I thought I'd share a quick hunt I just finished up with my friend Wes in New Brunswick.
I left from my Upstate NY home on Thursday morning at 2:30 AM and arrived at Wes' at around noon. He then took me to his buddy Jason's cabin where I'd be staying. It was a great little cabin and I unpacked and got ready to hit the stand.
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/HomeSweetHome.jpg) (http://s102.photobucket.com/user/TJReceveur/media/HomeSweetHome.jpg.html)
The stand is a sturdy wooden stand and as you can tell it isn't exactly far from the bait. I shoot a longbow and the rails were a bit in the way so I stood on the seat the entire time I hunted.
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/TreeStand.jpg) (http://s102.photobucket.com/user/TJReceveur/media/TreeStand.jpg.html)
This is a very nice bear that I'm pretty sure I encountered later in the hunt.
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/BigBear.jpg) (http://s102.photobucket.com/user/TJReceveur/media/BigBear.jpg.html)
He's big!
Wes said to bring some waders and I grabbed a pair before I left. I should've checked them... We have to cross a fairly big stream to get to the stand and I quickly found out my boots were about as water tight as a spaghetti strainer! Well, I squished my way on to the bait site and it had been hit hard and pretty much cleaned out.
It was about 3 PM when I climbed up into the stand and it was raining pretty steady. I've always heard the bears don't move in the rain. Well, there were at least 3 that didn't read that book. At around 5 PM the first bear showed up. It was this nice young bear.
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/BrownNoseWalking.jpg) (http://s102.photobucket.com/user/TJReceveur/media/BrownNoseWalking.jpg.html)
He was very skittish and circled around me twice and was on the third time around before he finally decided to come in and grab a bite. He came in and ate pretty restlessly. It seems he had experienced some trouble before on the bait. I took some pictures and even texted one to Jeff H. and asked him his thoughts on the bear. He was a nice bear, but seemed a little young to me. Jeff said not to shoot him, which was my assessment as well.
Here's another picture of the young guy up next to the barrel. He'll be a good one in a couple years.
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/BrownNoseCloseUpatBarrel.jpg) (http://s102.photobucket.com/user/TJReceveur/media/BrownNoseCloseUpatBarrel.jpg.html)
Nice Bear. Looks like fun!!!!
:campfire:
The young boar was eating and suddenly jerked his head up and ran off. I didn't move or make any noise, so it had to be something else and I found out what just a few minutes later. It was the fattest and shortest legged sow I'd ever seen.
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/BellyDraggingSow.jpg) (http://s102.photobucket.com/user/TJReceveur/media/BellyDraggingSow.jpg.html)
She was not a nice girl and she was not shy about eating and stayed and ate for a long time. Finally, she took a little break and started sniffing around. She came to the base of the ladder stand and started to climb up. She made it to the first step and then turned and went back to get another bagel. After she finished the bagel she came back to the ladder stand and started up again. This time she made it to the second rung and was coming on up. I told her to go get another donut and she scrambled back down and woofed at me. She left for a minute and then came back and grabbed a bite of popcorn and then started up the ladder stand again. This time she made it far enough up that I reached down with my longbow and smacked her on the head. She didn't like that much and scurried down and ran off. I was rather pleased she left, because I really didn't want to shoot her.
He she is right before she came up the third time.
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/SowGettingReadyToClimbinStand.jpg) (http://s102.photobucket.com/user/TJReceveur/media/SowGettingReadyToClimbinStand.jpg.html)
It wasn't much longer and a tall long legged young boar began to circle around. He was really skittish and never got comfortable at the stand at all. He'd run in and grab a bite of something and then run back off. I never did get a good picture of him. Here he is in the distance.
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/TallYoungster.jpg) (http://s102.photobucket.com/user/TJReceveur/media/TallYoungster.jpg.html)
It was then getting dark and after the young guy left I saw another bear pacing around in the distance. I'm not sure if it was the belly dragging witch or a different bear. It was a fatty though, but never came in past the brush.
That was it for the first evening's hunt
After a short night's rest we were planning to go into the bait bright and early at around 5:30 AM and if there were any bears on the bait, I would try to stalk up on them. There was a bear, but I think it was the tall skittish youngster. He was very fidgety and I didn't get within 40 yards and he ran off. We then walked on in to the stand and heard another bear run off in the distance.
