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The THREE Bears A Success Story!

17 Feb

There is nothing more impressive than having a one day harvest for one of the most revered predators….imagine having THREE!!

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Cody, Rod and Brad descended upon Wawang in hopes of each bringing home a bruin.  Father and son, Cody and Rod, were returning hunters while Cody’s best friend Brad made this his first visit.

Each hunter was prepared and after the day long drive from Iowa, were ready to ascend their trees to await their chance at a bear.

Outwardly, this was to be a week of patience as Cody was no stranger to the wiles of those elusive creatures.  This being Cody’s third attempt (second with us at Wawang) he was determined to pin that tag on something ‘decent’

Cody had spent the entire year honing his skills on sizing and judging bear….a talent most discount until they are faced with the opportunity to shoot.  Read:  How to Size a Bear

The day was bustling at the lodge as it was Labor Day weekend and it was our annual end of the year celebration.  The kitchen was filled with the aroma of turkey, mashed potatoes, roast and all the fixings.  In the bustle of preparation, Cody emerged and made his way across the floor to the kitchen.

labor-day

It’s an exciting time at Labor Day with the bear hunt going on!

We were in high gear with getting the food just right when we looked out the door and saw him heading over.  Lost in our own thoughts, we carried on about the kitchen….until…..wait a minute…wasn’t he supposed to be in a tree?  He only left a couple of hours ago!

“Cody, what are you doing?  Did your truck break down?” we were concerned for hunting time being missed.  Cody reached into his pocket and produced his camera.  “I got one, but I think you might be mad….it’s small.”  His shoulders dropped and he passed the camera to us.

We looked over the picture and then back to Cody….there were no words.   “Cody, I don’t know what you consider small but this isn’t anywhere close to what we call small!”  His eyes lit up….when somebody that has seen numerous BIG bear tells you that you hit the jackpot, it is a good day!

Cody then left to wait for his hunting partners to finish their hunt for the evening to help him retrieve his bear.   The lodge returned to its frantic state of meal prepare.  As the festivities rolled on that night, Cody and his crew finally returned….

Everyone in camp was excited to lay eyes on Cody’s trophy BUT were completely unprepared to meet an entire truck full of bear!  3 bear to be exact!  2 boars and a sow…Goldilocks wouldn’t have been happier!

Each one took turns telling the exciting tale of retrieving their harvest…..each one amazed at the success of the other and each beaming with excitement….it was day 1 and the anxiety of the hunt was already over and done with….now it was time to fish!!

During that week, laughs were exchanged, trophy fish were caught and memories made…a father, son and best friend made a Wawang hunt the life long story to beat!

So glad that we could be a part of such great memories!!

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Posted by on February 17, 2016 in Bear, black bear, Black Bear Hunts, hunting, Wawang Lake Resort

 

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Hunting Bears With Bows – Decoy Tactics

15 Feb

Trophy boars are smarter than your average bear. But even the savviest old bruin has a few chinks in his armor. Using a decoy is an exciting way to exploit them. Even weary old black bears will come in spoiling for a fight. Here are three strategies for drawing a dominant, hungry bruin into bow range.

 1

The Intruder
Big boars are solitary animals and will claim a food source as their own, commonly defecating along entrance trails to warn other bears away. To get this bear’s attention, stake a small bear decoy near the food source, positioned with its head down and its backside facing the direction you expect a boar to approach. Attach a few strips of black cloth to the decoy’s ears and tail for added realism and collect some bear scat from another area—preferably from a boar—and with a plastic bag, transplant it on the entrance trails.

Now sit back. Any wise old boar that might otherwise camp just off the food until nightfall is almost sure to investigate when he sees your “intruder.” Keep in mind that a boar may visit a food site daily or stop by every second or third day while patrolling his home turf. Be patient, and don’t let your guard down.

2

The Easy Meal
Black bears are fond of fresh meat and will drop their guard to capture an animal in distress. Any small, furry decoy, like those used for foxes and coyotes, wiggling about in plain sight is sure to catch a passing bear’s attention. With a little luck, the bruin will move in quickly to finish off what he thinks is hapless prey. If he hangs up, though, add a few squeals from a dying-rabbit call to entice him.

If whitetail deer are prevalent in your area, a fawn decoy can be too much for any hungry black bear to ignore. Try a few fawn contact bleats, and if that fails, go to a fawn-in-distress call. Nock a broadhead and get ready. The bear will come in fast, so be prepared to shoot pronto.

