Early June found me back in Manitoba. I've been bear hunting this fine Province many times since Ontario closed the spring bear hunt in 1999. Good news though, it's looking pretty likely that Ontario will be re-instating the spring hunt this year. Keeping our fingers crossed.... The area we hunt in Manitoba is on the west side of the Duck Mountain Provincial Park. It's a beautiful place. I should have taken more pictures this year but I'll share what I have.
This year I went knowing that I was only going to shoot if a giant showed himself. Spoiler alert....it didn't happen.
First sit.
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:campfire:
I was on stand for about an hour when a nice colour bear showed but stayed clear of the bait site. It looked like a nice bear that I may have taken a crack at. After he left the area a big sow and 2 cubs came in. The sow is over my shoulder in this pic.
(http://i1241.photobucket.com/albums/gg520/Joeabowhunter/IMG_20150603_191117_zpsz4bi5ppr.jpg) (http://s1241.photobucket.com/user/Joeabowhunter/media/IMG_20150603_191117_zpsz4bi5ppr.jpg.html)
What a great mother. I witnessed her caring for her cubs daily. One day I watched her and the two cubs playing for about an hour. She stood over them rolling them over side to side like she was rolling a ball. Just awesome to witness. She was tough too. She would run off all comers then go back and mind her cubs. She was the boss around this bait until a young boar came in and decided to test her. He was a bit smaller than her but he let her know he was boss. Witnessing a bear fight will get your blood pumping!!!! After that she would stay away anytime another bear approached.
:campfire:
I had a pretty nice black come in several times that was testing my resolve to hold out for a giant. Here his is working on the roll barrel. The barrel is filled with grain and only has one hole in the side about an 1" or so in diameter. This works great. The bears will roll it back and forth to get the grain to drop out of the small hole.
(http://i1241.photobucket.com/albums/gg520/Joeabowhunter/IMG_20150605_170308_zps2tihfh0w.jpg) (http://s1241.photobucket.com/user/Joeabowhunter/media/IMG_20150605_170308_zps2tihfh0w.jpg.html)
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(http://i1241.photobucket.com/albums/gg520/Joeabowhunter/IMG_20150605_170749_zpsmyiwl0xt.jpg) (http://s1241.photobucket.com/user/Joeabowhunter/media/IMG_20150605_170749_zpsmyiwl0xt.jpg.html)
This is a sow that was a regular around the bait. Bears are so hard to judge. The first time she was coming in I started to get ready. In the timber she looked huge. Then she showed herself and promptly did this.
(http://i1241.photobucket.com/albums/gg520/Joeabowhunter/IMG_20150604_173435_zpsksvqafsf.jpg) (http://s1241.photobucket.com/user/Joeabowhunter/media/IMG_20150604_173435_zpsksvqafsf.jpg.html)
She acted like a circus bear. She would climb all the way into the barrel head first with her back legs sticking up. Fun to watch her.
Very cool!
She was in heat. Mid week she had two young boars chasing her around. I actually got footage of one of them let's just say, "succeeding in his quest"... lol. I was really hoping she would draw in the big boy but it didn't happen. On my last day I had a beautiful colour phase boar come in. I'm pretty sure this is the bear I saw from a distance on day one. It took him this long to feel comfortable enough to show up again for me. I think I drew back on him about 3 times but just couldn't do it. He has sooo much potential.
(http://i1241.photobucket.com/albums/gg520/Joeabowhunter/IMG_20150605_174441_zpssdcprrur.jpg) (http://s1241.photobucket.com/user/Joeabowhunter/media/IMG_20150605_174441_zpssdcprrur.jpg.html)
(http://i1241.photobucket.com/albums/gg520/Joeabowhunter/IMG_20150605_175430_zpsfldl66go.jpg) (http://s1241.photobucket.com/user/Joeabowhunter/media/IMG_20150605_175430_zpsfldl66go.jpg.html)
(http://i1241.photobucket.com/albums/gg520/Joeabowhunter/IMG_20150605_175438_zpskyvka5i0.jpg) (http://s1241.photobucket.com/user/Joeabowhunter/media/IMG_20150605_175438_zpskyvka5i0.jpg.html)
You have this story telling thing nailed. Well done and look forward to following along. :thumbsup:
I read a great story yesterday for the first time. It was by Charlie Lamb about meeting Fred Bear by chance at a place called Gordon Bentley's Bear Paw Landing in Wabigoon, Ontario. Ever been there? His stories captivated me.
Although I didn't put any bear meat in the freezer I had a fantastic hunt. I think a total of about 8-10 different bears were hitting this bait.
