Just stopped for the night on the way back from week 1 of Stickflingers.
First off I have to say that everything that I was told was correct. This is a first class operation. I could not have been happier with my time in camp.
For those of you going the next couple of weeks, there are some changes in the staff of Stickflingers. They have a new "junior apprentice" guide working with Dave known to week 1 hunters as "Magic Mike". Mike is a great guy that works just as hard (or maybe even harder if that is possible) than Ryan and Dave and he is a great addition to the crew.
There is also a new cook in camp that made wonderful meals all week that put weight on all of us, even if we didn't need to add any weight. Just be warned though. If you don't eat dessert the new cook gets tempermental!
The new guide Mike was awarded (or maybe saddled) with me and the other TG'er in camp. On the first sit was taken to the "Pit" stand. Here is how it looked when I setteled into the stand..
It was quite windy most of the week and there was not any movement for the first few hours. Around 4:30 I had a small black boar come in for a few minutes and I just took a picture of him. After a couple of bites of bait he moved on to the north and was not seen again.
As a little background on my bear hunting experience, I have only been on one other bear hunt over 20 years ago that I never saw a live bear. So I was VERY excited to be in Manitoba with Stickflingers. Upon hearing my story of my first hunt Ryan threatened to not let me take any arrows to stand the first couple of nights. He should have done it as here is what the bait looked like around 8:30...
A beautiful 5' chocolate boar came in from the north and even though it was the first night of the hunt and everyone told us there were lots of bears I just could not resist a color phase bear broadside at 12 yards!
I drew my Wild Horse Creek Quest and picked a spot. The arrow hit about 1" from the the hair I was concentrating on. The bear made a short 50 yard dash and coughed a couple times and fell over. There was plenty of daylight left so I walked back to camp to burn off the excitement! Magic Mike and I went in and found him and here he is...
Even though he is small for what is at Stickfligers, I am thrilled with him.
His hide is perfect and the color is beautiful. The blaze was unusual in that it almost made a figure "8" except that it lacked an inch or so of connecting at the top of the "8".
I spent the next few days tagging along with Dave and Magic Mike checking and filling baits.
I guarantee that this won't be the last time that I am at Stickflingers, as I am already booked for 2016. Next time I won't be quite so anxious to shoot (but I may have Ryan hold onto my arrows for a day or two, just to be safe).
I will let the other TG'er in camp tell his story of his time on stand. Just let me say that it was a very good night!
Thanks again Ryan, Dave and Magic Mike for a hunt that I will never forget!
Topic: 2013 Spring Bear Hunting Thread (Read 2938 times)
