Been after a bear here in Michigan for a quite few years. It took me 8 years to draw a tag this year. My son, cousin and I drew 1st season which is the good season as they can't run dogs the first five days.
Mine is kind of a sentimental story. Used a Bear Kodiak Hunter that my dad gave me in 69 when I got home from the Marines. He closed the archery shop down and saved that bow for me. I used that bow, an arrow that my dad killed a deer or bear with ( he never used the same arrow twice and left me over 100 bloody arrows) and a Black Diamond hunting point that he killed game with. I put my stand in the same tree that dad killed bear out of. I got settled in around 4 pm, looked up to the sky and said, "help me out here pop". I saw bear at 5pm, 6pm and shot one at 7 yards at 7pm. I look back to the sky with a tear in my eye and said, "thanks pop". I just know he was with me. I never got excited, shot sitting down, lung shot and the bear went about 40 yards. It wasn't the biggest of the 3 bear but it was the only one that gave me a shot. We all shot bear, went 3 for 3 the first week.
So I guess that is off my bucket list.