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Recapp of 20 years of bear hunting In Mn and this years hunt (so far). Long read.

Discussion in 'Bowhunting Talk' started by Schultzy, Sep 15, 2009.

  1. Schultzy

    Schultzy Grizzled Veteran

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    1st of all this Is no knock on guides In general what so ever, just a couple In my area. I have a few friends who are bear guides here and In Canada, there good folks just as most of you others are!! So please don't any of the guides or other hunters here take this the wrong way what I'm about to say.

    Bear hunting has gotten extremely tough In Minnesota on public land where we bear hunt the last 7 to 8 years. Back In 1977 was the 1st year my dad started bear hunting In the area we do now. There wasn't a soul around to be found, bear hunters were few and far between then. He hunted this area for about 6 years and did pretty good but he wanted to try out another spot south an hour or so.

    He didn't have as good of luck there so In 1991 In my 3rd year of bear hunting we went back to the area my dad originally started In. The old road (logging road) that he bear hunted on was just wide enough to drive down It with his pickup back In 1977 to 1983, the road was 20 miles long connecting 2 highways. When we went back there In 1991 It was a tad wider but still wasn't used a whole lot. We met a bear guide on the road from the area, his name Is Tom and he's a great guy. Dad told Tom the last time he hunted this area was back In 1983 and there wasn't a person around. This same bear guide started guiding this area the year after that and has been guiding here ever since. We asked Tom where his baits were so we'd stay out of his way and we told him where our old baits were that dad used to bait at.

    As the years went on the hunters started pouring In here. It was kinda surprising In a way being not many bear hunters do their own baiting and such. We soon found out It wasn't actually hunters but other outfitters Instead that moved on In. One of these other outfitters had worked for Tom at one time so they thought they'd give It a try themselves and hoard In on where Tom was guiding. 2 other bear guides that are from the area I live In that I know very well (4.5 hours south of here) started bear guiding up where we hunt also. A coincidence hah?? ;) To make a long story a little shorter the area we've been bear hunting In for 20+ years Is now Invaded with bear guides everywhere. They try and push us around but most are finding out we don't give. Why can't these leeching guides find their own spot and do the hard work we have done and Tom the guide has done? Tom Is a good guide, I've recommended him to allot of hunters. I just wish the other guides In the area had the same respect Tom has for us and other hunters. Mn needs to do something here, to many wantabee bear guides. Guide licenses are under 100.00 dollars, that's half the problem right there. Like I said In a few of my posts since I've been back from bear hunting this year, hunters every 2 to 3 tenths no matter where were hunting. Everyone of these hunters are guided. There's no way In hell I'm giving up on this area, It's got some outstanding bear running around. I told the local GW up there It' getting real frustrating with all of these guides, he agree's as well.


    Fast forward to this years bear hunt. Baiting opened up August 14th and we put out 13 baits. Allot of the spots we've had baits In for 20+ years. We've shot some outstanding bear through out the years In some of these baits, some of these bear weren't far from B&C material. 12 of these bear since 1991 have made P&Y. Most of our baits this year had trail camera's on them. When we went back up on our 2nd weekend of baiting we swapped the cards In the camera's and saw some good results with day hitting bear. The 3rd weekend we checked our baits again and 90% of them all had turned to night hitting already. That's absolutely crazy, I knew then we were In for another tough year of bear hunting. Bear usually will turn to night hitting when the season starts (September 1st), not 10 days earlier like they've been doing the last few years. Reason being, way too many baits and people (human scent) walking around In the woods or driving their 4 wheelers In the woods. All of our baiting/hunting Is done on foot, we don't use 4 wheelers. The 1st week of hunting we had just one bear sighting from one of the guys In the group, It was the last night we hunted.

    My dad lives about 45 minutes SW of where we hunt so he figured he'd let the bear woods be for a week and give It a try then. Well It worked out good for him, he shot himself what looks to be a possible P&Y bear. The bear dressed out at 335lbs, he's fairly short for his weight but he's pretty plump. He measured out at about 6.5 feet long. He's a dark chocolate phase black bear.


