winmagman
Well-Known Member
Well I finally accumulated enough points to go on my first Wisconsin bear hunt this fall. I opted for an outfitted hunt as I work way too much and didn't have the time or the place to bait on my own. I also went with a firearm vs bow just to increase my odds since it would be a minimum of 6 years before I could draw again.
I arrived on a Tuesday for a Wednesday through Monday 6 day hunt. Had a great meal, good nights sleep, and woke up chomping at the bit to get hunting. We headed out about noon for a 10min. drive followed by a 15min. quad ride to get to my assigned spot. As soon as we pulled up I knew I was going to like this spot. I was sitting a pipeline about 30yds wide that ran due west from the top of the ridge we were on to the top of the next ridge 200yds away. The bait site was about half way up the other side at 145yds. I would be hunting from the ground sitting in a camo fold out bag chair using shooting sticks to support my 300WM. I picked a spot just of the quad trail that had waist high ferns that covered 2/3rds of my body and a small 10ft circle of grass behind me where I could put my hard case.
Two of the first three evenings were eventful with bear sightings and shot chances Weds. and Fri.. The fourth evening things got interesting. I'm sitting there facing west with the wind blowing 8-10mph right in my face just listening to the aspen leave rustling. I notice a small movement at the bait so lean forward and look through the scope and find a raccoon heading in. I'm watching him for a little bit when the wind lets up and for a second I think I hear panting then it's gone as the wind picks back up. I was just about to turn around to see if I was hearing things when I hear my gun case move. I can't begin to describe how much that can pucker a guy up. I sit there a second not knowing exactly what is behind me, but hoping for a raccoon or porcupine. The gun case moves again and then the "grunt", double the pucker factor here, it's a bear. At this point I don't know if it's a 50 pounder, 500 pounder, or sow with cubs. I just know that it's directly behind me inside 10ft and I still can't see it.
About now all kinds of things start going through my mind, not many of them good. I knew I didn't want to startle it, make it feel threatened, or make it angry. Instead I just sat there and slowly turned my head to the right to try and get an idea what I was up against. I'm turned about as far as I can go and all I can see is black about 4ft behind me. All I can think is "how in the hell does this bear not smell me" pretty sure I've crapped myself by now. While I'm thinking this he decides to walk out from behind me. He's not a big bear or sow with cubs just a 175pounder which make me feel so much better….NOT. By now he is directly beside me still about 4ft away. For a little bit I thought he was going to walk on by. Of course not, he looks away to the right, then ahead, then turns left takes two steps and sits down. Looks like a Dalmatian in front of a fire station. I just can't catch a break and yes the pucker factor is just about off the chart.
As I sit there looking at his nose somewhere between 18" and 24" from my face it's dawning on me just how much trouble I could be in. I no longer have enough room between the two of us to get my gun around, my knife is in my day pack on the ground, and I'd opted not to bring a side arm since I'm much better with a rifle than a pistol. The only thing I can think of doing is to fall to my left creating enough space to get a shot off then hopefully ride out whatever happens next. As I'm formulating my plan this bear decides he wants a closer look, this is where the pucker factor shoots right off the chart. He leans forward and lifts his right paw like he is going to put it on the arm of the chair I'm sitting in right where the cup holder is. That however is exactly where my Zeiss binoculars are at. I don't think I did this on purpose but I just said "no" thinking he was going to mess up my glass. Not loud but just like you'd tell your 2yr old when he's about to throw food from their highchair. That paw shot back, ears went up and he started weaving left to right like he was trying to figure out what the heck I was, so I said "no" again. That did it. He turned around and sauntered off into the woods.
I sat there kinda dumbfounded for a bit just thinking about what had happened. Then the shaking started. I honestly did not know a person could shake that much without falling apart. I actually thought I was going to be ill at one point. I did manage to stay out the rest of the evening and saw three more bears at the bait, nothing big though. Not sure I could have pulled off a shot anyway, pretty shaky the rest of the night.
