So the outback of Alaska is as unforgiveable as it comes for weather and wildlife but imagine being the hunter and guide dropped into a stake camp only to come back and find this!!
Well, thankfully, the group just happened to have some meager supplies and a little bit of luck and VOILA!!
And you thought that duct tape was only good for fixing cars 😉
We at Wawang live in the densely populated wilderness of the boreal forest. Though we don’t have grizzlies, we do have an extremely thick population of both black bear and wolves…..this is what it looks like behind the vail of leaves without the touch of man.
With most of you finished your bear hunt, here’s a great idea for something fantastic to do with your harvest that everyone will love!
BEAR ROAST
4 lbs. bear meat
2 cloves garlic
1/2 chunk of salt pork
1 c. black coffee
Rub meat with plenty of salt (celery salt is preferable) and black pepper.
Place in kettle with plenty of water and salt pork, garlic and black coffee.
Boil until tender. Remove to roaster, add more salt and pepper and cover
with plenty of sliced onions.Roast in 350 degree oven until brown. Use liquid boiled in for basting and
making gravy. For those who do not desired the “wild taste” in bear meat,
boil for about 10 minutes in soda water – 1 tablespoon soda to 2 quarts of
water – drain and the meat is ready for cooking or preserving.
Black bear are very hard to kill, and they are hard to track when wounded. Even a good heavy-caliber lung or heart shot may not keep the animal from getting off into the woods, and that same shot may not leave very much of a blood trail. Wounded bear bleed into the porous fat layers between hide and muscle, and their thick fur absorbs external bleeding like a sponge. As the bear runs and the fat moves, it appears to seal over most wounds and even a heavily bleeding animal may travel a great distance before its wound begins to leave a visible trail again.
There aren’t many more upsetting situations a hunter can face in this country than to put a carefully aimed shot into a carefully selected bear at virtual point-blank range, see it stagger, then vanish into the brush in two steps before you can even recover from recoil. You sit there, with dark closing in by the minute, not able to see more than 20 feet, and a wounded bear extending the distance. You have to get down onto the ground and do something about it. No wonder now why your guide and other experienced bear hunters kept telling you how important it is to hit a bear hard and solid and put him down and keep on hitting him until there is no chance he will get up and get out of your sight.
First rule is to wait. Be patient and slowly gather your wits and be prepared for the next steps.
Second: Look. Observe the direction your bear exited.
Third: Listen. Bears are commonly known to turn into the direction of their wound (more likely if mortally wounded) and can actually end up circling the bait. Those that don’t will run with such ferocity that the normally silent creature can cause major disturbances to surrounding areas and make enough ruckus for you to gage the direction to begin tracking.
If you are lucky, a short time after your shot is made, you may hear a drawn out, breathy cry often referred to as the death moan. This likely means your bear is down and is not getting back up. Don’t worry if you don’t hear one, not all bears will give you this satisfaction.
After waiting at least 30 minutes in your stand, cautiously come down and look at the area where your shot connected. Look for any sign of your shot: blood, tissue or even an arrow that carried through.
Start in the direction where you shot and look for any sign of blood in the direction you saw your prey evacuate from. Take the time to bring and use marking tape to highlight your trail as you go, not only will it give you a general direction, but it will also make finding your way out much easier and stress free.
A good, clean shot should drop a bear within 40 yards but we have tracked bear that have gone up to a couple of miles away.
On top of marking tape, I also suggest having a spray bottle with peroxide in your kit. In the forest, leaves can often have brown marks that look an awful lot like blood and using the peroxide will help differentiate as it will bubble on contact with blood. I often add the brightest yellow food coloring I can find to highlight the blood even further. I also like to pack a small black light to use in conjunction with this mixture as it will illuminate if the natural lighting begins to fade.
It is not uncommon to spend a few hours searching if your bear has gone beyond the 40 yard mark but don’t lose hope. Keep your eyes peeled for signs of foot prints, snapped twigs or torn leaves as this could be nature’s own way of marking your bear’s trail.
If the day ends and no bear can be found, ensure that you go back early the next day. Look for any signs of scavengers in the area. Turkey vultures are often a DEAD giveaway. They feed in the daytime so be prepared to wait a bit for them to arrive. We sometimes will suggest to our hunters to climb back in the stand and look over the area again from the original vantage point.
