Bear Quest 6 Start Your Engines!!!!

[Greyfox54]

Some good bears came and went before 6 am but no sign of the big one . As the morning wore on the bears coming in kept getting smaller and smaller ; just the opposite an evening hunt when the later it gets the bigger bears come in . That night Mike had shot his bear so I slept in and helped find and drag his bear out of the woods . A perfect hit . Congrats again Mike !
    That evening a sat my stand and saw 7 bears but no giant . next morning was the same and I was wondering if I would ever see him again . My bait barreel was empty every day and I had to bring in more goodies every time I went to the stand . I would bait it in the morning and watch as the bears cleaned out the barrel before 7 am and I would bring more in the afternoon and it would again be empty in the morning . Fourth afternoon as I approached my stand I surprised a small bear at the bait , he just walked off about 35 yards and sat down . He watched as I unloaded the donuts and changed sd cards and must have started back in while I was climbing into my tree as when I got up and turned around he was already in the barrel. I like it when a bear is nervous around a bait as it usually means a bigger one is lurking about but this guy was oblivious to everything so thinking things would be calm for awhile I unexpectedly took a little nap . I was awoken by the sound of the barrel moving around and saw a decent bear at work getting his evening meal . I only dozed off for about 15-20 minutes . Shame on me . I didn't mention it in camp but since Sean came clean about sleeping in his tree what thew heck . Just before dark a large lean bear came in and paced about . Part of me wqanted to shoot him and part of me wanted to wait out the bigger bear . If I am not fully fired up and focused about a shot things usually don't turn out well. I shot and it felt good but I remember hearing a crack when it hit and saw about half my arrow sticking out of his chest cavity . No death moan but even half penetration would get both lungs if it was where I thought it was . I waited till almost dark and crept away feeling remorse for making poor decisions . I had the big bear on my mind and should have stayed the course .  
    Four bears were hit that night and it rained pretty hard till almost daybreak .Without an exit wound blood would be sparse under the best conditions . I had Mike , Keith and Greg helping me out . We spent a couple hours and couldn't find any trace of him . WE did several grid searches but didn't have anything to go on , I shoot wood arrows and we couldn't even find the shaft which should have broke off as soon as he hit the edge of the clearing . I want to thank these guys again for the effort they put into the search . . It happens to the best of us but it's still pretty hard to choke down . I was wondering if the stand was cursed but being honest it was all me .

[tippit]

Before Fred gets too far into this incredible story.  I just wanted to reassure all those that helped me look for my lost camera somewhere between Beaver Pond, Roller coaster, Glove, and Mile Marker 41 stands, I now have a visible polar fleece case that should show up in my fanny pack    tippit

 

[Yellow Dog]

My favorite Tippit pic. Jeff hauling Mr/Mrs Big to the freezer in the little red "meat" wagon.

   

 

[Yellow Dog]

Well done Jeff, I did my best, I looked and looked and looked for that little black pouch with your camera in it and never found it. Glad you found it                Now back to Fred's story.

[tippit]

I know I know...as it turns out it was in my fanny pack all the time but camo'd with the black lining  :rolleyes:

[Sean B]

Great story so far Fred!!  for thoseof you who never met Fred, He is one hard core hunter.  And hes a great guy to boot!

[Bill Kissner]

Has Bowdoc been rubbing again or has he contracted the mange?          

 

[Yellow Dog]

Yup, Fred is a quiet, humble man that has accomplished so much as a bowhunter. I'm honored to have spent a week with him and such a group of special guys. This hunt should be part of every trad bowhunters "bucket list". It's not about the harvest but the quality time you spend with some of the finest people you'll ever meet.

             

[tippit]

Once we all saw what was coming into Fred's stand, we were all pulling for him.  I've never seen a bigger bear on camera in Quebec.  I wanted to see him up close & personal in camp!

Fred certainly rose to the challenge and put the hard hunting time in...mornings & afternoons.

