My Stickflingers Hunt 2014 - The 43 Minute Bear Hunt

[Bel007]

Some hunts you will always remember because you shot your biggest animal, some because you hunted alongside your best friend or a family member, some you remember because of some unique circumstances.  This hunt I will remember because it was the shortest hunt I have ever been on.

 

June 1st marked the beginning of my fourth visit to Manitoba hunting black bear with TradGang  sponsor Ryan Derlago with his outfit Stickflingers.  I always enjoy rolling into camp and catching up with Ryan and finding out what has been happening in the woods.  What stands are getting hit and which ones are showing big bear or color.  Ryan knows me well by now and knows what kind of set up I like.  He told me that this year they made a new bait site and named it “Lancelot” – “because Brian Lance will like it a lot”.  The stand is pretty low and right close to the bait for some real in your face bear hunting.

As luck would have it Sunday was looking like it might be a rain-out and even if it did stop raining the wind was all wrong to hunt Lancelot.  Ryan and his first year assistant guide Manuel discussed options while I unloaded my gear onto my tent.  This year I would be hunting in camp without any of my usual colleagues.  I had learned earlier I would be in camp with Bill and Tracy Dunn of Zipper Bows fame.  So it was to be just us three and the Dunns in their own tent and me in my own tent.  Finally I would not have to hear complaints about my snoring.

 

Ryan had an enclosed trailer nicely set up with cooking equipment and supplies and a dining table. A first rate shower had been constructed that made a daily shower a real treat.  The practice target was in place.  And all of the quads were fueled up and ready to go.  

 

 

 

 

[Jwilliam]

 


Bill

[Biathlonman]

I really have to get it on one of these bear hunts!

[Bel007]

 

 

[9 Shocks]

i want to do this hunt so bad! Looks like a lot of fun.

[Bel007]

[edit]  

[Ryan Sanpei]

43 minutes!!! What took so long???    

Can't wait to hear the rest of this story!!!      

I need to book this hunt one day!!!

[Sockrsblur]

Sounds good!

   

[Bel007]

Bill and Tracy rolled into camp in good time, paperwork was completed, and arrows started flinging in a slightly damp moderate breeze.        

Ryan and Manuel figured the best bait for me that evening with the wind we had would be South Bell.  I was very familiar with this stand from last year’s hunt when I sat there 3 evenings.  I had seen a monster there last year chasing a cub up a tree and then himself climbing as high as he could before being stopped by branches too close to pass through and too delicate to not break under his mass.  It had occurred to me that there were no such branches between me and the ground should that beast end up coming into the bait.  He did not come into the bait that evening, and in all honesty, I was a little pleased not to make his acquaintance.   He was an angry bear.

Bill and Tracy would be guided by Ryan while Manuel would cut his teeth guiding at Stickflingers with me.   Ryan told Manny I was easy… just set me up close and low to the ground and he knew I would try my level best to do the rest.
 
Bill and Tracy would be hunting P.R.B.  Pressure Relief Bait was created close to the older Determination Bait that was a hot steamy cauldron of witchy sows all checker boarding each other to get the most time on the bait with their cubs.  Heaven help the boar who decides to take on that challenge.  P.R.B. was the first bait made less than 3 miles from any other bait.  Its sole purpose was to help alleviate all the pressure on Determination so both stands hopefully would be huntable.  Tracy was going to be the shooter and Bill was to be pointing the camera.  The rest of their story is theirs to tell.  But I can tell you, that Tracy is one wicked good bear hunter.  

And Bill… well... it has been said in some corners that he is a mighty fine catch and not too hard to look at.      :confused:      :confused:

[wapiti792]

I missed your snoring...naw who am I kidding    I did miss you my friend as well as Ryan and the guys. We gotta get back on the same cycle    

[Bel007]

Back from taking the MRS out for supper...  figured the least I could do.

Mike.. back at ya.  I never knew how quiet Manitoba was until I was there without either you or Pags.   I even got to tell some stories this year.    

[Bel007]

In the truck while heading to South Bell, Manny and I chatted a bit, guide and client, getting to know each other.  When he asked what time I wanted to be picked up I told him “early”.  Being as polite as he could he said he sure would hate to get there too early and spoil it with the big one just coming into the bait.  Since South Bell is just a couple hundred yards in from the main road on an old two-track, I suggested just doing a drive by about a half hour earlier than he would expect to come in and I bet him he would see me on the road.  I don’t like staying too late.  Can’t see too well in the grey light so I tend to get down early…  Maybe I miss some opportunities, but I am never tempted to shoot at silhouettes that way either.