If on the second day there is no harvest found and no sign of scavengers, it is very unlikely you will find your bear and you will come away with one of the hardest experiences in hunting. Disappointing for both sides.
So in closing, take time placing that shot and take time looking for any wounded animals you may have created.
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As an outfitter, we often hear how many people would love to hunt bear but have no idea what to do with all the meat or if they did keep it, how to cook it (Ontario is a no waste province, it is mandatory to take all of the meat with you upon departure.)
Below is an excerpt from a great story written by Jackson Landers and how he dealt with an unexpected amount of bear meat…..and what he learned.
Now I had heard all sorts of stories from hunters about what bear meat is like: that it’s tough, gamey, and unpleasantly greasy. But in my experience eating a fairly wide array of unusual species, I had found that meat that tastes “tough and gamey” is more often a case of bad butchering and sloppy handling than an intrinsic quality of a species.
To maximize the potential flavor of my bear, I dry-aged it for a week before I started experimenting. Dry-aging meat, for the uninitiated, is the process of letting meat hang out for a while at cool temperatures while allowing moisture to evaporate from it. Dry-aging accomplishes two things. First, natural enzymes in the meat begin to tenderize it by breaking down the collagen in the muscles. (Collagen is what makes tough meat feel tough, and more of it builds up in muscle tissue as an animal gets older.) Second, dry-aging allows water to evaporate out of a piece of meat, concentrating the flavor. High-end steakhouses all do this with their beef, and I have been dry-aging most of my venison in my fridge at home for years.
Once my bear was sufficiently dry-aged, the very first thing I tried was cutting some simple steaks out of a forequarter (the upper portions of the front legs) and from the backstraps (the cuts from alongside the spine that are referred to as “pork loin” in pigs). I wanted to keep the recipe simple so as not to hide the true flavor of the meat, but I also wanted to have some fun. So I just ran with the bear theme. I pan-seared the steaks in olive oil and drizzled just a bit of honey on them. A handful of blueberries went into the pan with them (bears love blueberries almost as much as they love honey). Then I transferred the meat to a covered dish to finish cooking in the oven and deglazed the pan with a splash of Toasted Head cabernet sauvignon, which I had chosen on account of the wine’s label having a black bear on it. I made sure to cook the meat to 140 degrees and hold it there for a while, since bears, like pigs, can carry trichinosis.
My girlfriend and I sat down to eat our first bites of bear meat, drizzled with that red-wine pan sauce. The texture was good, and the backstrap cuts were a bit more tender than the forequarter cuts. The flavor was mild; it tasted more or less identical to venison—which is to say a lot like beef, only with less fat and a blander flavor. There was nothing greasy or tough about it. It looked like a thick piece of filet mignon. Between sips of the bear-bearing Toasted Head wine (which paired very nicely with the bear meat, I should add), we soon forgot that it was bear meat that we were eating. By the end of the meal, it was just dinner, no more exotic than the artichokes we served along with it.
Heartened, I started putting bear meat in everything. And once I began running it through the meat grinder, the stuff became a household staple. Think bear tacos, spaghetti with bear sauce, lime-marinated bear stir-fry served over ramen noodles.
Bear burgers in particular were a big hit. I mixed one egg with 1 pound of ground bear meat and just a touch of onion powder and pepper and broiled them under high heat. Three minutes per side seemed to get me up over 140 degrees every time, without taking the burgers beyond medium-rare. I invited some friends over to eat them, and the unanimous agreement was that they simply tasted like very good beef burgers and that nobody would ever guess they were bear.
I began to take the ground bear meat so much for granted that I confess to feeding it to a dinner guest in a ragout over angel hair pasta without thinking to tell her that she was eating bear as opposed to beef. She ate every bite. I’m still not sure whether I should tell her what she ate.
Lately I’ve found myself worrying about the dwindling supply of bear meat in my fridge and freezer. I have one whole hindquarter in my chest freezer awaiting a special bear dinner with a group of friends, but other than that and a pound or so of medallions, all I’ve got left is an array of very unusual bones that my dogs have been chewing on in the front yard. What will I do when I run out?
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While reading some great hunting articles last night, I came across a very overlooked topic. This is an article written by Tyrrell Hearn and is a great quick snippet on basic hunter safety tricks!
Over the years we have all heard of hunting accidents and how bad they can be. Hunting safety should be paramount in the mind on any hunter, especially those using high-powered rifles. It goes without saying that guns are designed to take life quickly and effectively, making it imperative that you treat them as such. If you are a hunter, here are a couple tips to keep you safe this season.
