Bear Hunting on Her Due Date

One Woman’s Incredible Story of Passion, Adventure and Determination

Northern Alberta’s wilderness is vast and challenging, and it is Dani Keddie’s favourite place to be.

The 32-year-old high school teacher, mother and avid hunter from the County of Northern Lights (near Peace River) is breaking barriers and helping redefine what women and mothers are capable of in the wild.

From teaching outdoor education to her students to harvesting a bear on her due date, Keddie is leading by example.

“I want to inspire everyone, especially women, to reach for their goals and their passions, despite societal expectations,” said Keddie.

Originally from Prince George, BC, Keddie has lived in the Peace Region for about six years now.

“I didn’t have any experience with hunting growing up, not even consuming wild game meat,” said Keddie. “My husband Bryn introduced me to hunting, and it was quite the transition for me.”

What started as a natural desire to tag along to simply get outdoors quickly evolved into a profound passion for hunting. However, Keddie recognizes the difficulty for newcomers, especially women, entering the field.

“There is so much to learn. I think, especially for women, hunting can be a very intimidating to get into,” said Keddie.

Keddie admits that initially she gravitated to stereotypes.

“I used to picture that cartoon character, Elmer Fudd, and think that hunting focused on being a killing machine, but now I know it is so much more,” said Keddie. “It’s about being outside, enjoying the outdoors, having appreciation for your surroundings and being able to provide for your family.”

For Keddie, hunting is an exercise in awareness and gratitude.

“As you learn, you gain such an appreciation for the habitat, for things like predator control and for the cycle of life,” said Keddie “Ultimately, I developed an enormous appreciation for where my food comes from.”

Keddie and her husband tend to take an intense, physically demanding approach to hunting.

“We are bushwacking for hours, hiking to the peaks of mountains, it’s very difficult,” said Keddie. “Being able to push those physical limits is very addicting to me.”

Not wanting to give up her “addiction” to the outdoors and challenging herself, Keddie made a pact with herself to never quit.

“The main message from others before I had my daughter was, ‘Enjoy your life now because everything changes when you start a family,’” said Keddie.

That common sentiment stuck with her and motivated Keddie to create a different reality for herself and her family.

“It’s interesting. If you say, ‘I ate an entire tub of ice cream at 40 weeks pregnant,’ people say ‘Oh, that’s normal,’ but when you say, ‘I was 40 weeks pregnant when I shot a bear,’ people say ‘What? Oh no, you need to be resting,” said Keddie.

Pregnancy aside, Keddie finds herself talking to people who are skeptical of her abilities in the male dominated activity.

“I feel like I need to prove my knowledge, but most of the time these conversations end in an empowering way,” said Keddie. “I feel like I’m trying to break these barriers and show that women can do this too.”

Hunting Pregnant & Prospering

While most people dread the end-of-summer blues, Keddie is excited for hunting season. Though she was pregnant this September—40 weeks on September 18—she listened to her body. It was her due date, and her body told her to get a bear—get meat in the freezer before the baby comes.

“Of course, my nerves were skyrocketing,” said Keddie. “I told my husband, ‘I just have to get my mind off of this.’”

She successfully harvested the bear that evening, then gave birth to her son six days later. This experience left her feeling empowered. However, this was not her first rodeo. Two years ago, Keddie completed a successful elk hunt when she was 38 weeks pregnant.

“It was almost like a movie. As we were hauling this elk out, the northern lights were going crazy—it was such a beautiful scene,” said Keddie.

Keddie says these experiences helped her get ready for labour.

“I told myself, ‘If I can backpack an elk out at 38 weeks, I think I can push this baby out,’” said Keddie.

Keddie wants others to know that life does not have to stop after having kids.

“Life gets better because they’re tagging along with you and beginning to build their own passions alongside you,” said Keddie.

For those interested in broadening their hunting horizons, Keddie has simple advice.

“Get outside and experience it! Go see what beauty we have in our backyard, connect with other people who are into hunting. Ask them questions,” said Keddie. “The biggest thing is to just get outside though and be comfortable with being uncomfortable because hunting is not for the faint of heart.”

By Siobhan Kennedy | Photography Submitted