Bunch of young GIs are baiting on an old site my partner and I did not want to use this year. Now these guys just got back from Afganistan, and are shipping out soon. So they are all hopped up to go out and shoot a Spring Bear. They have been taking Bears off the site, eight so far. One young man Josh did not have a gun, and his buddy is my Hunting Partner's nephew Jess. So the Nephew came over a borrowed a gun from my partner. He loaned them a Marlin 45-70. I was there and said NO, both of you need a gun, too many Bears for two people walking into the site with just one gun. You have to walk right beside the bait to get to the tree stand. So I loaned Josh the second guy my Handi 45-70. Off they went last Friday night, up the Haul Rd, (You guys know it as the Ice Road) to spend the weekend on the site.
They came back last night. Both was so excited they could hardly talk. Now at this site we put the bait at the top of a bluff. We then built a tree stand between three trees that grow at the base of the bluff, and on the edge of the river bank. I screwed one of those Resin Chairs to the stand facing the bait, with a rail in front of it to use as a rest. Now it's only 15 feet from the chair to the top edge of the bluff. Now the bait is back another five to ten feet from the edge. The wind is always blowing up or down the river, so our scent does not get to the bait site. Since it does not get dark we set up all night taking turns watching the bait. They got there late Friday night so they slept in their truck and waited till morning to go and replinish the bait and get into the stand.
Saturday morning they walked down the hill, packing two bags of dog food and a gallon of pancake syrup. There was a bear at the site as they approched, but it got up and ran. Now they are excited, they have already seen a Bear, not a good look at it but it was a Bear. They poured one bag of dog food into the barrel, and poured half the syrup over it. Then they climbed into the stand taking the other bag of food and syrup with them. Not a bright thing to do, but they got away with it. They waited all day Saturday, no Bears showed. They were getting bored, and the mosquitoes were vicious. Suddenly there was a Black Bear on the bait, about 10PM. Already had it's head in the barrel so it was hard to judge how big it was. Jess the one with the Marlin shot it. The Bear turned and ran about 30 yards and fell starting it's death wail. That spooked them pretty good. Anyway they went down there and skinned it. (Not the best skinning job either.) Then back to the stand.
They replinished the bait with the second bag of dog food and the rest of the syrup. Once in the stand it was about 2AM, they were taking turns watching the bait. Josh was the guy watching, and he fell asleep in the chair. Some sound woke him up. As he awoke he mumbled something and the Bear heard it. The young man sat up straight, and looked the Bear right in the eye. The Bear came over to the edge of the bluff, and stood on it's hind legs. Josh knew the Bear could jump that far, but he said he was not scared. Josh raised the Handi, aimed at the base of the throat and fired. Josh said he saw blood and hair flying out the back, and the Bear fell over backwards like a tree. They skinned out this second Bear, and headed for the truck. As they skinned the Bear they found about 6 inches of spine distroyed, and a hole the size of your fist in the hide. Josh was shooting a 400gr Flat Nosed lead bullet. At 15 to 20 ft that was one heck of a shock to that Bear.
They came back last night to return the guns and show the hides. Josh said he does not want to taxidermist to patch the hole in the hide, he wants everyone to see the hole he blew in that Bear. I rode over on my Bicycle and did not take a camera, but they are going to make some pictures and bring them to us. I'll post them as soon as I get them. Josh wanted to buy my Handi 45-70. I told him NO. Josh said when he opened the Rifle the empty flew over his shoulder, gone. They never were able to find it. Most likely flew into the river.