I then crawled up into the stand and didn't see another bear until about 9:25 AM. In fact, I had texted my buddy Wes to come on in and get me whenever he was ready, but no rush. It wasn't one minute later and I saw movement in the brush. It was a big bodied bear and he was coming right in. He walked right up to me at about 3 yards and I had tension on the string just hoping he would turn and give me a shot. I knew he was a big bodied bear, but when he looked up at me at three yards, it was one of the bears with a big crease in the head that makes your decision to shoot pretty easy. I thought he was going to walk right under the stand and not give me a shot. He stopped and looked up and didn't like something, but it sure didn't spook him. He simply turned and started walking away toward the bait. He reached the 4 yard mark and was quartering away. I was pulling back the bow and he stopped with his front leg back. Darn it! I kept pressure on the string and was looking hard at a little piece of white grass that was slightly forward of the "middle of the middle" and a bit higher due to the steep downward angle. He finally moved the leg forward and I reached anchor watched the arrow just miss the white grass. I was rather surprised that my Snuffer tipped arrow didn't punch all the way through with my 61# Stalker Coyote longbow. It was within an inch of the fletching and I saw a distinct spurt of blood when it hit. This indicated a chest cavity hit to me. I was worried that the shot didn't get an exit hole and I didn't want to spook the bear so I climbed down and walked out and waited for Wes to pick me up. We then went back and gathered some troops for a search and retrieval if needed. I wanted to give the bear a good two hours.
After we got back, I climbed up the tree and showed them right where he went. There was no blood immediately found as the bear ran in and then veered off. Wes found blood up on a branch and then the trail was pretty easy to follow. We went about five yard further and found this...
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/FoundTheArrow.jpg) (http://s102.photobucket.com/user/TJReceveur/media/FoundTheArrow.jpg.html)
The arrow was a surprise to me as the last time I saw it, it was sticking out of the top half of the bear. I took it as a great sign as I believe what happened was that I hit the far leg and when he ran off it pulled the arrow through as he was running away. We had an exit hole and the blood was flowing pretty good now.
Another few yards and we found a big pool of blood and I was feeling pretty good that we would find the bear.
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/HeavyBloodTrail.jpg) (http://s102.photobucket.com/user/TJReceveur/media/HeavyBloodTrail.jpg.html)
We had now followed the trail about 150 yards and just past the pool and through the thickest brush around we found this...
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/BearatEndofBloodTrail.jpg) (http://s102.photobucket.com/user/TJReceveur/media/BearatEndofBloodTrail.jpg.html)
:thumbsup:
He is a very nice mature boar. He was thin as rail and beat up pretty bad. His ears were tattered and he had bite wounds all over him. His head and frame size indicate a 300# bear, but on a scale he was 257#s.
Here he is where he fell.
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/BearWhereItFell.jpg) (http://s102.photobucket.com/user/TJReceveur/media/BearWhereItFell.jpg.html)
I think it is the same bear from the photo above as he was thin in the hips and all head.
Even though he didn't run real far, he did run through the thickest stuff around. Here we are getting ready to drag him out on a ice fishing sled.
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/DiedinaJungle.jpg) (http://s102.photobucket.com/user/TJReceveur/media/DiedinaJungle.jpg.html)
We were probably a 1/4 mile or more from the road and remember that creek we had to cross. We had to all grab a corner to keep him from sinking the sled. I know he was 257#s, but by the time we got him to the truck he weighed 500#s.
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/FloatingBearinSled.jpg) (http://s102.photobucket.com/user/TJReceveur/media/FloatingBearinSled.jpg.html)
Here is a picture of Wes and I with the bear. It is more Wes' bear than mine as he did all the work. I was just the arrow delivery guy. Thanks Wes for a great hunt!
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/TerryShakingHandswithWes.jpg) (http://s102.photobucket.com/user/TJReceveur/media/TerryShakingHandswithWes.jpg.html)
Here's a picture of the bears big old head!
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/BigHeadedBear.jpg) (http://s102.photobucket.com/user/TJReceveur/media/BigHeadedBear.jpg.html)
I got the skull all boiled up and cleaned off and the green score was 18 12/16". I don't know how much they shrink, but I'm hoping he'll dry score enough for P&Y. Either way, he is a great old warrior that I'm very proud of.
Congrats!