[Greyfox54]

I went back to the stand that evening with high hopes thinking maybe it just wasn;t meant to be to find my bear and that I was destined to get the big one , I am given to flights of fancy like this at times . Besides I have a yen for one of Jeff's knives and even though Jeff shot a hog of a bear I was sure I could outdo him if given a chance . Another flight of fancy , but that's what keeps us  going . The usual group of 5-6 bears showed up at what seemed to be prearanged intervals . At 9 pm a large bear showed up and started to feed , he wasn't the big one so I just enjoyed his company for a few minutes when it started popping his jaws and walked out to my left . He circled around me still popping
his jaws till he was about 40 yuards outand  right behind me when all got quiet , then I heard popping again from behind me only closer.I was sure it was the same bear and let my guard down when all of a sudden from directly under my stand a bear came in with a melon the size of a beachball . He walked about 5 yards out in front of me and looked over his left shoulder at me . Even under my camo head mask he probably seen my mouth open and eyes bulging . Our eyes locked for what seemed like minutes but was really just seconds . No chance for a shot the way he was standing so I thought I would exercise my best option and do nothing and let the bear make the mistake . He must have been in this postion before , maybe this was Uncle Barry's bear , but he wasn't going to play . He bolted hard to my left and never made a sound . Well I knew he was still around and with 3 days left I had to come up with a plan .

[awbowman]

Pulling for you Fred

[Greyfox54]

Barry had his stand set in some pines just east of the bait , Tom thought it would be a good idea to change things and move the stand more southeast . Barry's bear came in from the left right where the new stand location was and this bear came in right under the stand . I asked Tom if I could move the stand and he said go ahead . Next day after my morning vigal I came back to camp and with the help of Mike we baited some stands and came to mine . We took down the stand and moved it about 15 yards back to where it was before . I sat in the stand and pictured the bear coming back the way he had and realised I was exposed if he just looked my way before coming all the way in . I was worried about the setting sun in m,y face also . Maybe I shouldn't have moved things / That afternoon I got back to the stand at 3:30 and brought some wire and pruning nippers with me . In a few minutes I had cut 5 branches and wired them to a sapling next to my tree so they would form a  curtain between me and thew trail the bear had taken . I could see througfh it good enough and when he came in and looked back up the tree he would be broadside looking away and I would then lean out past my curtain and plug him . I was happy , so simple it couldn't fail .  Feelilg like a true predator I settled in for the wait . Good bears came and went and I never raised my bow , I was on a mission .

[bill langer]

CONGRATS TO ALL!!!!!

Great stories and pics Fellas!!!

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Great Bears guys This is Great!

[Big Ed]

Great read along!

[Greyfox54]

