Man dies after encounter with bear near air strip in northern Saskatchewan

May 11, 2026 | 7:11 PM

A 25-year-old man is dead after an encounter with a bear near a remote airstrip in northern Saskatchewan.

The Ministry of Community Safety said the man died Friday near Points North Landing, 700 kilometres north of Prince Albert. The ministry said the bear was euthanized on scene and could not provide further information as the investigation is in its early stages.

The Points North Group of Companies is a major service hub for mining, exploration, outfitters and communities in Northern Saskatchewan, centered at Points North Landing. While he was unable to provide many details, company president Mark Eikel said, “The incident occurred approximately 78 kilometres northeast of Points North Landing. The deceased was transported by helicopter from the scene to Points North Landing. We do not have any further details at this time.”

The Conservation Officer Service’s Wildlife Human Attack Response Team, RCMP, and Coroner’s Service are now investigating, while the body of the bear is being taken to the Western College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan for a necropsy.

Bear attacks in Saskatchewan are rare. In August 2020, 44-year-old Stephanie Blais was killed by a black bear while camping in northern Saskatchewan. On the night of the attack, near McKie Lake, about 150 kilometres north-northeast of Buffalo Narrows, she was with a man and two children under the age of 10, all of whom escaped unharmed.

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It was the first fatal bear attack in Saskatchewan since 1983 when two men were killed in separate incidents near Nipawin Provincial Park.

The Saskatchewan government advises if people encounter a bear:

Stay calm – do not run. You can’t outrun a bear.
Make a wide detour, calmly back away, speak in low tones, do not look directly at the bear.
Never feed or approach a bear or cubs.
Do not get closer for the sake of a photograph.
If you have bear spray, prepare to use it.
Move towards a tree or rock. Climbing a tree is not an escape, but the bear may feel less threatened. Black bears can easily climb trees.
As a last resort, drop articles if very close, it may distract the bear.
In most cases, black bears will threaten but not attack. If attacked, defend yourself – do not play dead.

-With files from The Canadian Press

by CKOM/larongeNOW

Man dies after encounter with bear near air strip in northern Saskatchewan

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