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Things I learned in Canada

Discussion in 'Bowhunting Talk' started by huntingson, Jun 4, 2009.

  1. huntingson

    huntingson Weekend Warrior

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    1.People think bowhunters are crazy… and are completely incompetent: When we told the guides that we were bowhunting, you could tell that they were a bit unnerved, though they never really said anything. After my father and I filled our tags, they filled us in on their little secret… the vast majority of bowhunters do 1 of 2 things; miss or wound bears. They went on and on about how nice it was to have bowhutners in camp who actually knew what they were doing, were able to track their own bears, and who gutted their bears (which leads me to #2)
    2.No one guts their bears. Why not? B/c they want to be able to weigh them accurately. Who cares? I would rather not carry an extra 20-25 pounds out of the woods. Also, no one takes the meat. They discarded every bear corpse except ours b/c the hunters didn’t want them.
    3.Difficult to judge does not begin to describe bears on foot in the wild. I guess it just takes practice, but holy moley it is tough for a beginner/dumbass like myself!
    4.Quebec is my favorite province. I know, I know… French Canadians ? but the people are nice, the game is plentiful, the fishing is great. Sit down, but I am actually going to learn French because I am planning many more trips to Quebec over the years.
    5.One of the best parts of a hunting trip like this is the cultural exchange. It is so interesting to sit and talk with people from totally different places and cultures and just learn what makes them tick. For example, virtually everyone in the small community near where we were hunting was employed by the lumber company. Also, nearly all were laid off, but their attitudes were just amazing. It was all about how things will get better, and not about how bad they were. Hunting related, NO ONE hunts bears. I seriously mean NO ONE. They hunt for 1 reason and that is food. They don’t eat bears, therefore they do not hunt bears. They loved the fact that we hunt bears b/c they want some of them taken out, but they cannot justify sitting through the bugs for bear hunting. Also, they only fish for walleye and trout. Bass are a waste b/c they don’t taste as good. I would disagree, but I found it fascinating that nothing revolved around sport. It all was food related.
    6.Hunting bears over bait is not as easy as one would think.
    7.Hunting bears over bait is MORE exciting than I ever anticipated. I have not been that excited to shoot at something since my first days in the woods. It was a great trip back to the days of “the shakes”. I can see how people get addicted to bear hunting. I already cannot wait for next year.
    8.Hunting a big bear is much different than hunting a bear. Just like whitetails, it is not as simple as set up where a lot of bears are and wait.
    9.If you hear anything in the woods, then it is definitely NOT A BEAR. These things are the black ghosts of the forest. They appear out of nowhere and disappear just as quickly and silently.
    10.Thermacells were a gift from God. If it were not for those little babies, then I believe the bugs would have sucked every last drop of blood out of my body.
     
  2. Iamyourhuckleberry

    Iamyourhuckleberry Die Hard Bowhunter

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    Now there's a man with an open mind. Congrats Jim! Welcome to the world of international hunting! It is as you described just about anywhere you go. It's a big old world with a lot of things to see and people to meet! You are on your way!

    I agree, bear over bait is very mentally challenging...when I did it, Thermacells were non-existant. You simply covered and endured. And yes, It is very exciting. I had a bear climb my tree and smell my boots....

    Man, I'm happy for you. Your hunt sounds like an awesome trip. I love the thought that you're learning french. NOw, where are the darn pictures of your bear? Isn't that a violation?
     
  3. Dan

    Dan Senior Member

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    Sounds like you had an awesome hunt Jim!

    After living here in Ontario and guiding bear hunters for the last 8 summers and falls, I gotta say your observations are spot on.

    Congrats again and lets see some pics!
     
  4. huntingson

    huntingson Weekend Warrior

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    I have hunted caribou a couple of times in Quebec as well, but this was the first hunt where I ever had real contact with a community and it was a neat experience.

    This was my father's first bear hunt in 20 years or so, and he was giving me the "good old days" speech as well:busted: :d All I can say is that I am glad that I did not have to put up with these bugs without one. OUCH! My hat's off to you who did.

    Pictures will be in the hunt story post. This was just a lessons learned type post in order to avoid breaking any rules:beer: Oh, that and b/c I still haven't taken the pictures off of the camera.
     
