I know a woman named Linda who started hunting at age 37. Her first hunt was for black bear in Maine. Now more than 20 years later, she’s an accomplished hunter who’s traveled all over the world with a shotgun, a rifle, and a muzzleloader, but bear hunting remains her favorite. She’s logged more than 30 bear hunts for black bears, brown bears, and grizzlies. She still looks back on her first bear hunt as her favorite, saying it changed her life and sparked a passion for hunting, especially for hunting bears.
My first black bear, now a rug prominently displayed in the stairwell to my office, was taken on a spring hunt in May 2001 on Vancouver Island. I remember every detail of the hunt: my guide Sean Lingl, the outfitter Jim Shockey, my hunting partner Bryce Towsley, the quick shot with a Model 70 Winchester in .300 Winchester Short Magnum propped on a rock, and the anxious search in the alder thicket where the bear lay on its back, feet in the air, stone dead.
No two bear hunts are alike: the variables are innumerable, the possibilities exciting to contemplate. It is not unusual for a hunter to return to bear hunting year after year, seeking to repeat the adrenaline thrill, upgrade to a larger trophy, or find something intangible and more personal. Ask Linda.
Because of my first bear, when I think of black bears I think of Canada.
With the Canadian border COVID-closed for over a year, black bears north of the border grew in abundance and size, unpressured and unhunted by non-Canadian hunters between March 2020 and August 2021. Yes, the fall 2021 and spring 2022 seasons were epic after the border reopened. And the hunting continues to be epic, according to Lance Robinson who operates Safari River Outfitters with his wife Emily in northwest Saskatchewan. Essentially, all bears added age and size…and population. But with the 500,000-acre hunting area available to them, there has always been and will always be lot of big bears.
“By giving it two years, the numbers and weight and the whole scope, yes, it was an epic year,” Robinson said of the seasons following the COVID closure. With how much land they hunt it always seems like new big bear funnel in. It seems like you can never kill enough to affect it. “It’s crazy. Every year it’s crazy.”
It’s a thing they’ve noticed about big bears, Robinson said. There are certain areas, certain hunting stands that seem to have a lot of big bear at them. Not at the same time; usually there aren’t two big bears at the same time at a bait, unless there’s a hot sow and “they’re jockeying for top guy.” He’s seen this phenomenon too many times to be coincidence. A hunter shoots a quality bear, a Booner or Pope & Young, and Robinson and his guides think, well, that’s it for this stand for a while. “Then all the sudden here comes another giant. It’s funny. The big bears always seem to be locked into the same areas.”
COVID had another effect on the plus side for bear hunters. Canadian outfitters received a 20% increase in tag allocations, apparently to give outfitters a chance to recoup some revenue lost due to the COVID closure, as well as deal with the burgeoning bear population.
“You’re going to see a lot of bears. You’re going to see good bears. You’re going to see trophy bears. The size of your bear depends on how patient you are; how many bears you’re willing to pass up until you find the right one. You’re hunting for a big bear, not hunting for a bear. If you hunt for any bear, you’ll be tagged out before nightfall of your first day.”
Robinson said they hunt bears like they hunt their giant whitetails. Every bait station has a game camera watching it. “We look at those pictures and obsess over each bear like it was a whitetail.” They manage for color-phase bears too, so they don’t just shoot for the color but for size and color. Cinnamon, chocolate, and some blonds.
“So you’re saying there’s a 100% chance at a shooting opportunity at a bear?” I asked. Robinson laughed, “Oh, more than 100%; 1 million-percent opportunity.”
Fall is always an exciting time for hunters and outfitters. “We love the excitement of deer, bear, and waterfowl going at the same time. Plus we’re getting ready for moose season. We like to hunt bears that first couple weeks of September because they are trying to put on the calories and they are really coming to the baits. Plus the days are still relatively long and temperatures are usually comfortable.”
Robinson said it took a while to work through the backlog of hunters who were delayed by COVID. Now, they are pretty much caught up and open to new bookings. Robinson has bears, tags, long-time guides, and a deal for bear hunters. He’s cut the price from $3,500 to $2,750.
And here’s a tip I got from Jason Berger, director of WTA Outdoor Adventures, who is a die-hard fisherman. “Add fishing to your trip. Northern pike and walleye fishing is phenomenal.” When he says that, I believe him.
Berger said this is one of his top picks for a fall hunt. Comfortable, lodge-based hunt. Seasoned outfitter, knowledgeable guides, well-maintained equipment, chef-prepared food, wifi, cell service. Relatively easy to get there: fly to Saskatoon, then a two-hour scenic drive to the lodge.
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