3

The Feeding Female
You’ll have to wait a few months to use this setup, but it’s a good one to have in your arsenal. Black bears rut in late spring and early summer and will visit bait sites, looking for a sow in heat. If baiting is legal in your area, position a small black bear decoy with its head in the bait barrel, and hang a few scent canisters soaked with sow-in-heat urine 3 or 4 feet off the ground nearby.

Big boars are ultracautious around bait, so odor control is critical. As you’re setting up, wear rubber gloves and spray the decoy down liberally with a quality scent remover. The boar will approach the decoy warily. Don’t rush the shot. As he investigates, you should have plenty of time to draw.

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Posted by on February 15, 2016 in Bear, bear baiting, black bear, Black Bear Hunts, hunting, Wawang Lake Resort

 

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Black Bear Hunting RATES

14 Feb

2 bear sized
Bear RatesFollow our FISHING BLOG   Link to our:  HUNT BOOKLET

Randy Bear

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Posted by on February 14, 2016 in Bear, Black Bear Hunts, hunting, Rates, tree stand, trip planning, Wawang Lake Resort

 

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Start Your Retriever Off Right

13 Feb

Here are a few helpful tips to help you do it right and get your retriever pup off to a good start:

wading
WATER
Taking your retriever pup out in a boat to the middle of a lake and throwing her overboard is not a proper water introduction. Ideally, you want the experience to be pleasant and fun.

Find a small pond with a shore that drops gradually from shallow to deep water. The weather should be mild, and the water temperature 60 degrees or warmer. Wading into the water with the pup will help alleviate any fear she may have. Bumpers and water retrieves can come later.

GUNFIRE
The worst thing you can do is to take a puppy to an open field and fire a 12-gauge over her head. That’s almost guaranteed to cause gun-shyness. Instead, recruit a friend or family member to help with this part of your pup’s training. While you handle the dog, have your training partner move a good distance away. Each time you toss a bumper, your partner should fire a shot with a starter pistol or cap gun. Be careful not to overdo it. A few shots each outing will suffice. Each day, decrease the distance between the dog and the gunfire and repeat the same drill. Keep in mind that introducing a dog to gunfire is a gradual process that shouldn’t be rushed.

gunfire
DECOYS
Don’t wait until hunting season to familiarize your dog with decoys. Incorporate them into their training exercises. Place a dozen or more decoys around a field when you’re tossing bumpers. This will help teach the dog that decoys are just part of the setup and not her main focus. Once he/she learns that, they can move on to retrieving bumpers around a decoy spread set in shallow water. This will help them learn how to swim through the decoys without getting tangled in the lines. If you hunt with motion decoys, incorporate them into your training spread as well.

BOATS The best way to acclimate a pup to watercraft is on dry land, where the boat won’t rock or tip over. Place your retriever in the boat and let her explore this unfamiliar setting. Do this several times over a period of a few days, and when the dog is comfortable in her new surroundings, launch the boat and take your pup on a cruise around the lake. Be sure to go slow and avoid rough waters. Keep the outing as pleasant as possible, with the dog sitting calmly beside you. Allowing them to run around while the boat is under way can be extremely dangerous.

BLINDS
Whether you hunt out of a permanent blind or a layout blind, your retriever should have a place of her own. Set up a dog stand or platform during your training sessions. Begin by teaching the dog to sit still on the stand. The younger the dog, the less patience they will have. But after several training sessions, they should learn to be patient and sit on the stand for extended periods of time.

blind1

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Posted by on February 13, 2016 in grouse, gun hunting, hunting, Hunting Dog Training, Retrieving, Wawang Lake Resort

 

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Tips for Spot-Stalk Black Bear Hunting

09 Feb

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The most underrated hunt  is for trophy-class fall black bears. There’s this misconception out there that hunters can just walk up on them. That’s just false. They’re one of the toughest trophy animals to spot and stalk in North America.   Get on the record-book bruins with this killer nine-step plan.

1. Find Mature Timber
You have to locate three ingredients to get into big bears, ­Werner says. First, old-growth timber for denning, then food and water. Look for 10- to 50-acre parcels with these three features.