Here are a couple final pics. I hope everyone had a great Christmas and has a safe and happy New Year. Joe
(http://i1241.photobucket.com/albums/gg520/Joeabowhunter/IMG_20150531_184501_zpsaahhm5yz.jpg) (http://s1241.photobucket.com/user/Joeabowhunter/media/IMG_20150531_184501_zpsaahhm5yz.jpg.html)
(http://i1241.photobucket.com/albums/gg520/Joeabowhunter/IMG_20150601_185259_zpsck0xng5q.jpg) (http://s1241.photobucket.com/user/Joeabowhunter/media/IMG_20150601_185259_zpsck0xng5q.jpg.html) (http://i1241.photobucket.com/albums/gg520/Joeabowhunter/IMG_20150605_170249_zpshcpte7dl.jpg) (http://s1241.photobucket.com/user/Joeabowhunter/media/IMG_20150605_170249_zpshcpte7dl.jpg.html)
:clapper:
QuoteOriginally posted by Possum Head:
I read a great story yesterday for the first time. It was by Charlie Lamb about meeting Fred Bear by chance at a place called Gordon Bentley's Bear Paw Landing in Wabigoon, Ontario. Ever been there? His stories captivated me.
No, Possum Head, I've never been to Wabigoon. Closest I've been to that area is Thunderbay on moose hunts. Ontario is a huge Province and I live way down near the furthest southern part of it.
I have only been bear hunting once, but I plan to go again. It was a blast!
Great pics!
Bisch
:thumbsup: thanks for the story and great pics ! Happy new year. See you in LA!
Wayne
Thanks for sharing your hunt.
Great story! I've never been on a stand hunting bears before as its spt n stalk only here in MT, but it's on my bucket list!
Great pictures... been a few years since I hunted Bears. Part of the fun of hunting over bait is getting to see the interaction between bears, they can be some comical critters.
Thanks for sharing the hunt.
Beautiful pics! Joe many, many folks would have dropped the string on that chocolate boar. Kudos to you for showing restraint. He wasn't your bear :) Happy New Year buddy!
Thanks to all.
Thanks Mike. I've killed several blacks over the years and I told my Dad on this hunt that it was going to have to be a really big bear to make me shoot. He has taken two brutes the two previous years (the lucky guy). I hope you and your family have a great New Year too.
Wayne, I'm counting the days till the LA hunt. Looking forward to meeting you face to face. Will you be bringing the Kwyk Styk that you bought from me?
Yes, Joe. I'll be bringing two Kwyk Styks.
Thanks for sharing :campfire:
Great story and pics Joe :thumbsup: THANKS for sharing :campfire:
:thumbsup: :archer:
very nice and a good job to hold out for mr big I think you scored just being in the timber with them great pics
Great Photos! It felt like I was right there with you.
Neat pics joe. Good job holding out on that big guy. You're right he'll be bigger in the next few years!
Great pics Joe I take 4 inch PVC pipe about 6' long and drill three or four holes about 1/2 inch the hogs roll it also to get corn like the bears.See you soon. :thumbsup:
It's been a few years since I've hunted spring bears... great pictures... thanks.
great pics! looks like a great season
Joe, enjoyed your post, I appreciate your discipline on the color phase bear.
I am going to do a bear hunt in the next year or so. I want to hunt somewhere that has larger bear(300+#'s) so Manitoba might be it... Seems Ontario has generally smaller bear. I would like your opinion....
QuoteOriginally posted by fmscan:
Joe, enjoyed your post, I appreciate your discipline on the color phase bear.
I am going to do a bear hunt in the next year or so. I want to hunt somewhere that has larger bear(300+#'s) so Manitoba might be it... Seems Ontario has generally smaller bear. I would like your opinion....
Thanks Frank, I'm glad you enjoyed it. Manitoba has big bears but with the loss of the spring bear hunt in Ontario it has created a very large population and I'm sure huge bears as well. Manitoba will also give you a much higher chance at a colour phase bear. Colour bears are pretty rare in Ontario. I also believe the thought that Ontario has smaller bears isn't really true. It's common that new bear hunters shoot small bears because they really are that hard to judge. I've done it (more than once) and by the way it was the best tasting wild game meat I ever harvested. Like deer, you'll see many small and average ones before the big one shows up. It's not always the hunter though. Some outfitters are happy with their clients just tagging out. Some, really encourage us to hold out for a chance at a big one and educate their hunters how to judge the bears. Comparing their height to a 45 gallon drum, crease in the head etc... One thing for sure though, when a really big bear comes in you will know it. A 400 lb + bear is an intimidating animal. That was my goal this year by the way. Hunting the rut is another big factor when hunting big bears. Just like deer in rut, big ones get caught when they are searching for a hot sow. A hot sow hitting a bait is a magnet. If you know you have a dry sow or one without cubs, you're in a good spot. Something else to consider is the years an outfitter has been running his baits. Mature baits seem to hold bigger bears. All of this is just my opinion based on my experiences. The short answer....Ontario has huge bears too but if you are wanting a large bear I think it's more important to find the right outfitter.
QuoteOriginally posted by Possum Head:
I read a great story yesterday for the first time. It was by Charlie Lamb about meeting Fred Bear by chance at a place called Gordon Bentley's Bear Paw Landing in Wabigoon, Ontario. Ever been there? His stories captivated me.
I'm booked to hunt there 20-26 may.... fall bears are fun, but I hear that spring bear hunting is MUCH better!!!!!
Joe, that color phase would have been in trouble if i were you!
Good luck, shoot straight and God bless,
Rodd