  5. Hardcorehunter

    Hardcorehunter Weekend Warrior

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    I learned along time ago that you are not going to impress a Canadian by telling him or her that you are a bear hunter. They think you are stupid and can't imagine why you would "LOWER" yourself to such activity. We hunt MOOSE is their response. I also learned that if you add ,"Eh?" to the end of every sentence and fake an accent, that items can be purchased cheaper than if you are an apparent American:confused:
     
  6. huntingson

    huntingson Weekend Warrior

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    Dan, I thought that Ontario went to a fall only hunt?
     
  7. Dan

    Dan Senior Member

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    It is only fall. Now that I reread my sentence, it was a little misleading. My main business is fishing starting in the spring and running until the end of September, but I also guide 12-14 bear hunters in the fall through camp.
     
  8. Greg / MO

    Greg / MO Grizzled Veteran

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    Awesome post, Jim!

    In a few years, I'll be heading up to hunt bears with Dan... I'm already excited about it, and I know it'll be here before I know it just like this year's antelop trip.
     
  9. GuessWho

    GuessWho Weekend Warrior

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    The Doe's are plentiful in a different part of Quebec,
    in a little known town called Montreal
    and
    the specific stand placement would be Saint Catherine St.
     
  10. Schultzy

    Schultzy Grizzled Veteran

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    People are like this too where I bear hunt In northern Minnesota. Mostly from what I can tell In the area I hunt, It's the guides who do this the most. With the guts In the bear obviously weighs more so that's what they do, makes them look like they have big bear in the your spots. Bigger bear means more clients. Back In the day most weighed bear and most other animals without the guts (dressed out). What's really funny Is no one ever shoots a 150lb bear anymore, they always weigh 300+.;) I want their scales!!;)

    That drives me nuts but your right, allot of people don't/won't eat them. People think bear are a garbage disposal and eat anything and everything so they must not taste good. Man are they wrong!!

    Your sure right there Jim!! They are a mother to judge. It takes a good number of years to get an Idea of judging these things. The 1st 4 bear I shot, on 2 of them I was pretty close on the dressed out weight. On the other 2 I was way off!!:d The last 5 bear now that I've shot I've been with In 10lbs on each of them so It does get some what easier but like you said they are tough to judge.


    I've never bear hunted In Canada, I've actually only been there once and that was for a fishing trip 23 years ago (no guides were needed at the time). My dads hunted bear In Canada for many years back In the day with an outfitter (Don Hyatt was the outfitters name). Dad told me the people that live In Canada are fantastic people, nice as could be.

    Spot on with everything you said!! It sure Is a blast Isn't It Jim, glad you enjoyed It as much as I do every year.

    You got that right!! Some of these big bears are 15 to 25 years old, that's a ton of knowledge and wisdom that a persons hunting there. Big bears to me are just about as hard as hunting a mature whitetail, some are even much harder then that of a whitetail. Pressure probably Is the biggest culprit here though.

    Lol!! They sure are quiet aren't they!! A good number of times I've looked down below my tree stand to see a bear directly below me, I'm thinking where the hell did he/she come from??:confused: It seems bear either sound like a freight train coming In or there quiet as all heck.

    I've never hunted bear In the spring but I've heard the nasty stories from my dad and mom from their trips to Canada with the bugs bear hunting. The mosquitoes are bad In northern Mn In the fall when I'm bear hunting, I don't use thermocells {never bought one). The thought has crossed my mind though but I'm a little leery on getting one because of t
     
  11. huntingson

    huntingson Weekend Warrior

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    Steve, I was afraid of the smell as well, but I was more afraid of the black cloud of flies and mosquitos:d My thought, and I am not saying that this is right, but a bear can smell as well or better than anything else in the woods. If the wind is wrong he will smell me no matter what I do. Therefore, I might as well be comfortable.
     
  12. Rob / PA

    Rob / PA Grizzled Veteran

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    Experience is the same as mine Jim.

    1. My guide thought the same. Bowhunters are nuts until I shot some target in the yard for him. Hhhmmm, he said, good to know. (He was the quiet type. I even got berated for my setup by a fellow (oldtimer) bowhunter. First, my arrows were too light (380 grns), then my bow was too fast (285 fps) and I had the wrong broadhead (100 Muzzy). When I shot my bear it was laying quartered to but at 15 yards I sent an arrow through the front leg, lung, liver and shattered the femur in the rear leg. The bear went 40 yards. When we skinned and deboned the bear I asked the guide what he thought of the shot, showing him the perfect Muzzy hole through the shattered rear leg as I said, does that give you faith in bowhunters? He smirked, "No, maybe in bows and arrows but not necessarily the users". I got his point.

