The Incomparable Thrill of Bear Hunting

I love hunting any chance I get. I don’t even care if it’s my wife sending me to the grocery store for some crazy vegetable I’ve never heard of; I’m up for the challenge.

Even after 20 minutes in the produce aisle, wandering aimlessly with a blank stare on my face, I still feel like Superman when I finally lock eyes on my prey.

Yep, when it comes to hunting, I love it all! Still, there are certain times of year that stand out above the rest, offering incredible adventures that truly bring me joy. Somewhere near the top of my list is bear hunting in June.

Let me ask, have you ever been sitting on the forest floor, all alone, surrounded by bears? And there are so many of them they don’t even acknowledge your existence? To them, you’re nothing. They’re too focused on interacting with each other, respecting the “pecking order” and not being wiped off the map by another bear. For me, being in a setting like that is an experience like no other. There are many awesome kinds of hunting, but nothing else makes me feel more alive than being in the thick of things with bears.

Now, imagine that cool evening in June, with your bow in hand. It’s the peak of the black bear rut, and there are bruins all around you, popping their jaws and flexing at one another. All of a sudden, they scatter like stampeding cattle. Branches are breaking, bears are climbing trees, bark is flying. You nearly get run over! Then, everything goes quiet — so quiet you could hear a mouse break wind a mile away.

Amidst the silence, a pretty little sow comes walking out, and a minute later, you catch movement behind her in the shadows. Very slowly, the king of the forest appears. He’s larger than life, and you’re about to get your chance. Your heart was already pounding out of your chest, even before you spotted this 400-pound behemoth. Now, you feel as though you may pass out at any moment.

Let’s back up a minute and pretend that giant boar never showed up. Instead, you’re back in the fracas with bears all around you. You’re smack dab in the middle of them as the sun sets and the forest goes dark. Now, it’s time to climb out of your blind or treestand and walk out of the bush. Nervously, you reach in your pack, flip on your headlamp and shine it around. Glowing eyes stare back at you from every direction! This type of scenario will brace your nerves as suddenly as a bone-chilling ice bath. Your senses become super-charged, and from that moment on, you’ll be craving the adrenaline-filled days of June like I do.

Now, such scenarios might lead you to believe bears are intimidating. Well, they are, but honestly, the part that makes bears so intimidating is the fact that we humans are out of our element when hunting them. I’m not saying the bears aren’t scary, but they are not the ferocious creatures many people believe them to be. For the most part, they’re actually quite docile. There are always exceptions, of course, and there is the odd bear that will digest you without warning. So, you must respect them and their space. All I’m saying is, don’t let fear stop you from enjoying some time in bear country.

I have no idea how many times I have experienced such exciting moments bear hunting, but I do know the effect is always the same. It’s a rush like nothing else in hunting.

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My wife Kelsy and I are passionate about bear hunting. In fact, we love it so much we recently purchased an outfitting territory in our home province of Saskatchewan, Canada. If you’ve ever watched our show on Outdoor Channel, you also know we are extremely passionate about taking others hunting. So, this new venture will give us a chance to do both those things at once.

This spring will be L2H Outfitting Company’s first bear season, and we are very excited to share those exhilarating bear hunts with others who are just as passionate about bowhunting as we are. I can’t wait to get started!

For more information about booking a Saskatchewan bear hunt with L2H Outfitting Company, email Cody Robbins at codyrobbins@hotmail.com.