It's been month since I said the long goodbye for hunting season. And it has been and interesting month at that.
Since both Bill and Brian were successful in their first bear hunt, and John and Scott had both had enough bear hunting for a long time, they came home 2 days early with 2 great bears, and 2 happy first time bear hunters. Neither adult harassed the other for being lost and both of the boys were smart enough to keep their mouth shut too.
I can tell you that if John ever hunts bear or anything else in the woods he will be sporting the best compass and GPS that money can buy, because was he so eloquently puts it “being lost sucks”.
I myself, am glad the rest of the season is waterfowl hunting. No matter which direction you go in the boat, your going to hit shore!!!
Susie
It's been a little tense at home for the past month of hunting season, the early goose opener was not very good. It seems that it was ' to hot, not enough wind, to much breeze, geese where slow to migrate, some "crazy" goose hunters got out to late and messed it up for everybody else, the geese were to high, the geese flared early, or they were staying in the fields', and maybe for some other reason I forgot, but no shots fired on opening day is really ugly for life at home.
Luckily there was a break for bear season. Third season in the Upper Peninsula, Braga area. This year John applied as a 'group' with my brother Scott and nephews Bill and Brian. Thank goodness they got permits. The preparation for that at least dulled the disappointment of early goose season. And bear camp was up in the same area John plans to be for the early UP duck opener and I know he was planning on scouting some duck lake locations when not in the bear blind.
This bear hunt was a big event, John and Scott had both taken numerous bears but this would be Bill and Brian's first bear hunt. Scott of course had been telling bear hunt horror stories for weeks and both of the new hunters were a little apprehensive to say the least. Uncle John followed the lead and it was a wonder that either of the nephews even went.
After loading what looked like enough gear, coolers, sodas, camo, ammo, guns, boots, cookies, Twinkies, apples and bear bait for months into Scott's 'dually' pick up, they waived goodbye and pulled out. I did the happy dance and rushed in to call my sister-in-law Kimmy to tell her they were finally off. I had to leave a message for Kimmy who I’m guessing was already dancing a jig in the back yard with a nice glass of Merlot in one hand and the TV remote in the other.
I have to tell you about my sister-in-law the 'saint'. I could not have picked a better sister-in-law if I had gotten to do it myself. I love Kimmy like she’s my own sister. Not only is Scott a royal pain the rear, but, as much as I love them, both of the boys are way to much like him. John often says he is glad he was nice to them as little kids because at 10 years old one of them was already looking down at 6' tall Uncle John. Both of Kim's boys are well over 6' and neither one of them tinkerbells. I would never tell Kimmy this but she is definitely a better woman than I am, to have tamed my brother.
Back to the bear hunt. They pulled out about 5pm as everyone involved in the preparation sighed in relief. They were already planning where they would be stopping for supper, and making sure the sodas and snacks were within 'reaching over the seat' distance. It was all quite on the home front for the evening until about 10pm when John call to say all the reports about the gas pumps not being able to take credit cards for over $100, were wrong. It was a little hard to hear on the phone with all the laughing in the back ground, but I finally did get the message that at the gas station, John had slid his credit card in the pump and headed inside to the 'boys' room and to re-stock the cooler . When he returned the tank was just topping off at $105, to the laughter of the Smith men. Oh well, just add that to the new scent-loc bear hunting suit, the zip up the side camo rubber boots, the mesh camo face mask/hat, the new and improved bear ammo, license, motels, guide, processing, tanning and taxidermy, and it only brings the cost of the bear meat from a measly $87.65 per pound to $88, a bargain at twice the price, which may be what it really is, but I'll never ask……...I'm afraid to know.
Back on the road again, since there is no way they could make hunting camp that night they make plans to get a motel for the night. As 'luck' would have it, just at the time for a motel the Indian Casino came into sight, what are the chances of that happening? And they had a vacancy at the motel next door, imagine that. After settling the boys in one room, the 'men' in the other room found they were still wide awake and might just kill some time next door at the casino. It appears from the sketchy details I got that this was sort of like the Custer’ Last Stand…..the Indian's won. $90 a pound bear meat, and climbing.
Early morning back on the road. Breakfast and a couple of stops at Cabela's, or Jay's Sporting Goods, and/or Normans and that bear meat has dropped dramatically in price. John called home all excited he had spent $200 on a "big sale" of sporting goods. According to the story I got, if he had bought at regular price what he got would have cost well over $500, so already this trip he has made money!! I seem to remember that same philosophy not working for me at the big shoe sale, but I must have been figuring mine wrong. Sounds like they are having a great time, making money, and haven't even got to bear camp yet.
Later that morning they arrived, Ron the Bear Guide has their blinds ready, the bears were hitting the baits and it was a go for that evenings hunt. They unpacked and settled in with all the gear, and got dressed in camo for the hunt. I got a call as they headed to the blinds, everyone was excited.
I waited for the evening call, and waited and waited, it had been dark for hours here and no call.
