Got Bear???

[perry f.]

Sitting in my stand, the second day of Ontario's Black bear season, I was excited. We arrived at Bear Creek Outfitters a few days early and settled in. This was my first experience with an Outfitter, as I usually go on DIY hunts. However, my dad is aging and he was looking to go on a hunt a little less demanding physically.
I had set my stand up a few days prior, and had been baiting the site. It was getting hit regularly, and the trail camera pictures showed that they hit it at all times... Day and night..........................    

[Sean B]

[Rob W.]

I wish I could have been there with you bud.

Let's hear about your setup and that bow your going to sell back to me.    

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Good luck.  I hope you guys have a  great trip.

[perry f.]

Not so fast, Rob ole buddy.
Sitting there in the stand on that first night, I can tell you one thing. Having never hunted bear, I was a little uneasy. The trail cam showed a sow and cubs was frequenting the area, and also a few nice boars. When I freshened the bait that night before climbing into the stand, I found myself checking over my shoulder at times. As I sat there, I began to recall how this hunt came about.
   It was almost a year ago, and some buddies and I were about 4 miles into the back country of Colorado. Some of you may remember... They were experiencing their monsoon season at the time, with roads washing out and mudslides every where! We were camped at 10,300 and I never knew how loud thunder could be. We'd hunt all day, and come back to camp, try to dry our boots and limited gear(packing in, your supplies are limited), eat and go to bed. It rained on us for 12 straight days.  If anyone has ever been on a hunt like that, you know it is about 90% mental.
   We had a good hunt and one guy in our group got a cow. We had several other close encounters, but we just couldn't close the deal.  It was on the hike out, after that hunt, that next year, we were going to try something a little less demanding.( don't get me wrong, I love elk hunting and will be back next year)

[Rob W.]

[perry f.]

My buddy Ben is a taxidermist and one day he called me. It seemed that one of his clients had booked a bear hunt, and he invited us to go too. We sent our deposits, and started making plans. This was one trip that I already had about everything I needed. About the only things I had to get was a passport and a thermacell. I was going to use the same setup I used last year. A Two Tracks Limbwalker longbow 53# @ 28" (which I bought from my good hunting buddy Rob W.) Carbon Express Heritage 150's and 145 gr Stos Broadheads with 100 grain steel insert.
  As the months turned into weeks and then the weeks into days, we were ready. My shooting was good and arrows were flying like darts. Then finally the day came and we were off..
  21 hours later and I was here, after some prep time and waiting until the opener, here I sat. In the bear woods, excited as I could be, and a little on edge. Then it happened... I heard something. It was behind me, I slowly turned my head to investigate the cause. Nothing was seen and no other sound was heard. I decided it wasn't anything much and settled back in for the evening hunt, but then.........

[Gen273]

[South MS Bowhunter]

And.......

[Fattony77]

Dang it! I started reading this post too early!    Now I hafta anxiously await the rest of the story!!!
     

[Thumper Dunker]

But then ? That's not a ending.

[perry f.]

Over my left shoulder, a stick cracked... It was close!!! I slowly turned my head in time to see a flash of black moving through the thick brush. It was headed toward the bait. My heart started beating, it was a bear!!!!! I had already made my mind up. I wasn't going to be picky, as long as it wasn't a sow with cubs or an extremely small bear, it was in trouble.  The bear circled the bait and then came in from the back side. I could tell it had a white blaze, I was going to try to shoot this bear and I waited for my shot. He came around the bait and slightly quartered away as he approached it. His near leg went forward as he knocked the bait bucket over but I wasn't ready, it happened too fast. As he reached to pull the bucket out of the way however, he wasn't quite as lucky. I tightened the string, found my anchor and sent the arrow on its way!!!!

[Rob W.]

One thing that I have noticed that is unique to traditional bowhunting.......

DRAGGING OUT STORIES!      :D

[perry f.]

The arrow was on its way, it was flying true, and I watched as it disappeared into the black bear. He turned and ran but I could hear him crash. I waited what seemed to be forever. I heard no death moans, so I snuck out to give him some time. On my way out, I came face to face with another boar headed down the trail I was on. He was also headed to the bait, but turned and ran when he seen me.
After giving the bear some time, we returned to track. We ended up finding him and I was pumped. My 2014 season was off with a bang. In the pictures below, the hunters orange in the first picture was due to requirement since their season is weapon of choice.
   

That night, when my dad returned to camp, he had also harvested his first bear but no pics due to his weapon of choice


   

[Fattony77]

Awesome!! Great bear, looks like a wonderful trophy to me!    

And thanks for not making me wait TOO long for the story! Lol