A Bear On The Ground - A Skunk Bear At Double Matrix

When we got to the Double Matrix site I realized that I had dumned out and forgot my camera. Since camp was 25 miles away we didn't go back for it. (So the pictures on this page are from Fred's video footage of the hunt.)

The EZY-Cam TrailTimer at the Double Matrix site showed 8 events last night and 5 more during the day. We settled into our separate but adjoining Double Bull Matrix blinds and waited.

At 7:30 asked Fred to video around the area. He turned on the camera and is if on Que. I saw a bear's head poke up about 50 yards in front of us. I pointed to it and the bear's head bobbed back and forth looking the area over. Then it vanished.

I put my Camo Pro Ears on and turned them up high and listened. Fifteen minutes passed and I heard barely audible footsteps to the left rear of the blind.

The bear stood was standing 20 yards away near the trail that passed by the blind. It looked like Fred might get his wish that he would video a bear at arms length. The bear stepped onto the trail and we lost sight of it.

In the Pro Ears I heard the bear walk behind the blind and turn along side us on the right. A tree was down on that side and we had placed the blind against it. The bear walked right next to it and it passed our position. 

Then it turned away from us and moved into the woods 30 plus yards and half circled us. It stopped and looked in our direction briefly and started walking. 

Just when it looked like it might be walking away it turned in our direction and headed straight toward our blind. But it hooked a right and walked toward the logs and the bait.

This was a remarkable bear, it had a chocolate brown coat with a wide tan colored stripe from his head to his butt. (We call bears with a stripe "skunk bears" and I've seen a few over the years. But never one with a stripe this pronounced and this wide.)  

Fred's idea for videoing from a different blind was working perfectly. The picture below is from the video. I am waiting for a shot I like better than this.

When the angle was to my liking I drew. Fred had the video all the way back and slowly. The picture may not look like it but the bear is only 12 yards away.

I held at full draw, making certain my pin was tucked behind the shoulder in exactly the right place. My BowTech Patriot has an 85% let off and it is no problem if you have to hold it back awhile. Fred zoomed in tight on the bear and then moved back a little to pick me up.

Everything was on and I touched the trigger on my FletchHunter Shorty. Fred's video caught the arrow streaking toward the bear. It hit perfect, behind the shoulder, right where I was aiming. (Notice the TrailTimer in the picture.)

The arrow zipped completely through the bear and it shaped at its side.

And ran. It made a heck of a racket busting through the brush and downed trees and limbs. I listened for a death moan in the Pro Ears but did not hear one.

But I knew the arrow had hit the mark and the bear was down for good. We gathered our stuff and took up the trail. A good blood trail led us to the bear in the densest young pine patch imaginable. 

I like to take pictures in the woods at the place where the animal is recovered. So we decided to return in the morning. To make the drag part of the recovery easier Fred walked back to the bait and hollered. Then I marked a straight line trail to the bait with blaze orange FireTacks.

We will return in the morning and take pictures.