Ontario Bear Hunt 2011 (we're back-pic heavy)

[creekwood]

 

[leatherneck]

The day rolled on with no sightings of any bear for me. My butt hurt and I was getting uncomfortable. I once again climbed up on the seat to lean against the tree for some relief.
At about 7:00pm (13 hours on stand)I pulled my phone from my pocket to see if I had any service to text Michael. Just wanted to see if he was doing any good. No service as usual. When all of a sudden I look 5 yards from the stand to my left and there is a big black object.
Yes, this time it was a bear!!!!!!
Cursing myself for allowing technology to let my guard down all I could do was wait. My 64" longbow was within yards from her. I could just picture her chewing on my bottom limb.      

But,instead of paying any mind to me,she walked over to the bucket on the ground and sniffed for a second. Then guess what,she went straight for the marshmallows.    

[leatherneck]

While at the barrel my camera got this pic:

 

[leatherneck]

Not a monster bear, nor was it a little one either. Bigger than any I have shot to date.I decided that I was taking this bear. While she chewed on those marshmallows her butt was facing me. Time to get the bow in my hands. Keep in mind I'm still standing on my seat. Knowing for sure that if I tried to step down on the platform a creek or moan from the stand would send this bear running. So if I was going to shoot this bear then it would have to be from the seat. I actually practiced drawing my bow from this perch earlier should the occassion arise. Boy I'm glad I did.

I reached down to get the bow and surprisingly was able to get it off the hook.

[leatherneck]

Thinking I might actually pull this off I slowly eased the bow up to my bow hand. Almost there I kept my eyes on the bear. Just as my bow was almost in my shooting hand I bumped the bottom limb on the platform. CLANK!!!!!! To my surprise those marshmallows must have been real good cause she didn't even look up.

Bow in hand I just had to wait on a good broadside shot. Lady luck was looking after me cause all the marshmallows were gone except one that a bird tried to pick up and dropped it behind the barrel. The bear went after this last marshmallow. The good part was her head was behind the barrel with her full body exposed. Slighty quartering away I picked a spot slightly back so the arrow would go up into the lungs.

Practice took over and the string came right to my face. Before I knew it the yellow fletching disappeared right where I was looking.
The bear took off and all was quiet.

[Mudd]

Wow!

I hope this story changes course after your last sentence..lol

I'll be back to see if you managed to retrieve your bow.

Thanks for all you've shared to this point.

God bless,Mudd

[leatherneck]

I sat back and took in all that had just happened. I cant believe I just pulled that off.

 But was my shot true? Was the spot I picked correct? Did I go to far back and miss the lungs? I hate quartering away shots!

Me getting down checking the spot.

 

[longbowben]

Nice picture.Just wish i could have filmed all of the funny things of you in that stand all day long.

[leatherneck]

I briefly looked for my arrow but couldn't find it. Now I'm wondering if I even had a pass thru.

I did find wet stuff right at the shot site and thought this was good. Keep in mind that I'm colorblind and cant see blood. So all I can look for is wetness.

I walk out to the road to gather my thoughts and see Michael coming down the road to me. He walked 2 miles to get to me.Here I thought we both had one down. But Michael had a bear in twice but elected to pass on it. His winds started to swirl so he decided to get down and not ruin anything since this was the first day. I was disappointed that his hunt got cut short the first night but welcomed a pair of eyes to help me track.

After going over the story with Michael we went back to the bush.

Michael looking over the scene.

 

[leatherneck]

I took Michael to the spot where I found the wetness. I told him that I have blood. He laughed then and is probably laughing now as he reads this. He said Mike,thats not blood,it's grease splatter.
Now I'm really disappointed. But right behind the barrel we did find blood. The 160 snuffer did it's job. And two yards away we saw this:

 

 

[longbowben]

       

[Guru]

Awesome!!!   I cant wait for more    

[leatherneck]

Originally posted by longbowben:
Nice picture.Just wish i could have filmed all of the funny things of you in that stand all day long.

You would have surely seen some funny things all right!!!!

Lunch time,I'll be back.

[longbowben]

Thats what every hunter wants his arrows to look like.

[Bel007]

[Doc Nock]

That's a long lunch break, Marine. Ten-hut and report yoru findings, Son!!!

snap to!

 

I'm safe, he's a full state away! Ha!  

[leatherneck]

I'm actually waiting on a couple pics.


Patience young grasshoppers.

[RM81]

[JoeM]

Love bear stories!!!

[leatherneck]

Now where was I?


Oh yea,the trail. After finding the arrow me and Michael went after her.
Folks, let me tell you something about a 160 Snuffer. Bob Morrison was right when he said it would be a short trail. After a mere 30 yards we found my bear. Lady luck was really with me. The arrow went straight in her right side around the ribs and exited through the back part of the left shoulder. Liver and lungs were toast.

She did give me the death growl so I new she was dead. But that would have killed the story.

Michael has a couple good pics of me approaching the bear and we'll get those up shortly. But here's my girl.