By: Mike Moyer: Copyright Mike Moyer, 1995.
My bear (96k GIF Picture) Picture for this story available separately to speed loading...
It all started in the fall of 1994, the planning stages were being put into place by my hunting buddies (Gary, Tim, Ron) and myself, to go bear hunting in the spring of 1995. Gary and Tim had been up to the great white north bear hunting before, so I was trying to pick their brain on what to expect. They both were successful in the past. This was to be my first big game hunting experience outside of the normal deer hunting that I do in my state of Indiana.
After eight months of gathering information and gear, checking my list of items and going over it twice, I was ready to hit the road, the time had finally come. I could hardly wait to start the long 750 mile drive to Timmins Ontario. I didn’t get much sleep the night before our departure but, I was ready to go. I kissed my wife and boys good-bye and drove off into the sunrise. I arrived at Tim’s 5:00 AM sharp with Bow and gear in hand. We made our last check of items and stuffed Gary’s truck full. The camper was hooked up to my Yukon and off we went.
The drive was not as bad as we all thought it would be. Once on Kings Highways 101 heading east, I saw my first wild moose. It just stood in the middle of the road looking at us, as if to say "this is my place not yours." I think we saw 5 bears and 2 moose on our drive up, boy were we pumped up for the hunt!
We arrived at Joe’s Half Way House, that night about 9:00 PM. Joe’s Half Way House is half way between Timmins and Chapleau Ontario on Kings Highways 101.
We setup the camper for a one night stay before meeting our guide Lark Ritchie (of Lark Ritchie’s Experiences) at Joe’s for a quick update over some hot coffee. Lark had just had a 100% successful week. Boy did that get my attention! Well, it was time to hit the sack I was beat and needed some sleep.
The next morning we went to Joe’s for breakfast, and to meet with Lark before we headed into the bush. Lark had his camp setup about 10 miles from the highway just off a logging entanglement of a road. We had to stop to tie the canoe back onto the camper. Tim told me to slow down, we don’t start our hunt until 4:30 PM tonight. After a 45 minute drive we commence setting up camp for the 10 days.
Once that was done Lark had a pre hunt talk with us. This guy was great; he explained what he expected from us as hunters, and what to expect from him as our guide. Lark maintains one of the largest Bear Management Areas in Ontario's Northern Region. In total over 1500 square kilometers of prime hunting land. He only hunts bear one to three weeks out of the season (usually two).
Gary, Tim and I were going to hunt with our bows, Gary and I were using Compounds, Tim was using a Recurve. Ron was hunting with his SKS 7.62x39. YES an SKS. Gary brought his 30-06 for a backup if he could not get a shot with his bow. Tim brought his 444 Marlin for backup and I brought my 12 gauge pump.
Lark asked if he could see our shooting abilities with our bows. Man, was I happy that I took the time the past summer to shoot every day I could. (Just ask my wife!!) My bow setup was right on the money. ‘Nuff said about practice, it’s only good if you know how to stay unruffled in a hunting situation.
Lark and his assistant Ron Wing talked about what stands we would be hunting on that afternoon. Ron told me to get ready and put my gear into his truck. Oh-Boy here we go!!! I must have looked like a 16 year old on his first date. I was a nervous wreck, I needed to get in-tune with the wild. My stand was only about 1 1/2 miles from camp. The others were 10 to 30 miles from camp. On the way to my stand Ron told me he had seen one of the bears in the area and it was big. "How big?" I asked. His reply "200 plus." That’s just what the Doctor ordered. Little did I know my prescription was about to be filled.
We arrived at my stand about 5:30 PM we were somewhat late the pre hunt talk went into over time. But that’s O.K. I learned a lot from Lark. Ron asked if I would like to setup my tree stand, we looked over the area. Only one tree looked like a good one, but I felt it was too close to the bait set. Time was ticking, I checked the wind. Down wind from the set was a natural dead fall. It looked like about a 12 yard shot. Ron cut some green pine and stuff to place around it while I got my bow and a fold out seat. I checked the yardage with my range finder. It was an 11 yard shot to the set where the bear would approach.
Ron needed to go and check on some other stands. He was to meet me at the end of the road at dark or about 10:45 PM. I did not realize how loud his truck was, as he left I thought he was going to run all the bears off. Not so, now that I look back on it I think it was like a dinner bell.
After Ron left I was getting on a first name bases with the BLACK FLY’S. Thank God for duct-tape. If you're a bear hunter you know what the duct-tape is used for. These things are nasty little buggers!!!
