Don’t feed the bears
Canadian Frontier Hunt and fishing trip in Saskatchewan
Embarking on a hunting adventure in the breathtaking landscapes of Saskatchewan, Canada, is an experience unlike any other. Known for its vast wilderness and rich wildlife, Canada offers hunters like you and I the chance to pursue some of the most sought-after game in North America.
In Saskatchewan, there is a diverse range of species, including whitetail deer, mule deer, elk, and black bears. The open fields, dense forests, and tranquil lakes create an idyllic hunting backdrop, providing both skilled and novice hunters a unique opportunity to connect with nature.
Having considered all of this-Lane (my oldest son), Adam, and I (Brandon) all decided that this trip was one to scratch off of our bucket list, along with a few customers and good friends. We were crazy enough to DRIVE (because Adam is terrified of flying) from Louisiana all the way to our destination. (Our legs and backs will never be the same) It took us 27 hours to get to the boarder. Being it was our first time driving through customs, we were a bit hesitant but we made it through-thanks to our new friend, Bernard!
After we crossed the border, we headed to a hotel in Prince Albert, where we would meet up with the rest of our group that was flying in the next morning. We loaded the trucks up the next morning and began our journey. What started out as a great trip turned into total chaos! 4 hrs down the muddiest, bumpiest road had every joint in my body aching. I’M GETTING OLD Y’ALL! When we made it to the launch at Pinehouse Lake, I got the pleasant surprise that bear bait had busted all over the back of my truck that I would be leaving at this spot for a week. Bear bait+unattended truck….you do the math. I figured I’d come this far so f@$% it. On second thought, I did have a State Farm insurance guy hunting with me, good ole Dickey Fitzgerald!
Upon arrival, we unloaded all of our gear, had a great lunch-vegetable soup and some damn good sandwiches. We got our licenses and started getting dressed so we could make an evening hunt. After the cluster of trying to find gear and not having a target to practice (first day problems), it was time to head out for the hunt. After getting in the boat with our guide, we headed to the bait site. When we arrived, I planned to hang a double set in the same tree Lane was in but a bear was already trying to come in. So, I threw the stand and climbed up in an old stand already hung about 10 yards away from him. The bear came in instantly-we decided to pass him. He hung around for a while; he even scratched his back on my stand and rolled over. It was pretty neat! A bald eagle buzzed us and I’m telling y’all this bear tried to climb my stand. At 6:39 a nice black bear made his way to us and Lane made a perfect double lung on it at 15 yards. I was probably more nervous than him and he was the one who shot. It was such a rush watching him shoot his first bear and is something I think we will both remember forever. Our friend, Cory, who had flown in a day late, arrived just in time to help us drag the bear. He let us know that there was already a bear in the back of my truck…FML! When we got back to the camp, we realized Lane’s luck had struck again. He was the only one to kill the first day, even though everyone besides one saw bears. That night we sat around the fire, traded stories and ate a delicious meal.
Day 2: 5 AM came early. Adam and I couldn’t wait, we jumped up and headed out to go fishing! It was around 30 degrees and COLD on that water. We started trolling in the boat and it wasn’t long before Adam hung his first pike, shortly after, I did too. We fished until it was time for breakfast. After coming in, we ate a big breakfast and jumped straight back into the boat. JP and Lane decided to tag along this time around. We fished until about 1 pm and ended up with a good bit of Walleye. After that, we went back, cleaned fish, and we had fried fish and French fries for lunch. We hung out until about 3:30 pm then went out to hunt. I saw a bear but didn’t shoot that afternoon. JP killed a blonde bear that was 6 ft 2 with a 19 in skull. Everyone else saw bears but didn’t shoot. We had a celebration followed by another great dinner.
Day 3: The morning started out very cold and windy. We had breakfast and hung around all day. Steve barbecued some chicken legs for lunch and we went on a 3 mile hike. This afternoon, Lane, JP and I went out for the evening hunt and saw 4 or 5 bears. We all had a great time and got back at about 10 pm to find out that Dickie F had killed a 7 ft 3 which would end up being the biggest bear of the trip. It had what they call ‘‘cinnamon’’ coloring and almost made Boone and Crockett. We had a giant bonfire that night and made a Walleye couvillion….y’all know we had to bring the cajun cooking with us!
