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What an awesome weekend!! Thanks to 5C Doe Hunt Committee, landowners, friends - new and old.

I really needed this weekend.

Good luck hunting the rest of the season.

Here's a pic Denise took of me and my deer

I think it only fitting that we let Dale tell his story here. Although it might be awhile since the last I talked to him(this afternoon) he was almost home and most of his family was gathering to welcome him home with the "new addition to the family!" :)

I think the general consensus around camp was this could not have happened to a nicer person or a more deserving bowhunter! Anyone that knows Dale knows he is a "giver" and has made a tremendous contribution to bowhunting over the years. I think the Good Lord had a BIG hand in this! When you hear the details I think most will agree.

Thank you Dale for being so gracious and sharing your special moment with all of us this weekend! (and for adding suspence and mystery to the event) In less than 24 hrs word got out all over Kutztown! One person was overheard down at the farmers market in the morning talking about the big bear taken right behind their house. By afternoon the Legend of the Hajas bear had grown to over 600 lbs(over heard at the Giant supermarket! (you know how that goes............. ;-)

The tribe did well :)

awesome!!

ed

oh, yeah...congrats ;)

All and all a very successful and entertaining extended weekend!!!!!!! And how 'bout that weather???!!!

Bear caped and in cooler. Tomorrow its off to Razzas Taxidermy for full mount. Wont be done for awhile. It will make the rounds, once completed to UBP events.

It's OUR bear.

After caping the boar went from nose to beginning of tail 73" - 6' 1"

I'm totally speechless- still.

I'm very tired and will post my story/our story soon. I'm on afternoon this week so I'll post when possible. There is sooooo much to say but I'll post my favorite picture taken by Jack Davis, wonderfully done Jack WONDERFULLY DONE.

"Did Dale Hajas REALLY shoot a bear the other day???!!!"

5:15 am now. My Iphone has crapped out on me, I lost everything from the last week.

Most importantly was the most incredible text messages between Bowjo and myself, I'm smiling today and will so for years to come, remembering the messages. Secondly- the contact information Of a young feller named Cory, who became a very important figure in my bowhunting history. Theyre gone. Could someone please forward me Gary's phone number- its essential that I talk to him.

The story may be long get a cup O'coffee~(8o) First my disclaimers lol:

I mentioned several times during the weekend about it being stupid not to have a bear license while hunting where bears are available. I didnt mean it the way it sounds.

That statement was made to me and woke me up lol I realized I may have pizzed some folks off with that particular wording, but I only looked at it because I live and HUNT in bear country and NEVER bought a lic. I have NEVER hunted bear, so you see I was the stupid one lol.

I didnt mean it to be derrogatory in ANY WAY and dont want to upset any members of my tribe, so please accept my apologies. I bought my 1st bear lic friday afternoon at DeTurks in Kutztown and had my first bear encounter about 5 hrs later.

I NEEDED this past weekend. Its been too long away from my other family, I was looking forward to meeting friends and the fellowship that has become famous now at the UBP.

I leave Latrobe at 5:30 pm. I drive 1 hr and realize I left my hunting license at home. I drive back worried that a replacement lic may not be available for the 5C tags I just purchased over the counter. 5 hrs of drivetime would get us to the Best Western in Allentown?? at 11:30 pm and a trip to the Sands Casino until 2:30 am.

I built a platform in the back of my truck for my wife, MaryJo and I to sleep. I call it my "Mobile Workshop" ~(8o)

Plans were for me to wake up and walk across the street to hunt the SGL. Gary Wessner changed my plans and offered us a tent for MJ to sleep in, thus giving me the opportunity to hunt various stands. Yeah LISTEN TO GARY!!!!! LOL

Gary takes me to a farm and we meet the farmer. This wasnt a pre planned meeting. On the way over, Gary relates of bear sightings in the area. I decide then that I WILL purchase my very 1st bear license. The farmer is ADAMANT about us killing some deer off his property. Hes is taking down the corn in a field behind his house and Gary says its a great place for a stand. YEAH LISTEN TO GARY!

After returning to camp then a trip into Kutztown for ice and a BEAR LICENSE, lol we return to get ready for the friday eve hunt. MJ says she wants to tag along so she comes with me. She wanted to just sit in the truck and read books. My wife is an Angel from God, mebbe my Guardian Angel. Her nickname since a little girl is... well Bearz. My stand is along the field edge maybe 75 yds from my truck and MJ.

I decided to use my Hoyt compound because I had unlimited yardages available after the corn was cut. Simply no other reason at all. Im shooting my 60 Grizzly better than any other time since going trad. But the farmer literally begs for dead deer and yardages up to 50 or more are here. Grizz is limited to 15 yds.