Blind placement– Keep in mind that there are people around you who may also be hunting in the mornings and evenings. Be mindful of other known hunting groups in your area. Having a chat with them about the direction of their firing lanes so everyone is up to date on their neighbor’s new hunting spots is a great way to stay safe.
Less powerful bullets– It is always a draw to buy the highest grain bullet for your guns, however, higher grain equals a faster and longer bullet trajectory. Pick something a little smaller but effective for the game you are targeting.
Hollow points– Buy hollow point bullets. Full Metal Jacketed bullets are not legal to hunt with in most areas anyway. Hollow or soft tipped bullets will break up even if they are only hitting brush and small trees. Lessening your chance of a bullet traveling way past your target.
Safety orange– Wear your safety gear so that even at a distance, the most novice of hunter will not mistake you for an animal.
Stay safe, think ahead, and have a great hunting season!
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There is nothing more fun for a hunter than taking a long road trip with the guys and getting away from it all. The difference between the average ‘getting away from it all’ and a hunter’s ‘getting away from it all’ is that the hunter’s version often times includes a stand and some great harvest stories. This rang true for Dave, Tim and Jason.
On September the 7th they arrived at my front door with weapons in hand and excitement in their eyes. Though it was Dave’s second hunt with us, it was both Tim and Jason’s first time hunting a bear. Dave had acquainted them with what to expect and the basics of our operation and much to the boy’s excitement, we were providing them all with baits that seemed to be jam packed with bruin.
The first night came with all guys coming to camp empty handed but Dave letting us know that his bait was just a Bear Highway….they were everywhere! Tim had heard a bear and Jason had yet to have any sign of.
The next morning as the boys began to prepare their bears, Jason prepped and began that drive to his stand. Thoughts raced through is head as to what his day would hold and how he was going to handle harvesting that bear. Early that evening, I spotted the truck pulling in, my heart was wild with anticipation….had he gotten his birthday bear? As Jason emerged, his face was pulled with a frustrated look and the color was drained.
“I missed!” was all he said.
After a few minutes of silence, Jason filled me in on the adventure.
“I was just opening my pb and j and having a bite. I saw a set of ears pop up and slowly put the sandwich on my lap. I lifted my gun just as the bear emerged to my right and he stood and sniffed the air…I think he wanted my sandwich! He dropped and began to lick the tree directly broadside and I fired……the bullet went low and right below. No hit but just hit the ground. I have NO IDEA what happened! The bear took off like a bat out of hell and that was it. I sat for about thirty minutes and had to get out of there. I am so frustrated that I know I couldn’t shoot proper a second time. Tomorrow I am taking my .270.”
With that we both agreed that this could happen to anyone and that it’s better than wounding and wasting a bear. I knew tomorrow he would have a different plan.
The next day Jason came in for his coffee and sat quiet. The thought of the day’s play could be read in his eyes and it was obvious that today he woke up with serious intention. Dave and Tim decided to load the boat and spend the day kicking back while Jason set out as tightly wound as he could be.
The day wore on and not a truck in sight. As the night fell, Jason arrived with a tired, defeated look in his eyes.
“Nothing. I didn’t see a thing today. It was a long day.”
I knew that the events of the day prior had made today seem much longer but I knew that his determination hadn’t left.
The following morning, Jason met with Terry and they came up with the new game plan. It was a variation of the original but the outcome was planned the same….Come home with a bear!
As Jason left for the day, we all settled back into our daily routines, me in the lodge, Tami back to marketing and Terry back out to the baiting.
At 3:12pm a black truck made a hasty entrance to the resort and straight over to cabin 6. Jason was back! He was energized as he exited the truck and fists pumped the sky!
“I got it! It’s down!”
With a couple of high fives and congratulations I could just see the pride in his eyes. He had finished the group with 100% success rate! As he tied the tell-tale orange flag for the other two on the lake to see, he began to load the truck with retrieval supplies.
As they all arrived back with Jason’s bear, the camaraderie was thick. Each were successful and each just as happy for each other as themselves.
It often amazes me what people do in their stands while in wait. Some nap, some eat, some even make shadow puppets….not Jamie, nope not Jamie.
Jamie’s hunt began just like everyone elses, with optimism and excitement. He knew what he was waiting for and he was prepared for what to do when it got there…..boy did it take its time!!
