Bear Quest 6 Start Your Engines!!!!

[hayslope]

Oh yea....back on target!

Congrats Sean!!!  It has to be a blast to take a nice bear with your recurve!

Any camp run by Tom has to be a good one. He's good people!!

Sean, to top it all off, you did it with some great company!

     

[tippit]

I still have bloody knees from being dragged into Sean's truck.  What with me being from Boston, I guess I shoulda known I'd be in trouble hunting with a NY Cop  

[tippit]

I'll start my story...

The geriatric mobile left for La Tuque Friday morning.  Barry was supposed to be with us too but as you all know he was in recovery from a mild heart attack.  Larry had been experiencing narcolepsy and couldn't drive as he falls asleep unexpectedly.  Plus I'm scheduled for back surgery in July.  So driving all night was Not a good option.  We got into La Tuque around 3 pm Friday afternoon, had a nice dinner, and good night sleep.

The rest of the group showed up around 6 am the next morning...couldn't help saying how well rested we were          We got into camp around noon, unpacked, and drew our hunting stands.  Splitting up into baiting groups, most of the guys elected to hunt Saturday night.  I tend to like setting up my trail camera to see what might be hanging around before going hunting.  It helps to know if any Big Bears are frequenting the stand...maybe keeping me from getting itchy three fingers under on the first sight of a bear.

The next day my camera had a few smaller bears plus a Big one except she had three small cubs.  That could be to my advantage if a Big Boar was sniffin' around though.

   

   

[Sean B]

Thanks all, I'm very happy that my first bear was taken with a recurve.  I couldnt ask for a better group of guys to spend a week hunting with.  I think to certain moments and I start cracking up. I cant say enough about BQ6!

Killdeer, dont let his laid back personality fool you, I had to taze him and cuff him to get him in!

[Yellow Dog]

Yup, I thought I might have to pick Tippit up and load him in the truck myself when I pulled into Mile Marker 41 Sunday night to pick him up. Good thing I didn't pull in too far, he was on the ground rolled up in a little ball in the middle of the two track waiting for me.

                                       

[Yellow Dog]

Sean, dandy bear and a great story              

Glad I could be with you for your first trad bear harvest. Well done!!!!

[awbowman]

Tippits are made to be USED Kudu!

[Sean B]

thanks Mike, I wasnt thinking, we shoulda takin a picture of the both of us.  BTW...thats one swwet shooting bow you got there.  It almost got packed in the red truck..by accident!!!  

[Kudu Kid]

Originally posted by awbowman:
Tippits are made to be USED Kudu!

Oh... it will be used, it will be.    

Keith

[Sean B]

You can bet it'll be used.  Keith had 3 bears skinned...skull and all, before 2 of us had 1 leg done!!

[Yellow Dog]

Yup, I was just watching in awe saying to myself "how's he do that"? I think Keith could skin a bear with a rock!!!!

[tippit]

After seeing the trail camera pictures, I hunted Mile Marker 41 stand Sunday & Monday only to see one small 125 # bear come in and not return.  The bait wasn't getting hit very hard either.  I figured if I didn't see anything Tuesday night then I try another stand.

Tuesday proved to be a perfect day to bear hunt...mist with a few showers mixed in.  Dark skies to give a longer evening cover for the bears.  I had my rain gear and mojo with me...tippit broadhead and my Dad's ashes that accompany me on all my hunts.  At the end of a harvest or just a good week in the woods, I always leave him where he loved to hike & hunt.

 

[Barry Wensel]

I'm really enjoying this thread. Trust me.. all I did was think about you guys last week. Tippit continues to get the biggest bear year after year. I'm waiting to hear the outcome for this year. By the way Jeff, I'm not sure if I ever told you this but I have a ridge in Iowa that we've named "Ashes". It's so good I want my ashes spread there someday. Thank you for the inspiration my friend. BW aka UB

[tippit]

Barry,
You may not have realised it...but your presence was in camp all week. Your chair was set around the fire pit!

 

[rastaman]

Awesome animals guys!      

[tippit]

Back to my story...

To help add to my mojo, Tuesday night I changed bows to "little sister".  PV had made it for me...56" 45#@28 black glass (my absolute favorite) and bocote riser longbow.  Not just a longbow but tweaked PV bow.

 

Around 8:15 pm my eye and trail camera caught this right under my stand.  

 

[Larry Surtees]

I'll let Jeff (Tippit) finish his story, and then I'll chime in.  But this was a week that will go down in my history book.  It was one of the best ever.  Great hunting, with great folks so what more could one ask for?

[tippit]

Tuesday night...

The Big Bear came right in under my stand like "she" owned it.  I say she cause I was concerned it was the sow with the three cubs.  But she came in with a small 80# bear behind her. Not seeing any cubs, it appeared that the small bear was her 2 year old which would be pushed out as soon as a boar started the mating courtship.  Therefore I felt this was a shootable bear.

She circle over to the crib but was facing away from me just briefly walking broadside.  The perfect opportunity of broadside with front leg closest to me and forward hadn't presented itself.  I was at half draw at least 4-5 times.  Once finished eating, I had the sense she was about to leave.  She took that one step that opened up her chest area...the arrow was on the way in!

With a loud growl, she ran off with what seemed to be Very Little arrow penetration.  I shoot all white arrows which allows me a great visual on low light situations.  Plus I use lighted  nocks.  Being hearing impaired and only hearing out of my left ear, I can't tell direction once my quarry is out of sight.  The white arrow & lighted nock allows me to see/follow the beginning of the escape route.

Now the questioning time...did the arrow which seemed like a good chest hit, catch the shoulder with no penetration or hit the off leg thus showing little penetration?  Knowing this was near a 300# class bear, I would replay that scenario all night long waiting for morning tracking light.

Getting back into camp, the first thing I did was get a mason jar of wine!  I couldn't even talk as Tom & Bowdoc asked for details.  They would be my trackers in the morning as they have been on all my bears.

This trail camera picture is right before my shot!

 

[buckeye_hunter]

Hello?...Calling Doctor Springer. You can't leave us on that! Need... more.... info.... fading....fast...help doc!

     

[awbowman]

Great story Jeff.  Keep her coming!