A little diamond in the rough.

It all began in the late 1960s, when a young couple found a beautiful setting along the banks of the Jackfish River, deep in the majesty of Saskatchewan's Porcupine Provincial Forest.

Gene Petryshyn had hunted and trapped this country his whole life, and he and his wife Faye saw a chance to build a base camp with instant access to the riches of the forest. Elk, moose, deer, and grouse were close at hand to feed a young family, and a thriving trap line brought in income through the fur trade.

Over almost two decades, Gene and Faye took in hunters from across the United States, and word travelled fast about this little diamond in the rough. Skull Lodge grew into a well-known haven for the seasoned sportsman and the first-timer alike, chasing Saskatchewan whitetail and black bear.

Today Gene's daughter and son-in-law, Lacey and Brett Unterschute, have taken the reins — carrying a strong family legacy, whose heritage in this region spans over a century, into the next generation of hunters from across North America and abroad.