Manny humped in a Lone Wolf stand, 50lb sack of trail mix (new bait for this year – and the bears kind of like it) and a pail of cooking oil.  I easily carried in my bow, quiver, and a back pack bursting with stuff I never need.   But I was ready for anything.  You got to love having a guide for all the heavy lifting.  As we walked in he took me to the new pod trail that lead into the bait.  He mentioned this is the one the big bear likely would come in on.  Then we backed up and went into the bait through the brush so as not to have the bear hang up on the pod trail covered in our scent.

Manny got my stand ready, platform at eye level and slightly angled to the right of the bait.  As I got myself adjusted in the stand Manny pointed out the pod trail as it came into the bait passing directly under my stand.  I said “that is where the big one comes in? From behind me? And under me?”  “Oh yeah” Manny nodded and turned and went over to the bait barrel to freshen it with more trail mix and oil.  Now to a Canadian bear guide it probably didn’t seem so bad that the bear would come in from behind you, but since my feet would be only a couple feet above his back I had to take some time and reflect on my decision to hunt low and up-close.  After all, the “big one” might likely be the same monster I saw last year and he could easily stand up and be armpit high to my tree stand platform.  Oh well.  This is real bear hunting, not Huntmaster 2013 for Xbox 360.  I began accessorizing my stand.

I clicked on my safety harness to the tree.  I like to use a bow holder arm overhead for my bow.  My pack attached to the tree to my left side and shoulder high for grabbing stuff easily.  I hung my Safari Tuff quiver to my right side and screwed in a single second-chance arrow holder to the tree with the fletchings high enough to grab while standing.  I grabbed some Carbomask face paint and slathered up my shiny face and hands.   I took a few sips of water from my freshly filled backpack bladder.  My watch…  I like to take it off too since it automatically lights up when I rotate my wrist.  Into the quiver pocket it went. 17:00.

Oh yeah! I'm tuned in!

Bisch

[Hermon]

[Bel007]

I sat there quietly for a minute or two.  Looking.  Remembering.  I was familiar with this bait.  The bears I saw here last year all circled me from the road behind me moving from my left to right then slipping into the dense brush on my right side and coming into the bait from behind some nice evergreens.   I saw them before they reached the bait or the evergreens so I would have time to stand before they arrived.

 
(picture inserted from last year’s hunt – at South Bell)


 

 


It was quiet.  The light sprinkles disappeared.  The sun began pushing through the remaining clouds.  The mercury had started inching higher.
It was going to be a nice evening sit.  I knew it would get dark after 10pm, too dark to shoot by 10:15ish depending on cloud cover.  I would likely be heading for the road around 10:00.  

Five hours to wait and watch.  That would not be bad for the first night I thought.  Later in the week I would ask to be taken out to the stand earlier and earlier to increase the amount of time for opportunities.  I was beginning to relax.  I was back in the bear woods and it felt good to be back.

I tried to look over my left shoulder to see the road.  Some back, neck, and SI joint issues had me at a bit of a disadvantage and I could not get a glimpse back there.  Also, I could also not see anything coming down that pod trail until it was well under me and moving in front of me.  I started thinking I would just need to sit there, as motionless as possible, until something came in.  Bone still.  5 hours.  It started sounding a lot longer than it did just a few minutes ago.

Now I started feeling vulnerable, like I was being watched.  It is funny what starts going through my mind when I am stuck sitting there alone with just myself.  Again I tried to look over my shoulders, again I realized I would have to twist my entire body to see back there.  The amount of movement would just be too much.  Sit there.. sit still… wait.

The feeling that I was not alone grew.  I thought if anything came in behind me I would have no chance at grabbing my bow from the bow arm.  I needed it in my hands.  Now.  At the ready.  I eased my bow hand over to my Yew and Bubinga Black Widow friend and slid my hand around its grip and we were once again connected.  I heard a stick snap.
   

[Hermon]

You have already made us wait longer than your hunt lasted!  

[dhermon85]

[dhermon85]

quote:Originally posted by Hermon:
You have already made us wait longer than your hunt lasted!  

[ron w]

       

[Keith Zimmerman]

I love this stuff!!!