Finally it came, Brian had a bear, John was so excited he could hardly talk. I had hardly hung the phone up when Kimmy called to tell me Brian had a bear, then Mom called to say Brian had a bear, there was as much excitement here as there.
Luckily there was a break for bear season. Third season in the Upper Peninsula, Braga area. This year John applied as a 'group' with my brother Scott and nephews Bill and Brian. Thank goodness they got permits. The preparation for that at least dulled the disappointment of early goose season. And bear camp was up in the same area John plans to be for the early UP duck opener and I know he was planning on scouting some duck lake locations when not in the bear blind.
This bear hunt was a big event, John and Scott had both taken numerous bears but this would be Bill and Brian's first bear hunt. Scott of course had been telling bear hunt horror stories for weeks and both of the new hunters were a little apprehensive to say the least. Uncle John followed the lead and it was a wonder that either of the nephews even went.
After loading what looked like enough gear, coolers, sodas, camo, ammo, guns, boots, cookies, Twinkies, apples and bear bait for months into Scott's 'dually' pick up, they waived goodbye and pulled out. I did the happy dance and rushed in to call my sister-in-law Kimmy to tell her they were finally off. I had to leave a message for Kimmy who I’m guessing was already dancing a jig in the back yard with a nice glass of Merlot in one hand and the TV remote in the other.
I have to tell you about my sister-in-law the 'saint'. I could not have picked a better sister-in-law if I had gotten to do it myself. I love Kimmy like she’s my own sister. Not only is Scott a royal pain the rear, but, as much as I love them, both of the boys are way to much like him. John often says he is glad he was nice to them as little kids because at 10 years old one of them was already looking down at 6' tall Uncle John. Both of Kim's boys are well over 6' and neither one of them tinkerbells. I would never tell Kimmy this but she is definitely a better woman than I am, to have tamed my brother.
Back to the bear hunt. They pulled out about 5pm as everyone involved in the preparation sighed in relief. They were already planning where they would be stopping for supper, and making sure the sodas and snacks were within 'reaching over the seat' distance. It was all quite on the home front for the evening until about 10pm when John call to say all the reports about the gas pumps not being able to take credit cards for over $100, were wrong. It was a little hard to hear on the phone with all the laughing in the back ground, but I finally did get the message that at the gas station, John had slid his credit card in the pump and headed inside to the 'boys' room and to re-stock the cooler . When he returned the tank was just topping off at $105, to the laughter of the Smith men. Oh well, just add that to the new scent-loc bear hunting suit, the zip up the side camo rubber boots, the mesh camo face mask/hat, the new and improved bear ammo, license, motels, guide, processing, tanning and taxidermy, and it only brings the cost of the bear meat from a measly $87.65 per pound to $88, a bargain at twice the price, which may be what it really is, but I'll never ask……...I'm afraid to know.
Back on the road again, since there is no way they could make hunting camp that night they make plans to get a motel for the night. As 'luck' would have it, just at the time for a motel the Indian Casino came into sight, what are the chances of that happening? And they had a vacancy at the motel next door, imagine that. After settling the boys in one room, the 'men' in the other room found they were still wide awake and might just kill some time next door at the casino. It appears from the sketchy details I got that this was sort of like the Custer’ Last Stand…..the Indian's won. $90 a pound bear meat, and climbing.
Early morning back on the road. Breakfast and a couple of stops at Cabela's, or Jay's Sporting Goods, and/or Normans and that bear meat has dropped dramatically in price. John called home all excited he had spent $200 on a "big sale" of sporting goods. According to the story I got, if he had bought at regular price what he got would have cost well over $500, so already this trip he has made money!! I seem to remember that same philosophy not working for me at the big shoe sale, but I must have been figuring mine wrong. Sounds like they are having a great time, making money, and haven't even got to bear camp yet.
Later that morning they arrived, Ron the Bear Guide has their blinds ready, the bears were hitting the baits and it was a go for that evenings hunt. They unpacked and settled in with all the gear, and got dressed in camo for the hunt. I got a call as they headed to the blinds, everyone was excited.
I waited for the evening call, and waited and waited, it had been dark for hours here and no call.
Finally it came, Brian had a bear, John was so excited he could hardly talk. I had hardly hung the phone up when Kimmy called to tell me Brian had a bear, then Mom called to say Brian had a bear, there was as much excitement here as there.
I have no idea what time they got done admiring the bear, taking pictures, hearing the story, and sharing the success, but I am sure they were dead tired when they hit the bed and equally as sure that none of them went right to sleep.
The next morning they took the bear to the DNR station to be weighed and checked in. Then headed out to check the duck situation in the Upper Peninsula. It was nice to know that they didn’t forget the woman at home, as both Kimmy and got a rock for our flower bed from the hunting area.
Soon it was time to get ready for the evening hunt again I got a call that they were headed to the blind, John,. Scott and Bill would be hunting and Ron the Guide and Brian would be checking the other baits and looking at new areas. Some of the hunters were in new blinds that hopefully had more promise than the night before.
