The Great Bearhunt

THE GREAT BEARHUNT
ONTARIO CANADA

I was just sitting here thinking about how many years I've hunted Ontario black bear and some of
my many adventures. I guess the best place to start is the beginning. The first year I hunted with GOUDREAU & SONS was in the early 1990's. The first trip I didn't have any idea what to expect. The first day we unloaded our four wheelers and started out to bait. I was not expecting the work we had to do. We baited about 30 active baits and rode in some of the most scenic country I've ever hunted in. We covered somewhere between 25 & 30 miles. I was beat, but it was some of the best riding I've ever done, then the hunt started.

The first day out to say the least I was a little nervous. Every noise I heard my mouth went dry and my heart felt like it would jump out of my chest. I thought the sun would never go down. When it finally did I couldn't believe how fast it got dark, that’s when I really got nervous. On my way out I was not very quiet and as a matter of fact I was real noisy , talking and maybe even singing till I was out of there. After I got back to the cabin I realized how pumped up I was and much I enjoyed the whole day and couldn't wait for the next morning.

By the third day I was a pro ( I thought ). I heard a branch snap behind me, not wanting to move it seemed like a eternity before I heard another noise. First to my left then to my right. That's when I figured out the bear was smarter than me. He had circled all around to see if he winded anything. I guess he did because that was it for the night.

The next day I fixed my blind up better and made myself scent free. At about 6:00 I heard my first noise and again I heard something circle me, then nothing. I was ready to give up and had just set my rifle off to the side and was daydreaming. That’s when it happened, it stepped out and it looked huge. I looked at my rifle and the bear looked at me. That’s when it really got scary. The bear instead of going left towards the bait turned right towards me . At about 15 yards. Still no gun in my hands the bear stopped. I guess he could not smell or see me and thought I wasn't any threat so he slowly turned back towards the bait, that gave me a chance to get my rifle. All of a sudden he stopped and turned back towards me and stood up on his hind leg's. I don't know what would've happened next but I took the shot. I was so happy when the bear crumbled to the ground. After I gained my composure and stopped my heart from pounding and my hands from shaking I went to see my trophy, and that it was. It was 500lb. plus and had a 6 1/2 ft. hide. I was hooked and have come back every year since. I always have great success, but nothing can compare to my first.

Wednesdays are always a fun time at bear camp. Everyone meets at the GOUDREAU house for a free bear stew diner with rolls and beverage. The stew is always great and everyone gets a chance to get acquainted with YVON, GILL, DENNIS, MIKE AND FRED, and to swap bear hunting stories and brag about our successes. We have a few things for all our new hunters and you can never tell what else might happen. Its always one of the highlights of our hunt.

Every night after the hunt we all meet back at YVONS garage to see the bear taken that day and to watch MIKE skin all the bears and again to swap stories. We have so many stories, we've had bear stick their head in blinds with the hunter, one hunter had a bear tip his blind over and come in with him. One hunter shot a bear and the bear charged him and was dropped on the second shot at 19 paces. We think we've seen and heard it all, but every year its always something different. I can't wait for next year.

TRY GOUDREAU AND SONS AND YOU'LL BE HOOKED, TOO.
CHECK OUT THEIR WEBSITE AT YVONANDSONS.COM OR GIVE THEM A CALL AT (705) 855-2139

GARY MCCONNAUGHHAY
DAVISON MI.