Bits from the script of tonight’s episode which airs for the first time at 7 pm Eastern on Sportsman Channel. Set your DVR:
So what’s the recipe for a grand adventure? A place that piques a hunter’s innate curiosity… is hard to reach… is far from the beaten path, where an isolated population of animals thrives in idyllic habitat where nature can take its course…
On the border of New Brunswick and Quebec, crystal streams feed the Gulf of St. Lawrence on Anticosti Island, creating a natural wonderland.
I’m here to hunt Anticosti’s resident and wild whitetail herd, which was introduced to the island 120 years ago by a man named Henry Menier, a chocolate manufacturer from France.
After two long travel days it was good to get out, stretch my legs and get my first taste of this wild, unique terrain.
Finally, we hit the trail. I’m in good company with Dion, who I’d come to realize is something of deer whisperer…
With summer transitioning to early fall, the deer are scattered and unpredictable. We are gonna have to cover a lot of country to find a buck. I’ll be spending plenty of time sitting in cold stands and blinds later in the fall, and I’m looking forward to this spot-and-stalk. It’s the best way to unlock the secrets of this mysterious place…
2 years ago, the Gulf of St. Lawrence experienced a brutally cold and long winter, which stretched well into spring and really knocked back the deer herd. It takes several years for a population to recover from such an event. I’m gonna be in for a tough hunt…
Designated a Provincial Wildlife Reserve, Anticosti Island is unrivaled with its natural attributes. Rivers cut through deep canyons…limestone cliffs tower over the sea…crystal lakes dot the sub-boreal landscape…
Anticosti’s attraction is what it has always been: unbridled wilderness and a unique coastal setting…
T-shirt weather… it’s 8 am and already pushing 70 degrees… this is a tough slog, yet there’s something new and cool to discover around every turn.
The abundance of prey such as beavers and grouse supports a healthy population of fox, who seem to have little fear of humans. They provide a constant source of entertainment on daylong hikes.
Whenever I hunt in new country, my goals are simple: to go as long and hard as I can, and experience all that the wilderness has to offer. I want to shoot a buck of course, a big one, but whether I do or not matters little in the end. The sights, the sounds and the memories of a magical place like Anticosti are enough to fill this hunter’s soul until the next adventure begins.
Behind the scenes: I am biased, but I believe we have the best story lines and scripts on hunting TV. Shout out to BIG DEER producer Justin Karnopp, who consults with me and writes most of the final VO (voice over) that I deliver. Justin did an especially outstanding job on this one…. Kudos to videographer Neil Cowley, who filmed this episode, put his own spin on it and delivered interesting and beautiful footage…. Final shout out to our editor Rachel Ambrose, who did another sterling job of putting this show together…. We hope you watch and enjoy.
Those are some really cool pics. I can see why you want to make repeated trips there.