Bear N’ Down! Pt.1
SEASON 26 | EPISODE 04
Quick Summary
- What happened: The Cianciarulos push into the remote far north of Saskatchewan. This is Aubrey’s first trip to Cree River Lodge with camp buddies Hoppy Kempfer and Sonny for a spring black bear hunt stacked with trophy pike and nonstop walleye between sits. This is just part one of this epic black bear adventure!
- Best takeaway: Way up in the middle of nowhere the fishing is legendary and the bears are bigger than life, and this trip is only getting started.
Hunt Information
Black Bear
Spring 2026
Boat-access spot & stalk / baited sits
Outfitter Information
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Episode Breakdown
This one heads about as far off the map as it gets, the remote north of Saskatchewan, where the fishing is legendary and the bears are bigger than life. It’s Aubrey’s first trip to Cree River Lodge, and the whole crew rolls in with camp buddies Hoppy and Sonny for a spring black bear hunt with rod-and-reel action filling every gap.
Getting to Camp
The trip starts with the long haul out of Colorado and up into Saskatchewan. The crew links up with Hoppy and Sonny over breakfast, then points it toward Stony Rapids and takes the boat the rest of the way into camp. Once they’re settled in, it’s all about prepping gear and burning a few arrows to get the bows dialed before the first sit.
Camp Life on the Cree
Mornings up north mean a big breakfast and a few hands of cards while the day warms up. With Hoppy and Sonny in camp the place stays loose, and Sonny sets the tone early, pulling a big pike right off the dock. After lunch, it’s time to load up and head out for the first day of hunting.
First Blood...
The opening afternoon serves up a small bear encounter but no shot. Back at camp the reports are stacking up, Hoppy’s seeing bears and Sonny already has one down! The next day the group runs upriver, works through a few young bears, and gets set. Then the big one walks in... Aubrey stays composed, makes it count, and gets a properly placed arrow into a monster black bear!
Cree River Fishing
When they’re not chasing bears, RJ and Aubrey work the Cree River for exactly what it’s famous for... trophy pike and walleye action that never seems to slow down.
With bears already on the ground, Hoppy and Vicki head back out and both get into action. Hoppy’s hunt builds right to the edge, and that’s where Part 1 leaves off. Come back next week to see how it finishes.
Location & Conditions
The remote far north of Saskatchewan — Cree River Lodge, a boat-in wilderness camp reached by way of Stony Rapids.
Big-river boreal country — spruce and jack pine along the Cree River, rocky shorelines and back bays that you access by boat.
Cool to Hot northern spring with long daylight — prime conditions for bears feeding hard after the thaw.
Bears working river edges and timber through the afternoons and evenings, with the best action on boat-access sits. Some even getting funky with it👀
Animal Descriptives
Far-north black bears grow bigger than life for a reason... short seasons, low pressure and rich feed put real size and heavy coats on the bears that live this far up. In spring they’re on the move after the thaw, hitting river edges and back country to feed through the long northern evenings, and color phases from jet black to cinnamon are all in play. They’re smart, nose-first, and quick to bust a setup... if humans bother them, so hunting them close, especially with a bow comes down to wind, patience, and letting the right bear commit before drawing.
Shot Placement & Tips
Bears are all about patience and placement. Aubrey ran her Hoyt bow for this hunt, which makes reading the bear everything. A bear’s vitals sit a touch lower and farther back than a deer’s, and that long hair can fool your eye! Aim tight behind the front shoulder, about a third of the way up the body, and wait for a broadside or slightly quartering-away angle so both lungs are in play. Let the bear settle and commit before you draw, keep the wind in your favor, and pick a spot rather than shooting at the whole animal.
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FAQ
Where is Cree River Lodge?
Cree River Lodge sits in the remote far north of Saskatchewan on the Cree River, reached by boat out of Stony Rapids. It’s a true wilderness camp known for giant black bears and legendary pike and walleye fishing.
What did Aubrey hunt these bears with?
Her Hoyt bow setup — making it a close-range, patience-first archery hunt where reading the bear and the wind is everything.
Is this the whole story?
Not quite — this is Part 1. It sets up camp, the fishing, and Aubrey’s and Sonny’s bears. Hoppy’s hunt builds to the edge and finishes in Part 2 next week.
From the Field
Way up here in the middle of nowhere, the fishing’s insane and the bears are bigger than anything I've seen before... and we’re just getting started!— Aubrey Cianciarulo
Bring It Home: Spring Black Bear Braised Roast
Marinate it, sear it, braise it low until it falls apart — spring bear done safe and tender.
Ingredients
- Bear
- 1 black bear roast, 3–4 lbs (shoulder or hind roast)
- 2 tbsp bacon fat or lard, for searing
- Kosher salt & coarse black pepper
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- Marinade
- 2 cups buttermilk (or red wine)
- 3 garlic cloves, smashed
- 1 tbsp juniper berries, crushed
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- Braise
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 3 stalks celery, chopped
- 3 cups beef or game stock
- 1 cup dry red wine
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 3 bay leaves
Recipe
- Combine the marinade ingredients in a large zip bag or covered dish. Submerge the bear roast and refrigerate 12–24 hours — this tenderizes the meat and mellows any strong spring flavor. Remove, discard the marinade, and pat the roast completely dry.
- Season the roast well with salt and pepper, then dust lightly with flour. Heat the bacon fat in a heavy Dutch oven over medium-high and sear the roast hard on all sides until deeply browned. Remove and set aside.
- Lower the heat to medium. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook until softened, about 6–8 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1 minute more.
- Pour in the red wine, scraping up the browned bits, and let it reduce by half. Add the stock and bay leaves, then nestle the roast back in — the liquid should come about two-thirds up the sides.
- Cover and braise in a 300°F oven for 3.5–4 hours, turning the roast once halfway through, until it pulls apart with a fork.
- Food safety: bear can carry trichinosis, so confirm the internal temperature reaches at least 160°F before serving — a braise this long clears it easily, but always check.
- Rest 15 minutes, then pull or slice. Reduce the braising liquid on the stovetop into a gravy and spoon it over the top.
Chef Tips
- Never serve bear rare. Trichinosis is a real risk — cook to 160°F+, no exceptions. This is why braising, not grilling, is the go-to for bear.
- Spring bears feed on green forage, so the meat is milder and leaner than a fall bear — the buttermilk soak keeps it from drying out.
- Trim every bit of fat before cooking; bear fat carries most of the gamey flavor and can turn greasy in a braise.
- Juniper and rosemary are classic pairings that complement bear's richness — don't skip them.
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