After about 35 minutes I saw a bear coming in. My heart was pounding out of my chest. I could see his big head moving up and down back and fourth. It looked like a basketball. He was a wise one, as he approached the set he moved behind the brush and trees not giving me much of a shoot opportunity. He sat down just behind the tree I was going to put my tree stand into. He looked around, sniffed the air for one or two minutes, then went into the brush. I could not see him but I could hear him break a branch now a then. Where was he going to come out? I went to grab my 12 gauge. I left it in Ron’s truck. "Now what are you going to do?" I asked myself.
About 15 minutes later he was back at the same spot smelling the air and looking around. I tried to keep my eyes on him this time, but the brush was too thick, it gave him to much cover. He was gone once more. Where did he go? Was he going to circle around me and find out that I was in the brush waiting to give him a double lung kiss?
Another 15 minutes or so had passed, I was watching my back side, no cover on it. Have you ever had that feeling that someone or thing was about to grab you? The hair on my back was standing on end. I turned back slowly to look at the set, and caught something move over my left shoulder.
My God! He was huge. I almost gave myself up as I gasp for air. He was only 3 yards away looking at the bait. My heart stopped, someone start CPR on me!! "Where’s that 12 gauge when I need it?"
I tighten my grip on my Hoyt Defiant Excel bow.
If he was going to come my way I needed to be ready, ready for what? I don’t know, I was just ready for what ever he was going to do. Yea right!!! I must have passed the test, because he acted like things were O.K. He moved slowly and cautiously, but with intent.
As he passed right by me and turned to go to the set, I had my bow in position and I was at full draw. He turned at the bait and gave me a nice broad side shot. He needed to rake the logs that covered the prepared set with his left leg, so that I could have a clean shot at the lungs. Full draw, red dot right on target, just move that leg buddy and your mine. He did and I let go, the arrow's flight was straight and true. The arrow disappeared completely 8" behind the front shoulder. Looks like a boiler room lung shot to me.
As he popped his jaws and snapped at the entrance of the arrow, off like a flash, he was gone for the last time. I could hear him crash through the underbrush for about 5 to 7 seconds. Silence filled the air, it was almost as if the mother earth was at peace with the bear pulling his soul deep inside her. I was still pumped up... Man! What an experience! Kids just don’t get it, if you want to get a buzz, "GO HUNTING BIG GAME," it’s the best and the feeling lasts a lifetime!
I had to pinch myself, was I in a great dream, ouch I’m not dreaming. I just had a Close Encounter With The Wild Side and it was great.
A person can’t put into words what it’s all about, it’s something one has to experience first hand. Well, I didn’t hear a death moan so I packed up my stuff after about 20 minutes and went over to where the bear was standing when I shot him. I looked around for my arrow no sign of it, but lots of blood. I needed to head back to camp and get some help to find this big boy. Lark told us unless you see the bear drop over and die "DON’T GO LOOKING FOR HIM" and I didn’t have my 12 gauge. As I was walking back to camp I replayed the shot over in my head, I felt it was a good one. I was concerned that I didn’t hear the death moan.
Ron’s truck was in camp, I found him in his tent, sorry Ron but you’ll have to get your sleep later. "Wake up!" Ron looked at me as if he was dreaming. "What are you doing back so soon?" Ron asked. "I shot a BIG UN!" I replied. "Well lets go find him." Ron replied.
When we returned to my stand, I gave Ron the details on how, what and where it all went down. We picked up the blood trail right away. It was easy the first 20 to 30 yards, but bears don’t bleed like other big game animals you have to look for other signs.
The blood trail was now starting to get harder to find. I asked Ron if we were going to find this bear? "Yes! we will find him." We only grabbed one flash light and I grabbed my 12 gauge. It’s now about 11:00 PM and Ron was having a tuff time with the blood trail.
I was standing in the dark while Ron was on his hands and knees working the trail 10 yards ahead of me. (You know Mr. Wolf can get very big in this part of Canada and some of the tracks I found on my way back to camp were almost as big as my hand.) "Hey Ron lets go back to camp and get Lark in on this."
Ron finely agreed to go back and get Lark. I also was wanting to find out if the others had any luck. The guys showed up at 11:30 PM. I was excited to tell them the news and hear what they had to tell. Mine was the only good news that night, but we still needed to find him. Lark was quizzing me about the hunt, he needed a picture in his mind so that he would know what to look for and expect.
After all the others were done eating dinner, Lark asked for a search party, all the guys volunteered. This was great, I didn’t expect that they all would volunteer. After all, morning was just a few hours away and they needed to get up before sunrise.
