Trad Gang

Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: dhaverstick on August 25, 2012, 05:03:00 PM

Title: Success in Ontario!
Post by: dhaverstick on August 25, 2012, 05:03:00 PM
I just returned from my bear hunt in Ontario and, man, was it a blast! Ten of us from the United Bowhunters of Missouri went on this hunt and nine of us came back with bears. Our guide was Doug Park of Wolf River Bear Baits.
 
The picture below is of me and my bear just after I found him. I am wet, cold, and my mascara is running but I am one happy hunter! You always hear horror stories about tracking bears through the thick brush so I was quite proud of myself for making a clean hit. My bear only went about 30 yards before piling up. He weighed 130 pounds and we suspect was around 3 years old. One thing is for sure; he's a trophy in my book! He's the first bear I saw in the stand and the first bear I have ever killed.

 (http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q240/dhaverstick/2012%20Hunting%20Photos/MeAndMyBearSmall2.jpg)

Here is a link to a 2 minute video of the actual shot. The bear came in 4 times before I was given a good opportunity. The video, however, is a bit deceiving. It looks like I am 30 feet up in the tree, the bear is waaay out there, and I hit him high. Actually, I'm only 10 feet up, the shot was only 15 yards, and I hit him perfect through both lungs. The only thing that is correct is the wind! The reason for the apparent lack of penetration is that I always aim for the off shoulder and I hit the bone on that side. The arrow actually went in about 3/4 of the way before bouncing out. He ran by my tree after the hit and broke the shaft off on its trunk. If you listen closely, you can hear his death moan in the last 5 seconds or so. That is one eerie sound!
 
   The Kill Shot  (http://s137.photobucket.com/albums/q240/dhaverstick/2012%20Hunting%20Photos/?action=view¤t=BearKillVideo.mp4)  

I killed this bear with a Thunderstick Mag 2-piece longbow and a homemade ash arrow tipped with a 200 grain Ace SuperExpress broadhead.
 
Darren
Title: Re: Success in Ontario!
Post by: wooddamon1 on August 25, 2012, 05:07:00 PM
:thumbsup:     :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Success in Ontario!
Post by: owlbait on August 25, 2012, 05:15:00 PM
Congratulations. Quite a thrill, isn't it? Great shot!
Title: Re: Success in Ontario!
Post by: kawika b on August 25, 2012, 05:18:00 PM
Congrats in a very big way!    :thumbsup:  

That pic would make for a nice avatar should you decide you need a new one.
Title: Re: Success in Ontario!
Post by: Yellow Dog on August 25, 2012, 05:19:00 PM
Well done  :thumbsup:    :thumbsup:    :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Success in Ontario!
Post by: m midd on August 25, 2012, 05:20:00 PM
Congrats.. Nice bear and nice video. I thought for a second he was gonna climb the tree in front of you
Title: Re: Success in Ontario!
Post by: Reaper TN on August 25, 2012, 05:23:00 PM
Any bear harvested with a trad bow is a trophy IMO, and wronghanded to boot! Congratulations!  :clapper:
Title: Re: Success in Ontario!
Post by: RedShaft on August 25, 2012, 05:39:00 PM
Great video! thanks for sharing and congrats!!
Title: Re: Success in Ontario!
Post by: huntnmuleys on August 25, 2012, 05:42:00 PM
way to work! beautiful bear.
Title: Re: Success in Ontario!
Post by: frassettor on August 25, 2012, 05:42:00 PM
nice job, what kind of camera were you using?
Title: Re: Success in Ontario!
Post by: Mudd on August 25, 2012, 05:50:00 PM
Well done Darren!

Congratulations!

God bless,Mudd
Title: Re: Success in Ontario!
Post by: Old Chief on August 25, 2012, 05:58:00 PM
Comgratulations on a nice bear.
Title: Re: Success in Ontario!
Post by: on August 25, 2012, 06:08:00 PM
congratts!  :thumbsup:  ..very cool!
Title: Re: Success in Ontario!
Post by: 59Alaskan on August 25, 2012, 06:50:00 PM
Congrats!  It was cool to hear the death moan.  Thank you for sharing
Title: Re: Success in Ontario!
Post by: macbow on August 25, 2012, 07:09:00 PM
Great photo Darren. Congrats, I got to talk to,Dan and got his report.  What a trip.
Ron
Title: Re: Success in Ontario!
Post by: Tradesmen4 on August 25, 2012, 07:10:00 PM
Darren good for you. It will be some great eating. Greg
Title: Re: Success in Ontario!
Post by: 2treks on August 25, 2012, 07:16:00 PM
Congrats!

