Of bears and boys.

In 2013, we had several father and son’s groups arrive for a spring bear hunt and for one particular boy, this was his first big game hunt. Auggie was 12 years old and a green horn as a hunter. His father brought him up to Northern Manitoba to experience a spring bear hunt/ fishing trip with us. They arrived at the lodge in mid-June. Auggie was tentative on the hunting part of the trip being more interested in catching big pike and walleye.

The first night he went fishing with the guide while his father went out and sat at a bear bait on the lake edge. His father did not see a bear the first night and Auggie thought he made the right decision as the bears did not move that evening but the big pike were “jumping in the boat”. Day two was a great day of fishing for Auggie and his father but Auggie was still hesitant on going out to sit at a bear bait with the guide that evening. When Auggie and the guide went to pick up his father that evening after catching many pike and walleye, they found his father was very excited because he had shot a nice cinnamon color black bear with his bow. Auggie’s interest on sitting at a bear bait with the guide was perking up a little as the bears were hitting the baits with regularity.

Day three was a very windy day and in the evening the wind just howled and would not calm down. From past experience with gusting winds in the evening, bears do not like to move in the wind because they cannot hear as well. Sound is one of their defenses when they approach the baited area. They listen for other bears that may be feeding and are possible danger to them especially if it is a bigger bear. Bears can become very territorial and tend to defend their turf especially if there is a sow at a bait looking for a boar as they breed in the spring. So Auggie did not go hunting that evening either.

Day four was a sunny, calm day with little wind and towards supper time there was no wind at all. At the supper table I mentioned to Auggie that if there was a perfect evening for bear hunting that tonight was the night to not only a see a bear, but to see a very big bear. I told him I had a special place where both him and his dad could sit in the stand together and have a great opportunity to see a bear. Auggie asked me if I was sure about this and I told him that I have been outfitting bear hunts for over 30 years and this was the perfect opportunity for him to be hunting and chances were excellent that he would have a good opportunity to see a bear. He said he trusted my judgment and so the guide took him and his father to the special place I had picked out for them to hunt that evening. When they got to the bear stand the bait site was freshly tore up and looked as if the bear had just been there so the guide put Auggie and his dad up in the stand and told them he would be wait within sound shot distance from the bear stand so he could hear them if they shot at a bear. Well, the guide wasn’t gone for maybe 20 minutes when this monster boar (male) Black Bear showed up and started tearing up the bait and making growling noises! The bear’s actions were attention getting to say the least! The big bear was upset that another bear had been in there and was encroaching on his food and his territory! The big boar looked around and saw Auggie and his dad up in the bear stand only 8 ft. off the ground and charged the tree they were in! He could smell them, looked up at them, and woofed and growled to indicate he was the dominant bear and they were intruding on his food and territory. To say the bear was aggressive was an understatement, and now not only was the bear excited, so were both Auggie and his dad! Auggie thought he should shoot the bear below the stand but his dad, the experienced hunter that he was said it was not a good quality shot and to wait for the bear to go back to the bait. The bear calmed down and proceeded to go to the bait and do some more sniffing around to see if a female bear (bear) had been around and that is when he presented a perfect broadside shot. Auggie’s patience from his dad’s advice paid off in a big way. Auggie took aim with his rifle and made a great shot. The bear only ran 50 yards and died. The guide heard the shot and came in to hear the tale of tape on what had just transpired in the quiet bush of northern Manitoba. At the lodge we knew something had happened because the hunters and guide were back to early. Since the bear was so big, they could not move, drag or carry the bear and both Auggie and his dad decided they wanted all the hunters to see how big he was so they came back to the lodge and loaded up some more help to carry it out on one of our bear stretchers. When they returned we could hear hooting and hollering by Auggie as they entered the driveway to the lodge with the big bear in the back of the van! It was even bigger than they said and here is the picture to prove a young boy became a step closer to becoming a young man and a great hunter.

12 yr olds first bear 2013