    There's a chance we might have had history with this bear last year. I don't know If you all remember the story I told last year of my brother and the encounter he had with a chocolate colored bear but anyway he ended up getting a shot at this bear last year 2 nights after this bear was woofing and chomping his teeth and lips at him. The shot ended up not being a very good one. The bear that my dad shot this year Is 3 miles south of where my brother had wounded his chocolate colored bear. There Is a wound on his lower right rear leg about a foot up from his foot. Could be the same bear, no one Is sure. It looks as though there's a 3 blade Imprint In where the broadhead might of entered In the leg bone and broke It, my brother was shooting a 3 blade Snuffer. I wasn't up there last Friday night when dad shot this bear so I haven't got to see It yet to look at this wound. My brother was there and he still Isn't 100% sold It was his bear from last year, dad says It Is. So who knows I guess. The 1st trail cam pics we got of this bear we could see the limp In his right rear leg and we could also tell he wasn't In very good shape. He was skinny looking but you could tell he was big framed. A month later this same bear fattened right up, he would've of easily made the winter dened up If dad wouldn't of got him. If this bear wouldn't have found any baiters bait, he never would've made the winter dened up.

    Here's a before and after picture of him....

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    Dad with his 335lb dressed bear, his biggest. Same bear everyone as the above pics.

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    I hope you all enjoyed the story, sorry It was a little long winded. I'll be heading back up September 23rd In hopes that the bear hunters have thinned out by then.
     
    Last edited: Sep 15, 2009
  2. Schultzy

    Schultzy Grizzled Veteran

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    Here's a few pictures from at camp and our baiting sites....

    My tent
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    Our practice target
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    Our oven and BSing place at night.
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    My recurve that didn't have any arrows In the quiver yet. Was checking over all of my arrows and BH's to make sure they were good to go for the hunt.

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    Our bath tub, damn she was cold too!!!
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    One of our bait sites. We tie a biodegradable sack In a tree with meat In It so the bear will crawl the tree some to see what size of bear we have hitting the bait. Below that you can see the logs all staked In a nice pile, there's meat and goodies In there. For the most part bear are the only ones able to move bigger logs around, that's the reason we use them. Coon and such try to but aren't very successful at It. Usually the logs we use are bigger then these but there wasn't to many big logs to choose from In the woods here.

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    This Is the bait that my dad shot his bear out of. In the second picture here you can see the trail the bears were using coming In and out of the bait. That trail was actually made by my dad and another guy last year when he shot his bear. It was there dragging out trail, bear used It this year.
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    Look closely and you can see a metal hang on stand In the tree, we make our own stands.
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    Here's dad In the tree after we hung the stand. Thumbs up he says!!
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    Here are some random pictures that I took while coming In and out of the woods checking bear baits while bear hunting this year.
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    Typical Mn northern woods. Try spotting and stalking In this stuff, won't happen here or anywhere where we bear hunt. This Is actually somewhat open, you can see about 15 yards here. No way In hell you'll get an arrow through there though.
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    Here's some bear sign, a dug up ant hill from a bears front foot. This Is actually across the road from where our camp Is (1/2 mile away or so). We always put a camp bait up no matter where we've hunted through out the years, always thought It would be cool to shoot a bear close to camp.
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  3. Tony

    Tony Legendary Woodsman

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    Steve ..... WOW!!!! Congrats to your dad! That is one nice bear, bro!!! GREAT story and awesome pics!!!:)
     
  4. Cooter/MN

    Cooter/MN Grizzled Veteran

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    Awesome job documenting your hunt and one heckuva bear that your Dad killed!
     
  5. bowmanaj

    bowmanaj Die Hard Bowhunter

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    Great post and great pics. Congratulations to your dad!

