When I retired one of my first 'Bucket List' goals was to harvest a black bear. I drew a lottery tag in 2013 but did not harvest a bear. I did shoot one but did not find him. I hunted that year with my Ruger Blackhawk single action 45 Long Colt revolver with 300 grain HEAVY +P loads. We tracked him for several hours with a good blood trail, but once he crossed the Sage River NO JOY. It happens, not that I didn't agonize over the loss.
Both my wife and I have both been applying the lottery system since then, applying only for preference points so as to aim to the year(s) we would hunt. We planned that I would hunt one year and her the next. This year we figured would be our first chance, so I applied. Barb joined me in camp, but not into the blind with her camera. She was comfortable in camp making sure shopping was done and dinners ready when I came in. Next year for her will be Deja Vu. The goal for her hunt is to harvest a nice bruin for a bear rug. On June 26 I learned my fate: Newberry Season #1: SUCCESSFUL. The planning began.
I hunted once again with my guide and friend, Mark Boulton in Newberry, MI. Mark is a well renowned outdoorsman in the area with considerable experience in hunting black bears. We camped at Kritter's North Country Campground just north of town but commuted daily to my blind. Nice sites, clean with all the amenities for $35. Newberry Campground, which is closer, is $51. Of course, I brought along three large coolers for Yogi's comfort and convenience. Kritter's Northcountry Campground & Cabins, Newberry, MI The weather to begin with was pretty warm (80+) and muggy with showers and storms the first two days. Definitely A/C in the RV. But that would change.
My hunting equipment this year would be different. I brought along my Henry Big Boy 45-70 with Buffalo Bore 350 grain jacketed soft points. I had previously used this rifle to kill a 200-pound hog in Texas; dropping him in his tracks. Since that trip I have outfitted the rifle with a Holosun 510C Red Dot sight because as I age, so does my eyesight. I was very happy with this system. My sidearm is a Ruger Redhawk 44 Mag and HSM 305 grain wide flat point hard cast Bear Loads. I fired off a few from Old Henry to ensure the red dot was still on target. Final tuning resulting in a very nice, small group 1 1/2" high at 50 yds. Like it or not my health status has changed significantly. I was diagnosed with COPD 7 years ago and it has been moving along with age. This year I am experiencing more shortness of breath and energy. Unfortunately, with this comes a weight gain. I discussed this with my guide so as to make the hunt easier, regardless of price. At 70 years old, I figured this may be my last chance.
Henry 45/70
Ruger Redhawk 5" 44 Magnum
We arrived in Newberry the 3rd of September with the season opener the 6th. We arrived early for a little R n R as well as a bit of last-minute groceries, perhaps a little geocaching as well. We set up camp and contacted Mark. I have a variety of meals planned for this week, some OTRs ready to go and others prepared on site. The nice thing about evening hunts is the morning off and able to prep for dinner before hunting. We chose to concentrate on OTR meals for this trip for ease of prep when I was in the woods. Some of our camp meals for this trip included Asparagus Cheese Soup, Ramen Cheese Broccoli Casserole, SC Pork Butt Hash, Gemelli Chicken, Walking Taco Casserole, and Pig in a Pot. Lots of carbs for nights in the Great White North.
Pig in a Pot
Chicken Broccoli Cheese Ramen
Carolina Pulled Pork Hash
Tacos w/avocado and ranch
Chicken Gemelli One Pot With Pesto
Walking Taco Casserole
I hunted hard in the evenings over bait for 5 days. This is a tough time of year with temps usually still warm, but unpredictable and the bugs even more so. This year was much cooler and wet. You hunt right to the brink and after dark. Bears are more active in the evenings. This makes cleaning, skinning, and cooling the meat even more important.
Mark Boulton
Blind near the river
View towards the bait pile The first day was a 'no-go' due to thunderstorms and rain, but day #2 was a definite step in the right direction. I saw ZIP all afternoon till 8:05 p.m. when a good size boar walked 10' right in front of the blind. I saw movement, looked up and then he was there and then gone. He walked by deliberately on his way 'somewhere' completely unaware of the blind and me. The last thing you would expect. I waited awhile to see if he would circle around to the bait, but no joy. In fact, the baits were hit every day, but after dark. On Day 4 I did watch a sow and two cubs hit the bait pile, but nothing else. Good news was they arrived at 7:30. Day 5 yielded no joys with a drizzly rain all day. My wife and I discussed my staying another week, but Mark didn't hold much hope the hunting would improve. The rainy weather was supposed to return. 3 of the 5 in our group harvested a bear, but a bit on the small size at 120, 140, and 150 pounds. I was happy with the addition of the red dot sight to my rifle; easy to operate, see, and focus.
Unfortunately, not every story has a happy ending and much like 10 years ago neither does this one. I hunted hard, but with rain and nocturnal bears did not get to pull the trigger. I am saddened and my bucket list unfulfilled as yet, but it was a very nice time. We haven't been camping since our return in May and it was a smorgasbord of weather, but thoroughly enjoyed. It is, after all, called hunting, not finding. Sometimes the bad times help you to appreciate the good ones. The end of an adventure, another trip of a lifetime I will never forget. Next year is Barb's turn.
"If you consider an unsuccessful hunt to be a waste of time, then the true meaning of the chase eludes you altogether."
Fred Bear
WiFi provided by Kritters Campground Wireless
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