We drove to bear camp in northern Alberta and ran the windshield wipers intermittently for the entire drive. My hunting companion, Andrew, and I got to camp, unpacked, and our outfitter told us to get our rainwear ready and pack a bag for the evening hunt.
By the time we got to the end of the maintained roads it was pouring rain. We unloaded our new Can-Am Defender Mossy Oak Hunting Edition HD10 and headed for the backcountry. To say we had a little rain would be an understatement. The access trail we traveled was completely flooded, and several holes were over two feet deep. We persevered and before long I was sitting in my stand hoping a big bruin would show up.
I've shot two of my biggest bears in the rain and I know they like to live in wet, swampy areas, so a little rain doesn't slow them down much. I only had to wait 15 minutes for the first black bear to wander in. In the first hour I had three different bears jockeying for position and posturing to get their chance to feed. Andrew was about three miles away and when I heard him shoot, I knew our trip was off to a good start.
Our guide picked me up and we headed for the distant stand to find an excited hunter with a mature boar on the ground. We had planned to call for a pick-up if either of us shot and with Andrew having pulled the trigger it gave me a chance to get out of the torrential downpour.
We managed to get the Can-Am close to the bear and loaded him in the cargo box. We didn't even feel the extra weight in the machine as we motored our way back through the muskeg, flooded trails and water hazards. Our round trip back to the truck was close to 34 miles and with temperatures dropping I was glad to be headed for camp. I wasn't worried about the bear hunt, as we had the rest of the week to harvest our bears, and the forecast was full of sunshine and promise.
The rest of the week was a bear hunter’s dream, with huge boars, unique colors and plenty of close encounters. Alberta is well known for its tremendous black bear hunting and with two tags with every license there is lots of opportunity to be fussy and look at dozens of different bruins.
Can-Am Defender Mossy Oak Hunting Edition HD 10
The Defender Mossy Oak Hunting Edition was developed by a unique team of Mossy Oak and Can-Am ProStaff. They tested and debated all the potential features and accessories to come up with the ultimate hunting unit. Accessories like a 4,500-pound winch, hard roof, gun boots, tool boxes and under seat storage are things hunters would order extra anyway, so why not include them out of the gate. Once you start to accessorize a machine you'd want things like a headache rack, gear rail, aggressive tires, full skid plate and a spot light. With everything from fancy wheels to a Mossy Oak Break-Up Country camo finish, the unit is a workhorse that proved its weight in bear meat. To look up and appreciate all the extras in the Hunting Edition click here.
