When you thing the Plan Fell Apart: Lessons from a Yukon Bison Hunt

When you thing the Plan Fell Apart: Lessons from a Yukon Bison Hunt

This episode dives into a real Yukon backcountry experience where nothing went as planned—and that’s exactly where the best lessons came from. Bryce Bekar reflects on a late winter bison hunt with a group of youth, where deep snow, brutal conditions, and heavy hunting pressure made success uncertain. From stuck machines and changing plans to wolves on the mountainside and a last-minute opportunity, this trip became about far more than harvesting an animal. At its core, this episode is about mentorship, responsibility, and learning by doing. The youth on this trip didn’t just observe—they worked, adapted, and took part in every step, from trail breaking to processing the animal. This is a story about resilience, leadership, and why getting kids into the outdoors matters now more than ever.

The Mental Game: Staying Present in the Field

Gear matters. Preparation matters. But when things start to go sideways in the backcountry, it’s rarely your equipment that makes the call—it’s your headspace. In this episode, Bryce shares hard-earned lessons from sheep hunts, steep terrain, and close calls to explore why presence, calm, and judgment matter more than confidence alone. This is a conversation about decision-making under pressure, training your mind, and learning to stay present when it really counts—in the mountains and in life.

Backcountry Skill Building: Winter Gear, Skills, and Mindset

Some people think they know what cold is. Some people actually do. And then there’s Yukon cold. Yukon cold hits different. ❄️ In this episode, Bryce Bekar shares real-world lessons from frozen feet, gear failures, and winter backcountry mistakes—plus how to test your gear, manage layers, avoid frostbite and hypothermia, and build a system that keeps you safe when it really counts. Winter doesn’t need to be feared, but it does need to be respected. Hosted by Bryce Bekar Wild Place Adventures Podcast Find us at wildplaceadventures.com Facebook: Wild Place Adventures Instagram: @brycebekar “Hunt and fish with your kids. Not for them.”

Who Showed You The Way?

Why do we keep going back outside? After years on the land — through cold mornings, hard trips, injuries, and moments of quiet reflection — Bryce shares what the outdoors has really taught him. This episode isn’t about gear, tags, or trophies. It’s about something deeper. It’s about mentorship. About responsibility. About the quiet moments when you realize someone is watching how you move, how you act, and how you treat the land. From lessons learned on the trapline to raising kids outdoors, Bryce reflects on how time spent outside shapes who we are — and why the way we carry ourselves matters more than anything we say. This episode sets the tone for Season Two of Wild Place Adventures: real stories, hard lessons, and the understanding that the land doesn’t belong to us — we borrow it. Because loving the land means protecting it. And protecting it starts with respect.

Walking Together: Truth, Reconciliation, and the Land

On this special episode of Wild Place Adventures, Bryce reflects on Canada’s National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. This is a day to pause, remember the children lost to residential schools, honour survivors, and learn from Indigenous teachings. Bryce shares how respect for the land and for all living things is at the heart of outdoor traditions, weaving in family stories, lessons from his daughters’ language classes, and personal reflections on gratitude in hunting. With the guidance of Heather’s York Factory First Nation roots and community wisdom, this episode calls listeners to reflect, listen, and walk together toward reconciliation.