Around 4 or 4:30 pm I start up my Lone Wolf sticks. Get to my heighth and pull up the Alpha hang on. The farmer is IN THE FIELD ON HIS TRACTOR AND APPEARS TO BE WATCHING ME. I promptly lose the grip on the stand base and friggin drop the whole stand from about 13 feet. ROFL I can just think of what that farmer is thinkin as he sees some jaygoff (pittsburghese) dropping his treestand. They probably heard it at Kutztown State!

My stand is on top of a plateau and steeply below me is a very active road. A feller is riding his quad relentlessly on the road, a young person is riding his motorbike and a dog barks. I see a blonde lady walking her rotweiller along the road. There is a wedding practice at the church. The participants are in the parking lot taking pictures of something in the field. I can hear them. This is very common where I hunt near Monroeville outside of Pittsburgh, Im used to it and I know it doesnt effect my hunt at all.

Near 5:30 or so I hear a rather large crash in the woods below out of sight and actually about 30-50 yds below my truck with my wife with sitting in it.

I hear corruption in the woods, out of sight for about 30 minutes going behind me from the sound of the inital crash. Approx. 6:00 directly behind me I see this stunning beautiful creature, truly a magnificent animal grazing in some weeds. It's breath taking.... so black it's blue in the sun. Barrel sized punkin head but the ears are not small but wide apart.

It HAS to be a boar for me to shoot of course. Minutes seem like hours. Its broadside but 2 saplings are in front of vitals. 21 yds. Cant shoot. His walk is lumbering, yet as graceful as any ballet. My eyes are tearing up as I type this.....

There's nothing to apologize for Dale. Killing that bear made it one of the most memorable hunts I've ever been on. And I never even saw a deer. :)

I learned so much from this hunt even after nearly 40 years of hunting.

Back at it:

I need the bear to take a step or 2 into an opening. hes standing left to right. Cmon buddy..... cmmooonnnnnnnnnnnn!

I come to full draw. My drawing elbow rubs on my now stiff harness tether. I hold. The bear stays put. I lower my fully drawn bow to relieve the pressure on my elbow from the tether, not that it hurts or anything, just bothers me. I'm still at full draw the bow pointing to my left and towards the ground.

I start to raise the bow again and my tether hits my trigger on my release. I promptly shoot a lighted nocked arrow 30 yards away from a bear into the dirt 15 yds from my stand!!! LOL The bear looks up. Doesnt move an inch and goes back to feeding.

Im not shook up- dont know why. I guess I was meant to be here, at this stand, at this moment, with this bear, with my wife, with my people. I'm dead serious.

The bear takes off. Runs into the woods. I realize what has just occurred. Lean against the tree and I say a prayer. I'm turning to mush at this point. Its a blurr. Maybe 15 seconds go by..... probably 10 seemed like an hour, I hear the bear wail, not once but twice. Its a done deal!

I'm a basketcase, my wife and I as a rule try not to curse. I call her to tell her what had happened. I apologize but I dropped the f-bomb in describing what I did lol.

I wanted to surprise everybody at the doe hunt. I started texting Joe. I wanted it a secret. I wish I took a pic of that conversation- it is etched in my mind forever!! I'm giddy. Testosterone is oozing out my ears.

I talk to Perry, he's on his way. I see a hunter walking towards me thru the field. He asks me If I shot a doe. I relay my story.

This guys name is Cory, he was huntin the same farm. He was NOT with the UBP hunt. We chatted and I thought he could very well have been upset that another hunter had entered his territory and just shot a bear to which he had picture of from his trail cam. Cory was in his stand near the area wher the bear expired and heard it wail.

Cory asked where the shot occurred. I told him. He got a huge smile and told me that is exactly where a doe he killed 2 days prior had died. The bear was visiting and eventually consumed the gut pile of Cory's deer!!!

Perry arrives. Cory tells me of his 2 doe kills and I find out he uses Rage Bheads. I immediately introduce him to Perry as another Rage user. Perry at this point does NOT know WHAT I just killed. I tell him andhe'smore excited than I. Cory could have been upset and angry, he's as pumped as Perry. Here we are in a church parking lot like little kids that just got new bikes!

MaryJo requires that she goes along on the trail job. We start confirming the shot sight as the gut pile location. After a few minute we find a blood trail getting better. Its a blur- these moments. I dunno maybe 50 or 60 yards in, there he lays!!!!! Just freakin incredible, unbelievable, incredible I dunno...

Again if we had drums we'd a bin dancin!! Cory, Perry, MaryJo and myself living out a dream! Smiles hugs hugs smile high fives slobberin while I talk picture takin, not by me tho.

After several futile attemptsto move this bear, we had to call reienforcements. A crew showed up and these guys, Cory and Perry included BUSTED THEIR BUTTS to get that bear out. I'm soooooo grateful and terribly blessed to be friends with these folks!

