Just returned home from a wonderful week in the Manitoba bush. It had been a number of years since I have been on a spring bear hunt, and this trip was just the tonic I needed.
The trip was arranged by my good friends Irv Prough from North Dakota and Kevin Shea from Montana. It sure was good to see them both again! There were a total of nine hunters in camp including my long time hunting partner Ohne Raasch from WI and old friend Paul V. from Mass. Ohne and I drove up and picked up Paul along the way at the St. Paul airport. The rest of the hunters in camp were new to me but quickly seemed like old friends as well.
The first morning we spilt up and went out to check baits. Spring came late to the north country this year, and not all baits were yet showing activity. After checking baits we gathered to compare notes and draw cards to determine who would hunt where.
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The Ace of Diamonds gets first pick of the baits. :goldtooth:
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This is going to be good!
I can't believe Whip missed !
Manitoba and good friends, I'll be watching this one
:campfire:
Probably missed the first bear ..... then proceeded to killed a 500#er
:campfire:
The majority of Manitoba bears are of the typical black color, but there are also a fair number of color phase bears ranging anywhere from chocolate to blonde. Before leaving on the trip I had a goal of any good mature color phase bear, but I sure wouldn't be able to pass up a giant blackie.
My first night on stand saw one visitor, and of course it was black. I wasn't even tempted to take the bow off the hook.
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The bait had a trail camera set on it and I knew from the pictures that a nice light chocolate bear had been at the bait. On the second day out I went in by myself to hang a stand in a different tree. After baiting and hanging the stand I returned to the truck to change clothes and retreive my gear. When I walked back in to the bait I looked to my left to see the brown one 20 yards away watching me. It quickly ran off. Darn it!!
Nothing I could do but to climb in the tree and hope for the best. Ten minutes later it reappeared, but would not come in to the bait and stood just out of range seeming to be watching me in the tree. I'm sure he had watched me hang the new stand and knew exactly where I was. He slowly filtered out of sight. At 7:30pm he returned, but once again stayed back in the brush watching the strange guy perched in the tree.
The next few days I saw nothing but black bears on the bait except for a couple of colored cubs. My brown buddy had seemed to have disappeared and didn't even show up on the trail camera.
Here are some random pictures from both the trail camera and my hand held.
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(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y80/Jlasch/Manitoba%20Bear%202014/BearHunt2014398.jpg) (http://s3.photobucket.com/user/Jlasch/media/Manitoba%20Bear%202014/BearHunt2014398.jpg.html)
I called this guy Rocky Balboa. He was one ugly looking bear with a face only a mother could love!
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These two entertained me for a couple of hours with their posturing, growling, chasing, and all out fighting for position. The more aggressive of the two was actually a bit smaller and would not leave the bait alone.
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:coffee:
Awesome... That one bear is kinda ugly. Good name. Rocky balboa!! Hahah
Love me some Kevin Shea too...
:campfire:
As the week was winding down the brown one had yet to reappear. I also had not seen what I would call a true monster black either in person or on the trail camera. Saturday would be our last day to hunt, and on the drive out to hunt on Friday afternoon my resolve was beginning to weaken. I do enjoy bear meat, and decided that if I wanted to take a bear home I had better stop being quite so picky.
I was dropped off by our guide Sandy and as he rebaited the barrel I climbed into the stand.
When I settled in I realized I had forgotten my hat in the truck. I climbed back down to retrieve it while Sandy finished his chores.
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The truck was only 50 yards away and as I cleared the brush to it I saw a nice black bear run across the road right next to the truck. We had apparently bumped a bruin from the bait when we arrived.
Bears are notoriously poor mathematicians, and I hoped this one would be back as soon as Sandy left. The sound of the truck had barely faded when I looked to my left to see a bear standing on the trail headed to the bait. He was standing in an opening and was actually closer to me on the trail than he would be at the bait. I decided to take the shot.
Just as a reached full draw the bear started to turn to leave. I rushed things a bit and dropped the string as he turned. My initial impression was a bit low and forward, but hoped it would be good. But as the bear ran off his reaction didn't seem quite like a mortally hit bear and my arrow was stuck deep in the dirt where he had stood. From my stand I couldn't see any blood on it and I had a sinking feeling in my stomach.
