After The Thaw: Manitoban Black Bears and Walleye

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posted on June 9, 2016
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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.

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