Yes Matt I finally broke the code for treestand hunting and safe use of treestands...wear your hunter orange and use a safety belt....that way you can belt yourself in..sleep in peace..won't fall out of said tree and the gamies won't disturb your slumber...and I'am sure we are all aware of the fact sometimes when we wake-up there is a bear in the barrel.....bowdoc

QuoteOriginally posted by the real bowdoc:
[QB] ...I've stuck alot of things into a pipe over the years,but never a broadhead.Doc.....bd

You're killing me Doc.

Around 5:30 a young bear comes to the bait. No hesitation or circling and right by the BBB's. He feeds for about 1 minute and up comes his head and he stares at the BBB"s that are only 2 feet from his nose. I could almost see the light coming on in his head. "I'm outa here" as he turned himself inside out gettin' gone. Had a hard time keeping the laughter silent.
 
30 minutes later a(150# or so)bear comes down the same trail as the first and stops at the BB's and gives them a good sniffing and cautiously goes to the bait for some dinner.The bear grabs a piece of meat and walks behind the bait chows it down and comes back to sniff the BBB's agian. He decides something isn't right and slowly heads out.

At 8:00 a still larger bear(175# + -) comes in on the same trail.It stops and smells the BBB's and saunters around to the donuts. This bear had a small rub on it's left shoulder and didn't seem concerned with the BBB's.She ate her fill then sniffed the BBB"s and taste tested them. Apparently not to her liking and sauntered off.

About ten minutes before dark another small bear came in (looked like the first one of the night)
stopped behind the BBB"s and departed post haste.
Great night on stand!!
The second night on Bird stand proved to be even more interesting...

Great, great hunt guys, thanks for taking the time to share it with us......


David

I just finished eating the first of my bear.  I must admit that I wasn't sure it was even going to be edible, but after tonight I'll not hesitate to eat it again.  I just fried up some strips of backstrap with the same Riley's seasoning I'd put on a steak, and it was GREAT!  Not at all gamey or strong and pretty tender, too.  I might have to do this again!

Second night on the Bird stand started out slow.  I'd forgotten the BBB's. Red squirrels and snowshoe hares kept me company until 7:00 when a large black object appeared on the trail coming from behind the bait. Here was a shooter bear and it was taking it's time coming in. The bear stood behind the bait checking out the situation for a good 10 minutes. The bear decided all was well and took the trail to the right of the bait. There were two squirrels fighting over who was boss and chased each other up to the bear. The bear ran off aways and circled behind the bait. I could see bits of him through the thick cover for the next 15 minutes until he came in on the same trail as before. No squirrels this time as he stepped around the crib. WOOF!! from directly behind my stand and the bear lit out.
Have you ever wished for a rear view mirror or eyes in the back of your head? This was one of those times. I could hear him breathing and I fully expected to see him when I glanced down between my feet. He was just the other side of the branches, that Tom uses for background on these stands. After a while he stepped though the cover and took a seat a few feet from the base of the stand tree on my left. We checked each other out for a long time. Me staring and the bear yawning and licking his lips. The bears next move was a few steps toward the bait and he sat down again all the while checking me out over his shoulder. He then proceeded to circle the bait. When the bear finally committed to the bait it was getting on towards closing time. He climbed up over the crib and started feeding in the barrel. The bear pulled some pastry out of the barrel and turned to his right, presenting me with a slightly quartering away shot. I leaned forward to clear a tree and sent the arrow on it's short path of 4 yards.  There was a flash of light! I'd forgotten about trying a lumenock on this trip. The bear huffed and ran a short ways and stopped. The lighted nock prevented me from seeing the arrows penetration.  I could not see it after the bears first jump. When the bear started moving again I could hear the carbon arrow ticking on the alders, then silence.
I took a compass bearing on the last sound and waited until full dark before getting out.

In the morning after the sleepless night, that hunters have when uncertain of the hit, Tom, Nate and I took up the trail. Sparse blood and no arrow soon faded out and the bear was not recovered. An old jawbone from another bear I found while bloodtrailing this one, reminded me that nothing goes to waste in nature, helped make that bitter pill slightly easier to swallow.

I'd like to thank Tom, Eric ,Loyd, Allen and Bowdoc for all their hard work.

At bear camp last year I heard a saying that stuck with me.

"In the years to come we will not remember so much the size or number of animals we've taken but the good friends and good times shared"

How true Ted
How true....

Rick, Here are two winner recipes I have tried so far. The first is to marinate the half inch to three quarter inch sliced  backstrap in Lawrys Steak and Chop marinade for 12 hours or more and grill till meat is not pink on inside. Excellent!!  

The other is to cube up portions of the Hindquarter into 1 inch cubes, season with some Lawrys seasoning salt, garlic powder and onion powder, Brown meat in a skillet and set aside, and slice up some carrots,onions and potatoes and add a can of mushrooms to the crockpot add a packet of lipton onion soup mix with a cup of water and mix well.  Add the meat and enough water to cover contents and cook on high for 6 hours and enjoy.  IT IS GOOD. LOL

Thanks Ron!  This hunt just keeps getting better all the time.    

Thanks for sharing, Paul.  Many of us have been there with you.  Hunting can be very humbling and this reminded me of just how fortunate I was with my bear.

Rick, what time is dinner.
? HA HA Flint

Hey Rick will I be able to make dinner tonight ??? and what time ?...second thought I may take Big Ron's tip and cook up  a little strap myself....yum yum ... bowdoc

Sorry to hear of your loss Paul. It happens sometime even at 4 yards.

I've thought often of the hunt for Big Black last year and the triumph of finally taking him. I just started trying to catch up on this thread. Looks like you guys had an epic trip to say the least. Carry-on... CK

We had a good time Curtis , glad to see you are still around , thought you had dissapeared.

Ron isn't kidding about that Lawrys Steak and Chop marinade.  MMMMMMmmmm that is some kind of good.  He brought some of his bear to STAR shoot and it was great.

Thanks for the good words Rick and Curtis.Was hesitant about telling the story.
Except for one pack of jerky reserved for two youngsters at the Poke and Hope this year we ate the last of Big Black in Quebec.

Glad you remembered those words Paul , sorry about the loss but you are right , nothing goes to waste in the woods.
This has been a great thread guys , a tip of the hat to all involved.

Finally got all my gear put away from Bear Quest,gosh darn i wish we did not have to wait until 2009' Spring to be in laTuque again !! Oh well have Whitetails to get ready for.

Bear Questers please send word to me as far as compliments,complaints and or ideas to make Bear Quest III bigger & better

      Your Friendly Neighborhood Bearboy

P.S. I will have deets for Bear Quest  2009' SOON I have had quite a few people touching base on it already !!

No compalaints here.  It is going to be hard to improve.  Great camp.

Complaints??  Hmmm, let's see.  There was that day I got bit by some black flies.  And I remember it rained while I was on stand once hard enough to make me put on my raincoat.  But that's about it.    
Best bear camp I've ever been in - bar none.        

Many compliments. You run a great camp Tom.

Complaints     :confused:  

Maybe get Bowdoc to open up a bit more and tell us how he really feels