Bear hunting Lake Douglas Newfoundland
Connecticut
My cousin Josh asked me to join him on a Newfoundland Bear hunt with Lake Douglas outfitters. We drove up Wednesday night stopping in Maine for the night then continuing to the ferry crossing from Nova Scotia to Newfoundland. The ferry crossing was approximately 7 hours in calm seas and we got a room on board to get about 6 hours sleep on the way over. from there it was another 4+ hours till we got to the Lake Douglas lodge. After arriving our guide asked if we wanted to get out that evening, seeing that it was early enough and he had a couple of stands close by that were getting hit by big bears. After he gave us our bear Licenses and a quick shower we headed to the stands. I was setup over looking a bait that was only 15 yards to my left and another barrel above me at 25 yards. At 7:10 pm I thought I saw something and turned on my video cameras. A good bear was circling above me and behind the barrel directly down wind. I set the cam where there was an opening he was moving towards as I prepared for the shot. He stepped into the hole and looked right up at me and started to turn away as I took the shot. The shot looked like it was back way too far but he ran only 75 yards or so and he stopped and I heard him groan 3 times. I was worried and waited till morning to get him even though when playing back the video in slow motion we could see that the arrow seemed to hit the off side shoulder because we could see it disappear into him then reappear as he move the front leg back. After a restless sleep we had breakfast and went back to find him right where I had last heard him groan. The shot had entered between the 3rd and 4th rib from the back and went through the liver and one lung coming out into his front leg on the opposite side. I have shot my first Bear!
We fished in the mornings catching a few brook trout(they call them Mud Trout) and land locked salmon(locals call them Wininish)and I hunted evenings the rest of the week hunting four different stand sites and passed on shot opportunities on bear that my guide said would go about 120lbs two different days. The weather turned cold and wet and the big bears seemed to only be hitting the baits at night after it got cold. The last night I decided to try for one of the bears I had passed on and got in the stand early. At 4:40 pm a bear came in and gave me a 20 yd. shot that I took and hit it good and he only made it 20 yards and expired. I had never taken a bear before this trip and was fortunate to fill both my tags! First bear weighed in at 300lbs, second bear less than half that.
What a great time we had at Lake Douglas Outfitters, top rate accommodations, with breakfast, lunch and dinner including sandwiches and snacks to take with us and a send off dinner of all the fresh crab and lobster we could eat.(I ate 3 lobster) Beautiful mountains and lakes everywhere. Our guide George was great as were the cooks/housekeepers and the owner Sheldon. I think I will be back again real soon! Thank you so much Josh for making this trip happen for me!
I used my Elite Pure compound bow with Wasp Z-Force Broadheads
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrHOrLiM5Mg
Great job Zack! That will make a nice mount. I haven't heard from Josh yet, how did he do?
Josh was hunting all week for a very big bear he saw the first day, but it didn't show up again during shooting light. He later lost a Bear due to heavy rain after the shot.
Nice job on the video, great way to remember your first bear hunt.
Cool story and video bud,CONGRATS!!!!!....
You hooked on Bear hunting now?
I am hooked, got to try and put money together for another trip next spring.
Zack
if don't mind me asking, what's a bear trip cost all in?
Congratulations, nice photos and great story.
bigbuckbob , The cost to outfitter is usually $3200 for two bears with meals and rooms at the lodge for 7 days. But we where able to get a special price of $2500 through my cousin Josh who usually hunts there twice each season.
We drove up using the ferry so travel costs where minimal.
Zack - thanks for that info. Sounds like a great trip
Congratulations on filling both tags Zack!
update:this time of year I am now busy doing Euro mounts and skulls, so I pulled the bear skulls from this trip, out of the freezer and cleaned them and measured the large one, it measures 12"x7 5/8" for a Total of 19 5/8" So seems like Skull would easily make Pope and young, being P&Y minimum is 18" for black bear.
Good job with the skull looks great.
congrats- sounds like a sweet spot!
Dave Burger at Wild arts Did a great job on the rug! Just picked it up couple weeks ago
Zack, I know what Id like to do on that rug! Take a nap.
Looks like you got the foot scratcher edition
And it comes with kids!!!..cool looking rug bud!!!
looks like the kiddos are afraid of the business, or are they laying on the business end. Too cute!! Love the smiles and I can tell how proud they are of dad!!
Badass man. Great video. I want to try and start taping hunts. Nice bow too. Take good care of that thing.
great story from start to finish, nice job !
Rug cane out really nice. I wanted to do a rug with my bear but I don't have one.
That looks awesome zack, I am waiting on mine from New Brunswick from last spring, can't wait to get it back. I just finished a notty pine wall for it to go on. Enjoy it
Saw the video awhile ago but many times I cannot comment from my work computers so I cannot often post my thoughts but I really was impressed with the camera work and editing - congrats