I did manage to take my first bear the next night, not a monster, somewhere around 180ish. To be honest I spent most of the night looking over my shoulder. Despite having the crap scared out of me I had a great time, met some great people, got my first bear, and came away with the story of a lifetime. Couldn't really ask for more than that.
Chris
I arrived on a Tuesday for a Wednesday through Monday 6 day hunt. Had a great meal, good nights sleep, and woke up chomping at the bit to get hunting. We headed out about noon for a 10min. drive followed by a 15min. quad ride to get to my assigned spot. As soon as we pulled up I knew I was going to like this spot. I was sitting a pipeline about 30yds wide that ran due west from the top of the ridge we were on to the top of the next ridge 200yds away. The bait site was about half way up the other side at 145yds. I would be hunting from the ground sitting in a camo fold out bag chair using shooting sticks to support my 300WM. I picked a spot just of the quad trail that had waist high ferns that covered 2/3rds of my body and a small 10ft circle of grass behind me where I could put my hard case.
Two of the first three evenings were eventful with bear sightings and shot chances Weds. and Fri.. The fourth evening things got interesting. I'm sitting there facing west with the wind blowing 8-10mph right in my face just listening to the aspen leave rustling. I notice a small movement at the bait so lean forward and look through the scope and find a raccoon heading in. I'm watching him for a little bit when the wind lets up and for a second I think I hear panting then it's gone as the wind picks back up. I was just about to turn around to see if I was hearing things when I hear my gun case move. I can't begin to describe how much that can pucker a guy up. I sit there a second not knowing exactly what is behind me, but hoping for a raccoon or porcupine. The gun case moves again and then the "grunt", double the pucker factor here, it's a bear. At this point I don't know if it's a 50 pounder, 500 pounder, or sow with cubs. I just know that it's directly behind me inside 10ft and I still can't see it.
About now all kinds of things start going through my mind, not many of them good. I knew I didn't want to startle it, make it feel threatened, or make it angry. Instead I just sat there and slowly turned my head to the right to try and get an idea what I was up against. I'm turned about as far as I can go and all I can see is black about 4ft behind me. All I can think is "how in the hell does this bear not smell me" pretty sure I've crapped myself by now. While I'm thinking this he decides to walk out from behind me. He's not a big bear or sow with cubs just a 175pounder which make me feel so much better….NOT. By now he is directly beside me still about 4ft away. For a little bit I thought he was going to walk on by. Of course not, he looks away to the right, then ahead, then turns left takes two steps and sits down. Looks like a Dalmatian in front of a fire station. I just can't catch a break and yes the pucker factor is just about off the chart.
As I sit there looking at his nose somewhere between 18" and 24" from my face it's dawning on me just how much trouble I could be in. I no longer have enough room between the two of us to get my gun around, my knife is in my day pack on the ground, and I'd opted not to bring a side arm since I'm much better with a rifle than a pistol. The only thing I can think of doing is to fall to my left creating enough space to get a shot off then hopefully ride out whatever happens next. As I'm formulating my plan this bear decides he wants a closer look, this is where the pucker factor shoots right off the chart. He leans forward and lifts his right paw like he is going to put it on the arm of the chair I'm sitting in right where the cup holder is. That however is exactly where my Zeiss binoculars are at. I don't think I did this on purpose but I just said "no" thinking he was going to mess up my glass. Not loud but just like you'd tell your 2yr old when he's about to throw food from their highchair. That paw shot back, ears went up and he started weaving left to right like he was trying to figure out what the heck I was, so I said "no" again. That did it. He turned around and sauntered off into the woods.
I sat there kinda dumbfounded for a bit just thinking about what had happened. Then the shaking started. I honestly did not know a person could shake that much without falling apart. I actually thought I was going to be ill at one point. I did manage to stay out the rest of the evening and saw three more bears at the bait, nothing big though. Not sure I could have pulled off a shot anyway, pretty shaky the rest of the night.
I did manage to take my first bear the next night, not a monster, somewhere around 180ish. To be honest I spent most of the night looking over my shoulder. Despite having the crap scared out of me I had a great time, met some great people, got my first bear, and came away with the story of a lifetime. Couldn't really ask for more than that.
Chris
