Stickflingers Experience Learning so much..So far from home. Pics added 6-8

[SheltonCreeker]

I want start this thread by saying a heart felt and deeply sincere thank you to each of my camp mates over the last week. I learned more from this group of guys about traditional archery, bear hunting, outdoorsmanship and ultimately about myself than I could have ever imagined.  Also before I get too deep into this thread I want to put up a disclaimer. I didn't kill a bear and there will be no hero shots to follow. But I feel I would be cheating all the Trad brothers not to share some of this experience and the photos.
I want to say what many have said before, Ryan Derlago runs a top shelf operation. I'm not talking just about the quality of the bear hunting either. Himself and his guides are world class individuals who go above and beyond to help guys get an opportunity at a bear and be comfortable in camp. Again I know I'm not the first to post these words.

   
This is the group of guys that was in camp over the past week. Again I feel that this experience wouldn't have been as awesome without sharing with these guys.
From right to left:
Myself(David Gage),Guide "Magic" Mike, David Pagel, TwoWolvesArchery(Mike Casey),Wapiti792(Mike Davenport), Tim Bradley, BEL007(Brian Lance), Kneeling Stickflingers Ryan Derlago and David Heppner
   
These week absolutely flew by. I spent 2 days on a bait called Determination aka Crazy Bait. To quote Ryan, "Its mind blowing."
I'm not gonna go into every detail of the hunt but touch more on the things I learned about myself thru this experience.
Hunting can bring us to the highest of highs and bring us down to the lowest of lows.
I experienced both on this trip. On the 4th night of this 6 day hunt I had a beautiful 6 foot chocolate boar come in. I knew the second I saw this bear that I wanted to take him. He came in to the bait and presented me with a picture perfect full broadside shot. I came to full draw hit anchor and released.
I was in absolute shock when I saw my fletching strike the bear right above the elbow. This was a good 4 inches lower than where my eyes had been looking. I knew with the shot trajectory and stand height that arrow didn't enter the chest cavity.
At this point my heart sank. No jubliation of an up coming recovery. Just pure and total deflation. I was certain that this bear wasn't mortally hit and that there would be no recovery. My mind was racing and as I think anyone who has wounded an animal can confirm I began to question myself.
I began to have the thoughts of why do I do this? Why is it I'm drawn to a hobby that can be so gut wrechingly painful? I wasn't worried about money or the time it had taken to get to camp. I was heart broken that I had caused this animal pain. I started to question my motives for this trip and wonder if I had been selfish in leaving my family behind to pursue this passion.
I prayed for guidance and peace and that the Lord reveal what it was I needed to learn from this experience. This my friends I recieved and more over the course of the next few days.
I left the tree and got back to the quad. I made the long ride back to camp and was full of emotion. I honestly had to fight back tears as I pulled into camp to look Ryan, David and Mike in the face and tell them that I hadn't held up my end of the deal. They put a bear in front of me and I didn't make it happen.
We let everything be for the night and Mr. Pagel had success but that is his story and I want him to tell that. David, Mike Davenport and I went back to the bait where I'd shot my bear and did an extensive search. At certain points we were on the ground on hands and knees looking for blood and after 400 plus yards of tracking we all agreed that it was a muscle hit. I did feel a little better.
That evening Mike Davenport was going to go to Determination aka Crazy Bait and asked if I wanted to go sit with him. I was thrilled at the chance to experience this bait with my friend. We got to sit in the same blind during turkey season in Nebraksa and to get to do it again bear woods was absolutely amazing.
   
No camera tricks. That bear is in the tree next to us. Doing the same thing we are hiding from the mad sows below.
Much more to come. Learned so very much.

[Bel007]

Just when I thought I couldn't hunt with a more fine gentleman, I meet David Gage.

Keep them pics coming brudda...

[Whip]

Oh, I've been waiting for this one!
Sorry to hear it didn't go quite according to the script David.  But sometimes that is the way it happens, and anyone who has been at this long enough knows the feeling.  The emotions that you expressed so well are what make you a hunter that I respect.  I'd share a camp with you again anytime!

Pretty cool to come back and see your mug up on top of the page though, isn't it?

[wapiti792]

  keep going bud! My life was changed after that sit. I have never laughed so much at mean arse sows    

I also have never known that kind of fear in the dark with two sows that thought a yeti (me) and bearded wild man (you) were the boogie men trying to harm their babies. Thank God for our Hostage Rescue Team. The boys at Quantico would be proud of the extraction  

[threeunder]

[Steve O]

 

Awesome.  I have been to that bait...I am much more bold around bears now too.  Good thing one can basically hop on to the quad from the tree steps!  Looking forward to the stories.

[rbcorbitt]

   
This is gonna be good!

[SheltonCreeker]

Mike and I saw 23 bears during our sit. We had bears that wanted to come sit in the tree with us. At one point I got into a tug of war match with a dry sow that came in and discovered my shaker bag tied to my pull rope. I thought Mike was going to fall out of the tree laughing as the sow at the barrel charged because she wasnt happy about my playmate getting too close.
 
One of the big sows that hung out at Determination.
It was almost time for Mike and I to get picked up and we had 8 different cubs up 4 different trees and 4 sows on the ground and none were very happy. Luckily 2 took there cubs and left as we heard the quads approaching to pick us up. We warned our guide David and David Pagel what was going on at the barrel and David came in at the ready with the shotgun. We climbed down and we all slowly made our way out without incident.