I decided to wait a few minutes before climbing down to confirm what had happened. I had pulled the SD card from the trail camera when we arrived that afternoon and inserted it into my camera to review while I waited.
As I started to review the images a black bear head appeared 10 feet below me directly between my feet! The bear I had just shot at had a mostly black muzzle. The one below me was Rocky Balboa with his distincly colored muzzle, and obviously a different bear.
Here's Rocky again.
(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y80/Jlasch/Manitoba%20Bear%202014/BearHunt2014583.jpg) (http://s3.photobucket.com/user/Jlasch/media/Manitoba%20Bear%202014/BearHunt2014583.jpg.html)
Now I was stuck in my stand and couldn't get down to check my arrow. So while Rocky fed his ugly face I went back to looking through the images from the trail camera. I found that the brown bear had been back! He had been there first thing at daylight, and again at 10am, 1pm, and 3:30. He was apparently hungry! There was also another good black that had visited frequently throughout the day.
Eventually Rocky left, and I climbed down to retrieve my arrow. My fears were confirmed - the arrow showed no signs of a hit.
I hadn't been back in my stand more than 20 minutes when another bear appeared. It was a black, and had a similar colored muzzle to the bear I had missed. But I was fairly certain that it was a different bear as it didn't appear to be as round as the first one and the head not quite as wide. It really didn't matter though. The trail camera images had restored my resolve. I would wait for the brown one or go home with nothing.
The most recent visitor finished his dinner and left me alone once again. Shortly after 8pm I looked over my shoulder and caught movement in the brush. Brownie was here! But he slowly turned and left, and I wondered if once again he was too smart to come in while I sat in the tree. My wait was short this time though. Ten minutes later his head appeared directly under my stand in the same spot that Rocky had stood earlier. He slowly crept in to the open and approached the bait.
There was no question this was the bear that I wanted and I had a serious talk with myself to make a good shot. I am a firm believer that broadside is the best shot on bears and promissed that I would wait for it.
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My patience was rewarded with him laying broadside on the ground. As he reached forward toward the barrel my string came back. I hesitated briefly to confirm a solid anchor before watching my arrow bury to the fletching. There was no doubt in my mind this time, and the trail camera even captured the moment as he leaped over the log.
(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y80/Jlasch/Manitoba%20Bear%202014/BearHunt2014603.jpg) (http://s3.photobucket.com/user/Jlasch/media/Manitoba%20Bear%202014/BearHunt2014603.jpg.html)
Congrats Joe!! Looks like a great bear :thumbsup:
:campfire: :clapper:
As he ran out of sight he turned left on the logging road and disappeared. I could hear ragged gurgling followed by one low moan and I knew it was over. Fifty yards away he lay in the middle of the road. The only dragging on this one would be to arrange him for pictures.
(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y80/Jlasch/Manitoba%20Bear%202014/BearHunt2014481.jpg) (http://s3.photobucket.com/user/Jlasch/media/Manitoba%20Bear%202014/BearHunt2014481.jpg.html)
(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y80/Jlasch/Manitoba%20Bear%202014/BearHunt2014492.jpg) (http://s3.photobucket.com/user/Jlasch/media/Manitoba%20Bear%202014/BearHunt2014492.jpg.html)
Looks good Joe.
Oh my, what a trail camera shot. :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :clapper: :clapper: :clapper:
Looking forward to the story wrap-up
With one more day before we needed to leave for home we took a little time to try the fishing. If I have any regrets on this trip it is that we didn't get to do more of this! Cast after cast resulted in a hungry nothern hitting everything we threw. The action died quickly as the sun dropped toward the horizon, but in not much more than an hour we probably boated in excess of 40 fish.
(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y80/Jlasch/Manitoba%20Bear%202014/BearHunt2014508.jpg) (http://s3.photobucket.com/user/Jlasch/media/Manitoba%20Bear%202014/BearHunt2014508.jpg.html)
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Joe what a great story!!! great looking color phase and you got the arrow in him on camera!!!! how rare is that!! You do have the luck of the Irish in you. Great day for a great guy
!!
Awesome Whip. To awesome. Congrats my friend.
Great bear, super pictures (especially the classic hero shot), well told story. Thanks Joe!!
Congrats on your color phase! Great story and what a cool trail cam picture!
Great story. Great bear. Congrats!
AWESOME Joe, ever thought of writing a book?