I was feeling very confident, two days left , plenty of time for my new setup  only no one told the bear . That morning I stayed in the stand till 8:00 and then got down , I had a gnawing feeling about the bear I had shot at earlier and thought maybe he headed uphill across the trail I come in on . So I hid my bow and pack along the trail and took a compass reading and headed out . After 2 hours I realised I was not going to find it and hjeaded back to camp with high hopes for the afternoon .  I figured the bear would come in quiet and from the side . I wouldn't see him till he was 15 yards out . Anticipation  kept me on the edge of my seat . Going for the past 3 days with only a couple hours sleep made me glad I had brought along some 5 hour energy drinks , I was using a half a bottle an afternoon , I felt like a junkie . I guess the long hours were catching up to me as I got up at 3;45 the last morning . I was aggravated with myself for sleeping late but headed out anyway . Got to the stand a little after 5 and settled in . The barrel was empty and rolled off to the side about 10 yards from the crib .I didn't bring any bait in with me and thought I would leave the barrel where it was . I thought maybe I was overfeeding them .  A few minutes went by and a small bear came in and started to eat some crumbs without a care in the world . I thought this isn't very good as the bigger bears must have been here already today . Then I got the idea to move the barrel back and make noise doing it as if a bear was moving it around . So I got down and the small bear woofed and ran off . I got to the barrel and deliberatly began to roll it back to the crib . I took my time stopping every few feet and then would start again . I made noise but not too loud , I tried to copy the bears I had seen doing the same thing . I got the barrel in place and returned to my stand . 20 minutes went by and I started to think I didn't work when a large huffing noise came from the left side just passed the trail the big bear had come in on . At about 40 yards out I could see a huge black shape in the brush . The wind was coming out of the west and the bear came in from the south ,or crosswind of me , he circled to the west and kept moving till he was about north . I could see him well and it was no mistaking him as the big bear . He just circled the bait and left . This was around 7 am . My heart was still pounding at 7:30 when another bear came in . It was a fat bear , taller than the barrel , but not the one I wanted . Then out of no where the big one came back from where I had last seen him and circled around to the west . He was 40-50 yards out and just looked to the bait . I cursed myself for not bringing in more donuts that morning but I don't think it would have mattered . He just stood there still as a whitetail for 5 -10 minutes until the bear at the bait ate a few meat scraps and shuffled off northwest of the bait . when the bear left the bait I realised it must be a sow as the big bear walked over to her abd tagged along behind her out of sight . I waited an hour and left the stand . I knew what he had on his mind and would be kept busy for awhile . I figured he would come out early and hungry that afternoon .It would be my last chance .

[awbowman]

I'm not sure how this will turn out, but I have no doubt you had a successful hunt, kill or no kill.  Excellent story            

This thread has me sharpening Bear Razorheads this evening.

[Greyfox54]

It felt great to see the enthusiasm shone to me by everyone in camp . They all honestly wanted me to score and I honestly didn't want to let them down . I headed to my stand a little after 2:00 . A longer then usual sit but I couldn't wait . Most nights the first bear out is a small one and the last bear to come in is usually a big one . At about 7:00 a really nice bear came in and I was thinking that if it was in the last few minutes before dark I might reconsider things . Lucky for him he was early . He left full and content and a fat bear came in which I thought was the sow from the morning .  this may be the moment of truth . No such luck , she fed for awhile and left , I still had high hopes that things would work my way . A medium size bear came in and fed for 30 minutes or so and he also walked out . Finally just before dark a small bear came in and fed till I couldn't pick a spot on him . I run him off by getting down from the tree , I packed up my trailcam , licked my wounds and headed back to the spot Sean was to pick me up . Bill Terry was with him and both were ready to drag a bear , great guys both , they seemed as disapointed as myself , if that were possible . Back at camp everyone was expecting good news . I hope I didn't disapoint them , after all I got to hunt hard all week , mornings and evenings , bear sightings and shot opputunities every day . I got to see the biggest black bear ever and even got to hunt in Uncle Barry's favorite stand .I got to enjoy Bowdoc's cooking and wisdom . I got to meet and hunt with some of the best Tradganger's in the world . even helped some track and skin bears . I got to see a few guys get their first bear , congrats , you'll never forget that .I got to enjoy God's great creation for a week without thinking about work too muich .  There will be other chances as Tom will probably be doing these hunts for many years , he's a real workhorse . I want to thank Tom again for all he does , thanks also to Larry for the "company" on the hunt . Jeff one of these years I am gonna get one of your knives . lucky you Keith you got to see one made . Sean and Eric congrats on your first bear , your enthusiasm was contagious . Thanks Mike for helping me move my stand and letting me help track your bear . Bill Terry was a joy to share a ride with up and back to Tom's place , a true bowhuin ter . And greg I am taking your advice and stretching more now , thanks  guys for letting me share time and adventures with you .
 The only thing harder than starting this story is finishing it , I'm done , hope you enjoyed it half as much as I did living it , Fred

[jonsimoneau]

Great story telling Fred and great restraint and determination.

[owlbait]

Right there with everyone else Fred. Congratualtions on a great hunt and great memories made. Fine story telling too!