Shortly after dark I get a call from John’s Hunt Phone, I was sure another bear was down. But no, this time a whole new situation had developed. The evening had turned cloudy, the night was pitch black, and during the walk back to the road John had gotten turned around in the woods and was lost. He couldn’t get back to the blind, or find the road, and it was to dark and to thick in the woods to find his way. At least he was smart enough to stop where he was and wait. I am not sure what I was suppose to do 600 miles away except reassure him that he would be found. I did I call the guide and tell him that John was lost and needed him to come get him, well actually I left a message as his phone was off. I called John back and told him that I had left a message for the guide. During this call the story began to unfold, it seems that John had driven to the blind after dropping Scott off and was going to come out and pickup Scott at dark, while the guide and Brian picked up Bill from his blind. John had sat in the ground blind instead of the tree blind and got turned around on the way back out to the road. Since he knew the road should only have been a couple hundred yards away in the right direction, and an 18 mile cedar swamp in the wrong direction, and he thought he had gone a couple of hundred yards he determined he was lost. Having hunted all over the world in every kind of terrain possible this was such a shock to John, he was a little panicked. I talked to him from 600 mile away trying to calm things down and he settled down and lit a fire. I was hoping he didn’t ignite the entire UP was upset as he was. We talked so long that his battery was getting weak and he decided to shut down and turn on in half an hour if he hadn’t been ‘rescued’ by then. During all of this I was dreading Scott finding out that John had gotten lost and the harassment he would have to take or years to come.
In the mean time Ron and Brian gotten to Bill’s blind to find that Bill had bagged a bear, after they loaded the bear and got back to the meeting location, and no John & Scott, they figured one of them had a bear so they headed that way.
The next morning they took the bear to the DNR station to be weighed and checked in. Then headed out to check the duck situation in the Upper Peninsula. It was nice to know that they didn’t forget the woman at home, as both Kimmy and got a rock for our flower bed from the hunting area.
Soon it was time to get ready for the evening hunt again I got a call that they were headed to the blind, John,. Scott and Bill would be hunting and Ron the Guide and Brian would be checking the other baits and looking at new areas. Some of the hunters were in new blinds that hopefully had more promise than the night before.
Shortly after dark I get a call from John’s Hunt Phone, I was sure another bear was down. But no, this time a whole new situation had developed. The evening had turned cloudy, the night was pitch black, and during the walk back to the road John had gotten turned around in the woods and was lost. He couldn’t get back to the blind, or find the road, and it was to dark and to thick in the woods to find his way. At least he was smart enough to stop where he was and wait. I am not sure what I was suppose to do 600 miles away except reassure him that he would be found. I did I call the guide and tell him that John was lost and needed him to come get him, well actually I left a message as his phone was off. I called John back and told him that I had left a message for the guide. During this call the story began to unfold, it seems that John had driven to the blind after dropping Scott off and was going to come out and pickup Scott at dark, while the guide and Brian picked up Bill from his blind. John had sat in the ground blind instead of the tree blind and got turned around on the way back out to the road. Since he knew the road should only have been a couple hundred yards away in the right direction, and an 18 mile cedar swamp in the wrong direction, and he thought he had gone a couple of hundred yards he determined he was lost. Having hunted all over the world in every kind of terrain possible this was such a shock to John, he was a little panicked. I talked to him from 600 mile away trying to calm things down and he settled down and lit a fire. I was hoping he didn’t ignite the entire UP was upset as he was. We talked so long that his battery was getting weak and he decided to shut down and turn on in half an hour if he hadn’t been ‘rescued’ by then. During all of this I was dreading Scott finding out that John had gotten lost and the harassment he would have to take or years to come.
In the mean time Ron and Brian gotten to Bill’s blind to find that Bill had bagged a bear, after they loaded the bear and got back to the meeting location, and no John & Scott, they figured one of them had a bear so they headed that way.
When they got to Scott’s blind…...no Scott. After waiting for the sound of John and the truck to come for him after dark, Scott though John might have gotten a bear and decided to walk out to the road. You guessed it……...he was lost too. Scott had thought to carry his blind chair out with him and after realizing he was “turned around”, he just set up his chair and waited to be found. After locating Scott in the pitch darkness, less that 100 yards from the road, they set out for John expecting to find him dragging out a big bear. Instead they found him about 100 yards from the road beside a roaring bonfire. Brian said it looked like Uncle John was settling in for the night. Fortunately for the adults who had both been lost, the second new bear hunter had bagged a bear, and that was to focus of the rest of the evening.
Since both Bill and Brian were successful in their first bear hunt, and John and Scott had both had enough bear hunting for a long time, they came home 2 days early with 2 great bears, and 2 happy first time bear hunters. Neither adult harassed the other for being lost and both of the boys were smart enough to keep their mouth shut too.
I can tell you that if John ever hunts bear or anything else in the woods he will be sporting the best compass and GPS that money can buy, because was he so eloquently puts it “being lost sucks”.
I myself, am glad the rest of the season is waterfowl hunting. No matter which direction you go in the boat, your going to hit shore!!!
Susie
