Bear Runners

by David G. Ferguson

Conservation Officer Rob McNabb teams up with Sam Williams, a government bush pilot in an attempt to bring a murderous polar bear poacher to justice in the midst of a harsh northern winter. The story is set in the remote Hudson and James Bay Lowland region of northeastern Ontario.
Action, suspense and a string of extreme challenges make for slim odds of success for the pair, let alone their survival. And a budding romance hangs in the balance.
While the setting is regional, the message in this story is global.

398 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 27, 2018

About the author

Dave was born in Owen Sound, Ontario, on Georgian Bay and raised in Kingston and Streetsville (now Mississauga). Growing up, he was exposed to a variety of boats, large and small, on inland lakes as well as the Great Lakes. As a pre-teen at the family cottage in eastern Ontario, he would rig the flat bottomed row boat with a bed sheet tied to a yardarm which he’d mounted on a wooden "A" frame, and go tearing down the lake on windy days. Reaching the far end, he would have to take it all down and row back upwind to do it over again.

In his adult life, as a conservation officer for the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, he had the great fortune to spend much of his time each spring, summer and fall aboard government boats — everything from canoes and little 12' outboard runabouts up to a modern 33' welded aluminum patrol vessel powered by twin diesel engines and equipped with all the latest electronic navigational gear. Also included in his work experience was a three-year sojourn at the Ministry of Natural Resources, Moosonee District, during which time he had the experience of running 24' motor canoes out into James Bay — Ontario's Arctic coast.

In 1990 Dave and his wife Pat bought a Zeeland yawl (bearing a strong resemblance to the classic vessel in his novel, TOXIC WATERS), and they and their two daughters plus various dogs and cats spent summer vacations over the next twenty-four years cruising the waters of Lake Huron, Georgian Bay and the famed North Channel.

During Dave’s experience in natural resource law enforcement, he met all manner of resource users — both good and bad — mostly good. The law breakers he dealt with covered a broad spectrum of characters from polite, “oops, sorry officer, I really didn’t know I couldn’t do that,” folks, all the way up the scale to the kind of black hearted men you wouldn’t want to turn your back on.

It was his evolving understanding of the complex range of resource offenders he dealt with, and his love of boating and of the lakes, that led him to write his first novel.

Dave is now enjoying retirement from his “day job” and living on the north shore of his beloved Lake Huron while conjuring up his next stories.

Reviews

[Victoria Bennison]

I never thought I would enjoy a book with so many mechanical details. But when you are facing a far Northern Ontario winter, machines are your life. If they don’t work...living becomes difficult. Weather reports, and topographical details are just as important. I was mesmerized by all of these things, from the moment I started reading. Throw in quick thinking, determined and passionate characters, and I’m not going to stop reading...until the very end.

It’s obvious that David G. Ferguson, is writing what he knows. And I know that I will be reading another of his books very soon. I’m just going to warm up a bit, first. His descriptions of winter in the north are very realistic.

[Janice Richardson]

This was an exciting read. There was action, mystery, a touch of romance (which added to the story rather than taking away from it) and it is beautifully written. The author is a sensitive individual with insight into the human condition and it reflects in this book. The descriptions of the far north are vivid and strong, one just has to close their eyes and image the scene. I would highly recommend this book to any reader looking for a strong storyline.

[Wendy]

Another exciting book from Dave Ferguson. Lots of action. He obviously knows the workings of the small planes used in the north. Great idea to plug your first book in your second, Dave!!

[J.R.]

Rob McNabb is a rookie conservation officer tasked with bringing a vicious wildlife poacher to justice in the brutal environment of northern Ontario's Hudson and James Bay region, a job made more difficult by brutal winter conditions that make travel hazardous, and the murderous reputation of his quarry.
The primary target of Eagle Feather, the poacher, is the region's endangered polar bears. But no animal worthy of profit in his black market enterprise is safe from the poacher's weapons. He has already killed one man when Rob takes up the hunt, and his record soon reveals that wasn't his first human victim. He's adopted a First Nation's name for his poaching. His real name is Gerald Morgan, and his multiple crimes trace back to his service in the Canadian military.
Because of the terrain in which they work and the treacherous weather that is so often a part of their day, Rob and his associates depend largely on bush planes, snowmobiles, and, sometimes, snowshoes for travel. Early in the novel, the bush pilot who brings McNabb to a target location suffers a stroke. The conservation officer is forced to take control of the Otter DHC 3, a plane he's unfamiliar with, and fly the victim to medical help, saving the man's life. This life-saving mission 'introduces' him to another bush pilot, Sam Williams, his soon-to-be girl friend.
This is a novel in which the twists and thrills come in quick succession. One of the most nail-biting moments comes when Eagle Feather shoots down Sam's plane as she spots one of his hidden campsites in the forest, and just as a blinding blizzard bears down on the area. Rob, who is in the area and hears her Mayday transmission, races to the scene, not knowing if he'll find her living or dead.
Rob and his fellow conservation officers work with local police and other government agencies to track down the killer, without the territorial bickering that is so often a part of mystery/thriller novels. It is this cooperative attitude that finally brings results in Bear Runners, and it does nothing to diminish Rob's role in the story.
The author, David Ferguson, is a retired conservation officer, and it is his experience in the field that lends to the authenticity of the story. This is the first of a series, and I hope to read more of the adventures of Rob and Sam.

[David Ferguson]

I'm the author, so my vote doesn't really count, but ... BEAR RUNNERS was a fun story to write.
It is a story with a global message: The illegal trade in wildlife is the world's fourth-largest criminal enterprise.
It is a story told in a regional setting: The Hudson and James Bay Lowlands can test the mettle of human flesh and man-made machines during the depths of a particularly harsh winter.
It is a story rich with human emotions: Selfish greed, cruel lust, fear, raging anger, love, heart-ache and heart-break. All of these come into play as the story unfolds.
The rest, I'll leave for you to discover. But PLEASE feel free to rate this story when you are finished - both here and on Amazon.

[John Foster]

I thoroughly enjoyed Bear Runner. It was relatively well written and the plot and storyline worked well. My only complaints is that I found the conversations that occurred between characters (such as Rob and Sam) to be a bit overly lovey at times but that is a nitpick in the grand scheme. Looking forward to reading Ferguson's next piece, especially those that include Ontario MNRF Conservation Officers and Park Warden content.

[Jennifer]

I was fascinated by this exciting read following the young game warden who is put to the test as he pursues an evil poacher, against the backdrop of the harsh winter in northern Ontario. I loved how the action was complemented with a tender, heartwarming love story with a fiesty, strong-willed bush pilot who proves to become an equal heroine. Wonderfully written with sincerity and authentic details which made for a rich and captivating story.