2. Scout it for Sign
Look for big branches broken off trees, claw marks in bark, and rubbed-out bark stubbled with bear hair. Ideally, you’ll also find fresh tracks on the ground measuring 6 inches wide or better.

3. Check for Scat
It comes out green but oxidizes very quickly, turning black almost immediately.   The greener it is inside, the fresher.

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4. Focus on Blueberries and Rose Hips
Bears go into a feeding frenzy in early October. Climb a nearby ridge and monitor the food source with binocs or a spotting scope.

5. Trust your Eyes
Bears feeding heavily will eat for about a third of the day and sleep the rest. The bears you glassed will show.

6. Judge the Bear
When you see a bear, determine if it’s worth going after. If one ear width separates the ears, it’s small; two ear widths, medium. Three means it’s a shooter.  READ:  How to Size a Black Bear

7. Note the Wind
Bears don’t see or hear well, but their nose is 50 times better than a bloodhound’s.  There is no earthly way to beat their nose. The wind must be perfect.

8. Start the Stalk
Follow a route that plays the wind and approaches the bear from behind.  If the bear alerts in your direction, stop and wait.  Only move forward when the bear goes back to feeding and looks relaxed.

9. Make a Clean Kill
Never take a long shot, because anything less than a double-lung hit makes recovery a coin toss.  Because of the nature of hunting large predators, guys get very excited. So you have to practice enough so the shot is second nature.  But when it all finally comes together, there’s nothing better.

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Posted by on February 9, 2016 in Bear, black bear, Black Bear Hunts, Wawang Lake Resort

 

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The Mentality of The Wolf Pack

07 Feb

There’s nothing more exciting than calling in wolves and here’s some tips on how to get in on the action.

Wolf

1. Find Them
Wolves have large territories—50 square miles or more—so you can’t just wander out into the woods and start calling. Locate a pack’s core area by wolf howling or coyote howling from roads and ridges, but don’t expect to draw them in that way since wolves are territorial, so they’ll respond to howls, but unless you’re already in their core area, they won’t come in to investigate.

Wolf howls should be loud, long, and guttural—almost mournful, but, you don’t need to get fancy. A two-tone voice call (hands cupped around your mouth) going from high to low will work. Howl three times at most and then wait and listen.

WawangWolfHunts2Because wolves generally live in denser cover than coyotes, you need to call louder than you would on a coyote hunt.  Start with an electronic fox or coyote distress call on low volume and then gradually turns it up to maximum volume for a few minutes.  Use coyote challenge howls, barks, and yips to simulate coyotes fighting over a kill, and, simulate a fight for 20 to 30 seconds, then waits about 20 minutes before challenge howling again. If you’re in elk country, bugles and cow chirps will also draw in wolves.

There’s nothing run-and-gun about wolf hunting.  Setup a ground blind and wait all day. Wolves will come to a call from a long distance. They’ll circle your position, or they’ll just sit, wait, and watch. It can take hours before they decide to commit to a call. But when they do, they’ll usually come in quickly.

3. Stay Ready
When you see a wolf coming in to your setup, it sends chills down your back. You’re going to be nervous, so you need to be ready to shoot.  Shooting sticks provide a steady rest when your heart is pounding, and they also make sure your gun is always in shooting position. Any movement will get you busted. Set up in an area where you can see at least 100 yards so you’ll have time get on an incoming wolf.

If you’re not sitting in a blind, hunt with a buddy positioned about 10 yards downwind of you.  Predators, especially wolves, always seem to know where your back is, and you don’t want a big wolf sneaking up behind you.

Tip: 
Use Enough Gun When it comes to choosing a caliber, wolves should be regarded as big game, not varmints. Experienced wolf hunters recommend using a .30-caliber rifle and up. Wolves are solid animals with heavy, matted fur, and commonly weigh 150 pounds or more—about the size of a young whitetail buck.

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Posted by on February 7, 2016 in Wawang Lake Resort, Wildlife, wolf, Wolf Hunting

 

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The Right Caliber

06 Feb

caliber

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Posted by on February 6, 2016 in firearm, gun hunting, Wawang Lake Resort

 

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FIELD JUDGING MOOSE

05 Feb

Of all the living members of the deer family, moose have the greatest amount of antler material. They also show great variation in size, with the smallest racks coming from Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming, and the largest from Alaska, Yukon, and the Northwest Territories. A records book sized Shiras moose would not be even a desirable trophy in Alaska.