CTT
Title: Re: Success in Ontario!
Post by: dhaverstick on August 25, 2012, 07:48:00 PM
"nice job, what kind of camera were you using?"

Frassettor, I was using a Canon Powershot ELPH 300. It's a compact digital camera that does it all. I had it mounted on a Joby Gorillapod hanging off the side of my treestand.

Darren
Title: Re: Success in Ontario!
Post by: Mike Yancey on August 25, 2012, 08:06:00 PM
Good job Darren
Title: Re: Success in Ontario!
Post by: JoeM on August 25, 2012, 08:14:00 PM
Nice shooting thanks for sharing.  You can see the water come off he bears coat when the arrow hits.  Those are some colorful shafts!!!  Nice job taking your time on that shot no snap shooting there!     :thumbsup:   Congrats Joe
Title: Re: Success in Ontario!
Post by: Anointed Archer on August 25, 2012, 08:16:00 PM
Excellent job   :thumbsup:    :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Success in Ontario!
Post by: Whip on August 25, 2012, 08:37:00 PM
Congratulations on a fine animal and great shot!   Bear is next up on my schedule, and I hope to do as well as you!
Title: Re: Success in Ontario!
Post by: Cyclic-Rivers on August 25, 2012, 09:11:00 PM
Congrats Sir!  Great shot and Bear!
Title: Re: Success in Ontario!
Post by: Hoyt on August 25, 2012, 09:12:00 PM
Good Shoot'n!

 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/Iflytrout/Pictures/buzzards.gif)
Title: Re: Success in Ontario!
Post by: BOFF on August 25, 2012, 09:59:00 PM
WOOHOO!!

Way to go!!!!


God Bless,
David B.
Title: Re: Success in Ontario!
Post by: dnovo on August 25, 2012, 10:01:00 PM
I was with Darren on this hunt. Awesome hunt. Great time with a good bunch of guys.
Also, Darren is one fine cook. I'm hoping to have him accompany me in the future on some draw hunts. I plan on having a tag and he doesn't so all he has to do is stay in camp and cook.  He's that good. I'm having some internet problems so hope to post a picture of my bear soon.
Title: Re: Success in Ontario!
Post by: HARL on August 25, 2012, 10:03:00 PM
Great Stuff !!
Title: Re: Success in Ontario!
Post by: Stone Sheep on August 25, 2012, 10:06:00 PM
Congradulations!!! Sounds like you guys had a great hunt! Talk to you soon.
Title: Re: Success in Ontario!
Post by: BrownA5 on August 25, 2012, 10:11:00 PM
Nice bear.  Congrats!
Title: Re: Success in Ontario!
Post by: RLA on August 25, 2012, 10:18:00 PM
Congrats Darren!!! nice video too, we enjoyed watching it.

