Yesterday I left the gun in the truck and figured on doing some pre rut bow hunting. While sitting in the tree stand, I watched a good twenty or so crows looking for a fight and making a ruckus. Right then and there I was wishing I was crow hunting instead. A little after that I had a doe walk behind me and she hung around for about a half an hour. A good deal of leaves are still on the trees and bushes making it tough to see alot. Just after the doe disappeared, to my left I hear something in the bushes but can't see a thing. Scaning around I see a wide 8 pointer running right to the noise that I assume was another doe. 25 yds right passed me and could'nt get a shot. Soon after that, about 60 yds in front of me I see something dark through the brush. O.K. it must be a turkey, I always see turkeys. Wrong, wow, It's a Bear. Holy crap, I've never seen a bear while hunting before. The bear now precedes to walk right under me about 5 yds. away, continuing past about 25 yds and climbs an old berry tree. A minute later my phone rings and it's a buddy 250 yds away saying I need help draging a deer. I said don't tell me , it's a big wide 8. How do you know he said. He ran by 45 minutes ago. I got a bear eye level, I'm not climbing down yet . So for the next 30 minutes I watch the great beast eat until its almost dark. Time to go and he decided to climb down at the same time as me and I lost sight of it. The bear went up the tree like an elephant and came down like a mouse. I walked out of the woods with a nocked arrow and a large knife at the ready.
My friend got a nice buck and I'm happy. I did'nt take a creature yesterday, but I got 4 hours of memories I will probably remember for long time.
N.J. just reopened a bear season this year. I never had a real pull to take a bear until 2 days ago. I had him dead to rights broadside. It is open during 6 day firearm for bucks in December. Shotgun slugs only. N.J. is forcing you to take a mandatory one hour bear seminar before you can get a permit. I signed up yesterday. It' in 4 zones in north Jersey and I just make the boundary by a 1/3 of a mile. I'll be in the woods for deer anyway, so if he repeats his performance, he will become a rug. Too bad it was'nt open for bow, that would have been nice.
I used to bowhunt bear. Wife did not like the meat. So I gave up that aspect of hunting. Nothing like tracking an arrow hit bear at night to get the adreline running or reconnecting with God.
Pat, Years back, a friend gave me a piece of smoked back strap. It wasn't to bad but then again how much did the smoke disguise the flavor. I got a buddy that would take meat so it wouldn't go to waste. If someone gave me a recipe that included wrap it in bacon, that goes for any wild game, that is a trigger for me that the meat is tough and it taste like crap.
Meat is not bad. Sort of along the lines of pork. Mind you like pork in the old days it has to be well done. Trichinosis is common in the meat. I liked it. Wife didn't.
Got out yesterday afternoon and saw quite the plethora of game. Crows everywhere just getting out of my truck. A 6 pt trots by at 30 yds while I'm getting dressed. Going to my stand an owl sat 15 ydsfrom my tree. 30 minutes later it really started. A whole time in the stand a total of 16 does and 3 more bucks running and chasing around me. Nothing worth an arrow during the rut. Flocks of geese, lots more noisy crows and dozens of chipmunks and squirrels. One squirrel, completely hidden in brush made a little more noise than usual 20 yds directly in front of me for at least 25 minutes. All of sudden that squirrel turns out to be a red fox. Grabbed the bow from the hanger , drew back as it ran up the hill and couldn't get a shot off in the thick cover. Right after that a raccoon comes down the hill and climbs the same tree as the bear did. Hung out for 20 minutes and disappeared. The whole time deer around and oh yea we can't forget why we are here, more Crows. Ten minutes to dark and time to pack it in. I here deer running in my direction. I'm scanning around and guess who coming. My bear is back. Cool as heck, but I want to climb down. He walked by in a few minutes. To dark for a picture but I flashed the camera to spook it a little.
All I needed was that chick and her 7 little friends and I had a Disney movie.
