By – Gage Brock
This spring started off different from the rest. Idaho experienced heavy snows over the winter months and it was not warming up at a pace where I could get into my usual baiting area. If I wanted to take a bear over bait, I would have to find a new area lower in elevation to make a set. To add to the weather delays was the lack of time due to my work schedule. I had to find an area that I would not have any other hunters to compete with, yet still be below the snow line where I could gain access. One of my family’s favorites is bear burger, and we were running low. I knew that if I wanted a bear bad enough, I would have to work hard to be rewarded by the end of the season.
Last year I took a few trips to do some spot-n-stalk and never saw a bear. I knew my chances would be slim this year, but at least there was a chance. I was able to take a few weekend trips to do some glassing on low ridges that were greening up. To my surprise I was seeing bears this year. I think that some of the animals that I saw was due to the good spotting scope that I had purchased for this year. However, I was never able to get within bow range of the bears that I did see. It was nice to get out of town, get into the hills and shake the cabin fever that I had caught in the last few months and do what I love the most, hunt bears.
I finally caught a break in the first part of June and was able to get a bait out. I didn’t have my ducks in a row this season and ended up setting my bait without using a stink bait. I usually have a couple of old carp in a bucket fermenting in the sun for a week or so before I set my bait. I think a strong call bait is one of the largets factors on how successful your bait will be. This year all I had was a few pieces of bread soaked with liquid smoke and a couple of buckets of caramel that my friend Chad Baart gave me. It wasn’t the usual rank fish smell I was used to, but it would have to do.
On Sunday June 9th I was finally able to free up a night to check my bait and hopefully hunt it. This all depended on whether the bait had seen activity or not. When I finally walked into where I could see my bait pile I could tell that it had been hit, but not to the magnitude I had hoped for. I decided to leave the site and not come back until the 12th . Hopefully the bear that was on it would become more comfortable, and maybe draw another one in with all of the french fryer grease I had dispersed.
When June 12th came around I was finally able to get out to the bait site. I was anxious to see if the bait had been hit hard. With the season ending on June 15th , I was going to sit every minute that I could. I took my backpack and loaded my blind, lawn chair, and everything I could possibly need for a day of sitting and started the walk to the bait. On the way in I noticed an unusual amount of wolf tracks on the trail that I was using to haul the bait in. I was starting to wonder if the recent wolf activity would have any effect on the bears and how they were using the bait.
As I came over a small finger I looked down the hill to my right and saw what looked like a dead bear laying on a couple of logs. I wasn’t sure what would kill a bear like that and leave it out in the open. I decided to move in for a closer look and started to take a step towards it when I tripped and fell down the hill. When I started to get up I was looking at the “dead” bear that was now lifting his head to see what he woke to. I laid back down on the ground and started to take off my pack that was loaded down. When I got the pack off I located my bow and started to un-buckle my release that I had strapped to the limb. I took a peek through the bushes between us and saw that he was not sure what had disturbed him. I laid back down and finished getting my release on. When I glanced back over the bushes he was starting to calm down. He was now sitting down facing me. I needed to close the gap in hopes that a shot would present itself. He finally lost interest in whatever had disturbed his nap and returned to his afternoon slumber.
I worked my way down the hill to a pine tree that I had hoped to reach. This would put me into position if he turned. After a short wait he decided to move around exposing his side. I came to full draw and stepped out into the open so I could shoot. When I came up I still didn’t have a shot and I was now exposed if he looked towards me. I took one giant step to my left and had a small hole to shoot through. I put my 30 yard pin on him and leveled out my bow. The shot left the bow and the bear just stood there not knowing what had happened. I was sure I had hit him, but he just stood there looking around. He finally decided that something was going on. He started to trot down towards the bait and fell over. I couldn’t believe what a rush I was feeling. I had to lay down on the ground and gather myself for a few minutes.
When I finally started to gain my composure I grabbed my pack and walked over to where the bear lay. As I was standing there I was in awe. I could not believe how blessed I was. It took me a while to get him into a position for a few photo’s and get him out. I was tired by the end of the night, but kept re-playing what had happened over and over in my head. I have not been that excited for a long time. I can’t wait for next year to do it all over again.
What a thrill !!!!!
