2014 Bear Kill Photo's
Wisconsin
Well today is the BIG day...let's see some of those kills! Good Luck to all!!
I took a drive just now and found 4 vehicle parked that I am sure are bear hunters. I feel for them since it is raining and forecast is for a lot more tonight and Thursday but getting better later in the day and for a few days.
Good luck to all out there.
Any smart bear hunter in the NW part of the state should be in camp talking about tomorrow. Thunder, heavy rain, possible hail. Horrible weather for the first evening.
Over 1" here at 1930 and still coming down. If anyone got one tonight they could float the bear out to the truck :-)
Yup, about as much has fallen in Hayward, right now (20:05) there is 1.75 inch hail and 60mph wind between stone lake and Rice Lake.
Really feel sorry for anyone that shot one around here but does not have it out of the woods yet. Even worse for anyone that has not found theirs yet. Any blood sign is sure to be wiped out.
Many bears seen tonight, only knocked down 3, biggest bear 405lbs, a beautiful chocolate color phase bear 120lbs and a 160lb. Yes big thunder storms went through at prime time tonight.
Were those shot before the bad weather came in? I'm surprised your guys did that good on a night like this. Then again I should have expected you would do well no matter what.
Heading for camp on Sunday with the dogs. My brother is taking his with a vertical bow. I'll do my best to post the tactacam footage and pics. Best of luck guys!
Two bears were shot before the storms hit, one was shot just as it started to rain.
Got mine last evening just prior to storms. The bear came in and then took 20 minutes to get the final 20 yards to the bait. Did not have the chance to take any photos except on at the registration station in the back of the truck which I will not post. It was an average bear between 160-175#. But here is a picture of the bear just prior to the shot. Picture makes it look darker then what it was and the time is off a bit on the camera. Was very warm out but got the bear skinned and in a freezer then today off to the butcher shop. Boy bears are sure different then a deer when it comes to dragging, they are dead weight and drag hard.
Congrats Trapper Jack.
"Boy bears are sure different then a deer when it comes to dragging, they are dead weight and drag hard."
You got that right, now can you imagine what a 400 or more pounder would be like. You really need a sled to put them in, they drag and go over fallen trees a lot easier and you don't damage any hair. My sled is long and only about 4 inches deep so they need to be lashed in good but it is light and fits between the ramps and bottom of the 4 wheeler in the truck. Otter sleds are deep enough that they don't need to be lashed very much but also much heavier and bulky to haul around. The drag rope needs to go to the sled, not to the bear. Other benefits of a sled, don't need to put the bear on a 4 wheeler, just pull the sled, also much easier to get the bear in the truck especially if you can go up an ATV ramp. I know NWO likes to lash bears to poles and use people power to carry them out but you don't always have a camp full of people eager to help. Sleds make pulling deer really easy too.
My big tip for when pulling a deer in a sled, downhill, with a 4 wheeler is: Put the deer in the sled with the antlers facing to the rear otherwise when you pull a 12 pointer that way the antler breaks off when the sled crashes into the back of the 4 wheeler.
Hats off to Trapper -
No bear here...yet!
Congrats Trapper. Jeff in Mn we have never lashed our bears to poles, bears sway back and forth to much that way, the picture attached is how we do it, its called a Big Game Cot, works real slick.
We use a medical strecher - we tried tying a deer to a pole many years ago - NWO is right! They sway like crazy!
Ya, that was what I meant.
We are getting hammered. Could be 40 trees down on my property and two 12 inch oaks on my boathouse. Trees down on roads all over. Tops of trees laying with no trees near it missing their tops. Ground white with hail. Second wave is here and a third is coming. Gonna be chain saws going for days once this storm is past.
Thanks everyone. Was sure glad that I got it skinned and cooled down quickly. Bear had a lot of fat on it. Jeff in MN, you hit it right on the head about using a sled. I have an otter sled and it works great getting both deer and bear out of the woods. My bear last night I had to drag about 50 yards to the 4-wheeler and sled.
Big time congrats Trapper and NWO. Sure hope I get my tag next year. My kids each have a bear and I don't!
Here is the big one from last night.
Very nice bruin. Did he have concerns with sticking one before the rains or was it a gun kill?
Well this mornings storm got me. Was cutting some of the oaks that are down into saw length logs I managed to clip my wrist with the tip of the saw. Ugly cut so I won't post a pic. Cut stopped just above my artery and nerves. Doc said I was very lucky, and I was.
