Ricers 2013-2014 Hunting Haps and Mishaps
- Thread starter Ricer2231
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Well boys and girls my first official black bear hunt came to a conclusion last evening and needless to say it was an experience I will never forget. I will take you through my last night in the bear stand. Ron and I drive back the access road to this third stand of my hunt. Dan, an older gentleman in our camp, had been hunting this stand all week and had passed on a younger bear a couple of times. Dan had made the decision to leave camp right after lunch Saturday because he was driving back to Connecticut. As he was loading his SUV and with this sick to his stomach look on his face he told me that I should jump in his stand because the bear he had been passing on was considerably bigger that Dillons bear and he just hadn't realized it. Sorry to backtrack but I thought I should tell y'all why I was in this stand So we make the 200 yard walk in and I climb up in the stand and settle in for the evening. I look around as Ron is rebaiting the barrel and putting scent down i realize that I'm only about eight feet of the ground. Ron is done and looks up and gives me the thumbs up and I give him the WTF look about the eight feet. He snickers and gives me the I'll explain later look. So it begins to rain lightly and then a little heavier and heavier and then its an official downpour. I did bring my Frogg Togg coat with me this time though so I actually use it to cover up and then just lean forward for the next hour as it pours down. But to my amazement I stayed pretty dry. So the rain passes and I'm back to bear hunting. Of course the woods is loud with the dripping of the rain and everything sounds like bear steps but nothing. I continue to guard my barrel as time passes and the daylight slips away and I reflect on my week and just realize how many memories I have of the past five days. As I continue to guard my barrel and the minutes tick away I receive a text from a great guy I met this week and he says "we gave it hell but it just wasn't in the cards". I told him "yes we did and I don't mind the hand I was dealt at all, thanks for being a good friend". 7:43 arrives and that is the official end of the day and I text my wife and thank her for all she did to make this happen and I tell her "I won't be coming home with a bear but I won't be coming home empty handed by a long ways. I love you pretty woman." She replies back I love you handsome man, call me when you are out of the woods and safe." So I see the approaching light of my guide and we take the last walk out. I get back to the cabin and I start to do my packing so I can be ready to go in the morning and I find a letter written to me by Mary. I'm not going to go into detail about it but I will tell you a little. She wrote " I have all the faith in the world that you have the skill, determination, and desire to kill a bear but if it didn't happen, please don't be too upset. You are an awesome person and by you not getting a bear it has made my job easier to decide what to get you for your 50th birthday. Happy 50th birthday three years early, you're going back to get that bear!" They just don't make em like her anymore.
So not to end on a mushy note. Haha. No, I'm not taking a black bear home with me today but I am taking home so much. I hope y'all have enjoyed reading about my adventure here in Maine and I wish I had those hero shots for ya but maybe in 2016.
So not to end on a mushy note. Haha. No, I'm not taking a black bear home with me today but I am taking home so much. I hope y'all have enjoyed reading about my adventure here in Maine and I wish I had those hero shots for ya but maybe in 2016.
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It's still not the kill that is most important. The kill is a bonus as always! Glad to hear you had a Grand Experience in Maine! Thanks for sharing it all TOO!
Hortontoter
Senior Member
Bear, or no bear, be thankful for the experience. All the posts kept me in the hunt all week. 2016 will be here before you know it.
The main thing is that it sounds like you had a great time and made some new friends.Thanks for sharing your experience with us.
Fullbore
Senior Member
Great read, Don. The memories and experiences that you made, not to mention new friends are your blessings. Have a safe trip home and grab a hold of your wife! Lol. She's a good one'
What a rollercoaster of a week Don! I thought for sure you were gonna blast one, but it sounds like you had a great experience regardless!
Sorry to hear you didn't get a bear but sounds like it was a great week. What a lovely and thoughtful bride you have there. Congrats on your next booked hunt.
I have enjoyed each and every one of your posts. Though you didn't get one this time, you had great experiences and memories to last a life time.
And we'll all get to enjoy your bear hunting adventures again in 3 years!
Hold that lovely lady of yours, extra tight tonight!
And we'll all get to enjoy your bear hunting adventures again in 3 years!
Hold that lovely lady of yours, extra tight tonight!
Sounds like a great adventure with a "to be continued..." ending. I like it. Glad you had a good week up in the woods Don, and it's really cool that you've got part 2 to look forward to in 2016.
Regardless of you not bringing home a bear, this was a great read from start to end! Thanks for letting us tag along with you Don!
You and your wife are truly blessed to have each other in your lives! You both are great people!
You and your wife are truly blessed to have each other in your lives! You both are great people!
Thanks everybody for the kind words, y'all said some very nice things and that is just one of the many reasons I love this site. You guys and gals are just seeing the peak of the mountain when it comes to the wife, without a doubt a keeper.
Ron said the final count for bears checked in the first week of bear season at the local checking station was nine and one of those was killed 1 1/2 hours away. The average number checked in on week one is 24 bears. So obviously the factors are affecting everybody.
Now to prepare for our season. I'm gonna try to get out there and pull the cards on my cams and get some fresh apples out tomorrow. I am sure the critters have the apples cleaned up by now.
Ron said the final count for bears checked in the first week of bear season at the local checking station was nine and one of those was killed 1 1/2 hours away. The average number checked in on week one is 24 bears. So obviously the factors are affecting everybody.
Now to prepare for our season. I'm gonna try to get out there and pull the cards on my cams and get some fresh apples out tomorrow. I am sure the critters have the apples cleaned up by now.
buckbuster217
*Supporting Member*
I'm so glad you posted the whole week while you was hunting Don, I looked forward to checkin in on ya every evening to see how ya done. and like the others said the bear would of been the icing on the cake but its not all about the kill, really glad you had a good time and made some new friends, that is what really matters! 2016 will be here before ya know it and I'm sure ya will slay one then, get ahold of me about lunch now that your back, I need a recap of your trip over lunch, was out your way this morning getting some stuff done out on Lodge Rd.
Thanks buddy. You're right about the bear. I really made a great friend in my guide and his family. I would definitely like to get with ya for that lunch we've been trying to plan. Just get a time in mind and I will be there. I got some doozy stories to tell ya. I hope lodge road is looking good for ya. You know there are some monsters out there.
Well I got out tonight and had my first card pull and put out 50# of apples. The Ricerbbd cam in the creek had 147 pics on it but a lot of them were stinking coons. Haha. Here is the only decent buck on that cam. I did have a couple little bucks TOO.
My other cam, ricercam, is the one I have in the edge of the alfalfa/clover field. This cam had 87 pics on it and I was pretty happy with what it had.
I caught this buck on his way through. I was wondering if he was being chased by something but didn't see anything following him up. I hope to get some good pics of this rack. I think he may be a bruiser with some real character to his rack.
My other cam, ricercam, is the one I have in the edge of the alfalfa/clover field. This cam had 87 pics on it and I was pretty happy with what it had.
I caught this buck on his way through. I was wondering if he was being chased by something but didn't see anything following him up. I hope to get some good pics of this rack. I think he may be a bruiser with some real character to his rack.
Heck of a nice pull Don! It would be nice to see what that last bucks rack looks like like you said, looks to be a real nice one! Bet he has some age to him TOO!
