Spring 2011 Black Bear Season
2011 bear season
Great weather to start our 2011 black bear hunt in Saskatchewan with Makwa River Outfitters.
Here we are ready to go out on our first day.
First day, May 9, 2011: about 20 bears seen between the seven hunters here. Everyone is having a great time, but no bears taken today.
Second day, May 10, 2011: two bears taken.
May 10/11 Park & Jerry
I love when this happens: father and son take a bear on the same day! Awesome!
Steve's bear is a nice one, there is no doubt, but Kyle's bear wins this round hands down! He is an incredibly rich dark chocolate color phase, weighing in at 405 pounds. That is a big bear for this early in the spring (they have just come out of their dens and haven't had time to eat a lot). By July, this bear would weigh at least 600 pounds! Woo hoo, good job, Kyle!
May 12/11 Kyle
May 12/11 Steve
May 13/11 Rod
Monday, May 16, 2011: what a good day. There were no bears taken, but everyone saw bears. Bob saw about 12 bears (including a sow and two "fur ball" cubs, and what entertainment they were). Jack saw 10 bears, including one decent chocolate bear. Craig and Ricky each saw one bear. All in all, a good bear hunting day in Saskatchewan.
Meal time.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011: another good day. Craig saw 5 bears, Jack saw 11 and Bob saw 3, including a really big black bear that snuck up on him, but he couldn't get a shot at it. Ricky and Jack took bears today.
May 17/11 Ricky and Jack
May 17/11 Bob and Craig
May 24/11 Dale
This is a very dark chocolate bear (looks black in the photo). After Dale took this bear, while he was still up in the tree stand, he saw another bear: an incredible jet-black bear that he estimated at 450 pounds. That is a "monster bear" for this early in the spring! He has rebooked for next spring with every intention of going home with that bear in 2012!
Coincidentally, a day or so later, the guides found the footprints of a really big bear close by.
Footprint of a large bear. Note how deep the print goes into the soil, indicating a heavy bear.
May 24/11 Brent
Here is Brent, pro staffer for All-Bear TV, with host and producer Danny Leonard (with the camera). Congratulations, Brent! Making a picture-perfect bow shot on a beautiful 370-pound bruin for your first bear ever is something to be very proud of, and it made a great show!
Here is an email from Brent: "Hi Kathy, this is Brent. I just wanted you to know that it looks like my bear will make the Pope and Young record book! I am really excited about that. I have to have it officially scored by a P&Y representative but it should make it easily. I really enjoyed my time with you guys, please tell Walker and Barry hello for me. Brent"
Tree chewed up by bear.
May 26/11 Danny
That concludes our 2011 spring black bear hunt in Saskatchewan with Makwa River Outfitters.