Many areas around Hayward are a mess, LOTS of trees down all over. If you know anyone with a place around here tell them to have someone check on their place. Worst damage I think is on an east/west line from Hayward.
Tons of rain, I had rain covering parts of my yard that never had standing water on them before.
I shot my bear on August 31st. Not a Wisconsin bear but from Ontario. I'm from the great Badger state and am still proud of it so I hope I am not posting out of line here. Storms that night also but the rain was letting up when all the action happened. Caught it all on video and may post it.
Congrats Blockie & TrapperJack. Nice. bears
Shot seven bear tonight, 3 we have to track in the AM, two of which we should find, I would be surprised if we find the 3rd. Beautiful 153lb boar with a white V on its chest, 249lb boar, 315lb boar and a 308lb sow. Should be great weather tomorrow.
First time hunting (even seeing one in the wild) bear. this is the 4th one and the biggest one that came in. Dressed out at 235#.
Cousin mentored his 11 year old on a hunt. Shot a twin 235# boar to mine on opening night.
Couldn't find the young guys bear that night. Went back the following day around noon (18 hours or so later) and the hound tracked right to it. She is amazing, never would have found it without her.
Great Walteman - Congrads!!
Congrats Walteman. That is awesome stuff. Congrats to you too BLOCKIE. It doesn't matter where ii came from.
NWO, big time kudos to you for putting your clients on so many bears already. Keep the reports and pics coming.
We in WI are truly blessed with the hunting we have here on many many accounts.
We found the two bears I thought we would find 225lb boar and a 140lb boar, went and got my lead guides bloodhound to track the other one. As of 3:00 pm they are still on the track.
This is my first bear in Wi. I have gotten them in Ontario (one last week)and Saskatchewan but this is a first for me. I went with Steve White in St. Germain...the man knows bears!
Is it legal to use dogs to track a wounded bear if the dog season isn't open? Regardless you are doing the right thing using one to try to find a wounded bear but I'm just curious. I know another person that used a dog to track a wounded bear (and got it) last night and that made me wonder.
Congratulations to all. Nice to see these photos. My power was off for 28 hours so this is the first back on line.
Jeff is right about the storm. I cringed though when I saw people using saws with no safety equipment and knew there would be folks in the ER.
For dragging I use the sled in the attached link. Never used on a large bear yet but they work great. Even in the cold.
Yes you can use a dog as long as it stays on the leash.
Congrads to all the other hunters that have harvested a bear so far. Just put my brother on the stand and now the wait begins. My bear will be ready tomorrow from the butcher so I think a cold beer and a few bear steaks on the grill are in order. Good luck to the rest, at least the weather is cooler.
Congrats Walterman on your first bear.
NWO, that is an absolute pig of a bear. That picture is incredible.
Great job on your first WI bear lame crowndip. Where in Ontario were you last week?
We hunted at Raven Lake. It's about 20 miles east of Ignace. Nice place and owned by a couple from Eagle River.
My 15 year old daughter, first bear east of Ashland 5pm opening evening. 198 live weight. Before storms hit, but most went south of us. Not going to lie, rifle kill and no apologies for first one.
Two more bears tonight 215lb sow and another chocolate color phase 203lbs picture attached.
And congratulations to the daughter with her first bear.
And congratulations to the daughter with her first bear.
And congratulations to the daughter with her first bear.
A friend sent a photo of a bear shot near Marshfield area, Chili, WI. Photos on Facebook so I won't repost here w/o permission so I hope someone else can do that.
It is reported to be 700 lbs. The pics show a really nice bear at the meat locker.
Three down tonight, 344lb boar, 235 sow and a 180lb sow. Congrats to all those successful bear hunters out there.
Wish I had good news to report. Blew an opportunity on opening day. Since then both my baits have gone nocturnal. I have heard mixed results in the area (zone A, lady smith area). Some guys doing well and others I've talked to same thing... Nocturnal bait hits and have yet to see a bear.
Stick a fork in me - all done!
Climbed into the stand at 3:00 PM yeaterday and at 3:50 PM, this ole' boy started to make his way to the bait! He was coming downwind and I thought he would wind me - but he kept coming making a wide loop off the bait. Lost him several time and he finally made the bait - sniffed the cap and started to walk off - shot at 12 yards walking - Rage broadhead found its mark and he went about 40 yards and hit the dirt!