[SheltonCreeker]

The last day in camp I had begun to pack a with the bitter sweet feeling of a hunt that had not ended as I had hoped. Everyone else was going out for their last hunt and I took that evening to spend some time getting to know Tim Bradley. Tim is one accomplished hunter, a no BS kinda guy and after 5 minutes if you don't know where you stand with Tim you aren't paying attention. As Tim and I talked about hunting and adventures our conversation turned to family and life. Tim and his son Joe have hunted bears together for several years together and I could tell Tim was missing that opportunity this year due to unforseen circumstances. Tim got up during our conversation and went to his tent and returned with a letter Joe had written. I read this letter and it hit me like a freight train. Joe is wishing his father good luck and also telling him all the things he will miss about the hunt. As I'm reading this letter I realize I'm reading all the reasons why I do this. My questions from the day I shot my bear have literally been handed to me on paper. I know Brian has a copy of the letter and I hope he will post it on this thread.

Sorry your shot did not work out, but like said above, it happens to everybody at one time or another. I would think something was wrong with you if you did not get tore up from it. Looks like the place is every bit a cool as all the stuff I have read about it.

Tuned in for the rest of the story!

Bisch

[SheltonCreeker]

As the evening ends and the guys return to camp to tell their tales, which I will let them do, darkness has fallen over the camp and I notice some faint emerald green streaks to the North. I had asked my guide David about the Northern Lights and he said they don't see them very often at camp. As a matter of fact he said he couldn't remember the last time he had. The following pictures are from the last night in camp.
 
 
 
 
 
I know this isn't your typical hunting tale. As a matter of fact I think this hunting trip was very little about hunting for me and more about the journey and adventure I shared with men who started of as strangers and ended as friends. Thanks again guys what a trip.

[Steve Clandinin]

Welcome to Canada !LOL It doesn't get any better than that.Ryan is first class.To bad he didn't model his HighHeels for ya,I'll bet he looks pretty good after a week in the bush !

[wapiti792]

My goodness what stunning photos Dave! Thank you for them and thanks for being my wingman at Determination. Your growth as a traditional archer and man has been something to behold. Hope we get a lot more days in the field...that is if our wives let us after this trip    

 
* A little Stickflingers promo

I dedicated 40 hours on stand to hunt a ghost...he never showed. But in those five days I met a sow that wanted to eat me the first day, then by the 4th trusted me to watch her 3 kids while she took a nap under my stand. I had next years boar offer me a perfect shot on day 3, and I let him walk. He was a beauty...but not "him".
 

 
*The Napper

I got one morning sit, the day after our laugh fest/roller coaster ride on Determination. I couldn't help but go back...I had to know if that set was a fluke. It wasn't! I again passed a boar not quite what I had come to Stickflingers to shoot, and I let a football sized cub get too close. I had to persuade him back down the tree I was sitting, along with his sibling with a very pissed off mother with two feet already on my tree. If my backpack had not been in his way he would have been to the top, and I would have had to deal with a 6 foot sow below and her baby above. It was like one of those amusement park rides: fun at the start and by the end you either want your mommy or 3 fingers of whiskey. My mom lives in Tennessee...so when I made it back I settled for some Canadian spirits and a nap.
 
*The nester: this bear wa smart. Built himself a safe haven from all those mean sows.

The last sit for me was anticlimactic. After seeing 51 bears in 5 days I spent the last 9 hours waiting on my bear, hoping the sow and her cubs would have parted company by now. It was rut time, and I just knew he would show to court the sow. My hopes were dashed as daylight ran out on me with no bears to keep me company. I finished the night with a few calls from the many white-throated sparrows, and a realization that Manitoba bear hunting is now part of me. I will be back.
 

[rbcorbitt]

Sounds like a great experience and a great group of hunters in camp!  I wanta go!!

[OBXarcher]

I think we've all experienced that, at least I sure have. Stick with it and with success all those bad feelings go away.

I will get up there over the next couple years, that I guarantee

[Jayrod]

very good story and pics...sounds like a heart touching expierence that i hope to capture myself someday,thxs for sharing guys

[Whip]

Outstanding stories already!  What a trip - exactly the stuff that dreams are made of for the rest of us.  It is obvious from your telling that you know how fortunate you all are to have actually lived it.  And those northern light pictures are outstanding!  Magazine cover material right there.

Carry on - I'm loving this!

[Dave Pagel]

Guys, I am just getting back and reorganized.  I will get on with the tales and pictures shortly.  I concur with David, Mike and Brian, what a great bunch of guys we had in camp.  Obviously we discussed bowhunting a great deal, but many of the discussions took us to topics that really enabled us to understand what the other people were really about.  Good, good people that have persevered as life threw curveballs.  I will be back soon with pictures and my story.

D.P.

[wapiti792]

Few more pics before the "closers" tell their tale. I am at work today and already miss checking the wind, talking about the days' sits and enjoying my friends in camp.
 
*Moose camp was loud...thank you Big Sexy Lance!
 
*Some great bows and men that can shoot them
 
*Baiting a set and a six foot boar says hello

[elkken]

Great story David .... I have had those very feelings and when it happens it lasts a long time, but eventually the true reason I bow hunt brings me back to the sport I love so much. You show a true respect for the animal ... Great pics too !

 I head to Stickflinger's Thursday and my wife " the city girl" will not be reading this thread. She is convinced the bears will eat me, while it is my intention to eat one of them    

Good luck to all the hunters that remain, just leave me the "one".