I'm going to stop here theres a whole book that could bw written.

I've got to say this:

Gary Wessner knew that bear was in the area. He didnt have to put somebody else in that stand. That may have been one of the most incredible acts of kindness and unselfishness I have EVER recieved in my life!

Thank You Gary- from both of us!

I'll add some more later on- Thank You for reading hope you enjoy the story!

Im not shook up- dont know why. I guess I was meant to be here, at this stand, at this moment, with this bear, with my wife, with my people. I'm dead serious.

AMEN BROTHER HAJAS!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

Keep it coming.....................

It IS O U R BEAR.

I need a break. I'll post more later on.

I would just like to take the time to say how much it meant to me that you so generously included me(us)in your moment(s). THANK YOU BROTHER! You are one of a kind! I will never forget your calls, tracking and then finding that beautiful creature! Oh, and sharing your hilarious texts back and forth to Bowjo. And sharing that campfire later that night and talking about the good old days of UBP while everyone slowly slipped away to their tents to get ready for the morning hunt.............PRICELESS! :)

Bill V.

Bill V.

I will confirm what somebody already said..........couldn't have happened to a nicer guy.

I have to say, thru this whole process I was (almost) excited as he and MJ! My knees were shaking just like I had shot it myself. And the whole camp was on a high all weekend! I kept waking up in the morning thinking "Did Dale really shoot a bear???!!!!" When I told him that he said he was saying that every hour! ;-) It was all we could talk about and just a neat and special occurance that may never happen again in our lifetime!

But all kidding aside.......... a couple interesting tidbits: A)After talking to Dave Mitchell(PGC) there was an even bigger bear in the same general area with 2 ear tags and estimated over 400 lbs. B) Dale's may have been the first shot this year in 5C.

We also found he was shot with a bullet in rear quarter. Figured mebbe last year but it had a copper jacket, possibly a MLer??

Dennis Razza, a UBP member, is going to do a full mount. We did have a small area of the hide turnin color with some smell. He felt it should be ok.

Heres the pic of the certificate hope you can see it.

And congratulations to all the successful deer hunters. You all are doing a lot for bowhunters in PA as far as hunter/landowner relations.

And finally, kudos to Perry and all other organizers/workers/helpers.

The group picture says it all.

That is a pretty cool certificate.

And they all deserve a huge pat on the back for their dedication and the work they put into this.

From: Metikki Date: 30-Sep-13

I nock another arrow, come to full draw and start over. The bear eventually turns 180 deg. Hes now facing left. I have a shot but need to bend my knees to clear a branch. He takes a step, I release to see my arrow, 100 gr Muzzy 3 blade- not 4 as I thought, and lighted nock totally disappear into the side of the bear. The bear takes off. Runs into the woods. I realize what has just occurred. Lean against the tree and I say a prayer. I'm turning to mush at this point. Its a blurr. Maybe 15 seconds go by..... probably 10 seemed like an hour, I hear the bear wail, not once but twice. Its a done deal!

I'm a basketcase, my wife and I as a rule try not to curse. I call her to tell her what had happened. I apologize but I dropped the f-bomb in describing what I did lol.

I wanted to surprise everybody at the doe hunt. I started texting Joe. I wanted it a secret. I wish I took a pic of that conversation- it is etched in my mind forever!! I'm giddy. Testosterone is oozing out my ears.

I talk to Perry, he's on his way. I see a hunter walking towards me thru the field. He asks me If I shot a doe. I relay my story.

This guys name is Cory, he was huntin the same farm. He was NOT with the UBP hunt. We chatted and I thought he could very well have been upset that another hunter had entered his territory and just shot a bear to which he had picture of from his trail cam. Cory was in his stand near the area wher the bear expired and heard it wail.

Cory asked where the shot occurred. I told him. He got a huge smile and told me that is exactly where a doe he killed 2 days prior had died. The bear was visiting and eventually consumed the gut pile of Cory's deer!!!

Perry arrives. Cory tells me of his 2 doe kills and I find out he uses Rage Bheads. I immediately introduce him to Perry as another Rage user. Perry at this point does NOT know WHAT I just killed. I tell him andhe'smore excited than I. Cory could have been upset and angry, he's as pumped as Perry. Here we are in a church parking lot like little kids that just got new bikes!

MaryJo requires that she goes along on the trail job. We start confirming the shot sight as the gut pile location. After a few minute we find a blood trail getting better. Its a blur- these moments. I dunno maybe 50 or 60 yards in, there he lays!!!!! Just freakin incredible, unbelievable, incredible I dunno...

Again if we had drums we'd a bin dancin!! Cory, Perry, MaryJo and myself living out a dream! Smiles hugs hugs smile high fives slobberin while I talk picture takin, not by me tho.

