|
 |
This was to be my first black bear hunt. I have always wanted to harvest a bear but had never had the opportunity. I have often carried a bear tag in my pocket while hunting for other game but have never specifically targeted bears as a primary species. Whether it was being in the wrong place at the wrong time or just plain old bad luck, I could never come across a bear with rifle and tag in hand. At best, I was hoping to take a decent sized black bear with exceptional spring fur and have a rug made for my daughter, as she loves bears. Worst case scenario, I would be skunked and it would be back to square one in my quest for my first bruin.
I arranged my hunt on extremely short notice. Kyler Knelson, operator of Wingmaster Outfitting, let me come up to his bear camp and put me on some of the best stands he has. I hadn’t planned to bear hunt this spring but my wife went to visit family for a few weeks so I had some time.
It was early in the season and the last of the snow had just left the week before. Hunting was slow, as most of the bears were just waking up from their dens and most of what we had seen were young bears. A few 6-foot bears were taken in camp earlier in the week, but I had only come across bears that were 2 or 3-years-old.
Finally, my luck changed. The weather was supposed to turn warm with temperatures predicted in the mid to high 70’s. I knew with this change in temperature, we would be seeing more bear activity. Being in the heart of bear country in northern Alberta, my chances were good. What I didn’t know was how good!
After two days of heavy rain, I was more than ready for a break in the weather. As day three arrived, sunshine burst through the clouds, almost as an omen of good things to come. At this point in the hunt, panic was starting to set in. Would I be going home without an opportunity at a bear? Everyone gets a bear, at least that’s what I have always been led to believe. If I didn’t get a bear, it would be a hard pill to swallow; this one was for my little girl after all and I didn’t want to disappoint her.
Another long evening in the stand awaited me. What most people don’t realize is that hunting in the far reaches of northern Alberta in the spring entails long hours. The sun doesn’t set until after 11:00 pm and when you get to the stand at 3:00 pm, you can look forward to a solid eight hours of sitting still and trying to entertain your mind waiting for a bear to come in. The mental endurance required more than makes up for the lack of physical effort required on a stand hunt.
The wait began. Bob had suggested I sit on the Uprising Stand that evening. The site hadn’t been hunted in seven years and he thought there would be a good chance of finding a mature boar there. The minutes ticked by with every whisper of the woods giving me the illusion that a bear was coming in. Finally, it happened! Not being in the stand for more than an hour, I spotted a respectable bear through the woods. He wasn’t the biggest bruin in the forest, but he would make a fine rug. Watching him close the distance to 75 yards, he suddenly stopped in his tracks. Wanting to come closer, he circled. Nervous would be an understatement when describing this bear. Finally dissuaded, he turned and evaporated back into the woods in which he came. I couldn’t figure out why he wouldn’t commit... did he scent me? He had obviously wanted to come in but something had him spooked.
Minutes later the guesswork was gone. The reason for the immediate retreat to the forest was coming behind me. THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! Followed by a heart-stopping pause. This pattern repeated until finally the bear was directly under my stand! A few steps more and I could see him. He was magnificent. He was the king of the forest. He was Mor’du!
The thunder in his footsteps echoed through the forest. Leaves on the forest floor trembled and the earth shook as his paws hit the ground. He was second to none and now he was directly in front of me! I have never been one to get excited before a shot but this time it was different. For the first time in my life, I shook from fear, excitement, or maybe a combination of both. Composing myself, I steadied the cross hairs. The shot shattered the silence of the forest. There are few times in a hunter’s life when you realize you are about to take a trophy of a lifetime and this was one of them.
Before hunting, I asked my guide Bob Wiebe what to look for in a mature bear. He told me ears on the side of his head, low hanging belly, and a bit of a hump on his shoulders, among others. However, the best advice he gave me was that bears are just like deer, if you have to talk yourself into it, its likely small. When they are big, you just know. Well, this bear was big! Bob was right, I just knew.
 |
Chris Maxwell poses with the gigantic bear he killed
while
on stand in northern Alberta. |
Anchoring this boar, I knew I had taken a trophy of a lifetime. The next day, we weighed the bear at 370 pounds, wet scored the skull at 19 1/8”, and crudely squared him at over 7-feet, as I had him caped for a full body mount. The bear was aged based on his teeth and came in at 20-years-old!
The scarring on his head was extensive and deep and there were puncture wounds on his chest and other parts of his body that had scarred over. This bear was a fighter, a warrior, a survivor. My wife quickly named the bear Mor’du when she heard the news. Mor’du stems from the Gaelic word “Mor” meaning Big and “Dubh” meaning Black, which translates to “Big and Black”. It is also French for “bitten”. I couldn’t think of a more appropriate name for this bruin.
I cannot say enough good things about Kyler Knelson and Bob Wiebe. Before coming up to hunt, I had no idea of what the trophy quality would be like; all I can say is it is exceptional. This isn’t the first large bruin to come out of the area and certainly won’t be the last. I would recommend a northern Alberta black bear hunt to anyone who is looking for an experience of a lifetime. ■
For previous Reader Stories click here.
|
|
|
|
