Alberta Bowhunt For A B&C Bear - Day#1
An early morning wake up call from the front desk started the day. A quick shower, check out, and head to the airport for the final flight. I arrived in High Level at 10:55 AM, right on time, and was met in the airport by Eric Grinnell. It took no time at all to get my bags, and load them into Eric's truck. From the airport we went into town to do some errands and have lunch before heading north to camp.
The drive to camp was just over an hour and a half, giving Eric and me lots of time to discuss the baiting thus far and the hunt plans for the week. The baits had just started getting hit; actually only one was getting hit hard, but the weather was warming and Eric was sure things would turn "hot" very soon.
Just as we were approaching camp Eric's cell phone rang. It was Jeff, Eric's guide, calling from his daily bait run. While approaching the active bait he ran off a bear, a real "big" bear! Things were starting to get interesting.
In less than an hour I was settled into my wall tent, changed, and on the back of a quad with Jeff to set up a tree stand on the bait where he had seen the large bear. The bait site was about five miles from camp, down a winter road that is more bog than road come spring. I soon found out why Eric had recommended full rain gear, and it had nothing to do with rain! As the quad's bog tires fought their way through the many deep holes along the road mud flew in all directions. It wasn't rain gear; it was mud gear I was wearing!
The bait site was perfect. The bait was cribbed to both protect the food from ravens and small scavengers, and to cause the bear to turn quartering away from the stand as he moved the logs to access the food catch.
A spruce tree was fifteen yards from the crib, and had several other trees clustered around to provide good cover. The sun would set behind the stand, and the approach to the stand site was easy and clear. I rushed to set the stand and get out of there to let things settle down before the evening hunt. We planned that Jeff would re-bait the stand when he brought me back in a couple hours.
Back at camp we had a fine diner, and then got ready for the return trip to the bait site. To say that I was excited would be a major understatement! I got back to the bait site at 7:00PM and hauled my gear up the tree while Jeff re-baited the crib. Given that darkness doesn't come until after 11:00, I would have at least four hours to wait for the bears return. With Jeff re-baiting we hoped the bear, which we suspected was close by, would think that this was just another feeding effort.
In less than an hour I heard a branch crack, and then another. The bear was coming! A few seconds later he appeared, moving slowly but deliberately toward the bait. I was surprised by how quickly he came in, and equally surprised by how quickly he grabbed a piece of meat and left. I never had a chance to draw! After grabbing the meat he walked off out of site leaving me wondering what would happen next.
Twenty minutes later I heard the tell tale crack of another branch. Soon after he appeared again. Jeff was right, he is a big bear!
Thinking that he might come and go again in a hurry I started my draw before he got to the crib. Not wanting the spook him, I decided to shoot sitting down to minimize movement. As he started moving a log I settled my twenty yard pin behind his shoulder and slipped my fingers from the string of my 70# CSS compound releasing the Muzzy tipped Beman shaft on its way.
Thwack, came the sound of my arrow hitting the log just to the left of the bear.
I had missed!
The big boar wheeled and ran out at the sound of the arrow crack on the wood inches from his head, but he didn't go far. I don't know what surprised me more, that I had missed completely at less than twenty yards, or that the bear was still in sight after it happened.
Next thing I knew, he was coming back to the bait!
Over the next hour he came in four more times, however he never gave me a shot. He either came in and out very quickly, or approached from an angle that didn't give me a good shot. Finally I heard the quad coming and the bear walked off into the darkness to my right just as Jeff appeared.
The bear never looked up in my direction once, and kept coming in, so I believe he'll be back tomorrow. I'm going to turn my stand about 30 degrees toward the bait, and tomorrow I'll stand when I hear him approach. All I can think of is that the miss was caused by shooting sitting at a bad side angle ... this will change tomorrow.
Stay tuned.