Bear N’ Down Pt.2
SEASON 26 | EPISODE 05
Quick Summary
- What happened: Cree River keeps calling the Cianciarulos back. With Aubrey already tagged out from Part 1, Vicki and Hoppy still have tags to fill while giant Saskatchewan bears cruise for sows. Between sits it is all shore lunches and nonstop pike and walleye on the Cree.
- Best takeaway: Vicki puts a bad shot behind her, refuses to give up, and earns redemption on a bruiser of a boar. Never quit on an animal.
Hunt Information
Black Bear
Spring 2026
Boat-access spot & stalk / baited sits
Outfitter Information
Don't forget to let them know The Choice crew sent you!
Episode Breakdown
Some places just keep calling you back. Part 2 picks up right where we left off, with Aubrey already tagged out and Vicki and Hoppy still holding bear tags. The big boars are on their feet cruising for sows, the action is heating up, and the Cree is fishing as good as it ever has.
Right Where We Left Off
We start by rewinding to last week and Hoppy’s hunt. His bear had things building right to the edge, and this time we see it through, the shot, the wait, and the recovery on a heavy northern boar. It is the perfect way to kick the finale into gear.
Shore Lunches on the Cree
Between sits the crew does what Cree River is famous for, working the river for trophy pike and walleye and pulling over on a rock shoreline for a proper shore lunch. Fresh fish over an open fire in the middle of nowhere is hard to beat, and it keeps camp loose while the tags stay open.
Vicki’s Setback
After lunch it is back to hunting, and Vicki gets her chance. The bear cooperates but the arrow does not fly the way she wanted, and it turns into a marginal hit. It is the kind of moment that gnaws at any bowhunter, but Vicki is not about to give up on that bear.
Bears Everywhere
The country is crawling with bears. Encounters stack up sit after sit, including a sow with cubs that keeps things interesting and keeps fingers off the release. Then the bear from that last segment steps back into the bait, and a plan comes together to be right there for him the next day.
Redemption
The crew slips in early and lets the setup settle, with RJ and Aubrey rolling in later to film the rest of the afternoon. Patience pays off. The big bear commits, Vicki settles the pin, and this time everything comes together. The shot is true, the recovery is short, and the redemption could not be sweeter.
One Last Cast
With tags filled, the trip winds down the way it should, everyone on the water fishing and laughing. From shore lunches to fly fishing to giant bears, this is what keeps the crew coming back to Cree River. Then it is time to load up, look back on a hunt that tested them and rewarded them, and point it toward home.
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, and this hunt proved why. Vicki ran her Hoyt AX-3 bow, 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. When a first shot goes marginal, the answer is exactly what Vicki did, back out, give it time, trust the blood, and stay on the bear until the job is done.
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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 Vicki hunt these bears with?
Her Hoyt AX-3 bow, making it a close-range, patience-first archery hunt where reading the bear and the wind is everything.
Is this the whole story?
This is Part 2, the finale. Part 1 set up camp, the fishing, and Aubrey’s and Sonny’s bears. Here we close out Hoppy’s bear and follow Vicki’s redemption after a tough first shot.
From the Field
My first arrow did NOT fly how I wanted, but you never quit on a bear. We stayed after him, and getting that redemption up here at Cree River meant everything!Vicki Cianciarulo
Bring It Home: Wild Black Bear Chili
Brown it, spice it, simmer it low — a smoky bowl of bear chili that hunts season away.
Ingredients
- Bear
- 2 lbs ground black bear
- 2 tbsp bacon fat or lard
- 4 strips bacon, chopped
- Aromatics
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 jalapeños, minced (seeds in for heat)
- Spice & Simmer
- 3 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
- 2 cups beef or game stock
- 1 bottle (12 oz) dark beer or 1.5 cups stock
- 2 cans (15 oz) kidney or pinto beans, drained
- Salt & black pepper, to taste
Recipe
- In a heavy pot or Dutch oven, render the chopped bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove and set aside, leaving the fat behind.
- Add the bacon fat to the pot and brown the ground bear in batches over medium-high heat until deeply browned. Don't crowd the pan. Remove and set aside with the bacon.
- Add the onion, bell pepper, jalapeños, and garlic to the pot. Cook until softened, 6–8 minutes.
- Stir in the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, and tomato paste. Cook 1–2 minutes until fragrant and the spices coat everything.
- Return the bear and bacon to the pot. Pour in the beer, scraping up the browned bits, then add the crushed tomatoes and stock. Bring to a simmer.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 1.5 hours, stirring occasionally, until thickened. Add the beans in the last 30 minutes.
- Food safety: bear can carry trichinosis — confirm the chili holds at 160°F+ throughout. A long simmer clears it easily, but always verify.
- Season with salt and pepper. Serve hot with shredded cheese, sour cream, diced onion, and cornbread on the side.
Chef Tips
- Never undercook bear. Ground bear must hit 160°F+ to kill trichinosis — a full simmer handles it, but don't rush it.
- The bacon fat adds back the richness lean bear lacks and deepens the smoky flavor.
- Chili is even better the next day — make it ahead and let the flavors marry overnight.
- For a thicker bowl, mash a ladle of the beans against the side of the pot and stir back in.
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