Got back a couple weeks ago just haven't found time to do a small write up till now. We went back to the same guide we went with in 2018 and had no luck with sightings. At that time the bear were hitting bait but just not in day light. The guide provided a great atmosphere, conversation and we had an amazing time with other fishing and hunting activities. We had rebooked for 2020 but we all know how that went. We were finally able to fit the return trip for my dad brother and me to go back.
We arrived to the main town Friday night before our hunt and got the last of the groceries we needed for the week and then hit the hotel. Saturday morning we go to the country store just out side of the guides little town and pick up our waterfowl, fishing, small game, and bear license. We then head the last 10 miles to guides house and hunting cabin. Passing his lumber mill as we drove down this county road.
After talking to the guide and getting our truck unloaded he explained the bears had been really weird this fall so far. only had 4 sights of his 14 being hit everyday. Some others were being hit irregular. So he told use he was putting us in these 3 specific stand. Me and my brother would be on the same two track but he would go north and I would go south. My dad would be on one of the baits down the river.
Saturday First night we get on stand at 3pm me and my brother ride the side by side together he drops me off and then heads over to his stand. It was a nice night about 55 to 60 degrees out. Around 430 pm my wrist vibrates it was a text from my brother he just had a bear 60 yards behind him. Great sign we are seeing bears already. 515 pm another text same bear at my brother's but 100 yards out and no shot. This is exciting as we are having good activity.
About 615 pm I look up to see a black mass coming in behind the cider trees from the right side of the barrel. The bear walks out in the clearing to the barrel. My heart is pumping as this is my first experience with a bear ever. Next thing I know he turns and walks at my stand instead of at the barrel. I'm a little more nervous now as he is walking towards me looking up at me and then back down. I can't move to position my gun as it would scare it. Eventually it get 5 yards from my ladder. Finally it gets disinterested and turns to the barrel. At thus moment I get my gun up and try to pivet my body for a better angle with my right shoulder. The padded I was sitting on decided to make noise. Boom off runs the bear. Frustrated I go to text my dad and brother that I saw one and messed up. Halfway through texting I look up and her come the bear from the same spot again. This time he comes in looks my way then turns to the barrel. This point my gun is up and ready. The bear goes to the barrel and pulls out the bucket of bait setting it down grabbing a donut. Facing away I have no shot and have to keep waiting for it to turn. 30 seconds later he pivots and I pull the trigger. Boom the bear takes off straight away from me crashing through the woods. 40 yards latter I hear a loud moan noise that sounds like big foot. Then more crashing and another moan. Followed by a final moan. At this point I'm shaking in the stand from the adrenaline rush and how quick it just happened. My brother text me to get the guides number from my dad so he can come get me. We'll my dad's phone died so my brother had to come get me so we could run back and get the guide. I had to wait 10 mins before I climbed down I was shaking so bad. We picked up the guide and headed back to the woods to locate my bear. Told him of the loud moan and he said that means it's for sure dead. We tracked the bear no blood. Now I'm worried......50 yards later in the direction I saw the bear run I hear bear down. It was an amazing experience. The guided roughly ages the bear at 2.5. We gut and drag him to the quad to get him back to camp. To hanging it up. So after only 3 hours my bear hint was over I'd become camp cook and errand boy.
We would go fishing on the mostly private lake (only 6 cabins on it) a few times with the guide. Fish the river and hunt geese, duck , grouse. We catch plenty of walleye, crappie and a few smallies one being a monster I caught trolling the lake. Brother would get almost a limit of geese doing a stack down a river bank.
Tuesday night my dad got his bear. Which was an adventure. Hitting it forward he broke the shoulder but it was still going. So we tracked several hundred yards to find it had crossed the river. Find the tracks on the other side go up the bank as it's getting dark. Guide follows what he thinks is the path I look right and 30 yards ahead in a bushy area i see eye reflect in my head lap. Dad and guide run back to me it's the bear very wounded but still alive. They get close for a follow up shot and it charges them. Dad pulls the trigger dropping it there. Found he hit forward to far on first shot completely breaking the shoulder of the bear. Was way to exciting a retrieve for me .