As he sat scanning the forest around him for any sign of movement, he spotted something from the corner of his eye. I little red squirrel was climbing down the tree that was just six inches from his left. Slowly this little red fellow crept while keeping a watchful eye on Jamie. He made his way slowly onto the branch directly by his face and looked him in the eye. Jamie gave little notice at first until he realized that this critter wasn’t leaving…he was perfectly happy to size up this human that was hanging around one of ‘his’ trees!
There they both sat in silence for a minute or two looking eye to eye, sizing each other up. Finally Squeekules retreated and carried on down his tree to visit the forest floor. He scurried around the moss and even over to the bait to check out its bounty. Jamie watched as the little red fellow ran from one log to another and halfway up one tree and down to the next. It amazed him that his new buddy was always in view. It was really nice to have a distraction while waiting for his prey.
As the day came to a close and not a bear had been spotted, Jamie retreated down his tree to the sound of Squeekules chattering him a good bye.
The next day started much the same with that slow climb and area inspection. It didn’t take long for his little buddy to return and fill him in on the mornings events. There the unlikely pair sat, looking at the bait and scanning the horizon. The clouds started to close over and the winds picked up. As the cold rain began to fall, with one last look, Squeekules climbed his tree to find some dry cover. Jamie wasn’t so lucky. There he sat in the rain as the temperatures dropped faster and faster. It was cold and dark but he sat vigilant. By the end of the day, he was cold, wet and it had appeared that the bear had won again. He climbed down his stand and made his way out thinking about the time that he had spent up in that tree and his optimism was beginning to wane. Would it be just as cold tomorrow?
As the sun rose the third morning of the hunt, the temperature was still crisp and those mid forty chills were setting in. As he dressed for his hopefully short day in the stand, Jamie decided that he would change his weapon of choice. Retired was his bow and up next was his muzzle loader. He wanted to ensure that he would have a longer range if so much as one black ear made an appearance.
He made his way to his familiar perch and was happy to see that little Squeekules had already arrived. There they both sat for a couple of minutes scanning the horizon for any sign of interruption. The bait had not been hit and the area seemed quiet to any noise other than the rattle of the leaves. Squeekules gave one last look before heading out for his morning routines. Jamie sat in wait, the day stretching on. He could see the little critter bouncing from one tree to the next and back again. He seemed to be circling the bait and climbing the trees only to come back down again. As Jamie stood to stretch his legs, here came Squeek, right up his tree and right beside him. He seemed to just be checking in and making sure Jamie wasnt leaving his post and as Jamie sat again, that little squirrel jumped right onto his leg and ran down back to the bark of the tree! Boy this little buddy was getting bold.
The day was dragging on and his friend had decided to take up space all over Jamie’s tree. He would leave to take care of his tasks and return to keep Jamie company, at times right behind his head and even right behind his back and against the tree. The company was welcomed and the stand was becoming more bearable.
As his attention began to wane from his bait, Jamie began to search for his camera. He desperately was hoping to catch a picture of his new friend. As he shuffled through his bag, Squeek had began to make his way back to his tree and climbed up halfway up only to be interrupted. Something was there….it was close and the squirrel knew it. As Jamie’s attention was focused on that camera, Squeekules had run to the east side of the bait. He made his way halfway up the tree and sat firm on a branch watching the trail. Suddenly his tail stood firm and Squeek gripped his tree as he let out a loud chattering war cry. Jamie looked to his direction and there it was….
That bear ambled in slowly but determined directly below Squeek. That squirrel stayed braced to the branch and looked to Jamie for acknowledgement. The two friends knew that the time had come. The bruin was within range of the bait and began to deviate directly toward Jamie’s tree! With a knowing look to the branches, Jamie’s eyes met those of this boar, its massive head making those beady eyes look even more pointed. His hands held steady on his gun as the bear slowly turned and began back to the bait. He had decided that Jamie was not a threat and his need for a snack was much more pressing.
A shot rang out and Squeek made a hasty retreat as that bear took its final breath. That was it, the hunt was over and Jamie was proud of his 450lb harvest. As Jamie brought his bear back and spoke of the hunt, it seemed that the hunt itself was a minor detail in the story of his unlikely friendship with a little red warrior that spent his days keeping him company and making that wait BEARable!
ON TARGET in CANADA 