Thanks to the wife/son for all their hard work and to the good Lord for black bears! Truely magnificant animals!
Congrats Bloodtrail,nice picture too!
Congrats Bloodtrail. This bear hunting is fun.
Congrats BT! Way to score on a bear!
Congrats LC and BT on getting your bears. BT, what did yours weigh?
NWO, just curious if you discuss with your clients how to tell the difference between boars and sows or if it does not matter at all to you? Please note that I am not suggesting it should matter or that you should do this. I just know that there are camps where the guides prefer clients pass on sows. If I draw a tag next year, you'll be getting a jingle from me.
Bloodtrail, congratulations Nice looking bear.
We only discuss Sows with cubs and Sows with yearlings. If we passed on every Sow our bear problems would be worse. We need to keep a good handle on these animals, besides these hunters wait a long time for a WI tag, I like to see them have a decent opportunity for a bear.
We shot another Sow tonight 207lbs.
All you guys, just a reminder about safety. I young guy that was a school psychologist at the school I currently coach basketball at fell from his stand while hunting in Wausau over the weekend. Serious spinal damage. Make sure you are using that safety harness and be safe. Good hunting.
Cameras out on 10 baits. Last night 9/10 were hit. Sows with multiple cubs at each bait. One sow has 4 cubs and I believe there are two sows with 3 cubs. Population is going to double in my area. Two loners should top 350#.
175 lb. This young guy is leaving shortly for the USAF. If all our service people are like this young man isis better hang onto their A$$ ! Good Luck Matt.
We are 5 for 7 right now. The last two passed on 5 bear (they wish they hadn't now) but are coming back this weekend. Because I'm a small operation I allow hunters to come back IF they are good in camp.
I always say "Don't pass something the first night you would shoot the last, That may not happen".
Nice bears Arrow1, Congrats to your hunters
"Don't pass something the first night you would shoot the last, That may not happen".
Easy to say or agree with and think you can stick to it. But really hard to do for any game animal especially with bear when it takes so long to get your next WI tag.
Love those TC thumbhole stocks. Good work getting bears in for all those clients.
Edited comment 9/9/14: It was pointed out to me that my statement above could be read as a slam toward Arrow1. Not my intent at all, it was actually more of a compliment because I see it is good advice. Just darn hard advice to follow.
Hunter shot one last night, he said he hit it a little farther back so we decided to track in the AM. Bear went 80 yards hardly any blood. Good recovery 243lb Boar.
Congrats arrow1 and NWO. I love all the pics of people's success.
Howatt, Thunderhead 100 gr. Look at the fat on this 315lb Sow. After skinning the bear that was shot last night, the bear must have been quartering away from him slightly, ended up to be a perfect shot.
I have to wait another 5 years at least to shoot another Wisconsin bear so I headed up to Manitoba for this bear.
Always fun to be in a stand and watch a bear sneak in on you.
Congrats JackPine beautiful Blackie
I know there are good guides out there but this situation happens too often. Guides that say "I only take on 10-15 hunter" and then double that when the season starts. It has happened to me years ago and again to a good friend of mine last week. These guides came recommend and had followed through years before when saying I only take 15 hunters per year. Last week my friend showed up at hunting camp and over 30 hunters were there. My friend should have been told so he had an informed choice to find another guide. He ended last week with one of the three unsuccessful hunter her didn't see a bear while on stand. After 7 years of waiting for a tag I think bear guides should treat hunters better. If there is ever a bear guide gathering I hope this is talked because in my opinion wrong!
Great bear Bloodtrail and JackPine.
NWO you are having another awesome year!
Wow, some great bear taken this year. Think of all those fawns that will survive.
All- Nice bears!
My hunter is still waiting for his opportunity.
Got a text from my brother tonight that he scored,no details yet
This is one of my favorite threads every year! Thanks for posting and Congrats to all! BC
anyones baits go dead 9-5 to 9-7?
1st two nights of the season were slow with the Hayward area storms and poor conditions(unsafe), but we ended up taking 14 bear in 4 nights- all but two hunters had a chance- and they are coming back. top 4 bear 420/355/312/255
Richard was my oldest hunter ever- 80 years old and one of the best- 355#!
Nice photos everyone and thank you for sharing.
