Bear Quest V -- Stories for all Posts

[tippit]

My three day work week is now over and I can concentrate on Bears again     Two different worlds...last week I couldn't wait to help skin & quarter bears especially for those who never shot a bear.  This week I was patching everything back together for a happy endings...exploratory surgery, fixing fractured limbs, etc.

Now where did I leave off?  What appeared to be a Big bear was now coming into the bait crib.  I'd spent the 45-60 minutes watching glimpses of him flash through the woods around me.  As I saw him approach, I turned on my camcorder and had my bow in my lap.  I was now the predator just waiting for the right moment.  Even with him at the crib, it was another 10 minutes before he committed to approach the bait.  His nose looked a little long and his legs were a little lanky but his body looked very broad...OK this is the One!  I had tried Barry's trick of putting some bait in a pile by the barrel..actually I spilled it there      This was Mistake #3

My set up was very tight.  The bait was 5 yards away and trees surrounded the Deli.  So when you actually saw a Bear, they were right on top of you.  When he turn for the sweets on the ground he was 4 yards away but coming into to me.  If he'd gone to the barrel, he be quartering slightly away from me.  So I needed to wait longer for him to get into position.  As he reached for dinner, I got the opening I was looking for.  My Griffin seemed to be on autopilot and the arrow vanished into the black abacus.  When he turned to run back the way he entered the site, I saw my arrow had passed through with a low exit wound. As hard as I tried, I didn't hear any sounds from a death moan or the direction of travel.  Being hearing impaired sucks!  I waited til dark, got down, and found good blood on the logs of the crib.  Tomorrow would tell the results.  

PS: This is the same bait site that I shot  a bear with Woody's stone knapped head, my selfbow, and Ray Hammond filming the entire episode.  If I can figure how to load my film on to the computer, I have the entire shot scene on video...Doc

[Greyfox54]

Jeff You sound like me , mistakes seem to come in bunches . Just bring Tom with you tracking again you don't even need a blood trail !

And by the way Tom Porter you look pretty relaxed with Wapiti-Mike playing captain .

[zipper bowss]

This is just about more than I can handle.Cubs climbing trees with hunters,blood trals every where,and Tilly in on the action also.Not to mention waiting for video's and all these wonderful pictures.You guys are sure telling a great story here.
Bill

[longbowben]

This is a great hunt.Looks like everyone is having a blast.Keep the stories coming.Congrats to all thanks for the stories and pictures.  

[tippit]

Fred,
You soon see how well your words of advise ring true!!

OK, I just had my second glass of wine so I'd better continue.  I know all the guys in the first camp are now shaking their heads...especially Billy Langer    

Tuesday morning was bright and sunny.  The front had passed and we were ready for some tracking.  Tom, Bill Terry, Larry, Randy, Barry, myself, and Tilly took the ride to the Deli.  We found the blood at the crib and Tilly started pulling me up the trail almost at a run for at least a 100 to 200 yards.  The blood was very good at first but at the top of the hill the bear seemed to stop leaving a large mark of blood but no other blood to be found.  We started circling and I had Tilly but she wasn't picking up any sign.  We searched for about a half hour, then Tom's whistle came from the the find.  

After evaluating the ground shrinkage, taking some pictures, and giving Tom Tilly's reward bone for the find...we hauled my bear back to camp.

I was very please with "My Trophy".  My mistakes were all out of pure excitement which only added to the enjoyment of the hunt...but also pointed out how difficult it is to evaluate a bear coming in at dark...Doc

 

[tippit]

Hey Mike,
If you're reading, I did send the hide down to Tom's freezer.  I took the meat home for bear burgers at Denton    Doc

[longbowben]

Wow thats a great bear.Tippit how much did it weigh?

[meathead]

Jeff, I wish I could make your kind of mistakes.  Nice job.  Congrats on all your screw ups.

[Guru]

Awesome story telling and pix fellas    

Congrats to all!!    

[Greyfox54]

Tom Phillips is a true " BearHound "A very respectable bear too , I'm glad everyone had a great time , Fred

[tippit]

Last Final Mistake.