    2. We didn't gut it in the field. We carried it out on a stretcher, very tough for two of us and then weighed it. They did want an accurate weight for books, research, biology etc..etc.. not for the hunter himself but the DNR. They also took a tooth for aging. Many did not take their meat and we savaged those that didn't, that gave us that much more bear bologna.

    3. Bears are very difficult to field judge unless there is something more to go on than just the bear, like two bears or something to size them for. I swear my 220 lb bear was 300 when I shot it. I said it must of ran off 80 lbs. LOL

    4. Quebec was very, very cool and I'd go back in a heart beat with the right group. I have my bear now and want to concentrate on other game animals that I don't have but with the right group, it's a fantastic time.

    5. Same here, 3 of us went into town after we took our bears and proceeded to drink in a local tavern. The little French guys were afraid of us. I was the smallest of 3 guys and that's not usually the case. The other two guys I met in camp were from the Poconos and they were mammoth men. At first I thought we were going to fight the whole bar but it didn't turn out that way. They were all just very curious about us. Oh, the bar was suppose to have strippers from Ottawa but they didn't make it. And the camp, I never ate so good in my life. Wild game dishes every night.

    6. I agree but I was in a very successful area with a very successful guide. They call him Mr Bear and what I understand is responsible for the deaths of more bear than anyone on the continent. That I cannot substantiate however, it made me feel good.

    7. I agree 100% with that. I get very excited every time I taunt a string on an animal but my bear ranks right up there with some of the most memorable taunts.

    8. Yup, but Quebec isn't known for their "big" bears. A 300 lb bear was a "big" bear where I was (Sacre Cure or something like that). 700 is big in west Canada and PA.

    9. I didn't have that luxury back then. I got pounded with black flies the first night. My forehead looked like a pin cushion. The second night I double bagged the headnets. LOL
     
  13. GABowhunter

    GABowhunter Moderator

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    Awesome...can't wait for the pics
     
  14. rybo

    rybo Grizzled Veteran

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    Awesome post Jim!

    I will eventually get around to a bear hunt like you described. If you story & pix are anything like this post, I may have to make bears a higher priority.
     
  15. huntingson

    huntingson Weekend Warrior

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    Rob, mine ran off a bunch of weight too! I'll have to plan for that next time.:deer:

    Yeah, I know that I am not hunting monsters there in QC. The biggest they have shot is 398 pounds. 200# is about average for them. However, the trip is a relatively easy drive, relatively inexpensive, and most importantly we found an outfit that does 100% to make the hunters happy. www.taggartbaylodge.com

    I think that one day I may decide to try to get a 500+ pound bear, but certainly for now and the forseeable future I would be happy as heck to drop a 300# one.

    Rybo, it wasn't my #1 to do either, but it right up there now! Just a ton of fun. When I get home tonight I will write up a short story and post some pics. There are openings for next year and camp is really nice if anyone is interested. I am going the first week.
     
  16. shed

    shed Grizzled Veteran

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    Jim, great post and its nice to hear you had a great time. I've been saying it for years, bear hunting rocks! I was addicted from the first time I gave it an honest try and before that.... for years growing up I always kinda sluffed it off. I absolutely love bear hunting, it's intense how they can come in so quiet. Spot and stalking them gets my adrenaline pumping too!
     
  17. huntingson

    huntingson Weekend Warrior

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    I decided that spot and stalk has got to be in my future for bears. Not in the thick woods of QC obviously, but sometime somewhere I will give it a try.
     
  18. Cooter/MN

    Cooter/MN Grizzled Veteran

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    I have bear hunted in MN over bait a few times it's pretty exciting. It's a HUGE amount of work. For people who think it's like shooting fish in a barrel...the success rate in MN usually runs about 20% and that includes RIFLE hunters. Like Schultzy said...the mature bears are VERY wary about coming into baits during daylight so killing one is quite an accomplishment or even just seeing one. It's not uncommon for hunters to put out bait piles that never get hit by a single bear much less a mature one. The more knowledgeable you are about where to place baits and what to use to attract them...the more success you will have.
     
  19. Rory/MO

    Rory/MO Die Hard Bowhunter

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    Awesome stuff. Can't wait to see the hunt thread!
     
  20. Ben/PA

    Ben/PA Grizzled Veteran

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    Looking forward to the story and pics. I hope to get to Canada one day for bear myself. Thanks for sharing.
     

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