly into Edmonton where the outfitter will pick you up and take you back to camp. You will hunt clear cuts and the hard woods from either ground blinds or treestands.

Meals, lodging, tags, license, 2×1 guide service. Hunt cost is normally $5500 but is reduced to $3000.

Give me a call for full details Greg Ray 918 407 2586 or email greg@outdoor-connection.com

I almost forgot to mention, I am hunting moose with this outfitter this coming September and we have one more reduced cost spot available. If you are interested in joining me, I leave September 18th and start hunting on the 20th, return home on the 1st of October.

Still A Few Kansas Whitetail Tags Left

admin — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 15:54:15 +0000

Here is a quick note from one of my Kansas Outfitters, he has reduced his remaining hunts. I have hunted with this outfitter on several occasions, his area offers the opportunity for a true trophy whitetail. For more details give me a call Greg Ray 918 407 2586 or email greg@outdoor-connection.com

There are still a few leftover tags available in Kansas, but they will be gone soon.

We have the following spots still available.

Rifle December 8-12 Cost $3,950 2 Spots Left

Archery October 23-28 Cost $2,500 6 Spots Left

Muzzleloader September 20-25 or September 27-Oct 3 Cost $2,500 4 Spots Left

Alaska Fishing At It’s Best

admin — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 15:08:10 +0000

This year, the Sockeye, also known as Reds, are rolling all over each other at Crescent Lake. They have returned to their traditional spots, as well as moved to new locations on the river to spawn. The plethora of salmon have made many a guest happy, including Brannon Napoleon Riddle. At age 83, he is still one of the best Sockeye fisherman this lodge has ever seen; bringing in limits of chrome bright fish in record time. Guests like die-hard fisherman, Brannon, spend the morning fishing to their hearts content, to return to the lodge for a wonderful home cooked lunch and then get right back on the boat for another round.

Whether your interest is battling with robust Sockeye, or developing your techniques with fly fishing on our plentiful Dolly Varden and lake trout; we offer a multitude of fishing experiences for all. Our waters beckon the seasoned fisherman and those who want to be taught by the best; our guides are here to make your trip exactly what you want it to be. The Kronshage family of Texas spent the morning catching Reds, and finished off the afternoon with each of the seven family members landing a King Salmon of epic proportions. Posing with a giant King, or Chinook Salmon, is quite a highlight and wonderful story to take home to friends and family. With the pictures to prove it, of course!

This year the lodge has also added new hikes created personally for our guests. The Bithell Family being the first to venture to our newest waterfall hike. With the high snow peaks melting, the fresh clear water runs fast to form beautiful waterfalls surrounding the area, inviting the adventurous to hike up and take pictures worthy of a professional postcard. There is also a new hike to the snow bowl that can be easily viewed from the Lodge’s large picture windows, or from your very own cabin. The enticingly smooth white scoop cradled in ragged peaks of the mountains beckons you to get a closer look firsthand. The hikes vary from intermediate to challenging, depending on one’s personal preference.

One of the best parts about our lodge is the bear viewing. With the Sockeye piling in, the bears come a’calling after their long winter naps. When out on the water with one of our guides, you can hear stories about our “regulars”, see them frolic and take photos without even needing the zoom on your camera. The bear viewing experience at our lodge is unique and wonderful. The bears are many and constantly in view as they try to fatten themselves up with the bounty of fish spawning at the shores. See a mama bear teach her baby how to eat on its own. A one year cub just bigger than an oversized teddy bear batting playfully at the fish makes for a great Alaskan experience, and one heck of a story.

This season is already flying by, guests doing everything from fishing and kayaking to hiking and relaxing. A micro beer on tap and the cedar plank hot tub are an excellent way to end the day after battling salmon on the river.

Update For Alberta Black Bear

admin — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 14:40:32 +0000

Here is an update from one of my Alberta outfitters, sounds like he had a great black bear season and expects the same for his whitetail and moose. This is the same outfitter that is running a special discount on his Alberta Whitetail Rut Hunt!

I have attached pictures of this years spring bear hunters. Three of them were OC hunters all of them killed and one killed two bears and missed a wolf. Dick was 70 years old and had never been on a guided hunt before. He asked more questions then all my hunters in a year. He was a great guy and would listen to myself and therefore was extremely successful.

On the third day of his hunt he was in a stand and saw movement coming through the trees towards him. before he could understand what was going on a big Grey Timber wolf was at50 yards. He aimed fired and nothing. I tracked for about 1/2 hour and found no blood. I found the bullet hole in the dirt and realized it was infract a clean miss.

