Saskatchewan Unique Hunting Combo—Black Bears and Canada Geese

A treestand at the narrows of a woodlot within an oat field was a natural spot to find a black bear. The local bruins had beaten a path through the standing oat field between patches of dense forest. The bear paths were like a spider web dissecting the crop into a kaleidoscope of trails. Mark Belchamber of Big Spruce Outfitters walked the first hunter to the stand. I sat in the truck and watched a big black bear cross the road 400 metres ahead, disappearing into the oats that quickly engulfed the huge black body. I was hunting in Saskatchewan with friends on a waterfowl and black bear combination that worked with morning goose hunts and evening bruin adventures.

We had shot a limit of big honkers that morning with non-stop action. The first flock set the tone for the morning. Shotguns roared, and before we could collect downed birds, the next flock already had wings set and were gliding towards our blind with feet splayed out. The big geese worked like magic, providing perfect shot opportunities to fill a limit within the first hour. There was barely enough time to clean birds, eat lunch and change for the evening hunt.

Late afternoon, we returned to the oat field to find a bear. Every few minutes, a bear would stand up and check the wind with its nose pointed skyward. It was a good sign that other big bears were using the same food source. The black head would pop up without warning, looking like a game of Whack-A-Mole. We worked our way down the edge of the field, where it met dense bush. The trails from the flat-footed bears were unbelievable and looked like they had been created from years of use. The hunt regularly put us close to bruins, but nothing big enough to consider shooting.

On day three, I opted not to hunt geese but to spend the morning after a big bruin. As we drove along the edge of the oats, a huge black head popped out of the grain to watch us. It was a big boar that dwarfed anything we had seen. We snuck along the edge of the field and watched the bear pop up occasionally to check its surroundings. I set up shooting sticks and tried to follow black ears that occasionally poked out of the oats. The boar was closing in on a scrub edge where trees had been cleared. I lined up my Lupo rifle on the edge of the crop, anticipating the bear transitioning out of the crop and into the thin tree regrowth. My crosshair no sooner found the black blob when it disappeared into the woody cover. The bear had evaporated in less than a second. We watched and waited but did not see the big brute again.

Other hunters in our party closed bear tags and enjoyed the morning goose hunts. Morning would provide one more kick at the can to find the big bear we had seen. We were up early and loaded the side-by-side to access the area after the heavy rains. In the pale morning light, we parked the machine and headed out on foot to return to the far corner of the field. We silently covered about 800 metres of an edge before reaching our lookout from the evening before. The rains had dampened bear activity, and there was no fresh sign. It was the only trip to the field when we didn’t see a bear. We watched the area until the sun warmed the landscape and returned to the lodge. The big old boar had outfoxed us or was lucky enough to evade us.

The hunt had been exciting and filled with adrenaline-pumping encounters. It was an experience where I left wanting more. The adventure had been a success in many ways, and although I did not fill my tag, it was one of the best bear hunts I have ever strategized and enjoyed. Success was measured by the quality of the experience and not by the number of shots fired.

For more information on big game and waterfowl hunting, visit https://fishhunt.tourismsaskatchewan.com/, which has information and links to plan your next adventure. 



Brad Fenson | Outdoor Write/Communicator & Photographer 

Brad Fenson is a passionate outdoorsman who enjoys hunting, fishing, cooking, camping, and sitting around the fire. Fenson started writing over 36 years ago and has been in print in over 65 publications in North America. Fenson has over 80 national communication awards for his writing and photography.