BEAUTIFUL BEAR!
Awesome hunt and story, thanks for share. :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Great trip! Congrats. :thumbsup:
Awesome bear!
I killed my first a couple weeks ago in Alberta. I can't wait to go back and get a color phase one!
Congrats on a beautiful bear!
Bisch
Nice! Congrats.... Good story and pics
:clapper:
Great Bear Joe Congratulations.
Joe,
Congrats on a great bear! I love the trail camera picture right after the shot!
Great Job Joe! Congrats on a nice bear!
Great Bear..!.. Thanks for sharing the story..
That's great, Congrats! We leave for Manitoba on the 14th. Did you seen any rut activity?
That is awesome! I would be tickled to death with the fish!
Nice color bear. That trail cam shot with the arrow nicely nestled in behind his shoulder :thumbsup: Frame that!
Darcy
'Buffalo Joe' just keeps getting it done all over North America.
Very fine looking bear, and just a great story to help get us through summer. Thanks Joe!
Outstanding, Joe! Congrats!
Nice Joe! Great trip with great friends and a good bear, can't be beat! Congrats!
LD
Great bear and an awesome story. Thanks for sharing.
Awesome bear - great story
QuoteOriginally posted by Whitetailarcher:
Awesome bear - great story
Amen !!
Cool stuff......
Great story...great pix. Congrats and thanks for sharing.
Congrats on a beautiful bear Joe!
Love the story and the pictures.
Joe Congrats on a good looking bear!
Nice bear.
Getting that email and then reading about it here is just what kind of medicine I needed Joe! Greenstripes rule :)
Great story telling. Thank you for writing it up for us here.
:campfire:
Edge of my chair story,,, congrats. Joe
Congrats yet again Joe ... great bear and mighty fine story and pics ... great job of waiting for the right one and a little luck with a miss :archer2:
Congrats on the bear! Always enjoy reading these stories with hunting season still a ways off. Thanks for sharing!
what a great trail camera picture! I hope to get a bear in the next few years.
You're going to need to move as you probably don't have any wall space available ;) Congrats again!
Great hunt! Congratulations on a fine chocolate.
Nice bear joe. Love the trail cam pic too. Super cool.
Well done, Joe. Congrats. Excellent pix as well. :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Another nice one Joe! :campfire:
Shootn at animals sure cures a person of target panic. Congrats again buddy. Anybody else successful at camp?
Good things come to those who.....
....miss ? :D
Beautiful color, and nice 2nd shot, too.
Congrats! Sounds like a great trip.
Bruce, as a group we were 7 of 9. Of the other two Paul was waiting on a color phase that didn't show and the other guy hit and didn't recover what appeared to be a flesh wound. So excellent success rate all around.
Oh man! Congrats on a beautiful bear! Thanks for sharing the story... it was a great read.
QuoteOriginally posted by tippit:
You're going to need to move as you probably don't have any wall space available ;) Congrats again!
What a great problem to have. :bigsmyl:
WOW! That was one awesome story and an even more awesome bear.
Big congrats!
What a trip!
Way to go, Whip!!
Shick
Well done Joe !!! :thumbsup: Can you tell us what your setup was ?
Bill
Congrats Joe!!! That is a cool trail cam pick with the arrow in him and a great story buddy. Thanks for sharing :wavey:
Great bear Joe. :thumbsup:
Neat! Looks like fun!
Bill, I was using a trusty old Bear Green Stripe takedown that is 50@28. (I draw 29") Gold Tip 55/75 with a 100 gain brass insert pushing one of the new Grizzly Instinct 3 blades. The bear was laying down at the shot and I think the arrow stopped where it did when it hit dirt on the way out.
I found the back part of the arrow where it snapped off about 30 yards into his death run but I searched and searched and never did locate the broadhead end. All I can figure is that it got flung far into the brush when it snapped.
Nice going, a really nice bear and color phase, congrates
awesome bear. way to wait for what you wanted. im sure you missed cus you knew.
Joe,
I need to start hunting with you.... seems you never come out of the woods without a critter :readit:
Congrats on a beautiful bear! :thumbsup:
Great bear buddy. LOVE the color.
Great story, great bear. Congrats to you.
Good job !!!!!
Awesome adventure all the way around. Congrats!! Have any idea of the weight?
