DPHunter4570
AH enthusiast
- Joined
- Jul 17, 2023
- Messages
- 269
- Reaction score
- 704
- Location
- Southern Illinois
- Media
- 14
- Member of
- SCI, Wild Sheep Foundation, American Bear Foundation
- Hunted
- USA-IL,MO,MN,ME; Canada-Manitoba; South Africa
Hey all,
Been largely quiet on here the last few months. Head down working, preparing for upcoming trips and working around the house. I was able to get out back in May and get up to a favorite place of mine, Northwestern Manitoba in the Duck Mountains region for some black bear hunting. This is my fourth trip to the area, hunting with two different outfits.
I hunted this year with Ty Pettyjohn of Outlaw Outfitters, and had a great time. A newer outfitter that I saw some posts on social media about and went ahead and booked a hunt, it panned out well for me. Based off their farm right near Pine River, Manitoba, the accommodations were more than comfortable in an older home they've turned into a lodge. Great food every night as well.
Night one saw me sitting a nice bait site, pretty good weather. Ty had been sending me some trail cam pics as season approached, and there was a really nice boar with a distinct light brown muzzle that was probably around 320 pounds that was a shooter. That bear came in to the bait for a good half an hour, but I held off. I didn't want to shoot on the first night and first bear that came in.
Well, that only lasted about another hour as the bear I shot came swaggering in. Noticeably bigger than the other boar, neck much thicker, body bigger, head bigger, all the signs of a good bear. I watched him for what was most likely about 5 seconds, didn't even take any pics of him on the bait, and gave him 2 doses of 45-70 from my trusty marlin. One shot right in the pumphouse, and one in his rump as he ran away. The bear made it about 40 yards and expired immediately. Using the Federal Hammer Down 325 grain loads on multiple bears, I've never been let down. The first shot was against the skin on the opposite shoulder having expanded perfectly. The second shot through the rump wasn't found as we did the gutless method, I have to assume it was in the guts.
Ended up being my biggest bear by a wide margin, which makes up for the bittersweet feeling of being done on the first night! 394 pounds live weight, the hide squared 7 foot 8 inches. The skull green scored around 20 7/16", putting it into Boone and Crockett which is pretty cool. He had a big scar on his forehead as well, so he'd been doing some fighting. I've got his teeth sent off for aging, will be interesting to see his age.
We got him loaded up in the quad and got him back to the farm with daylight to spare. Took the next day and hung out, then started my drive back to IL, hitting some of my favorite spots on my way home. Got home and set to cutting the meat up, and man, when you shoot a big one there's a lot to cut on. We got a ton of bear burger to eat this year that's for sure!
I'm working on the skull now, it should be all done in a day or two and I will post some pics and measure it once done. Now to just decide what to do with the hide. Full body mount sounds like the ticket to me, but no idea where to put it and the wife says no way!
Been largely quiet on here the last few months. Head down working, preparing for upcoming trips and working around the house. I was able to get out back in May and get up to a favorite place of mine, Northwestern Manitoba in the Duck Mountains region for some black bear hunting. This is my fourth trip to the area, hunting with two different outfits.
I hunted this year with Ty Pettyjohn of Outlaw Outfitters, and had a great time. A newer outfitter that I saw some posts on social media about and went ahead and booked a hunt, it panned out well for me. Based off their farm right near Pine River, Manitoba, the accommodations were more than comfortable in an older home they've turned into a lodge. Great food every night as well.
Night one saw me sitting a nice bait site, pretty good weather. Ty had been sending me some trail cam pics as season approached, and there was a really nice boar with a distinct light brown muzzle that was probably around 320 pounds that was a shooter. That bear came in to the bait for a good half an hour, but I held off. I didn't want to shoot on the first night and first bear that came in.
Well, that only lasted about another hour as the bear I shot came swaggering in. Noticeably bigger than the other boar, neck much thicker, body bigger, head bigger, all the signs of a good bear. I watched him for what was most likely about 5 seconds, didn't even take any pics of him on the bait, and gave him 2 doses of 45-70 from my trusty marlin. One shot right in the pumphouse, and one in his rump as he ran away. The bear made it about 40 yards and expired immediately. Using the Federal Hammer Down 325 grain loads on multiple bears, I've never been let down. The first shot was against the skin on the opposite shoulder having expanded perfectly. The second shot through the rump wasn't found as we did the gutless method, I have to assume it was in the guts.
Ended up being my biggest bear by a wide margin, which makes up for the bittersweet feeling of being done on the first night! 394 pounds live weight, the hide squared 7 foot 8 inches. The skull green scored around 20 7/16", putting it into Boone and Crockett which is pretty cool. He had a big scar on his forehead as well, so he'd been doing some fighting. I've got his teeth sent off for aging, will be interesting to see his age.
We got him loaded up in the quad and got him back to the farm with daylight to spare. Took the next day and hung out, then started my drive back to IL, hitting some of my favorite spots on my way home. Got home and set to cutting the meat up, and man, when you shoot a big one there's a lot to cut on. We got a ton of bear burger to eat this year that's for sure!
I'm working on the skull now, it should be all done in a day or two and I will post some pics and measure it once done. Now to just decide what to do with the hide. Full body mount sounds like the ticket to me, but no idea where to put it and the wife says no way!
