Howdy Tradgang, been awhile since I've been around here!!
Had a great week up in Maine, at Squapan!!! Nice to meet everyone!!! I've got a ton of pics, so "BEAR" with me, it'll take a bit!!!
Tony, Lynn, Josh and Jessica, thanks for putting up with us Mo boys all week!!! Jessica, go do your homework!!!lol
Was fun to share camp with folks from different parts of the country!! I'm still laughing about all the stories!!!
(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/fireman_3311/Squapan2010/Bear2010047.jpg)
All the comforts....Glad I got a bottom bunk, eh Sean????!!!!
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Beautiful country up there!!
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Lots of Tater fields!!!
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Tony and Josh, who is now the luckiest Young Man on earth!!!
(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/fireman_3311/Squapan2010/Bear2010050.jpg)
Lynn kept us all well fed all week!!!
(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/fireman_3311/Squapan2010/Bear2010082.jpg)
I tried to talk Lynn out of the big moose shed she found, but I didn't have any luck!!! Guess I'll have to go find one next time...lol!!
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Here's Jim's rig, after we just pulled into camp. He had wired in an Inverter, to run the deep freezer. Worked like a charm!!! Kept me bear frozen, and fish we picked up in Portland on the way home!!!
(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/fireman_3311/Squapan2010/Bear2010026.jpg)
A couple more sheds found during the week...
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Jim getting dialed in with the bow he built!!
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Anyone hungry??? The bears sure like the stuff!!!
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An effigy along side of the road, way back in the middle of nowhere!!
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A new convert to the Trad world!!!
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Here's Roger, working on the newest Black Widow POS model!!!!LOL
(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/fireman_3311/Squapan2010/Bear2010048.jpg)
More, more !!!!
:campfire:
Anyone know this handsome feller???LOL. Nice meetin ya, Big Ed!!! Glad you have a good harness!!!
(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/fireman_3311/Squapan2010/Bear2010185.jpg)
Here's the gutting table!!! Glad we got to use it!!!
(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/fireman_3311/Squapan2010/Bear2010173.jpg)
Alot of arrahs shot all week!!!
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The boys from Black Widow, Roger, Toby and Myles, brought a few bows to play with in camp!! I told me wife about that longbow I shot, and to put it on the list for Christmas!!!
(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/fireman_3311/Squapan2010/Bear2010049.jpg)
Man I'm home sick. and I don't even live in Maine. :help: Lord willin next year I'll have some pic's for the trad gang
We got to help celebrate Lynn's birthday during the week!! She finally hit 29!!!
(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/fireman_3311/Squapan2010/Bear2010177.jpg)
Big Ed cooked up some Lobstah's one night for supper!!! DAGGUM it was GOOD!!! Here's Myles with a couple of Pope and Young crawdad's!!!
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Here's Myles with his bear...160# I believe!!!
(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/fireman_3311/Squapan2010/Bear2010078.jpg)
And the 3 Brothers from New York/Conn....217#!!!
(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/fireman_3311/Squapan2010/Bear2010168.jpg)
Nice sized swatters on a bear that big!!!
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It's GO TIME!!! Kent and Jen puttin on their gameface!!!
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Dad and Daughter!!!
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Dr. Dave, you made my week, Brother!!! I'm still hurting from laughing so much!!!
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My bait at 10 yds...
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My bear is laying dead, somewhere in the upper right quarter of this pic, only about 25 yds from the bait!!! Yea, it's that thick in there!!
(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/fireman_3311/Squapan2010/Bear2010052.jpg)
My ol' Widder, Dorothy, built back on June of 99...She's now added a purty little black bear to the long list of critters we've chased together!!
I named her after me Granny!!!
(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/fireman_3311/Squapan2010/Bear2010057.jpg)
I hit him a little far back, he took a step at release, but it worked...Down inside of 25 yds in the thick stuff!!! The 125gr Snuffer works!!
(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/fireman_3311/Squapan2010/Bear2010065.jpg)
Kent and Dave, thanks for sharing the tracking job!!!
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125 pounds of man killer he was!!! Good thing I've got long arms, eh!!!LOL
My first ever black bear, and nobody could be happier, I'll bet ya!!!
(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/fireman_3311/Squapan2010/Bear2010075.jpg)
These sleds are the deal for draggin one out and haulin it to camp!!!
(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/fireman_3311/Squapan2010/Bear2010068.jpg)
Myles and I
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Congrats Brad! Looks like a great trip!
Jim and I drove straight thru on the way home....I did most of the sleepin, he did most of the drivin, but he did get to nap a little...lol!!!