    One thing is for sure, family traditions are strong, and I hope everything is gonna work out at your guys' favorite bear spot. If my dad, brother and I were hunting a spot for 20 years and all the sudden there is another "guide" behind every tree, I would be very irritated. I imagine it's frustrating. Either way those are some great pics, you are very lucky to have a family who are all passionate about hunting. Good stuff.
     
  6. MN/Kyle

    MN/Kyle Die Hard Bowhunter

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    Awesome Steve, Congrats again to your pops.

    Hey, on a side note. I have a connection, in Bemidji, I can get skinned out beaver (also deboned) for fairly cheap. If you're intrested next year (this year for that matter) I can get you some. Hang that in a tree for a week and take a whiff....
     
  7. Jim_IV

    Jim_IV Die Hard Bowhunter

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    Looks like the Schultzy family has got bear hunting down to an art! Congrats to your dad for shooting another bear with the longbow (how many has he killed with trad equipment?). It was a great read, I really enjoyed it. Best of luck next time
     
  8. LAEqualizer

    LAEqualizer Die Hard Bowhunter

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    Great post Steve. Great pics. Congrats to your dad on a hog of a bear. That thing is big. If that was popping his teeth at me, the morgue would have a hard time cleaning me up.:eek:

    Good luck Steve.
     
  9. Finch

    Finch Grizzled Veteran

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    Awesome! Congrats to him! Nice bear!
     
  10. jackflap

    jackflap Die Hard Bowhunter

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    Great story and pics. That is beautiful country.

    Thanks for sharing and congrats to your dad.

    Hopefully you will have another story to share after the 23rd.
     
  11. Tribal

    Tribal Die Hard Bowhunter

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    Congrats my friend, good story and nice bear. Good luck when you head back out.
     
  12. dprsdhunter

    dprsdhunter Grizzled Veteran

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    Sounds like you are describing deer hunting here in illinois
     
  13. Kanga

    Kanga Weekend Warrior

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    Steve.

    Congrat Pops for me and remind him of the wood shed if he does what you said he wanted to do:D
     
  14. michaelp

    michaelp Die Hard Bowhunter

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    Good story and cool pictures...being from middle georgia, I can only bear hunt vicariously through you guys. I enjoy every minute of it. Tell your dad congrats, and I hope to see you posing after your next trip as well.
     
  15. Nate/FL

    Nate/FL Weekend Warrior

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    Great Story!!! Awesome Pics!!! And Congrats to your Dad!!! Heck of a Bear!!!
     
  16. jmbuckhunter

    jmbuckhunter Grizzled Veteran

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    Great story Steve, and congrats to your dad. He looks like a helluva bear. I wish we had more of them in MO. It would be nice to hunt more big game close to home.
     
  17. Dan

    Dan Senior Member

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    Good stuff Steve and a big congrats to your dad!
     
  18. Jigglestick

    Jigglestick Weekend Warrior

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    nice work schultzy!
    I was just thinking of checking on you guys to see how your hunting is going.
    way cool!
    let me know when your gonna be up nort again.
    should have some time for hunting come october...and november...and december :)
     
  19. Schultzy

    Schultzy Grizzled Veteran

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    I'm not sure Jim. He's been hunting with a traditional bow now for 25 to 30 years I'm guessing. How many bear I really don't have a clue. When I head back up there I'll ask him to figure It out, don't know If his brain will go that far back though!!:p


    Thanks for all the kind words everyone, good folks here!! I'll pass It all on back to pops.
     
  20. Schultzy

    Schultzy Grizzled Veteran

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    You got It Jiglestick!! We'll meet up one of these times my friend.

    Thanks much Michael, I'll see what I can do next time In the bear woods. Your a kind man Michael, best of luck this year deer hunting buddy!!

    Kanga,

    I already warned him and left him a message.

    Kyle,

    That's very Interesting. I'd be Interested this year In some of that beaver stuff possibly. I'll PM you later on It.

    Thanks again everyone!!
     

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