Day 4: We woke up at about 7 and had breakfast. As soon as we finished, Adam and I went fishing. The morning started off slow but we ended up with about 15 Walleye. We went to grab Lance to bring him out and he caught 5 nice ones pretty quickly. Lane and JP were fishing in another boat. Lane broke off on a 4 1/2 foot pike and said he almost cried. (If you know Lane-you know HAHA) After we all went fishing, everyone jumped into the lake-it was refreshing but FREEZING! Drew swam across the lake; we all thought he would drown. While everyone hunted, Lane and JP had a fishing tournament at the camp and came out 2nd. We all got ready for the afternoon hunt. Cory went out to his spot by jet-ski. Norm wanted to bring me to a new spot this evening. I got on stand at about 4:30 pm and the spot looked really good-right on the river. He said he saw a really big black bear here 2 days before. At this point, I’m hoping I’ll get one this afternoon. Just because I had this thought, of course the afternoon hunt was very slow. The only things I saw were beavers, grouse, martins and tons of ducks. Right at 9:30 pm, I heard the boat coming to get me and looked up to see a bear coming. It ended up being a big sow with 2 cubs. As soon as Norm got out of the boat, the cubs scattered and both climbed up a tree with lightening speed. Fortunately, he was able to get under my tree and hold the sow at gunpoint while I climbed down. (I may or may not have s%$t myself) When we got back to the lodge, we found out that Lance got his first bear with his bow-it was a nice black one (Pope and Young). Adam also shot a good looking black bear with a white patch on it’s chest. Everyone else had seen bears on their hunts. Cory had a nice chocolate colored bear he wasn’t able to get a shot at. We had a couple beers along with a ribeye steak dinner with salad and all kind of other delicious sides to end the day. Soon after, we all hit the sack.
Day 5: We woke up, fished, hiked 3 miles together and walked to a hidden lake in the woods. We saw bear and moose signs on our hike. We came back in for lunch, showered, and got ready to go back out for the evening hunt. At this point, we’re down to 3 of us. Cory was supposed to go home but extended his trip for another day. Cory, Burnum, and I headed out for our hunt. I saw 2 nice bears but I was holding out because there was supposedly a really big one in the area. Day 5 was a scratch for hunting. No one killed anything; Burnum saw giant bear that afternoon but couldn’t get a shot. Cory saw a big one too but couldn’t get a shot either.
Day 6: The final countdown! We had a mini fishing tournament during the day. Can y’all guess who won? It was Adam and I, of course-for the ones who guessed JP and Lane, yeah right! Whoever lost had to jump in the freezing cold water but everyone ended up getting in. Before I got ready to go out, Lane told me, “Dad you have to get one today, you don’t know if you’ll ever come back.” He gave me the pep talk I needed without even knowing it. Norm had me back in same spot this afternoon-he had a good feeling today! I got in at 5 pm. About an hour later, a good one came out and Lane’s words were playing in the back of my mind. I watched it ‘til 8 pm wondering if anything else would come back. Finally, it got up; I thought it would walk away but it started walking to me. I smoked it, heard it make a death roar, and waited for Norm to come back to get me. What a rush! Cory and Burnum both saw big bears. Day 6 was by far the most beautiful afternoon. The sunset was incredible. Although we were there to hunt, the views were unlike any other. From the beautiful sunrises over the plains to the vibrant colors of the scenery, every moment spent there was surreal.
Heading Home: After wrapping up day 6, we packed up a bit and headed to bed. The guides cleaned a beaver earlier in the day in the yard which led to a BEAR IN THE YARD! Supposedly bears are thought to have the best sense of smell of any animal on earth. (The more you know) The guides chased them trying to get them out of the yard until around midnight. We heard bears fighting outside the camp for a couple of hours after that while we were trying to sleep. In the middle of the night, Cory went to pee. (I tried warning him I heard them in the yard but he didn’t believe me) Picture the sight when he realized that I was in fact not joking, HAHA! The next morning, we packed up and started on our journey back to the truck. When we got back, we loaded up, hauled ass to drop our hides off and got ready to drive all the way back to Louisiana. JP decided to fly home because it was “the worst drive of his life” which SAME but we took my truck so I had to see this road trip to the end. Finally, Lane, Adam, and I made our way back home with some great memories and hopefully some pretty cool hides, mounts, and a blanket!
Thankfully, we had guides who were extremely knowledgeable of the area and habits of the wildlife. We highly recommend Churchill River Outfitters and plan to be back-same time next year! These guys will greatly increase your chances of a successful hunt, ensuring that every aspect of your trip is memorable.
In conclusion, a hunting expedition in Saskatchewan promises not only adventure but a deep appreciation for nature. Whether you're chasing game or taking in the stunning vistas, this Canadian frontier offers an experience that will remain etched in your memory for years to come.