After several futile attempts we had to call reienforcements. A crew showed up and these guys, Cory and Perry included BUSTED THEIR BUTTS to get that bear out. I'm soooooo grateful and terribly blessed to be friends with these folks!

I'm going to stop here theres a whole book that could bw written.

I've got to say this:

Gary Wessner knew that bear was in the area. He didnt have to put somebody else in that stand. That may have been one of the most incredible acts of kindness and unselfishness I have EVER recieved in my life!

Thank You Gary- from both of us!

I'll add some more later on- Thank You for reading hope you enjoy the story!

That stand went unhunted until Fri. afternoon. Like Dales says................"LISTEN TO GARY"! :)

Thank you to all who attended, and showed their support. You make us all proud to be members of The United Bowhunters of Pa.

krazybked- This was the church at Stoney Run. If you go up 737 N from I-22/78 and go 3-4 miles you will see it on the right (from 737).

Once Dale completes his story, I will add some details about the weekend. Joe, Dan, Gary and I kept saying over and over again, "how can this weekend get any better?!" thurs, fri, Sat, and finally Sunday! So much more to post, but want to give Dale a chance to finish.

Phil- those paws were VERY large for that weight bear. Head was unusually large too. WCO said if this bear was shot in mid Nov, it probably would have been much heavier- maybe over 400!

However I must relay some things that are burnin a hole in my noggin~(8o)

I'll finish my post tomorrow as I'm off to work.

Thanls again!

And Thank YOU! :)

I ran into Rust4Brains (Matt, I'm not sure if that's still your handle or not) at the NSA Mechancisburg MWR. I was on my way to the gym and he was renting a pop up camper.

I wish we could have had more time to chat. It was great running into and old Lejeune Archery Club friend.

Mike

Mike- glad to hear it. Hope to see you in the future.

I have been quite honored to be a messenger, a delivery person, for bowhunting, for archery. The UBP has been my vehicle. Ive met the greatest people- bowhunters.

This successful hunt- please it isnt about me, but a group moving as one unit, with a goal. It was beautiful- it really was!

To the people of the Kutztown area for being gracious hosts / To everyone at the campground for being so welcoming and helpful especially to my wife / To Woody and his family for offering his campground / To all the other landowners willing to offer their property / To P & B Clams and seafood who didnt want to charge me for 24 hrs of keeping my bear in their cooler AND THEN giving me 10 bags of ice for the ride home! / To Phil Magistro and Jack Davis for taking wonderful pictures / To my sisters and my brothers- I've been away too long / To Gary, Bowjo, Dan and Perry.....unbelievable boys unfreakinbelievable / Finally to my wife, what wife would sit in a truck and read while her husband hunts? THEN be 10 yards AHEAD of the hunters walking back to track???

I love you all.

FWIW- I've edited some of my posts to make it a bit easier to post on other sites.

Also you notice my 2 different handles. Metikki is for some reason the only registration the my laptop lets me use for the Pa Bowsite. I use my name on the cell.

This successful hunt- please it isnt about me, but a group moving as one unit, with a goal. It was beautiful- it really was!

AMEN DALE! We have said it many times..................one of the special things about this event is how it is a TEAM effort- everyone pitching in, helping each other out for a common goal. One of my favorite aspects is seeing Dan at the table going over maps with folks at noon and in the evenings and giving tips on deer movement, topography, prevailing winds and other key features that are critical to hunter success. Also, when someone needs help tracking or dragging a deer(or bear ;-), there is no shortage of volunteers! Folks always sharing information with each other and giving tips about certain properties or areas in order to get the best outcomes. And when everybody starts coming in after the hunts we gather around the meatpole to see what's coming in, share stories of the hunt and then to see how much each deer/bear weighs. It truly is a sight to see.

Was nice to get a chance to meet some new members and catch up with some I haven't seen in awhile.

There were 51 registered hunters for the weekend, including 5 women and several junior hunters, which was very nice to see.

Dale- that meat was falling off the bone and had a real nice smokey flavor, didn't it?! I think that's a picture of Steve starting to pull it off the carcass- don't think he even used the knife much.

BTW, MJ's hot pepper mustard was OUTSTANDING! I was trying to give others a chance when we were standing there waiting for the main course! ;-) One of my favorites- pretzals and mustard!!!!!!!!!! :),

I know what I want for Christmas this year! ;-)

There may be a few jealous locals or anti-hunting people upset but overall the response has been positive and I suspect we are only seeing the first trickles of what may be a watershed!

My bear was the 3rd bear killed in the state last year. There were 2 from Northampton Cty before the 5C bear. This bear @ 292# LW was 2 yrs and 10 mos old. Interesting stuff...... There's still a biggun over there :)

I asked Dave Mitchell if he's been seeing any bears down there this season. Like a typical PGC guy he played coy........................only thing he would say was "there might be one left down there"! ;-)