Day 4 of his hunt he sat in a new stand and with in 30 minutes a 350lbs all black boar came thought the trees towards him. I do a burn for all my hunters to cover their scent and bring bears in this bear was oblivious to Dick and went straight to the burn He aimed and shot with the bear expiring within 4 yards of the burn.

Day 5 he wanted to go back to the same stand and was rewarded with another 200lb male this one also expired within 5 years of his stand. All in All a great hunt. after returning home I received a letter from Dick expressing what an unbelievable time he had and how much he enjoyed his hunt. In his words ” the greatest experience he had from the food and lodging to the guides and game all top notch”!

Mike and Barry his two partners both saw multiple bears and killed a bear each. Both have expressed a desire to return for a monster Alberta whitetail.

Arizona Coues Deer Special

admin — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 14:15:50 +0000

I promise, these do not come around very often, plus the opportunity to hunt Arizona with over the counter tags. I meant to get this out to you last week, but didn’t make it. Give me a call for full details Greg Ray 918 407 2586 or email greg@outdoor-connection.com

Join us in Arizona for a trophy Coues Deer hunt. We have 2 time frames available for these rifle Coues Deer hunts, Oct. 21-27 and Nov. 4-10. Hunts are 7 days (2 travel days and 5 full hunt days), fully outfitted, and 1×1 guided. Hunters fly into Tucson where we will pick them up and return them after the hunt. Lodging is in wall tent camps and all meals, guiding, and hunt transportation is included. These great hunts are priced at only $2,500. Tags for these hunts go on sale Aug. 2nd on a first come first serve basis so contact us soon if you are interested.

The Grand Old Man

admin — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 13:52:40 +0000

I thought this was a really good story that was published in Sports Afield not to long ago. I actually hunted with this outfitter several years ago and wanted to share his story with you. Just click on the image and it will take you to the full story.

Good News For Teal Hunters In Louisiana

admin — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 00:45:24 +0000

I know there is not much good news in the way of the BP oil spill off the shores of LA, but I did just receive some encouraging news from one of our outfitters in the Lake Charles area. Please read his update below, if you are interested in a early season Teal hunt this may be the place to go. I have personally visited this outfitter on several occasions, he runs a first rate operation, with a fantastic lodge, great meals and of course some of the best hunting and fishing in LA. Please let me know if you would like more details on this outfitter.

Greg Ray 918 407 2586 or email greg@outdoor-connection.com

FYI we should have some excellent cast and blast opportunities for teal hunting in September. As a result of the oil spill, the govt has a program to pay farmers to flood their fields around here from Aug 15-Nov 15 for shore birds. They must keep the level from muddy water to 2″ deep for the entire period to get paid. Southwest Louisiana is already a major stopping point for the southbound bluewing teal, but this additional habitat will attract and hold even more than normal. This will be a boon to the teal habitat around here and we will be covered up with them as this will be additional water along with the rice crops in our fields. As always, our September fishing will be fantastic as well, making for good cast and blast trips. Season dates are Sept.11-26

Rates $175 show up hunts

$350 overnight hunts with lodging and meals

$550 cast and blast with overnight lodging and meals

Mule Deer/Whitetail Opportunity In Nebraska

admin — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 15:54:58 +0000

We just recently had a group move their hunt to 2011 which has left an entire camp open for the 2010 rifle season at one of my Nebraska outfitters. This hunt is for either Mule Deer or Whitetail on over 100k acres, during the heat of the rut. We have been 100% on this rifle hunt over the past several seasons, with each hunter seeing numerous deer per day. I hosted one of the groups this past season, we went 8 for 8 which included some very nice deer, plus a missed opportunity on a whitetail that would have easily scored in the mid 170’s but probably in the 180’s. I won’t mention any names, but the hunter mistakenly shot the wrong deer! Damn, I hate it when that happens! Anyway that deer is still there with someone’s name on it.

