Pat and Nicole Reeve are the longtime hosts of the popular hunting show “Driven with Pat & Nicole,” and as you’ll see in the two short videos below, they were recently pursuing spring black bears in Saskatchewan with Buck Country Outfitters. Joining them on the adventure was their young son, Cash.
On Facebook, Nicole wrote: “Action packed the last few nights in the bear blind here at Buck Country Outfitters, and when this boar came in, Cash said, ‘That’s the one, Mom!’ Not my biggest bear, but one of my all-time favorite hunts because I had him by my side. What an incredible trip so far sharing camp with good friends and making new ones.”
In the YouTube video below, you’ll see the hunters being dropped off in their ground blind when a medium-sized bear sneaks up from behind them. I know from experience that this happens more often than you might think, especially with bears in central and northern Canada, where they don’t often encounter people and have little to fear as an apex predator.
Black bears will get into a routine of bedding in thick cover not far from a bait site, and when they hear an ATV, it’s like ringing a dinner bell. They’ve learned to associate the engine sound with food being dropped off. Of course, what’s different this time is the guide isn’t just dropping off food, he’s dropping off hunters, too.
I also enjoyed the video clip below showing a small black bear walk right up to the hunters’ pop-up ground blind. As you’ll see, Cash has a front row seat to all the action!
Sitting in a pop-up blind near a bait site certainly increases the intensity. I’ve killed a bear with a bow from a pop-up blind, and I’m not embarrassed to admit it was scary when hearing footsteps not far behind the blind. You can’t see the animal, it’s getting dark, and you have a bow in your hand. Like I said — intense!
P.S. I have no idea if Pat and Nicole were carrying a firearm for protection during this bowhunt. In my opinion, it’s a good idea.
