TALES FROM THE BUSH - You'd better be bear aware

Keen to see kokanee salmon in Canada, Josh Pysanczyn encountered more wildlife than he’d bargained for.

- Josh Pysanczyn

As I turned my head, my eyes locked with those of a male black bear.

It was late autumn in British Columbia and the salmon had begun their annual run. My partner and I decided we’d wander down to the nearby creek and get a glimpse of the fish making their treacherous journey upstream to spawn.

We knew, as with any ramble in the Canadian bush, that bears of the black and grizzly variety frequented the area – even more so when kokanee salmon were on the menu. So, we decided to become ‘bear aware’ and visited the local Parks Canada office for a ‘short’ informational video.