Michitoba Outfitting - Brandon Wood
By CHRIS INGRAM for SPLIT REED
If you’ve been involved in the waterfowl hunting scene in any capacity for any length of time, a fall hunting trip to Canada has likely been added to your personal bucket list; but you’ve probably had your eye on the western provinces, like Saskatchewan or Alberta, right? You probably overlooked or completely dismissed Manitoba as a possible destination for hunting the fall migration. At Split Reed, we are all about breaking away from the norm and being different, so we chatted with Brandon Wood, (lead guide for Michitoba Outfitting (MO) of southwestern Manitoba), and we’re here to shine a new light on the glorious and free province of central Canada, and why you just might want to reconsider your next Canadian waterfowl adventure and book your hunt with Michitoba Outfitting.
Located near Strathclair, Manitoba, Michitoba Outfitting sports a 5-star, full-service lodge, featuring two buildings and nine total bedrooms, with a common lounge and dining areas, and complete with a continental breakfast and gourmet lunch and dinner offerings. The main team at Michitoba Outfitting is comprised of owner Kris Wujcik, his wife Nancy (chef and lodge management) and Brandon Wood (lead guide). Together, their goal is to provide clients a safe and successful hunting experience with all the comforts of home and memories to last a lifetime. They pride themselves on offering an all-inclusive service and an effortless experience for their hunters. From taking care of the licensing and equipment to the pampered lodge life to the comfortable hunting accommodations; let the team do all the hard work so you can simply enjoy your hunt. The key allure to visiting Michitoba Outfitting is their waterfowl AND whitetail hunting options; guests can take part in an epic waterfowl hunt and in the same stay, harvest a massive Canadian whitetail buck, an opportunity and service that simply isn’t offered anywhere else in the area.
Brandon was born and raised in Kingsville, Ontario just minutes down the road from the famous Jack Miner Bird Sanctuary. To say that waterfowl hunting was an integral part of his life, would be a serious understatement; the sport and lifestyle have been woven into the fabric of his life since birth. Brandon spent his early childhood years in the fields and waters with his father and grandfather chasing waterfowl, deer, turkey and small game. Gravitating mostly to waterfowl, Brandon became quite proficient in the language of fowl, taking up competitive duck and goose calling at eleven years old during the height of the contest calling circuit. He won several youth and novice duck and goose contests with his biggest title being the Jack Miner Calling Classic Masters Goose in 2012. He competed for several years and won a few more open goose contests until going off to college when the contest stage took a backseat in his life. During this time Brandon started guiding locally in southwestern Ontario, honing his skills and reveling in his passion for bird hunting. About four years ago, a mutual friend connected Brandon with Kris at Michitoba Outfitting, and the two immediately hit it off and became fast friends. Brandon traveled to MO to work and hunt that first season and has established his vital role at the operation ever since.
Brandon travels to Manitoba and guides both whitetail and waterfowl hunts at MO from early September through late November. In the early season, the hunting is focused on targeting Canada geese in dry fields and transitioning to ducks in October and whitetails in November once the rut kicks in. As the lead guide, Brandon’s duties include scouting and lining up hunts, cleaning birds and pitching in at the lodge as needed. When asked what he enjoys most about the job, he mentions the conversations he has with clients. He delights in fielding their questions about bird behavior and why they might be set up or hunting a certain way. He sees his role as offering a comprehensive and value-based service rather than simply putting clients in front of birds. He hopes that in sharing his knowledge and passion, clients can leave feeling empowered and inspired to take their learned experience and turn it into success hunting back home. He says the biggest contributing factor leading to a successful hunt, is the hide. You’ve got to be well hidden or things are not going to end well. His favorite memories working for MO include seeing the smiling faces of the kids or adults who harvest their first big honker or prized greenhead. He thrives on the guide grind; staying on birds and lining up hunts, day after day, month after month. After freeze-up in November, Brandon heads home to Ontario to close out the season hunting ducks and geese and help his father with his garage door business. Brandon also stays busy between the waterfowl seasons in the spring-time guiding turkey hunts and in the summer charter fishing on Lake Erie. Making a career in the outdoors is something he set out to do early on in his life, and he insists he wouldn’t want to live any other way.
So, what makes Michitoba Outfitting different and worthy of your attention? For starters, their location offers the unique opportunity for a client to embark on an epic waterfowl hunt and a memorable whitetail pursuit in the same stay, or if you’re motivated enough, even the same day. Their lodge and hunting grounds are situated right between the vast expanse of the northern boreal forest and the flat prairie and agricultural landscape, lending itself to optimum conditions for a combo whitetail/waterfowl experience and the trip of a lifetime. Secondly, when you are a guest, you’re not just a number. Groups are typically kept to just three to six individuals to ensure that each person will receive a custom and personalized experience. Next, when you hunt with Michitoba, you’ll be hunting in an area that Kris and his guides have been working in for many years. They have long-lasting relationships with farmers and landowners and with access to several 20,000-acre leases, you’ll always be on fresh birds without the hunting pressure from nearby groups. Lastly, Michitoba offers a variety of packages for every taste and every budget. Their full-inclusive bundle includes absolutely everything you need to go afield; from setting up a travel itinerary and licensing to guns and ammo, all the way through the standard lodging, food, amenities, guiding, and bird cleaning that nearly every other lodge offers. With the full-inclusive package, you simply show up and start hunting. In their semi-inclusive offering, you’ll set up your own travel and licensing, bring your own guns and ammo and then enjoy the comfortable accommodations of the lodge, gourmet cooking and cush hunting setups. Michitoba even offers a budget hunting option for the nomadic freelancing crew, whereby, they’ll put you on a loaded field or a hot feed to hunt; no need to waste your own precious time scouting and procuring permission or access to hunt. So, whether you want to fill a limit of giant Canadian geese and plump mallards AND/OR bag the brute whitetail buck of your dreams, check out the offerings from Michitoba Outfitting. It’s like the Choose-Your-Own-Adventure Books; how do you want your Canadian adventure story to read?
Photo Courtesy of Nick Costas during a trip to Michitoba Outfitting
To learn more about the accommodations, rates, availabilities, and client testimony from Michitoba Outfitting, please visit: www.michitobaoutfitting.com and be sure to follow them on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/MichitobaOutfitting/) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/michitobaoutfitting/) to see what they’ve been up to this season and stay connected with Brandon Wood (https://www.instagram.com/bwoody19).
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