First Bear hunt

Crossbow Hunting

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gerald strine
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Location: Southern Michigan

First Bear hunt

Post by gerald strine »

So after 9 years of applying for a Michigan bear permit I was able to buy a license this year.
I had never hunted bear before but have seen them on a few occasions over the years deer hunting .
I got some baiting tips and advise from some Excal Forum members and decided to give it a go.
The hunting property is a 3 hour drive from my home so baiting was a commitment .
My first time up I had buckets of feed to haul back on a 4 wheeler well the property gate was locked and I did not have a key , I was able to pass the buckets over the fence and get into the garage to the 4 wheeler, however I soon discovered keeping 5 gal buckets on a 4 wheeler with bungee straps is almost imposable on the long ride back. :thumbdown:
Also I was the first person back on the path to the property for the season and had many new wind falls to deal with and only a machete with a saw back to cut myself a bypass trail around the worst spots ,mind you its hot out and many misquotes .
Just to put out the first bait was an all day event :crazy:
The next week I wired milk crates to the 4 wheeler for the buckets , bought gear to clear the wind falls and got things in order but still a good amount of work to bait .
To make a long story shorter
The first day I hunted I get out before day lite to my tree stand and realize that I forgot my lunch at the trailer but I had 6 meat sticks and water in my pack so I am ok I was planning on an all day hunt in my stand as I had only 4 days to get this done ,
I am hunting firearm season with my x bow .
I sit from first light to 4:30 in my tree stand with only very happy chipmunks to keep my company raiding my bait , when I see a bear working its way towards my bait.
I was immediately very excited.
It was a lone bear and I never let it get to the bait , I went into deer hunting mode I picked out a shooting lain the bear would step into , guessed the yardage and when he stepped into it took the shot with my Matrix 350.
I waited a hour before looking for it even though I herd a death moan before that.
I should have let it come into the bait so I could size it up it was only a 100 lb bear I wish it had been bigger.
I was just getting quick looks at it as it came in and I was very much in an adrenalin rush, I took the shot at 30 yards out but it would have come in all the way I am sure .
I got the bear out , packed it with bags of ice and extra bags along the sides and tied it up in a tarp over night and then took it to get registered with the DNR the next day.
I skinned it that day when I got it home and processed the rib cage that night and put the front and hind quarters on top of ice bags in a cooler over night until I could butcher the next morning.
Killed Sunday night , registered Monday skinned / quartered and into coolers, finished the butchering on Tuesday.
I must say the meat is really wonderful , I had only had some Bear bratwurst many years ago and never a Bear loin or steak .
Wow Bear is excellent table fair I have had it a hand full of times now and I am impressed.
This was all last month I have been stretched very thin these last few weeks and just got around to this post .
I have a picture but posting pictures never works for me.
Hunt eat sleep repeat.
Hatchet
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Re: First Bear hunt

Post by Hatchet »

Congratulations on your successful hunt. Great story too. Sound like a lot of work....but you did it!
Take care
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janesy
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Re: First Bear hunt

Post by janesy »

Awesome! Congrats on the hardwork and successful hunt Jerry! :clap:

Send me the pics if you want them posted.
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Normous
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Re: First Bear hunt

Post by Normous »

Cool story, your hard work paid off and the younger bears sure taste good !
If you want a rug wait for a bigger bear, if you want great table fare shoot a younger bear .
Next year you will utilize all your recourses to their full potential after a good 2021 season under your belt.
How far from the shot did he drop? Describe your hit wound characteristics?
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janesy
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Re: First Bear hunt

Post by janesy »

Image
Image
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gerald strine
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Re: First Bear hunt

Post by gerald strine »

Thank you Janesy for posting the Pictures .
Hunt eat sleep repeat.
gerald strine
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Re: First Bear hunt

Post by gerald strine »

Normous wrote:
Wed Oct 06, 2021 10:20 pm
Cool story, your hard work paid off and the younger bears sure taste good !
If you want a rug wait for a bigger bear, if you want great table fare shoot a younger bear .
Next year you will utilize all your recourses to their full potential after a good 2021 season under your belt.
How far from the shot did he drop? Describe your hit wound characteristics?
In Michigan you get 1 point every year you apply for a bear permit no one with less than 9 points gets a license in my area so no chance soon to do it again soon for me.
I used a 350 matrix , 2219 aluminum , 175 grain slick trick, Blazers.
Hit was farther back that I wanted but the bear only went about 70 yards, good blood all the way.
I thought the death moan was kind of folk lore but I herd it, I still was in no rush to track it . I always wait an hour on a bow shot even on deer.
A month of work and it was over in a moment.
Hunt eat sleep repeat.
gerald strine
Posts: 3421
Joined: Mon Nov 30, 2009 7:41 pm
Location: Southern Michigan

Re: First Bear hunt

Post by gerald strine »

gerald strine wrote:
Wed Oct 06, 2021 10:45 pm
Normous wrote:
Wed Oct 06, 2021 10:20 pm
Cool story, your hard work paid off and the younger bears sure taste good !
If you want a rug wait for a bigger bear, if you want great table fare shoot a younger bear .
Next year you will utilize all your recourses to their full potential after a good 2021 season under your belt.
How far from the shot did he drop? Describe your hit wound characteristics?
In Michigan you get 1 point every year you apply for a bear permit no one with less than 9 points gets a license in my area so no chance soon to do it again for me.
I used a 350 matrix , 2219 aluminum , 175 grain slick trick, Blazers.
Hit was farther back that I wanted but the bear only went about 70 yards, good blood all the way.
I thought the death moan was kind of folk lore but I herd it, I still was in no rush to track it . I always wait an hour on a bow shot even on deer.
A month of work and it was over in a moment.
Hunt eat sleep repeat.
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Re: First Bear hunt

Post by vixenmaster »

Yo congrats on your nice Yogi
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xcaliber
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Re: First Bear hunt

Post by xcaliber »

Congrats!
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XB I GO
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Re: First Bear hunt

Post by XB I GO »

Sounds awesome! Save the bear grease for cooking and patch lube!
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Re: First Bear hunt

Post by nchunterkw »

Nice! Congrats!
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Riflemanz
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Re: First Bear hunt

Post by Riflemanz »

Congrats on a great first hunt! Nice bear! :thumbup:
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one shot scott
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Re: First Bear hunt

Post by one shot scott »

Congratulations! a good eater!
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frisky
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Re: First Bear hunt

Post by frisky »

Congrats Your smile says it all!! :thumbup:
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