6 for 7 this client came back this weekend and scored. 200lb 1 to go hopefully tonite.
Nice Arrow. The bear hunting should pick up some with nice weather coming in.
Awesome stuff everyone. Loads of success here. Man we have it good in WI. Congrats to all.
Our group of hound hunters have gone 3/3 so far this year. Put 2 bears up trees today. Hounds are running fast, loud, and long. Still have my brothers tag to fill. He's looking for something w/character.
Well we did it 100% again this year. Marcus scored On 170 #er at 3 pm. He is also a return hunter this year. I just noticed my camera time is off.
Winding down. I sat with a friend last night, on the ground, natural foliage for a ground blind, shot a beautiful 180lb lone Sow with a white blaze on its chest. Gorgeous hide on the bear, nice and thick.
Here is a picture of Johns bow kill- Sunday afternoon. Shot it with a rage-in the heart- it didn't go far! This is bear kill number 15- two more hunters who both passed bear the first week returning this Friday. I will hopefully be posting some pictures. Looks like all the other guides who post here had a good year as well. I'm hoping my two returning hunters each make a bow kill and I get to the 17/19 kill mark. This has been very good year in Zone D and zone A for my hunters. Not sure if that is the case with all hunters, had 5 different hunters who hunted the 1st week call me this past week looking for a spot to hunt-there hunts did not work out and all of them never saw a bear.Its a sad story to here considering it takes 8 years to draw. I was not able to help them, my hunters who wanted to come back came 1st and had already made arrangements. If anyone here guides and has a spot- call me. I'm done after this week and want to switch my thoughts to fall fishing and an up coming elk hunt.
Father and son-Adam and Guy- nice 1st bera- dressed at 150#
I'm not a user of mech. heads but I have had several bear shot with the rage and they sure do open them up and produce a lot of blood. With all the fat on bears I recommend them. Congrats to all the hunters !!
Arrow, did any hunter get a pass threw on the bear. The kinetic energy slows way down when that mech blade opens while it hits the bears thick hair. Not a huge fan for bear but they do leave a gaping hole.
Great! -Stacking them up! Congrats to all who shot them with the stick and string!
All you guides had simply awesome years. Big time congrats to you and all your clients. Thanks for sharing the pics and stories with us. Man, we have it good in WI.
I had a hunter who had a pass thru on a 255# with a cross Bow and rage- other three hunters who killed with a bow and rage- 2 pass thru and one that did not- all killing shots with nice blood trials.
One of our shooters also used a rage broadhead. Bear was dead before it hit the ground. Lots of bears but not many 300#+ whoppers around this year.
NWO,, yes two bear shot with rage. Both pass throughs massive holes. I do like the havoc bh better though. I think it is built better. Remember guys before you jump on me I'm not a mech. user just what I've seen.
Amazing how a great season can go to he!! in a day. If my brother wasn't surrounded by lifelong hunting buddies at camp, I know he'd eat his tag and call it a season.
Long story short, it was a long ride to the area vet clinic. My thoughts are with the group still charging.
Nice bear everyone! Thanks for protecting future fawns. keep slaughtering them. If you have an international license, use it. Good anytime anywhere! Haha.
GJG- Hope they all heal up!!
Been a real interesting year here!! Seeing some strange things from my sitters. Leaving stand for packer game when bear is normally coming in. Leaving the woods well before dark.( cocktail hour) One guy has killed 2 baits and was my first ever to fall out of a tree stand. Could not wait 2 mins for me to do my job! Lucky he was not hurt! 9 days and nothing for him. Literally snuck off in the night. SO he wont be back! Then dont forget the 3 people in same tree thing.
One thing I noticed a lot this year. Baits hit regular. Sitter goes in, and no bears come. Sitter leaves, and bears come. Just seen it with 2 on return trips. Bears hitting nightly during shooting hours. Then dont show until after the sitter has left. Im talking multiple bears hitting them, and then NOTHING!! Believe I can rule out weather, mast, and dogs. What's left???
Since end of August I have literally been invaded by sows with cubs. Some days all baits have different sows on them. They have really pushed the boars out. One string only seen 2 boars in almost 3 weeks!! Mast must be getting low as in the last few days boars are showing up. Just a few hours between the sows. Going to be thick with yearlings next year if even half survive!