Moose, Alces alces, Canada, North America.
Although the widest spread antlers are sought in all categories for the records, strong development of antler palmation in both length and width is even more desirable. Many Shiras moose show only a single spike brow point on each antler, rather than a well-developed brow palm. This is undesirable since the length-of-palm is measured to a notch between brow points. The single spike brow dictates that the length of palm measurement must be ended at the edge of the main palm, obviously losing some potential that would have been fulfilled if the brow were palmate or even forked. High-scoring Canada or Alaska-Yukon moose have three or more brow points, on broad, well-developed brow palms that increase the length-of-palm measurement. This feature, along with broad main palms, markedly improves the score potential.

Although an Alaska-Yukon moose may have 15 or more points on each antler, not all projections count as points, especially if they are blunt in shape. One cannot accurately count the antler points on most trophy moose when the animal is in the field, so evaluation must generally be made on the basis of the amount of palm material present and the greatest spread.

moose-orig

Big trophy moose of all three classes tend to have the main palms lying flat to produce a wide spread, whereas smaller antlers are more apt to show cup-shaped palms and a narrow spread. The ear tips of a mature bull when laid flat are roughly 30 inches wide, with ears themselves being 9 – 10 inches. A bull with an extra ear length on either side would, then be approximately a bull with a 50 inch spread.

Even though moose can often be studied carefully in the field, and an experienced guide may make reasonable estimate of the greatest spread, it is very difficult to estimate the scores accurately at a distance. This is because the length, width, and symmetry of the palms are all hard to judge when seen from the side. A frontal view, with the animal’s head down and antlers nearly vertical, gives a much better chance for accurate evaluation, but may not be available under field conditions.

MOOSE_1

Typically, younger bulls will feature long and disguisable points, but with narrower spreads and shorter palms. As bulls age they tend to add in number of points that will be shorter and less recognizable having given way to wider and taller palms. As a rule, palm width and length pile up B&C points.

BREAKDOWN OF SCORING COMPONENTS – CANADA MOOSE

moose charrt

MAXIMUM VS. MINIMUM – A COMPARISON OF TWO RECORDS-BOOK CANADA MOOSE

moose1

 

 

TOP – World’s Record Canada moose scoring 242 points

  • 15 x 16 point frame
  • Spread over 63 inches
  • Witdth of Palms averaging 22 inches
  • Length of Palms averaging nearly 45 inches

Bottom – Canada moose scoring 187-2/8 points

  • 11 x 11 point frame
  • Spread over 54 inches
  • Witdth of Palms averaging 12 inches
  • Length of Palms both over 36 inches

 

 

 

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Posted by on February 5, 2016 in bow hunting, moose, moose hunting, Wawang Lake Resort

 

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Bear Hunt Mistakes

04 Feb

wawanglakebearBeing Afraid of the Dark
Sounds silly, but don’t let it fool you.  It is an ungrounded fear and one people need to overcome in order to have a successful black bear hunt; especially if you are hunting for a trophy. It can be very intimidating leaving a bear stand, by yourself, in the middle of the dark when you know with 110% certainty that there are active black bear in the area.  You’d be off your rocker if you weren’t a little apprehensive.  When you are hunting into the twilight hours, and getting ready to depart your stand, remember this, since 1883, in North American there have only been 30 reported black bear fatalities, most of which occurred during non-hunting activities. That means in 125 years, there has only been 30 fatal black bear attacks and subsequent deaths.  With the 100’s of thousands of hunters that take to the woods every year, that puts the odds of being attacked by a black bear inconceivably in your favor.  Hunting until you can’t see anymore gives you better odds when pursuing that trophy black bear of a life time. Most BIG black bears are taken within a half hour from dusk, when the smart animals feel most secure eating from an unnatural food source.  Stay in your stand as late as you can, and the odds of shooting a monster increase tenfold.

And should there still be bears on your bait when your ready to leave your stand (although this rarely happens), shining a light or a sudden loud noise will send these skittish critters running for miles. Black bears, in their natural setting, are extremely fearful of humans, and would rather turn tail and run then face an unknown advisory.

