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....
Topic: BEAR QUEST II Spring BEAR HUNT 2 Openings (Read 40420 times)
