Alberta Adventure Series - Black Bear Safari





By Ronald Fischer

bcj_fischer@yahoo.com



Even though I’ve lived in Montana all my life, including near some good black bear country in the Snowy and Little Belt Mountains, I’ve never hunted these remarkable animals. Similarly, with the exception of one show that had been filmed on the Milk River in north-central Montana, I have never really watched hunting videos. So, when Richard Mellon of Outdoor Quest Television invited me to view his new bear hunting DVD, I happily accepted. Following are some of my impressions of the DVD, titled: Alberta Adventure Series: Black Bear Safari.



The DVD features 14 hunts hosted by Smoky River Outfitting in northern Alberta, which features breathtaking scenery, remote wilderness and an abundance of wildlife. The hunts are all 100% fair-chase and feature rifle, muzzleloader and archery techniques. The opening catches your interest immediately, with three huge bears taken, then described as “typical†of the area. Typical? Wow! Most of the hunts were from tree stands over bait, which is a very common method of bear hunting. The hunter waits in a tree stand until the bear comes to investigate the bait, then takes a shot if the animal offers one. This is not as easy or as cut-and-dry as it seems, as the bear may not always present a shot or conditions may not be appropriate for a shot.



For those who want a real thrill, the final hunt on the DVD featured a “spot and stalk†through a very large oat field where Richard was literally surrounded by bears in cover that was almost as tall as he was. As can be expected, this made for quite an exciting hunt. One thing I learned quickly is that there is no shortage of bear in the area. It was stressed throughout the DVD that if a hunter is patient and willing to pass on settling for the first bear he sees, there is a huge potential for a trophy shot. Indeed, at least five of the bears taken during this DVD were monsters weighing in over 400 pounds, with skulls measuring well over 20 inches. Other times, hunters might be less interested in the size of a bear and more interested in what color phase the bear is in. By passing on a more common black-colored bear, the opportunity is there to shoot a bear in a different phase, such as cinnamon or gray.



As someone who had never hunted bear before, I found the DVD to be very educational and interesting. Each hunt served to elucidate a unique fundamental aspect of bear hunting, including color phases of the bear, waiting for the right opportunity, shot placement and tracking a wounded bear.



Another skill that was clearly explained was field judging black bear, including how to spot a trophy when there aren’t other bears around for comparison. This is important, since black bears are difficult to judge due to their color and shape, but if a hunter is observant, he or she can develop skills in field judging. For instance, a younger, more immature bear will have ears that tend to be pointed and stand straight up out of the head like a dog’s, while a more mature, trophy-class bear will have years that seem more rounded and generally coming out the sides of the head when viewed straight on. This is due, naturally, to the more mature bear having a much more massive and developed skull. Field judging is so important that there was in fact an entire segment devoted to this skill, although the first part should be left to professionals! If you want to know what I am referring to, buy the DVD!



All in all, I was impressed and found this DVD to be very much worth the time spent watching it. The way I see it, if a novice to the sport of bear hunting such as myself found this to be a good DVD, then those who have more experience and an active, life-long interest will be very pleased. There is something great about seeing a hunter, young or old, scoring his or her first successful bear kill; even better when the bear is a true trophy, as so many featured on this DVD are. I would strongly recommend this DVD to anyone who is interested in black bear hunting, or for that matter, hunting in general.


rf