Saddle Hill Outfitters is a Trophy bear camp owned and operated by Rob and Kristie Sawyer. https://www.saddlehillsoutfitting.com/ 

I hunted June 1 to June 6, 2025. 

In camp were eight hunters, including myself. Most hunted with rifle. A few of us came with bow and I came with my 10 Point Turbo S1 crossbow.  I also rented a Savage scoped rifle in .270 Winchester for backup and for wolf. Yup, I had a wolf tag too.

We hunted from 5PM till dark, in Alberta’s Saddle Hills County. Guides drove us many many miles to each baited stand. In most cases, hunters and guides communicated via phone text. 

The Hunt

Rob and guides place white tipped stakes at bait sites so we could see bear shoulder height as the bears walk near. If the bears shoulder height was equal to the top of the stakes or higher, you had as trophy boar in your sights.

Trophy bear were taken by lucky hunters. The largest was around 300 pounds taken by Cason with 6.5 PRC rifle. Holy mackerel! What a trophy bear!

 

Some hunters misjudged some bears and harvested a few sows to the chagrin of the outfitters.  The sow is essential for producing and caring for the cubs and the future adult bears. 

Harvested bears are skinned and measured. Rob is a taxidermist and can create your mounts or you can take you skinned bear home to your own taxidermist.

I was not that lucky but observed many lesser black, cinnamon, and blond bears during the week.

I double lunged a smaller boar with my crossbow during the last 3 hours of my hunt after observing over a dozen bears during the hunt. At the shot, the boar ran 20 feet up the nearest tree, only to discover he was clearly hit in both lungs. He fell 20 feet straight down like a heavy sack of potatoes only to emit his erie death moan.

 

Encounter with “Angry Bear”

Upon getting the bear back to camp, my hunt friend excitedly said, “Ed, you shot  Angry Bear!”

I responded, “Say what?” 

He said, “You shot the bear that attempted to attack a sow with three cubs and aggressively attack me in my treestand a few days earlier. I had to fire my rifle to get him away from me, but after 5 minutes he came back snapping teeth and growling.

And he was trying to kill the three cubs with the sow at the bait.” The cubs climbed nearby trees!

The mother bear chased the angry bear up a tree three times, all the while the boar was growling and popping his teeth. 

After hearing this crazy encounter, my hunter friend was so glad I had killed that bear with my Swhacker 2 1/2 inch cut mechanical broadheads. Love those swhackers!

 

Mother bear also climbed up the tree-stand to check out the hunter. Peek-a-boo I see you!

Hunters, be aware that most of the bears I observed will climb up tree stands to see who is in it. I shout hey! The bears leave the tree but remained to eat the bait.

Below, my crossbow view overlooking the bait site of Angry Bear. On the ground behind the bait barrel lies Angry Bear. Quite dead!