Well its been about a month since I came back from a Bear Hunt with Jerry Russell Outdoor Guides. In the subject line I listed getting high, well Im finally able to settle down and post this. We hunted Mastigouche Reserve in Quebec. I chose to hunt with Jerry cuz it was only a 6 hour drive from home and his reputation on Tradgang. He also said he could get me close (UNDERSTATEMENT). I have been disappointed by guide service before but Jerry erased all that. I will try and make this short but there is so much to say, I know some of you have jobs and families.
My bow setup was one piece Silvertip 43#, cedar arrow made by a blind friend (yes it was straight), ACE 160 gr. BH. I am not a good shot with my bow or any bow. My bow league gave me a special award as "Most Consistent", which was their way of saying I sucked every night.
First night I was sitting watching a drum about 10 yds away. After 4 hours of the squirrel Olympics I looked to my right and I see a big black object followed by two little black objects. Cubs went to drum, Mom came to say hello to me, at 3-4yds away I waved at her, she woofed and cubs went up trees. For next ten minutes I heard a lot of bear vocalizations. I was very excited and a little scared. When Mike(Brushwolf) I told him that was the best outdoor experience of my life. That only stayed true for two nights.
Night two I was at different site in a tree stand about 10 ft. high. Bears have a way of just appearing and you do not hear them come in. A sow with 3 cubs came in, Mom scouted the area and stayed watch while cubs went to drum. Jerry uses 55 gal. drums and small holes so cranberries come out a little at a time. I always felt that shooting a bear with head in drum was cheating and I prefer this method. I am not saying it is wrong for anyone else to use the other method.
Night three found me on stool 7 yds from drum. I sat for a few hours praying to the Lord to help me stay calm and guide me arrow if I get a shot. About 8 pm a nice bear comes in and I draw but Im shaking like a leaf in a wind tunnel. I think I will be OK once at full draw, I did steady myself but my arrow was off the rest pointing far to the right. I torqued the string back and it hits the riser. Bear looks at me and at last second I pick a spot and arrow smacks him. I see white at entry point and I think I hit a sow and its milk, then realized it was the string from my string tracker which bunched up at sudden stop of the arrow. Jerry recommends string tracker and I used a Chad Orde model and quite happy with it. Bear runs off. Thirty seconds later at about 40 yds I hear the death moan, 10 times. It is a good thing but a sad thing too, like the bear is singing the blues. I want to yell "I'm sorry". I hit my phone to record the sound but in my excitement, I hit it twice. Yep, on and off.
I still have 90 minutes to wait, and I'm thanking the Lord for his help at the last second. At 9 pm a VOLTAR shows up, HUGE bear on PED's. His muscles were something, looked like someone put an airhose up his rear and blew him up. He walks over to me to see whats in the bug suit. At 3 yds I need a diaper change. My bow on ground, can't shoot, no bear spray. My big plan was to sound tough so in my best squeaky voice I say "that's far enough. Picture below is my view from stool. You see a branch horizonal, that's where he came to meet me. He runs and I only have another 30 min to sit there. Twenty minutes later I hear a snap behind me, something is there. I decide to go to the Burner. The burner is a old rusted charcoal burner, think of a large metal tepee. Jerry told me at dark I could go there and wait for pickup. I go in walk in circles talking to myself saying where Jerry, I need Jerry, wait til I tell Jerry. This bear hunting is addictive! Jerry arrives and I babble and babble, I imitate the bear moan and jerry says "that's a dead bear" he elected to come back in morning with bear dog. With VOLTAR in the area he did not want to risk buggering up this site.
After a sleepless night we found my about 40 yds from drum. I was in shock but Mike and Jerry took care of everything.
We had a great bunch of guys at camp. Charles and Jimmy from Ga. Levi from Ky. with son Drew who was not hunting, Cecil from W. Va. Mike from Ohio. Of course these guys thought that my being from NY I was just a fast talker, well I showed those hayseeds. I really enjoyed everyone EVEN Drew! Five out of 6 got bear and the guy that didn't passed on a nice sized 3 legged bear. Jerry said it was a down year!! Janice, Mike wife kept us all from losing weight. Bear Dog and Jerry have a special relationship and its fun to watch.
At 71 yrs old, I told me wife I needed this bucket list item checked off. After last years antelope hunt, another bucket list item, she said to me "Next time you go to the bucket better be when you kick it". I loved this hunt so much I'm putting back in the bucket!
Topic: Getting High with Jerry Russell (Read 2140 times)
