Manitoba Blast n' Cast: The Arrival

by
posted on May 23, 2015
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
blast_cast_1.jpg

We cover our fair share of adventure hunts here at American Hunter, and you'd be hard-pressed to find a North American adventure that rates quite like an fly-in bear hunt. That's what I'll be up to over the holiday weekend and into the early stages of next week, as I journey to a small island Eagle Nest Lake in Manitoba, Canada.

Our prey? Black bears, hopefully big ones. I'm told that the shorelines surrounding the lake are home to some big ol' bruins, and with luck I'll put a hurting on one before I re-board the float plane and start trekking south again next Thursday. I've never harvested—or, for that matter, hunted—a bear before, so suffice to say I'm stoked.

That's not the entirety of my itinerary, though. On top of the fly-in bear angle, the trip is an old school blast and cast. We'll be fishing the lake during the day, before regrouping and getting after the bears in the afternoon/evening. Walleye, northern pike and smallmouth bass are expected to be plentiful, and should serve as a lively start to the day. Should I just go ahead and stuff a catch or two into my pockets for the bear hunt?

Federal Premium and Savage Arms are playing host to the bear side of things, while Ugly Stik is showing off some of its latest wares during the fishing hours. Today's highlight was boarding the float plane, pictured above, and finishing our journey to Eagle Nest Resort. The group rallied in Winnipeg, before driving a couple hours to our pick up spot. Another first, for me.

Stay tuned throughout the coming week for regular updates!

Latest

Multi Caliber Kits LEDE
Multi Caliber Kits LEDE

First Look: Gritr Multi-Caliber Cleaning Kits

Engineered to replace multiple kits with one streamlined solution, new Gritr Gear multi-caliber gun cleaning kits promise to make firearm maintenance easier, faster and safer.

More than $1.2 Billion on the Way to Support Conservation and Access

 On Feb. 13 the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) announced more than $1.2 billion in Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration apportionments to support states, commonwealths and territories in their efforts to fund conservation and outdoor opportunities.

A Question of Quarterbores

With the release of the .25 Weatherby RPM, it's worth taking a step back and looking at some of the best quarterbores that graced chambers and fields throughout history. How will this new release measure up to its forefathers?

New for 2026: Avian-X Shotgun Cases

Building off of decades of innovation in the waterfowl-hunting industry, Avian-X is entering the soft-goods space in 2026 with a purpose-built lineup of waterproof and floating shotgun cases and neoprene gun sleeves designed to deliver in harsh hunting conditions.

Story of a Lever Gun—The Red Plaid Project Part 2

Andi Bogard continues her quest to build, test and hunt with a classic lever gun in a classic way. Check out the second installment of the project here.

Coyote Gear Roundup

Looking for gear to up your Coyote game? We've curated a great list of the latest and greatest.

Interests



Get the best of American Hunter delivered to your inbox.