We gathered together at the set where the first blood was found. Ron guided Lark back to where he left off the trail. Lark scanned the area and told us to stay off the blood trail. Lark the blood hound that he is known to be, picked up the blood trail 10 yards from where Ron and I left off. After about another 10 yards the blood trail was picking up and looking good. Lark was showing some concern, as the bear would pass between two trees, the exit wound was marking high on the trees. This puzzled me also, but I felt the shot was good. We trailed slowly until 2:00 AM. Lark called it off for the night. I felt we were close. The blood trail was getting good just when we stopped. We marked the last spot of blood and headed back to camp.
Once inside my sleeping bag I tried to sleep, but all I could do was replay the shot over and over. The howling of the wolf was the thing I needed to put my mind at rest. I know we will find my bear in the morning.
As the sun came through the canvas of the pop-up camper warming my face, I could smell the bacon cooking. There was my friend Gary cooking breakfast, Tim and Ron were already eating. These guys were going to help me find my bear, this fine morning and skip hunting. What great friends I have.
After a big breakfast we all piled into the trucks and went back to pick up where we left off the night before. The pink marker ribbon in the trees looked as if someone was decorating for Easter. Yea and I know who’s the Easter (bear) bunny. As we where walking back to the last pink marker, I counted the yardage. We were about 100 yards from where I shot the bear The area we are in is called a cedar swamp, it has lots of cedar trees and moss on the ground as thick as six inches. It was like walking on a six inch thick piece of sponge carpet.
Lark was in the lead, Tim was flanking to the right of Lark. Gary was to the left of Lark. The rest of the gang was behind Lark. Tim yelled out that he could see blood on a tree just up ahead of Lark. I looked at where Tim was pointing. Tim crouched down to get a better view of something ahead. He shouted out "There’s your BEAR Mike!" We had stopped about 15 yards short the night before.
I felt a ton of weight lift from my back when I saw this magnificent beast at rest on the mossy carpet. I cried and cheered giving thanks to God. I looked at Lark and asked "Is this a BIG UN or what?" Lark replied after laughing "That’s a BIG UN." The job at hand now was to get the big guy out of the bush. We had to tie ropes to each leg and drag him out.
Back at camp weights and measurements were being totaled by Lark, Weight: 235 pounds., Skull Total: 18.75". Lark runs his hunting camp for two weeks. My bear (96k GIF Picture) came in second biggest if you only look at weight, but my bears skull was the biggest of the two weeks.
We checked the exit wound and found the arrow had came out high through the hindquarter. The entrance wound was on the money. Upon inspection of the lungs, we found a nice three prong star through one lung. The arrow had deflected off the massive ribs and exited through the liver and out the hindquarter.
The others did a fine job. Tim was next to score four days later, but he did it with his 444 Marlin. His bear was 125 Pounds. One shot dropped right in its tracks. With one day to spare Ron was next to get lucky, at the same place that I took my bear from. But he used a tree stand. Ron had seen six bears while hunting from this stand, I think he forgot how to pull the trigger on his SKS. His bear weighed 140 Pounds. One shot through the heart, it ran 20 yards.
Well, Gary didn’t have very good luck this time, but he did get to see two porcupines humping in the wild. The guys worked hard to get Gary a bear but this was not to be. The look on Gary’s face was one of disappointment and that of relief, that the week was over. I think Gary spent a total of 120 hours hunting the 10 days and gave it 110%. There are no guarantees that you will get a bear, but Lark Ritchie will do his best as long as you do your best.
The trip home was just as long as the trip there, only I had some great memories stored up, to tell my boys when I got home. I was just as thrilled to get home as I was when I left to go hunting. Soon my oldest son will join me in a bear hunt, and some time after that both my boys will join me in a bear hunt. Maybe I can even get my wife to join in on the fun. Well wishful thinking.
I look forward to my next bear hunt in the spring of 1998. I think I will put my tree stand up the next time...... This was by far the most hair raising thrill, and I hope to have many more.
A Special Big Thanks goes out to: My Wife (Rebecca) I could not have done it without your permission. My Sons (Christopher and Scott) for there support and understanding. Soon you will be going with me on Big Game Hunts.
Arrows: Easton Custom made SuperLites XX75 2413, 3" feathers Yellow and White, Uni-nock bushings with Carbon inserts. Total weight: 434 Grains w/ Broadheads.
Sight: Plloington Pro-Sight Red Dot.
Release: Scott Archery, Caliper type with wrist strap.
Speed: 265 F.P.S. Tested.
TNWB Family Member #13731
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