My now wife Kay and I were dating in Feb. 1995. I was shooting in a bow league on the DART system at the local sporting goods store. Kay was going with me and showing some interest. It was all men to start with, but when a couple other females joined the group, I asked Kay if she would try it. A couple hours later she was outfitted with a new bow package. With only a couple hours of instruction, and a couple weeks to get her mussles in shape, half the men in the league were having to "tighten up" or get out done. Within one month, she was "taking names" and well you know. I had a black bear trip to Alberta planned for the 3rd week of May. Two weeks before time to leave, one of the party of four had to cancel. Although I had set up the trip, it didn't make me mad. As soon as I hung up the phone I ask Kay to join us. She said "I'll go, but I've never hunted". Knowing Kay could do anything she set her mind to, I asked her to try hunting. Now for a woman to agree to make her first hunting day in her life an archery bear hunt impressed me to say the least. We only had 2 weeks to get ready. She had to learn to shoot from a tree. The first time up the tree, a step pulled out and she fell across a barbed wire fence gashing her arm and she missed some 12" stakes that had been cut by a surveyor with a bush axe by inches. She was back up the tree in less than 30 minutes. We watched bear videos over and over. Her Matthews bow came with a 80% cam not legal for P&Y. I ordered her a 65% cam that came in 2 days before we left. It completely changed everything on her bow and for a newbie, that's tuff. Enough hype, on with the hunt. The guide had agreed to sit with her the first day, he would have a video camera and a little "backup" just to calm her nerves. She had to wait for the other hunters to be deployed, she would be last since the guide was to stay with her. 7:00 PM (light till 10:30) up the tree. 7:30 the first bear comes in, about 150lbs, grabs some scraps and leaves. That was quick. 7:45 another bear, 250lbs, guide gives her the thumbs up but no shot. The guide whispered that if that bear came back it would be a good one for her to shoot. Boring? NOT!. 8:00, OH MY GOD would you look at the size of that bear. HE'S HUGH! He comes in to 12 yds but the perfect broadside shot she needed for her 45lb. bow just wasn't there. After he left, the guide whispered that if she shot "that" bear she was on her own. She whispered back that even "she" could tell that was a BIGUN! 8:15 another smallish bear comes and goes. 8:30 here "he" comes again. This time her patience pays off. The bear turns broadside, sticks his near side leg forward exposing the lungs. The video captures the perfect double lung shot and the bear travels on about 75 yds., gives out the death moans, it's done. Both she and the guide were new to the camera and wanted to watch the replay but were afraid they would erase it. Back at camp that night when I got in, we watched the shot over and over. I was ecstatic and she didn't hardly know what to think. Next day the bear's hide would sqaure 7'9", his skull would measure 21" green (20 12/16" offical P&Y), and using a chart his weight was 481 lbs. The best we could tell from the P&Y records, it was the largest bear that had ever been taken by a woman with the bow. Call it luck if you want. I say that luck is when opportunity and preparedness meet. She was ready, willing and most of all, able and prepared. BB (broad butt) now spends his time over our fireplace. One BIG A$$ Black Bear!
Nice story story and congrats to your wife. I never knew black bears got big until I went to visit family in Wisconsin. They have the state record in a bar and it weighed in at 802lbs and another at 735lb. I always thought they were 200lb berry eating teddy bears until I seen this.
This spring bear was killed only a week or two after the six month hibernation period in Alberta. In the fall, just before hibernation, it would have been in the 700+ class.
THERE ARE MANY BLACKS IN MY COASTAL COUNTY THAT WILL TOP 600 PLUS..................I HAVE EVEN SEEN ONE ON THE SOUTHERN END OF THE ISLAND ON THE BEACH!
John Rogers, I was very fortunate on this trip to get a blonde and a chocolate
although neither were biguns. Getting color was nice though. You can kill two in Alberta.
LinkBack URL
About LinkBacks
Reply With Quote
BEAR & TURKEY
