After The Thaw: Manitoban Black Bears and Walleye

by
posted on June 9, 2016
** 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. **
olsen_bear_f.jpg

Lake Agassiz covered much of south-central Canada and parts of the north-central United States. Believed to have encompassed more than 170,000 square miles, this prehistoric glacial lake does not exist today, but its footprint does. Within this basin sits Lake Manitoba and, more specifically, The Narrows—a pinch point in the lake which provides for incredible walleye fishing. It's also the home of Narrows Outfitters. Surrounding the lake is what seems like never-ending farmland with woodlots filled with wildlife—like black bears. The spring hunting season for bear begins in late April so we teamed up with Savage, Bushnell and Primos to get a taste of what Canadian spring bear hunting is all about.

Southern Manitoba sees about 45 to 50 inches of snowfall each winter and temperatures that drop to -40°F. Because of these harsh conditions, bears go into hibernation until the weather breaks. This allows for hunting over bait and since these bears are awake and hungry, the action is quite incredible.

Latest

Lead Photo 01
Lead Photo 01

Hunting Boot 101

Your firearm, your camo pattern, your shotshell or rifle cartridge, chosen optics, clothing material; all can seem insignificant if your boots aren’t doing their job. Read on for a thorough discussion of what you should look for in a hunting boot, depending on your hunting scenario, by veteran game stalker Phil Massaro.

New for 2026: Chiappa 92 Core Wildlands Series

The Chiappa 92 Core in the company's Wildlands series is built around one priority: a lever-action that stays simple, fast and ready without sacrificing reliability.

8 Ways to Fail at Turkey Hunting

If you’re clamoring for a Tom with a rope-like beard and limb-hanging spurs, you’ll want to avoid these success-stealing perils this season.

Savage Model 110 New Chamberings for 2026

Earlier this year, Savage Arms expanded its iconic Model 110 lineup to introduce six new cartridges.

Forest Service Headquarters Leaving DC

On March 31 the U.S. Forest Service—part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture—announced it will move its headquarters to Salt Lake City, Utah, and begin a sweeping restructuring of the agency to bring leadership closer to the forests and communities it serves.

Hardware Review: Leupold VX-5HD Gen 2

Looking for a new hunting scope before this season? Check out Managing Editor David Herman's hardware review of the second generation VX-5HD, from Leupold. With a 3-15x44mm magnification range, this is glass that can handle just about any hunting scenario you throw at it.

Interests



Get the best of American Hunter delivered to your inbox.