It was an amazing trip all around with a great guide. Even let me help at his lumber mill a few nights well they others hunted. Definitely an experience I'll never forget.
We arrived to the main town Friday night before our hunt and got the last of the groceries we needed for the week and then hit the hotel. Saturday morning we go to the country store just out side of the guides little town and pick up our waterfowl, fishing, small game, and bear license. We then head the last 10 miles to guides house and hunting cabin. Passing his lumber mill as we drove down this county road.
After talking to the guide and getting our truck unloaded he explained the bears had been really weird this fall so far. only had 4 sights of his 14 being hit everyday. Some others were being hit irregular. So he told use he was putting us in these 3 specific stand. Me and my brother would be on the same two track but he would go north and I would go south. My dad would be on one of the baits down the river.
Saturday First night we get on stand at 3pm me and my brother ride the side by side together he drops me off and then heads over to his stand. It was a nice night about 55 to 60 degrees out. Around 430 pm my wrist vibrates it was a text from my brother he just had a bear 60 yards behind him. Great sign we are seeing bears already. 515 pm another text same bear at my brother's but 100 yards out and no shot. This is exciting as we are having good activity.
About 615 pm I look up to see a black mass coming in behind the cider trees from the right side of the barrel. The bear walks out in the clearing to the barrel. My heart is pumping as this is my first experience with a bear ever. Next thing I know he turns and walks at my stand instead of at the barrel. I'm a little more nervous now as he is walking towards me looking up at me and then back down. I can't move to position my gun as it would scare it. Eventually it get 5 yards from my ladder. Finally it gets disinterested and turns to the barrel. At thus moment I get my gun up and try to pivet my body for a better angle with my right shoulder. The padded I was sitting on decided to make noise. Boom off runs the bear. Frustrated I go to text my dad and brother that I saw one and messed up. Halfway through texting I look up and her come the bear from the same spot again. This time he comes in looks my way then turns to the barrel. This point my gun is up and ready. The bear goes to the barrel and pulls out the bucket of bait setting it down grabbing a donut. Facing away I have no shot and have to keep waiting for it to turn. 30 seconds later he pivots and I pull the trigger. Boom the bear takes off straight away from me crashing through the woods. 40 yards latter I hear a loud moan noise that sounds like big foot. Then more crashing and another moan. Followed by a final moan. At this point I'm shaking in the stand from the adrenaline rush and how quick it just happened. My brother text me to get the guides number from my dad so he can come get me. We'll my dad's phone died so my brother had to come get me so we could run back and get the guide. I had to wait 10 mins before I climbed down I was shaking so bad. We picked up the guide and headed back to the woods to locate my bear. Told him of the loud moan and he said that means it's for sure dead. We tracked the bear no blood. Now I'm worried......50 yards later in the direction I saw the bear run I hear bear down. It was an amazing experience. The guided roughly ages the bear at 2.5. We gut and drag him to the quad to get him back to camp. To hanging it up. So after only 3 hours my bear hint was over I'd become camp cook and errand boy.
We would go fishing on the mostly private lake (only 6 cabins on it) a few times with the guide. Fish the river and hunt geese, duck , grouse. We catch plenty of walleye, crappie and a few smallies one being a monster I caught trolling the lake. Brother would get almost a limit of geese doing a stack down a river bank.
Tuesday night my dad got his bear. Which was an adventure. Hitting it forward he broke the shoulder but it was still going. So we tracked several hundred yards to find it had crossed the river. Find the tracks on the other side go up the bank as it's getting dark. Guide follows what he thinks is the path I look right and 30 yards ahead in a bushy area i see eye reflect in my head lap. Dad and guide run back to me it's the bear very wounded but still alive. They get close for a follow up shot and it charges them. Dad pulls the trigger dropping it there. Found he hit forward to far on first shot completely breaking the shoulder of the bear. Was way to exciting a retrieve for me .
It was an amazing trip all around with a great guide. Even let me help at his lumber mill a few nights well they others hunted. Definitely an experience I'll never forget.