Keith, it dressed out at 142#. Guessing 175 or so live weight? Not a giant, but plenty big enough for me. Should make a nice looking rug.
I wanna be Whip when I grow up!
Well done all around. Thanks for sharing.
Awesome!!! Way to go Whip!!!!
Dang Joe, you are a killer! congratulations on a dandy! Sure wish our friend Paul V.had gotten what he was looking for. He is a great guy and builds some nice bows!
Great job Joe! Beautiful bear!!!
Good Stuff Joe! Thanks for sharing with us...
Nicely done Joe. Good for you!
Good going Joe! Great looking bear and great pix too!
Congratulations Joe! Good looking bear. :clapper:
:thumbsup: :thumbsup: Congrats Joe!!!! Cool looking bear and great pics. That fishing sounds like a blast. That is a dream all by it's self.
Way to go Joe! I like the color of that bear! :thumbsup:
Congrats Joe great looking Bear.
Congrats on a great bear and great story!!
Very nice Joe. Congrats on a fine bear and excellent shooting.
Great job, Joe. Thanks for sharing.
homebru
Congrats!
Well done! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Congrats Whip!
Nice bear!
Congrats, and a great story. I can't believe you got a picture of the arrowed bear!
That's one beautiful bear! Congrats
Great hunt Whip! Thanks for sharing with us.
Great hunt Joe! If there were still "Marlboro Man" ads I think they'd try to buy the one of you with that bear. Awesome picture!!!!
Congrats on a nice bear!
Congratulations! A beauty for sure! Memories you will have forever that's what it all about!
Nice bear and excellent story. Thank you for sharing it with us.
Great write up! Congratulations, Joe! How did Kevin do?
Great bear and great hunt Joe!!!!!!!!!!! Congrats!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Great story Joe. Thanks for sharing it and the cool pics. :) Congrats - that's a fine bear. Todd :campfire:
Wow. Great read, great bear. Congrats
Tom, Kevin shot a dandy black the night before we left. He did use one of those unmentionable weapons though due to his shoulder troubles. But he was a happy boy.
Paul and I were actually the only guys shooting trad gear last week.
Thanks for sharing the great story.
Really good stuff Joe. That trail camera pic is great!
Awesome, buddy! Truly beautiful bear! Glad you missed the first one!
Really Great read and a very nice bear.
Joe,
Congratulations! I love the color of the bear. Way to regroup and put everything together.
Awesome awesome awesome!
Congrats on a great bear and hunt.
Amazing pics!
Well done Whip, that was a fine story, and a nice bear.
How do you usually use the bruin meat ?
Mark.
Congrats Joe!! Nice bear, good story.
Great bear Whip thanks for posting your story.
Congrats Joe!! Hope to see you at Compton.
way cool whip nice Brown :clapper: :clapper:
Outstanding!
Great job, on the story AND the bear!!! How did the blood trail look (besides REALLY short) using the Instinct?
Congrats!
I really didn't have to track because I heard those gurgles and he was laying right in the road. But as I went back searching for my arrow there was plenty of spray so that tracking would have been an easy task.
Joe, A hearty congratulations!! Always enjoy reading of your success. Your story telling & pictures never disappoint.
Kudos!!
Real cool stuff. :thumbsup:
Congratulations on a beauty!
:clapper:
-Jay
Congrats Joe! You did it again! :thumbsup:
Heck of a spring you've had Joe!!! Big congrats!
Congrats Joe, I'm jealous though, just returned from Manitoba myself, had the same goals as you, color phase or
Really big Black. Saw 13 bears during the hunt and could have shot six, a couple pretty nice ones. After our last evening hunt
A guide asked if I saw one tonight, said I turned down a good black, he said why, told him I have a rule ( never shoot something on the last day you wouldn't on the first) besides gives me a great excuse to go next year. I love Bear hunting,
Talk about exciting........
Well done Joe, love the pics.
RW
Congrats to a great guy on a fine bear!
Nice, Joe!!!!!!!!!
You're gonna need to build-on for all your trophies!!!!
Hope to see you at Horicon...
I know it's been said a bunch but that trail cam pic is really cool!!!!! Beautiful color phase bear!
Congrats Joe! Super happy for you! Thanks for taking us along.
WOW!
I swear Joe, I wanna be just like you when I grow up!! :notworthy: