Hunting the Ice Bear
My journey began in March of 1982, as I left Philadelphia to start a 2 day trek to the Frobosher Bay, an inlet of the Labrador Sea in the Qikiqtaaluk Region of Nunavut, Canada, located in the southeastern corner of Baffin Island. I was about to embark on the biggest challenge of my life - the hunt for the largest carnivore on Earth - the Polar Bear. Prior to my departure, I had gathered all the proper gear, got a lesson on hypothermia, and packed 10 pounds of smoked bacon. Even with all of my preparations and even though I'd hunted all over Alaska, something about this hunt had me on edge. I understood the temperatures would be 35-45 below zero. I've had no problems with temperatures near that. I've been at 14,000 feet in blizzard conditions with gale winds and been fine. It wasn't the weather. I had also shot a brown bear that died not 20 yards from me. Fear is not the problem. I just couldn't put my finger on it. Arriving in Frobisher Bay, the tem