As the story was told to me the following morning...Seems there was some celebration going on Wednesday night after dinner around the camp fire pit.  I think I was sitting next to this guy call "Il Bastardo".  He and I got into a heavy conversation.  When I finally got up, it seemed like someone had added a few extra steps to the two going into camp.  I not sure if Billy Langer helped me or if I helped him back into the cabin.  As a word of advice, in the future I'll never trust a "IL Bastardo" again...Doc


 

[Missouri CK]

Kip,

It sure was a pleasure to ride out and back from our stands together that night.  I had a blast back slapping and getting excited about the prospects of finding our two bears.  

Your a solid man Kip and it was my pleasure to hunt with you. You didn't start counting you chickens until you saw the bear the next morning. The sign of a solid hunter and your shot on that bear proved it!
I sure was happy you won the bear bear award from our camp. Nice work bud.

Here is another picture of Kip's bear. Which still doesn't do it justice.
 

[Raineman]

My favorite thread of the year as usual. This is fantastic reading.

Chris Kinslow...your story has my heart pounding out of my skull...as if I were there...just awesome storytelling.

   

[ksbowman]

You should read his epilogue! It's a  fantastic addition to any story!

[Missouri CK]

Here are some more pictures of Jeff's bear and the scene when they got back. I think most guys had decided they weren't going to find since it was taking so long. It was extra sweet when they came rolling into camp.


 

 

 

[Missouri CK]

I'll finish up my story so some of the other guys can get on here and tell their tales.

After I saw the bear run off through the brush I tried to sit down but I couldn’t be still.  I keep getting up and turning in hopes of hearing something.  I knew Kip would be at the pick up road soon to get me and I was debating how I should exit this situation.  I gathered up my gear at 9:40 as it had been quiet for the last 10 minutes. I crawled down and I went over to the shot site and found nothing.  I decided to slip out as quietly as I could and steer clear of the path to avoid bumping the bear.  On my way out my flashlight caught the unmistakable mark of crimson blood on the foliage.  It looked good from the first drop I saw, bright red and a decent amount.
 
My previous experience on the recovery of Charlie’s bear had yielded virtually no blood at all.  Tom Phillips had amazingly walked directly to Charlie’s bear without so much as any sign.   So I was thrilled at the evidence my broadhead had left on the ground up to this point.  As I stood there trying to decide what to do, I change my plan and decided to follow the blood trail.  I’m not so sure this was a great decision looking back on it as it had only been 10 minutes since I shot.  I made it to the entry trail for the stand where several wood structures where placed on the marshy ground to aid in footing and immediately saw more blood on the ground.  

[Missouri CK]

I moved slowly and saw the sign was going directly down the path I was on.  10 more feet down the trail I was still questioning my logic on following this trail when I shifted my flashlight into the brush to my left and then my right.  Two more steps and I saw a black form lying in the brush not three yards off the trail.  My Bear!  It was down and the arrow was protruding out of his body.  I watched the bear’s sides and saw nothing.  A poke with my limb tip produced no reaction. I took a deep breath as I stood there soaking it all up.  
In the days leading up to Bear Quest I had dreamed of seeing a 300 pounder with a huge pumpkin head. Realistically I was hoping to shoot a 150 pound bear or better.   When I reached down to touch my bear I realized that he weighed much less than that.  Regardless, a wave of satisfaction passed over me and I knew I had made the right choice to shoot this bear.  He was no better than several others I had seen and passed on earlier in the week.   But the moment had felt right and the evening had built to a crescendo that seemed perfect for the conclusion of my hunt.  The experience I had was exhilarating and it ended with the harvest of my first bear.
 
 
 

[Whip]

Incredible story Chris, and a nice bear to boot!  Congratulations all the way around.

Jeff, you are just spoiled after the past couple of years.  That sure looks like a nice bear to me.  Although that is quite the Chuck Adams pose in the one picture!

[Larry Surtees]

I was there with all these folks and listening to the hunts, helping with some recoveries, and seeing and taking pictures of their bears.  This is a great thread to read and relive the adventures of a fantastic week all over again!

Keep it coming!

[GRINCH]

Doc I think the name says it all IL Bastardo,Not a good omen.