Friday the 13th Bear - Manitoba
Woz and his first bear!
Hunter – David Wozniak (Woz)
Cameraman – Tony Perillo
My true passion is bowhunting for whitetails. Turkey hunting is a very close second. It is a long, hot summer here in Ohio between the end of turkey season and the beginning of bow season. Planting and maintaining food plots, practicing with the bow and playing in a couple softball leagues help shorten the summer but can’t replace actual hunting. For years, I have wanted to give spring bear hunting a try, but never had.
An opportunity to bear hunt arose this spring and I decided now would be a good time to go. My wife Danielle and I are expecting our first child this fall and I know our busy lives will become even crazier.
I would be going with my friend Tony Perillo and be hunting in Manitoba with Adrenaline Outfitters. Adrenaline runs 2 bear camps in Manitoba-a south camp and a north camp-we would be hunting their northern camp. We flew into Winnipeg on Saturday, June 7th, and then drove 8 hours north to Thompson the next day. Our first day to hunt was Monday, June 9th. The weather was sunny and warm-about 75 degrees. At 9:50 pm that evening, I caught a quick glimpse of a bear quietly sneaking in, but something spooked him and he quickly turn and ran. That was it for Day One. Day 2 and Day 3 were even slower-no bear sightings. We were in the stand 11+ hours on Day 3. The weather had gotten hotter-80 degrees and humid. Our guides were amazed by the lack of sightings. Apparently, those conditions are usually good for bear activity. That far north the dandelions, a highly-preferred food source for bears, were just coming into full bloom. The guides thought they might be hitting them hard.
Tony and I kept our spirits up. The baits were being hit. We figured the activity might have been occurring at night or early-mornings, due to the hot weather. We were extremely optimistic as we set up on Thursday, Day 4 of our hunt. A front had moved in, bringing with it steady rain and much colder temperatures. Thinking like whitetail hunters, a cold front might get things going. We were back on the bait I had had the brief sighting on Day One, with Tony the hunter this time. At 7:30 pm, just like before, one second there was nothing, the next there was a bear, 20 yards away. He spooked and ran, but suddenly reappeared a minute later just 7 yards away behind a thick spruce. It was as if he knew we were there, he was simply sizing us up.
He eventually relaxed and committed to the bait. His head looked big and I immediately guessed it to be the bear from the first evening. After a couple minutes of feeding, the bear presented a perfect broadside opportunity. Tony raised the Ten Point crossbow and carefully prepared for the shot. We had already discussed what to do if we were not certain if the bear was a “shooter” or not. The hunter would turn to the cameraman and ask what he thought. A simple reply of “shooter” or “too small” would suffice. Tony turned and said he didn’t know if it was big enough to shoot. Unfortunately, I was not sure either. When the bear had first come in, it looked huge, especially its head. But the longer it stood (then sat there) in the bait, the more we questioned his size. He was soaking wet from the rain, which made him appear deceivingly small. Everyone had told us that a bear will almost always look bigger than it really is. While we didn’t go on this trip trophy hunting, we didn’t want to take a bear and it end up being smaller than we thought. You should never shoot an animal just to shoot it. Our inexperience with bears contributed to our uncertainty as well. Ultimately, Tony decided to pass and I supported his decision. I ended up videotaping the bear for 30 minutes, including 2 false charges he made toward us to within 7 yards. It was an awesome experience.
Hindsight is always 20/20. After reviewing the footage with our guides on a large-screen television the next morning, they informed us that it appeared to be a solid, not huge boar, and would be a great bear to take, especially for a first bear. The fact that he was soaking wet had made him appear much smaller than he really was.
Tony and I decided I should take him if given the opportunity again that evening, our fifth and final day of the hunt. We both had a good feeling as we set up one last time. The weather started out clear and somewhat warm, but as the evening progressed, the wind and rain started up and it got colder. I liked this weather change. At 8:15, there he was. He came in like he owned the bait and to him, he probably did. After a couple minutes, he offered a perfect, slightly quartering away shot, and I took it. The Ten Point crossbow propelled the 100-grain NAP Spitfire XP broadhead-tipped arrow through the bear. The bear’s reaction, coupled with the aid of the Lumenok, told me the shot had been true. After just a few seconds, I heard the bear make that eerie sound I had heard people talk about countless times, but had never experienced firsthand. I went through the mixed emotions I always have immediately after I shoot an animal, then the celebration began. Friday the 13th is a lucky day.
I would like to thank Ralph and Vicki for this wonderful opportunity. It was an experience I will always remember. I would also like to thank Adrenaline Outfitters and our guides from Adrenaline, Randy and Ed. The hunting was tough, but they were phenomenal and helped make for a great time. Thanks also to our host Kirstie at Northern Lights Bed & Breakfast, for the great meals and putting up with us for a week.
Remember, keep your eye on the prize and always shoot straight from the heart!
-Woz