My Stickflingers Hunt 2014 - The 43 Minute Bear Hunt

[South MS Bowhunter]

And???

[Bel007]

Even at 5pm there are a lot of black shadows in the woods.  My eyes scanned each one that was in view.  A second or two on each.  Which one is moving?  Which ones are just the absence of light and which ones are prey?  There!  That one moved!  It was silently working its way into the bait from behind the ever greens.  It was looking coming in quicker than most bears do, with some confidence, but still cautious.  I knew by the approach it was aware that someone else (me) was already somewhere near.  It came in careful of its footing, like it was embarrassed by that stick that had snapped just moments ago.  I took to my feet.

Just under the trees it stopped short of the bait.  It scanned the area, head up, checking the wind.  I could tell it was wondering where I was.  It spotted me.  I scrutinized it.

I guess figuring I was already up the tree I had taken my proper subordinate position and given him the bait.  Fresh trail mix was being served, appetizer, main course, and dessert.  The bear wasted no more time sorting things out.  It was time to eat.

My immediate impression was that this was a fine bear but certainly no monster.  His back came within inches of the barrel top but did not clear it.  I thought about Ryan’s suggestion to imagine stuffing the bear into the barrel and if it would fit, give it a pass.  Well, I figured it would fit if well-greased but a good number of parts would still be hanging out.  A shooter.  I told Ryan all I ever hope for is a 6-18 bear.  6 foot squared hide and an 18 inch skull.  This one would be close.  Wednesday, I told myself.  Wednesday this bear would get an arrow, but not tonight.  It turned to look behind itself.  Another bear was coming in and caught us both by surprise.

[Florida lime]

Back to waiting for more - after sniping at the auction.   :D

[Bel007]

The second bear wasted no time coming in.  It was huge.  Fat.  It looked like a swollen tick on feet with a head glued on the front.  I was going to try for this one.

The first bear jumped back a few feet while the porker took over the feeding spot, which of course, was opposite the barrel leaving me no good shots.

The first bear assessed the situation quickly and decided the porky was no big threat and it came back for seconds.  Now they both fed at the barrel, both occupying the space behind it leaving me no shots at either.  I am quickly looking each one over in turn.  1st Bear = Tall, lean, standing well up high on the barrel and having to crouch down to eat, slight blaze, tan snout, long head.  2nd bear = Fat, Fat, Fat, almost as tall, eating with its head just slightly above the barrel, not as tall, not as long, grey snout, shorter head.  Back and forth I looked.

The second bear did not seem quite as big next to the first bear.  The first bear looked quite impressive length wise compared to the first.  I was confused.  Both nice bears, both Wednesday shooters, both giving me no shot.

[Bel007]

be patient with me gents.. trying to type and upload pics as fast as I can (while sippin some bourbon and enjoying a cigar)...  

[Florida lime]

How many hands do you have ?  

[Bel007]

Yeah.. right?  It aint easy.   :D

[twowolvesarchery]

Love it so far.  Now I was in bed last week with the windows open and I thought I could hear you snoring. Like I was only 30ft away like last year. Poor mike d and David.

[Bel007]

I had forgot to mention...  

Before I hung up my bow...

I took a practice shot at a spot just past the barrel.    There also happened to be a trail cam active on this bait.  You can see my practice arrow in the pics
 

 

[Hermon]

Was Magic Mike in camp?

[Bel007]

Magic Mike was in camp for week one.  Manuel is his brother.  Trust me, those two are cut from the same cloth.

[twowolvesarchery]

Magic Mike is a machine

[twowolvesarchery]

Magic Mike is a machine

[Bel007]

So now the 1st bear was hogging all the good eats and piggy wasn’t getting its fair share so it decided it was time to pull the barrel over and lay in front of the opening.

 

Being cut off from the food supply did not sit well with the 1st bear so it comes around in front of the barrel, passing me broad sided, to get to the trail mix generously pouring out of the opening.  Shot opportunity.  Broadside (check), walking (-), neither looking at me (check).

I did not draw the bow.

[Bel007]

The 1st bear nudged piggy out of the feeding slot and laid down to devour more vittles.

“Hey, lookie there” I thought, “a perfect quartering away 45 degree angle”.

If the trail cam had gotten its picture, you would have seen its rump in the center of the frame above the 16C and its snout in the front of the barrel.  I thought “ if this bear gives me a perfect shot…”

45 degrees quartering away (check).

It stood up to get a better angle on the food.

It moved its right paw forward to dig at the trail mix coming out the hole.

Open and exposed rib cage (check).

Then it did the most unbelievable thing…. It rotated its body on its nose-to-tail axis dropping its left side and raising its right side eliminating my downward shot angle and turning it into a parallel shot.

Begging for it (check).

Bow went up.

String went back.

Arrow went through the bear.

[dhermon85]

[Bel007]

Both bears bounded off into the cover.  Piggy out through the trees and my bear bounded off with a couple hurt grupphhss directly away from whatever just stung it.

I was sure I saw a pass-through.  Now I watched and listened.  Branches were snapping straight ahead and then I spotted the bear walking, circling to the right, back to where he came in, back toward where the other bear had run.  It stopped.  I saw its head motionless.  It dropped.  A second or so later it was back up and facing left.  It stopped and did a little Stevie wonder head wobble and disappeared again.  Then I heard the raspy, gurgly sounds of heavy breathing like blowing bubbles through a snorkel into a 55 gallon drum of water.  There were no moans, just gurgles.  Three or four heavy gurgly breaths.  Then silence.

I looked back to the bait.  Was there blood?  I only saw one arrow.  My practice arrow.  

Now I know what I was supposed to do.  Sit and wait.  Maybe an hour.  Give him a chance to die undisturbed.  But where was my arrow?  Was there any bood?  A spray?  I had to get down and see.  I gathered up my accessories, put on my pack, lowered my bow, put on my watch, and climbed down from the tree stand.  17:43.

[Cyclic-Rivers]

This is Good. Congrats Brian!

Awesome, Brian! I can't wait to see the pics!

Congrats,

Bisch

[Bel007]

Sure enough, two arrows were sticking out of the dirt.  They were less than one inch apart.  One was covered in blood the other was clean.  My practice arrow was indeed practice for a shot I would take less than one hour later.  I saw no blood and decided I did not want to bugger anything else up since I was already out of the tree, so I just slipped out of there as quietly as I could and headed back to the road.

At the road I realized I had not taken a single picture that evening and my hunt was now over win, loose, or draw.  So what was I to do?  
Selfie time.

 

Manny showed up at about 9:30pm.  Early.  Just like a good guide does when his hunter asks.  

After telling him my tale we went in to look for blood or bear.  If the sign was not good we would wait until morning.  

We found little blood by the bait so he wanted to go into the woods to where I had last seen the bear.  I went back to the tree and pointed out the direction of the last sight of the bear.  Manny took four steps into the woods, turned, smiled that big smile that successful guides have when their client connects, and waived me over to join him.  The bear died less than 30 yards from the barrel.