Karen's Bear
I feel privileged to have bear hunted with the Woulfe's
this year (2003) and absolutely enjoyed every minute of it! What a
time to be sitting in a tree stand, as the magnificent Saskatchewan boreal
forest came to life after shedding it's winter cloak of snow.
Deer hunting in these woods in the icy grip of November
is beautiful in its own way, but what a picture it completed to see this
area in the spring too, with wildflowers emerging in the wet grassy
meadows, the sweet smell of willow buds perfuming the air, and the
pleasant weather.
I saw up to seven different bears each evening at the
variety of stands I sat in... everything from puppy-sized comical little
cubs to lushly cinnamon colored sows to breeding pairs courting at the
baits. What an experience it was just to be in the immediate
presence of such impressive and intriguing animals, who were often times
less than 10 yards away.
And while waiting on stand for bears to show up, I was
constantly entertained by the voices of the many grebes, ducks, geese and
songbirds and the occasional elk bugling in the forest.
Although I saw lots of bears, I didn't see the
particular mature bear I'd been holding out for, so Jack invited me back
to try again in the fall. All summer, memories of the unbelievably
silent approach of bears to the baits, their sudden jet black appearance
through the brush, sizing up bear tracks in the mud, and gazing up at the
dancing northern lights at the end of an evening's hunt kept me fueled up
for a chance again in autumn.
And it was all worth the wait, as in September I shot a
gorgeous, mature bear with a big, broad head, huge paws, and aged, worn
down teeth. All the Woulfe's and I shared in the joy of harvesting
that trophy, as bear hunting truly is a team effort put forth by those who
scout and laboriously tend to the baits and those who actually shoot the
bears. And not only was the bear hunting a world class experience,
but I was also fortunate enough to have spent a few calm as glass mornings
paddling a canoe amongst the loons, grebes and ducks of the crystal clear
Marean Lake.
Many hours of reflection and refreshment were gained
also from enjoying a relaxing sit on the porch of Moose Camp, allowing the
flickering flames of a fire to define all the truly good things in life. |