----------
Title: Re: Success in Ontario!
Post by: David lozzano on August 25, 2012, 10:19:00 PM
Nice bear, Congrats.
How far was the shot?
Title: Re: Success in Ontario!
Post by: kbetts on August 25, 2012, 10:53:00 PM
Sounds like a wonderful adventure.  Congrats!
Title: Re: Success in Ontario!
Post by: rastaman on August 25, 2012, 11:20:00 PM
Way to go Darren...nice bear!
Title: Re: Success in Ontario!
Post by: hitman on August 25, 2012, 11:31:00 PM
Great shot and really good video. Thanks for sharing with us and congratulations on a fine trophy.  :clapper:
Title: Re: Success in Ontario!
Post by: Terry Lightle on August 26, 2012, 03:23:00 AM
Nothing like bear hunting Congrats
Title: Re: Success in Ontario!
Post by: Ray Hammond on August 26, 2012, 06:08:00 AM
Way cool to hear the death moan over all the wind!  Congrats
Title: Re: Success in Ontario!
Post by: C. Halstead on August 26, 2012, 08:50:00 AM
congrats...nice video
Title: Re: Success in Ontario!
Post by: tradbower on August 26, 2012, 09:08:00 AM
Congrats on first bear and great video   :thumbsup:    :thumbsup:  
I will be leaving in 2 weeks for Maine with the hope of taking my first bear. Congrats again on that fine trophy.
Title: Re: Success in Ontario!
Post by: dnovo on August 26, 2012, 09:19:00 AM
Couple pics of my bear taken on same hunt with Darren. He had his down a day before we even got there. 3 bears taken that eveining.
4 days later I  got lucky with a bear of a lifetime.
 (http://i458.photobucket.com/albums/qq309/dnlnovo/045.jpg)
 (http://i458.photobucket.com/albums/qq309/dnlnovo/074.jpg)
410 # live weight. 40 yard recovery. Taken with my Mohawk, 53#  cedar arrow, 2 blade Zwickey delta
Title: Re: Success in Ontario!
Post by: TimDougan on August 26, 2012, 09:50:00 AM
Congrats on nice bears!   :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Success in Ontario!
Post by: Mohawkbows on August 26, 2012, 11:40:00 AM
Congratulations!!
Title: Re: Success in Ontario!
Post by: dhaverstick on August 26, 2012, 11:59:00 AM
When Dan came in that evening, we all asked, "Well?" and Dan replied, "I just shot a big $%$@@#%*&@!!#". While he was saying this he kept holding his hand about 4 feet off the ground to indicate shoulder height. Dan was not exaggerating! It took 5 guys to haul that bruiser out of the woods! Now THAT's a bear!

Darren
Title: Re: Success in Ontario!
Post by: tradbower on August 26, 2012, 12:26:00 PM
dnovo
  Also Congrats on your bear!! There should be many stories at the campfires.  :clapper:    :clapper:
Title: Re: Success in Ontario!
Post by: Gatekeeper on August 26, 2012, 12:54:00 PM
That’s great Darren!   :knothead:   You’re right the video made the distance look deceiving.

Congratulations! Bears are super cool animals to be around and you’re correct about the eerie sound of the death bawl but it sure is a great sound for a bear hunter to hear.

I’ve hunted in Tom Phillips’ camp and while there I talked with Jeff Springer (Tippit here on TG) who is a veterinarian, about the death bawl and he told me the bear is already dead when it is making this noise. He said its muscle spasms that cause the bear’s diaphragm to contract and relax which forces air past the bear’s vocal cords and in turn creates the bawl noise. He said he was able to see this first hand and was able to capture it on video from a bear that collapsed at the base of his tree one year. Pretty cool thing for a veterinarian to capture.

Great shot, by the way!   :clapper:
Title: Re: Success in Ontario!
Post by: Gatekeeper on August 26, 2012, 12:57:00 PM
Wow Dan that bear is a brute!
Title: Re: Success in Ontario!
Post by: gregg dudley on August 26, 2012, 01:29:00 PM
Congratulations!
Title: Re: Success in Ontario!
Post by: kennym on August 26, 2012, 01:47:00 PM
Great job guys! Congrats!!  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Success in Ontario!
Post by: razorsharptokill on August 26, 2012, 02:02:00 PM
Awesome! GREAT JOB!
Title: Re: Success in Ontario!
Post by: longbowben on August 26, 2012, 09:15:00 PM
Great shot, congrats  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Success in Ontario!
Post by: Dave Thaxton on August 27, 2012, 09:33:00 AM
Well Done  :clapper:
Title: Re: Success in Ontario!
Post by: KentuckyTJ on August 27, 2012, 09:40:00 AM
Fantastic!
Title: Re: Success in Ontario!
Post by: rushlush on August 27, 2012, 10:10:00 AM
Congrats!
Title: Re: Success in Ontario!
Post by: Bernie B. on August 27, 2012, 10:26:00 AM
Way to go!  Great picture of you with the bear!     :clapper:

Bernie