We have 6 spots available for Novemer 18th thru the 21st. Rate is $3500 per hunter plus a $200 tag/license. There is a discount available if you book the entire camp. Check out this link for pictures from last seasons hunt.

http://blog.fishandhunttheworld.com/photo-album/?album=11

Greg Ray 918 407 2586 or email greg@outdoor-connection.com

Cancellation Grizzly Hunt

admin — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 15:19:39 +0000

Last week I sent out a “Brown Bear Update” well now this outfitter has a cancellation Grizzly hunt available. One Third of the cost of the hunt has already been paid and now the hunter cannot go. You pay the remaining Two Thirds and the hunt is yours! Details are below. Greg Ray 918 407 2586 or email

greg@outdoor-connection.com

We still have our canceled grizzly hunt available.
This hunt was previously booked but has come
available for the balance owed.
It takes place on the north slope of
the Brooks Range in our Arctic guide concession.
We hunt the barren ground caribou’s calving
grounds where the big bears like to hunt
the caribou calves.

The hunt is 10 days and takes place
Aug. 20-30th 2010. All-inclusive but for
license/tags and the charter flight into camp.
This is the last spot we have for any species
in 2010 ~ $10,000.

ATV Caribou Hunt

admin — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 01:23:05 +0000

Looking for an Adventure? Here is something a little different for you, hunting caribou from a ATV. We did this original inspection on this outfitter 3 seasons ago and have sent numerous clients since then. Mark E. who did the original inspection said it was one the most fun hunts he had done in a long time, but with that being said it was also one of the most physical he had ever been on.

Greg Ray 918 407 2586 or email greg@outdoor-connection.com

Alaska Brown Bear Update

admin — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 00:54:56 +0000

If you were thinking about Brown Bear for this season but put it off, you might want to take a look at this outfitter for 2011. He went 100% with some very nice looking bears, plus he does the hunts from the comfort of a yacht. Give me a call for full details and availability. I also posted more pictures in the photo gallery.

Greg Ray 918 407 2586 or email greg@outdoor-connection.com

The Spring Brown Bear Season was phenomenal here in Alaska. All of our hunters killed
large male brown bears and a few killed black bears as well. Like always these
were yacht-based hunts where we employ a full-time cook and have the
amenities of home. All of the bears were located from our custom-built
aluminum runabout skiffs and the longest stalk was around 300 yards.

Our goal on these hunts is 100% success on large male brown bears and this year
has had the results we like. No where can a hunter expect a more likely
chance of success on a truly big brown bear all the while staying on a
live-aboard boat and executing all but the last part of the stalk in a
comfortable skiff. As a matter of fact 2 of our bears were spotted
directly from the yacht and the skiff ride was a mere few hundred yards to
shore.

We still have 2 brown bear spots available for May 2011 and 1 grizzly bear
spot for this Aug. 2010.

British Columbia Black Bear Update

admin — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 00:39:03 +0000

Here is another brief update from one of our outfitters in British Columbia.

Well the 2010 Spring Black Bear season has come to an end! The Spring started early this year due to low snow pack and a very mild winter, the feed was everywhere which made the guides work a little harder than usual to find the quary! As you see from the pictures above the guides prevailed, these are just a few of the successful guests from 2010! We predict the 2011 season to be a great one, with so much feed it will help recruitment and of course some nice ones that got away, which means they will be bigger next year!

Arizona Black Bear

admin — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 00:32:15 +0000

Yep, that’s right, I said ARIZONA Black Bear. I just received an update from one of my Arizona outfitters and he wanted me to send out a note to remind everyone about the black bear opportunity in AZ. If you want more details about this outfitter and this hunt give me a call and I will send out more detailed information. Greg Ray 918 407 2586 or email greg@outdoor-connection.com

Arizona is a very overlooked state for trophy Black Bear hunting. A very high percentage of Arizona’s black bear population is color phased making it the premier destination if your goal is to harvest a trophy color phase black bear. Arizona bear tags and licenses are available for purchase over the counter and do not have to be drawn.

The Arizona black bear comes in all color phases, from blonde, cinnamon, chocolate, to coal black and in some cases two-toned and multi-colored bears. In August through October (our typical hunting season), Arizona black bears come out of the high country in search of fat-building food sources. Many Arizona black bears travel to the lower desert elevations of their mountain ranges looking for prickly pear cactus fruit, which is very sweet and high in calories. This phenomenon is often called “Bears in the Pears” and bears will gather in high concentrations to gorge themselves on the rich prickly pear cactus fruit. Bears may also travel to areas with a high concentration of acorns, juniper berries or manzanita berries as well. Our fall bear hunts are spot and stalk glassing hunts and what the bears are feeding on dictates where we will hunt. We have also had great success calling in bears to close range using predator calling techniques on our fall bear hunts. Look no further for a trophy color phase black bear.