As the plane's descent broke through the clouds, I cast my first gaze upon Prince George, British Columbia.
The terrain surprised me. I expected mountains, but was instead greeted by a forever long expanse of rolling conifer forest. At that moment, I realized spotting and stalking black bears in the thick north woods was going to be tough.
Bear hunting is somewhat controversial. Much more so than say, deer or turkey hunting. I can understand why. Bears are beautiful, powerful animals that deserve respect and reverence. But they are predators, and like all predators, if their populations are left unchecked, bears can, and will, over populate. Bears are exciting to hunt, with most encounters raising the hair on the back of your neck.
I'll never forget the feeling of having my first bear in ....