Terry, I was happy to hear and see your Success!
Congrats again!
Congrats on a great bear!
Way to go!
Great bear!
Congrats,
Bisch
Well done Terry. Nice story. I couldn't be happier for you. Mike
CongratulationsTerry. Great bear and story.
Not likely going to shrink more than a few sixteenths so he will make Pope and Young with room to spare...there are a number of great lessons for bear hunters in your account...you make shooting a record book bear seem simple which it is once the hard work and preparation is done
DDave
DDave, you are exactly right! Hence the title Wes' bear. I know he was the one who earned the bear. I was just the guy who killed it.
I did do things a bit different than most bear hunters. I hunted in the rain and in the morning. I also let the little guys go. Remaining ready and motionless is critical. I have no doubt in my mind that had I been sitting down with my bow hung up I likely would not have had 4 of the 5 bears come in. They don't see some things well, but they see movement really well. The big guy would've been gone if I had to stand and get my bow ready. It was less than a minute from the time I saw him to the time I shot him. I also broke the rule of waiting for them to settle down at the bait. I've hunted whitetail deer for way too long and NEVER pass up a good shot opportunity. These big boars are traveling right now and I'm not totally sure he would've stopped and eaten. Had I not shot, when I did, I don't know if I would've had another chance.
It was a fun and exciting time!
....Congratulations on a Great animal !
What are your plans with the hide & meat ?
Hides are beautiful , as for the meat ...trail bologna is good ;)
Good job !!!!
Great hunt and pictures, congratulations!
Congrats on a nice bear.
Congratulations on a great bear! Nice pictures too! :thumbsup:
Bernie
Great job!
:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :clapper: :clapper:
Super Nice
Good bear
Thank you for a great story and pictures. Did anyone speculate on why he was thin and beat up cuz he should have been one of the big guys in the neighborhood?? P& Y with a longbow! Good on you...
Good looking bear and great story.
Nice job and a great bear Terry! Congratulations!
Good job Terry!
Great poctures and story. Congrats.
Great bear and awesome story! Congrats!!!
Real nice bear. Congrats on a great hunt.
Way to go Terry...nicely done!
Great thread, pics, and hunt! Congrats!
Nothing better then hunting bears , good job terry
Very nice! Congrats. Thanks
Congrats on a nice Bear and thanks for a great story and pics. :clapper: :clapper:
Congratulations Terry. Fine bear and bear story.
Fantastic. I love reading these bear hunt reports. It must be magic sitting there and watching whats going on below you.
Well done Terry!
Congratulations on a great bear. :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
We'll done thanks for sharing Terry.
Wow! Guess I haven't been on here for a while! Thank you Terry for all the kind words!
Now it's my turn, as a guide, we work hard for a long time to give people the best possible opportunity to kill a bear. When a guy like Terry comes to hunt, he's fully prepared to do just that, hunt & hunt hard. He's 100% ready & willing to do everything possible to kill a bear & that is exactly why he was successful.
QuoteOriginally posted by fmscan:
Did anyone speculate on why he was thin and beat up cuz he should have been one of the big guys in the neighborhood?? P& Y with a longbow! Good on you...
It was nearing the end of the rut, he had no doubt logged several miles looking for hot sows not eating very much, living on fat reserves. Out of the den in April this bear would have easily been 300lbs, in late June when killed, he hardly had an ounce of fat on him.
On his journey he has ran into a good few other boars doing the same, you take 2, 250lb boars in their prime, loaded with teeth & claws, it's going to get ugly!!! He was beat to pieces! Infected cuts & puncture wounds from his ears to his hind end!
Hey Wes!! Good to see you post!! I owe your father a text. You may be seeing me or a quick hunt one of theses days!!
QuoteOriginally posted by Sean B:
Hey Wes!! Good to see you post!! I owe your father a text. You may be seeing me or a quick hunt one of theses days!!
Yeah! It's been a while! C'mon up!
Congrats! I look forward to doing a bear hunt one day.
Congratulations! What a nice bear.
Quick update: I had the bear officially scored for P&Y and it came in at 18 9/16".
Also, for a full recount and description of how to help yourself and your outfitter be successful on a guided hunt see the next issue of the Professional Bowhunter Magazine.
Nice bear.
That's awesome Terry!!
Thanks for taking me along.
:thumbsup: :thumbsup: