Saskatchewan Bears

FOsteology · September 16, 2009, 10:07:48 AM

Playing a bit of catch-up as I realize I haven't shared any pictures from this years hunts.

Back in mid-May, some friends and I made our annual trek to Northern Saskatchewan to hunt bear. This trip we hunted Lake Ile-A-La-Crosse and the small estuaries. Didn't see any big bears in this area, but we all saw multiple bears and each hunter tagged a bear. Half the bears we saw were already rubbed...

Snowed the first couple of days. BIG deal to us Texans!

We stayed in a small 2bdr cabin with a wood heater. Was pretty dang cold to us as we're use to warmer temperatures. I lucked out as I had a little pussy at night to keep me warm.

Lake Ile-A-La-Crosse is a good size body of water. We cruised around up and down the shore-lines as the guides had multiple bait sights.

My Guide "Mouse"

FOsteology · September 16, 2009, 10:12:54 AM

Hunting was over bait with the stands up in trees. I elected to stomp around a bit and try calling for a bruin. Never had one come in to the call...

Here's the set-up from a couple of my tree stands

And some customers

Little chocolate bear

Decent black phase

FOsteology · September 16, 2009, 10:16:29 AM

I was tempted to shoot this blonde color phase bear..... but let him walk as he was young and small. I unfortunately made the mistake in telling one of my hunting pards, and he had our Guide drop him off in my spot early the next day so he could stick him with an arrow.

Beautiful bear..

FOsteology · September 16, 2009, 10:22:00 AM

And here's the bears that were take this trip:

I backed up my friend John on this bear. As he and Mouse were walking into his stand, this bear was already at the bait sight and wasn't backing down. They quickly came back to the boat and asked me to back him up while he stuck it with an arrow. We crept back in and got within 20 yards and John stuck the bear. She literally jumped 4 feet in the air, twisted in mid air and caught the tree and in two bounds was up over 15 feet.... then quickly fell in a few seconds from the loss of blood.

Needless to say, John was pumped at his close encounter!

I hunted all the way up till the last day. Never saw a BIG bruin, and ended up taking this sow (no cubs) in the last hour.

coyote101 · September 16, 2009, 10:27:59 AM

Nice pictures.

Looks like everbody had a great time. You gotta love Canada; what a beautiful place! Thanks for sharing, and congratulations on another successful hunt.

Pat

alscalls · September 16, 2009, 10:49:16 AM

pitw · September 16, 2009, 11:42:48 AM

Good pictures and I don't know how you could find it cold with a wood heater and pussy both at your disposal. Glad someone is getting rid of them critters.

Silencer · September 16, 2009, 11:45:08 AM

fine pic's and story

JohnP · September 16, 2009, 12:48:47 PM

Nice picture and story also. Is this an annual trip you and your buddies go on, who is the outfitter?

Frogman · September 16, 2009, 03:20:09 PM

Thnaks for the story and photos!! Looks like a good time was had by all!!

Jim

FOsteology · September 16, 2009, 04:06:33 PM

Quote from: JohnP on September 16, 2009, 12:48:47 PM
Nice picture and story also. Is this an annual trip you and your buddies go on, who is the outfitter?

Yes. I've hunted with Emile twice, but at least one of the fellow hunters has been hunting with Emile for 6 years. Pretty much our group covers all his bear hunting slots. Some nice bears have been taken out of his area's.

Hawks Feather · September 16, 2009, 04:47:13 PM

Must have been a pretty good (or large) area with the number of bears you go. Somehow I just don't see me playing Indian and going after something with claws with an arrow. A gun would be O.K., but no arrows for me.

Jerry

FOsteology · September 16, 2009, 05:55:02 PM

Quote from: Hawks Feather on September 16, 2009, 04:47:13 PM
Must have been a pretty good (or large) area with the number of bears you go. Somehow I just don't see me playing Indian and going after something with claws with an arrow. A gun would be O.K., but no arrows for me.

Jerry

Emile has three area's that I'm aware of. Each one is HUGE!!! The smallest I believe is a little over 140 square miles. This was the first year Emile has hunted based out of Lake Ile-A-La-Crosse. No one in our group liked the new area as it was too close to the Indian Village (Ile-A-La-Crosse) and we had far to many visitors from town.... His best area by far is the remote Crown Land in far Northern Saskachewan.

iahntr · September 16, 2009, 10:53:26 PM

Nice batch of bears there! Some good lookin color phases too!
Sounds exciting on the one that didn't wanna share the bait!
It's crazy how something that big can get up a tree so fast too.

Thanks a lot for sharin it with us.
Scott

FinsnFur · September 17, 2009, 05:33:20 AM

I wonder why they call that guy mouse?

:roflmao:

That does look like so much fun, but I'm not sure my chestnuts are big enough. I'd worry too much about getting mauled.

Thanks for taking us along on another one of your journeys