(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/fireman_3311/Squapan2010/Bear2010205.jpg)
Perfect scene for the trip home!!!
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My daughter Jessica, so hungry she could eat a live lobstah, brought home from Portland!!! We had a FEAST last night...Lobstah's and Ribeye's, fresh maters from me garden, and a BuddyLight!!
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A few more...some of the gang.
Here's Tom
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And Denny
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And Sean
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Jenn, and her boots!!!
(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/fireman_3311/Squapan2010/Bear2010137.jpg)
(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/fireman_3311/Squapan2010/Bear2010106.jpg)
Kent and Dr. Dave
(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/fireman_3311/Squapan2010/Bear2010182.jpg)
David with a little souvenir...Still think mine was bigger...LOL!!!
(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/fireman_3311/Squapan2010/Bear2010193.jpg)
That's it, Tradgangers!!! If you're looking for a good bear hunt, look up Tony, at Squapan Mountain Outfitters, he'll hook you up!!!
Man is that a fine looking dude in the bibs!LOL This is a great hunt, If any of you Tradgangers want ot put something together contact Tony Boucher he is a member on here. Or give me a PM and I will get you his info. This is a yearly deal for me "Lord Willing"
I know you will definitly laugh while your there and gain a few pounds. Big Ed
Jesse, it was a blast!!! Sure had alot of thoughts about our trip to Tims in Ontario!!! I still haven't slept a wink since not finding that bear up there!!!
Brad, thanks for posting all the pics and story. Good stuff.
Congrats Brad!!!
Great pics!!!
Awesome story, congradulations!!!
Thank you Brad! I know you had a good time but what's new about that? You always have fun even when sweating out the Ozarks putting up 3D targets..lol
You daddy again yet?
Keep me posted buddy.
Congratulations to you and "Dorothy"!
God bless,Mudd
PS" MJ is now a momma, she had a "BMW"!...lol
Brinlee Mae Williams born 7/31/2010
Congrats to all. Thanks for sharing. Joe
QuoteOriginally posted by Mudd:
Thank you Brad! I know you had a good time but what's new about that? You always have fun even when sweating out the Ozarks putting up 3D targets..lol
You daddy again yet?
Keep me posted buddy.
Congratulations to you and "Dorothy"!
God bless,Mudd
PS" MJ is now a momma, she had a "BMW"!...lol
Brinlee Mae Williams born 7/31/2010
Mudd, the twins are due late november....Tis why I'm killin critters early this year!!!lol
Congrats to you and yours with the new little one!!!
Great story and pics
Thanks, for sharing!!!!
Maine is a beautiful state, I really need to get back up there. I swore off outfitters the last time I was up there on a bear hunt. However, it looks like this camp is ran like it should be.
I can tell from the pictures that everyone was having a great time. Plus you got some blood on the ground.
:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Great pictures. You didn't get one of Jen doing her triple Lindy!! Yeah Brad, it was tight quarters on that top bunk!! I think I scuffed all the hair off of the top of my head.
It was a blast. I'm definitely going to try to make it again soon.
Thanks for all the great pictures Brad!
I know the twins are due in November and you are still not sure of the names. Terry is a pretty good one! : )
Best of luck and hope to hunt with you again soon.
Thanks guys for all the kind words! Wish we had better weather, But we did have 24 bears sighted, 2 misses , 3 pass ups, 2 wounded, 4 killed! Not to bad. Thanks to all the guys! we had a blast!!I'm still laughing!Well gota run we have hunters on stand! Thanks so much and hope to see you all again soon!
Tony
Brad thanks for sharing,it's not the size of the bear but the size of the smile on the hunters face, thanks again.
Thanks for sharin, sure enough a great lookin trip!
J
Great pics and thanks for sharing!
congrats with the bear :thumbsup:
Margly
Brad it was great to share a camp with you. Now that we know the freezer works I'll kill one next time.
Thanks for sharing the adventures.
It looks as if Seans thumb is getting better.
Hey Charlie, Yeah, its getting there. got the cast off just before I left, so I wasn't sure WHAT
Hey Charlie, Yeah, its getting there. got the cast off just before I left, so I wasn't sure WHAT the heck I was going to be hunting with!! There was no way I was going to miss this hunt, even if I had to throw rocks!
I am posting from the camp now (half way thru the second week). It has been slow the first 3 days. Only one bear was spotted so far. We are all optimistic that the second half of the week will pick up. All the baits are being hit but not while we are on them....
If things don't turn on this evening, we are going to hunt all day Friday and Saturday.
Keep your fingers crossed for us!
wow Brian, I thought for sure that after the crazy heat broke, you guys would be on a lot more bears. Good Luck