Been back for a few days and I thought you guys may enjoy some pics. This was my second bear hunt and I really learned a lot this time.
Left Friday morning from St. Louis on an 1,100 mile drive.
Here is a pic looking off the porch of the cabin:
(http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b365/RRZESCH/DSC05177.jpg)
Elk Lake Ontario.
Here is what it looks like if you step off the porch:
(http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b365/RRZESCH/DSC05208.jpg)
And one more, early morning
(http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b365/RRZESCH/DSC05200.jpg)
OK, about the hunt, look familar...
(http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b365/RRZESCH/DSC05206.jpg)
In 2005 a 525 bear was taken hear, of coarse I did not see a thing on this bait.
One more, a little practice
(http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b365/RRZESCH/DSC05213.jpg)
Glad you're back and safe, looking forward to hearing more.
Bret
OK, you've got my attention.
Got into my stand a week ago Monday, after a while the Misquotes go so bad I turned on the thermacell. About an hour later I got busted. Nothing but woofing down wind, he was not happy. I thought you were not suppose to get busted with thermacells?? I did not use it the rest of the hunt
Had a Moose right behind the bait grunting and racking his paddels all over the place. Wolfs doing their thing, hunderds of honkers up high heading south, and a badger even came in to the bait.
kool pic's....we want more :campfire:
He will smell you before the thermacell. I can't wait for the rest of the story. You got us hangin on a limb here!
awesome pics got any more? :campfire: :coffee:
You have a good start. Now hit us with the rest of the story!!
What makes you think it was the thermacell?
Beautiful country whether ya got a bear or not!! Hope ya got one!
Got back on the bait Tuesday afternoon and after I got my seat-of-the-paints connect to a tree and settled down I heard this crunching sound. Sounded just like a dog chewing on bones. My quide was baiting with bones and fat (don't know where they got the stuff).
So there is a bear somewhere in the bush about 25 yards off the bait chowing down. After 15 minutes are so I see a back leg next to the crib and the bait tree.
On the thermacell issue, I really don't know if it was me or the thermacell but man to those things work. I did not use it the rest of the week and I still got busted again latter in the week. What I really think...if a bear gets down wind of you, your in trouble thermacell or not.
Here is another pic from the side of the cabin.
(http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b365/RRZESCH/DSC05197.jpg)
The cabin had a wood stove and we needed it. What a pleasure that was after a hot long summer.
And one more from the porch
(http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b365/RRZESCH/DSC05194.jpg)
Also found this stream that has brook trout, next time the fly rod is coming. I did not doing any fishing this time, but the small mouth and walleye were hitting..
(http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b365/RRZESCH/DSC05184.jpg)
and anymore about the bear??
Back to bear hunting...
The bear graps some more bones and takes them off to eat, when finished he comes back in for more. At this time he walks in slowly with his noise up in the air smelling in all directions. I got a good look at him. Not a big bear, I guessed about 140 pounds, but I have never shot a bear and he was good enough for me.
I had my guide move the barrel to about 15 yards from the stand so I was looking at a pretty steep shot. I wait for the shot I want, really not as excited as I though I would be. I get the opportunity and I take the shot. No excuse for this, put it was a clean miss right under the heart into the ground. The bear is totally glueless, jumps off about 5 yards and then comes right back. This bear want me to shoot him..
must have been a quiet bow!!!!
I don't know why he didn't leave the area, other times you can not make any sound and your busted. I think he was pretty young, he will be a lot smarter next time.
He came back into the bait, but was a little further away than I like for a shot. So I thought I would get the camera out of my backpack. No way could I do that. The motion and the sound put him on alert immediately. So I waited longer.
He finaly gave a another opportunity and I did not miss this time. In fact it looked like a lung shot to me. Boy was I wrong.
Beautiful pics Ray.....
and then? :D
well RAY? :saywhat: <><
yeah come on ya cant do this to us ya mean :biglaugh:
OK, the shot was about 20+ but hey he was really asking for it. Let me say first that the back of a bear is a lot broader than a whitetail and when your up in the air looking down things can get pretty confusing.
Anyway, I shoot, the arrow smacks and mister bear is having a very bad day.
I thought it looked a little high, but I thought it was a lung shot. The bear has a hard time running off breathing heavy, rolls over breaks the GT and kind of stumbles off. I am thinking bear skin rug.