2 bear sized

Recovering Your Harvested Bear
Many people take to the bear stand, rightfully so, with excitement and anticipation of a successful hunt. Myself included, I get like a little child full of excitement when hunting these magnificent creatures. While most hunters will do a tremendous amount of prep work prior to the hunt, few prepare for what happens after the hunt.Bears rarely pile up on the bait or in an open area with easy access. Instead, these hearty creatures are famous for taking a double lung shot and running for miles, deep into thick woods and cedar swaps.Having a plan on how to recover your trophy will put you light years ahead of most black bear hunters when it comes to a successful hunt. Planning should include how to track and more importantly flag the path the animal takes. What to do if it starts to rain or gets dark. Who will help you track the animal and once found, how will you get it out? And how to protect the meat from spoiling on a warm fall night.

Weather
Avid hunters know that fall weather can change in a heart beat. It can go from warm, to cold, windy and raining in the blink of an eye. Having the right clothes in your back pack can make the best of a somewhat undesirable situation.

bear over logBugs
can be a huge annoyance in the great outdoors. Especially when you are forced to sit still for extended periods of time. Avoid bug sprays when bear hunting… PERIOD! A new, unfamiliar scent, along with an intuitive feeling that something isn’t right, will keep trophy bears from over coming fear and committing to your bait. Bug jackets and bug nets are a must. (Oh, on side note, make sure you practice shooting with your bug net on, more about that later). Regarding the portable propane bug eliminators. I have seen hunters use them with success. In fact, in 2008 there was a beautiful 350lbs sow taken while a hunter used one, however my vote is not in on them.

Boredom
Nothing will end your hunt faster than impatience and constant movement in your stand. If you are like most guys who can’t sit still for more than 30minutes at a time, you must bring something with to occupy your mind. I personally use a book. I have also seen guys use those portable, pocket video games. Regardless of what you use, make sure you sit sill and be quiet!

Natural Calls – Ever been in the stand when all of the sudden you have to take a pee? Sucks, doesn’t it? I don’t know how many times I have had this happen to me, yet somehow I always forget to bring a container along. Put a portable urinal on your packing list. Doing so will make the difference between shooting that monster and taking it’s offspring.

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Posted by on February 4, 2016 in Bear, black bear, Black Bear Hunts, bow hunting, gun hunting, hunting, Wawang Lake Resort

 

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Grouse Hunting Tips

03 Feb

Ruffed Grouse are the king of all game birds, and sometimes (most of the time) the most challenging. So here are a few tips and techniques that you can try that work well.

Ruffed Grouse

Ruffed Grouse

In order to hunt grouse, you need a place that holds birds. Ruffed Grouse like moist, dark places with little ground cover (like grass), but low overhead cover.  Our hunting areas here in Northwest Ontario are mixed timber and brush along creek bottoms. Grouse need food, and mostly live on buds and berries, but also feed on bugs and clover. Food sources differ from area to area, but grouse typically eat the same things everywhere. You will notice that grouse change their diet as the seasons change.

The ideal areas to hunt will hold the presence of water as that makes a big difference,  creek bottoms with mixed old growth and re-prod, and a road close by for grit.

Early in the season, you will find the birds in family groups or coveys. As season and winter progress, the groups break up and you will find birds mostly in singles and pairs. Early season birds hold pretty tightly here in our area, but it isn’t like that everywhere.

Ruffed grouse have a daily routine, so you can pattern them. They normally get up late and fly into a feeding area or along a road to pick gravel. Then it’s off to loafing and dusting the afternoon away. In the evening, they will go back to feeding, and usually roost around the same area.

Before season, and if you can, drive roads looking for new spots an checking old ones. Early in the morning or late in the evening, you can find grouse in the roads picking gravel. Mark these spots and come back during season to hunt the areas around them. Even if an area doesn’t provide birds, still go back a different time to check again if everything the grouse need is there so will they eventually.

German Shorthair Pointing at a ruffed Grouse in the Oregon Woods

When hunting grouse, use a dog that has a really good nose and hunts from close to medium range. It’s a good idea to sometimes stop in an area that will likely hold birds and let the dogs just circle. Grouse are hard to scent for dogs, so slow and steady is good.  Hunt up or down creeks, then turn around and hunt back in the opposite direction.   It’s hard to believe how many birds the dogs will miss the first pass, but after you leave, they will move around put out a good scent cone for the dogs.

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Posted by on February 3, 2016 in grouse, gun hunting, hunting, Northwestern Ontario, Wawang Lake Resort

 

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