First 4 days with dogs was about as hard of a hunt for our guys as you will get. They were very unlucky, and bears did not co-operate. Wouldn't stay treed, and ran like the wind. Could not get the hunters in fast enough. We all were whipped 5th day after day of rest. Was as I figured it would be. Complete text book style hunt. 1 hour and done!!
Now just waiting to hear from the rest of the tag holders to get them finished up!
Big highlight is yet to come. Disabled child coming the last week of the season. My entire family is looking forward to working with this young man.
Good luck to all in the rest of the season. Lots of time left. No matter what your luck has been. One thing is for sure. You have to be in the woods to fill that tag!!
Word about our misfortune reached other local houndsmen. Two older generation hunters my brother models himself after went to camp and offered to help. I can't imagine what my brothers reaction was. All was quiet today. Everyone is still shocked from the prior hunt.
Sportsman helping sportsman. Starting to like bear camp more than deer camp.
"Leaving stand for packer game when bear is normally coming in." There were a couple of other WTF (not Wednesday, Thursday, Friday) moments. Enjoyed the trip..thanks Steve!
GJG- that's the way it's supposed to be!! Some friends still had dogs out at 5pm. Didnt think twice about running to help them!
Guys, I have said it before about this being one of the best sites, and a great group of guys to converse with. Well getting to hunt with one of you just made it even better. LCD was great to spend time with. Can't thank him enough for getting the noise makers out of the woods for me. When I was trying to track that wounded bear. I learned a lot from him while he was here. Hopefully we will hunt together again some day.
One of our sitters came back, and opted for the dogs this time. Put out on a bear that would not stay treed last saturday, and put some holes in one of my buddies. LCD got to spend some time with ole Chief as he is being spoiled in the house. This time he stayed put long enough. Knowing this bear liked to bail, I hurried in. Backup gun was with wife, no biggy. Asked kid you got tag, bullets etc. YEP YEP YEP. This was the kid that wounded opening day. Well he did it again. 4 shots only 1 hitting. Looked like it was going to get western. No bullets, no back up, and it falls out to get up again, and look at us. Luck was with us as it walked off to tip over 50yds away. Think my wife ran in, as she got to us quick! LCD can tell you how rattled this kid was opening day. He was much worse when it went down this time. Knowing how he was. I flat lied to him. Down playing the size. Told him it was only maybe 125. Knowing it would push 300. I was close, dressed 268. He actually wanted to use his bow. I had to flat tell him NO!! Doubt he could make a clean kill on a deer!!
Looks like some decent weather coming. DOn't give up!!
^^^^Been there. Nice bear.
No luck today. Dogs put one up but it only takes one dog to screw things up....
My brother ran his pup today-she did awesome for 7 months old. Good luck boys!
Waupaca County man shoots big black bear. Dennis Arndt poses with a 790-pound black bear he shot in Waupaca County.
There's some big ones out there. Congrats to the hunter..
Nice bear but 2 years to get the mount back? Man, take it somewhere else.
So there were two 800 pounders killed Howatt?Or was that a waste of broadband?
Seen the pics of the 700# monster on the TV news last night. Awesome Bear!! I was shocked they actually gave it about 45 seconds of air time. Of course, very first photo they put on screen, the gentlemen is posed with the bear and his rifle is pointed directly at his head. Couple photos later,(group shot) the muzzle is literally inches away from the face of one of his friends. Priceless.
???? Not sure how you got confused again Pasquinell
Is Trapper Jacks(two threads above yours) the same bear?
Just watched that clip- what a bear! Zone C has always produced some massive bear- incredible
FYI pertaining to the giant killed in zone C, the world record weight for a black bear is 880 lbs. killed in North Carolina. Still, that 780 pound bear killed in what was it the Wausau area is amazing.
last night concluded the 2014 bear season for NWO. Had a friend with a tag and set him up on one of my bait stations, shot a nice 235lb boar. The tally is 20 bears, 2 wounded and unrecovered, one hunter seen bears but they never offered him a shot with archery. This has been one of my best years for the size of bears, only 4 bears under 200lbs, the biggest was 405lbs. Congrats to all the other Guides and hunters on there successful season. I have to add, the bear hunting in Wisconsin.... at one point in the mid 80s bear hunting was in trouble, it now has become one of Wisconsin's best managed success stories. Happy hunting everyone.
We can hang up to 8 bears at one time.
