Plagued with unusually warm weather, my hunt was slow until this unique buck came my way. Although circumstances may not have been perfect, the outcome proved gratifying.

Meanwhile, I was preparing for what would be a difficult shot. The air was dead calm, and this buck was wired to explode. The slightest noise would detonate the bomb. My rangefinder told me he was exactly 34 yards away. I had no doubt this buck would jump the string.

Waiting several minutes for the right shot angle, I finally drew and placed my 30-yard pin in the center of his vitals, which put my aiming point well below where I wanted to hit. If he doesn't jump I'll probably shoot under him, missing clean, I thought. If he does jump, the hit will be good.

When I touched off the release, the buck immediately coiled downward, and just as he was launching himself forward, the arrow caught him in the spine and dropped him cold. I'm no fan of spine shots, but I must admit they do the job.

WITH A RED FOREHEAD, dark antlers, and crab-claw points at the tips of the main beams, the buck was unique. Considering the conditions we faced, we were lucky to get him, even if the method was not my first choice. I doubt we'd have got an opportunity at this buck without the bait.

Did this hunt change my view of baiting? No. For the reasons previously stated, my views of baiting have not changed. But, now, when a proponent of baiting asks me if I've ever hunted over bait, I can answer, "Yes."

Do I apologize for the outcome? No. My Saskatchewan buck was a beautiful deer, and any buck taken legally is a worthy trophy. And he taught me a valuable lesson: "When in Rome..."

But next time I'll choose white. Like Casper the Friendly Ghost.

Author's Notes: We hunted with Kent and Lori Wolowski at RockRidge Outfitting, Ltd., (306) 768-2617, www.rockridgeoutfitting.com, rockridgeoutfitting@hotmail.com. Rifle hunting pressure was virtually nonexistent, so bowhunting the rut is quite possible. Had the weather been kinder, I'm confident we'd have encountered a huge Canadian buck or two. Kent and Lori run a great operation.

I was using a Hoyt VTEC, Carbon Express Terminator arrows, Barrie Ti-100 broadheads, Ripcord rest, and Fuse Accessories. Under my Santa suit was a ScentBlocker suit, my boots were Redhead Side Zips from Bass Pro Shops, and my daypack was a Badlands 2200.