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Contributors to this thread:Bears
From: Bigpizzaman
15-Jun-16
So we're back from an Epic hunt with Ron Dare, Bear Track Outfitters. This hunt came together with some great people, with great ideas and great charitable motives. Two years ago Ron and Jeannine put a hunt up to bid to the person who donated the most money to their favorite Charity(s). I mean how cool is that! So I jumped in as well as others, including Tom Foss. it soon became a bidding war between Tom and myself. In the end Tom won, in a true gesture of kindness Tom gave my Grandson Riley the hunt! Riley would be only 11 that year soon Ron allowed us to put the trip off a year, hunters must be 12 in Manitoba. I can't thank these guys enough, my son (Greg) joined us and 3 generations prepped, planned and hunted together. This is the story!
From: Bigpizzaman
15-Jun-16
At age 11 Riley had a youth bow and was only pulling 28#'s, no way was that enough to take a Bear, we were going with a Crossbow. Riley had other ideas, he wanted to use a Compound. We came to terms, he had to save money (I'd match dollar for dollar) for an upgrade on bows. He had to pull 40 #'s and be proficient from a tree stand out to 20 yards. We worked together at Baseball games (our local university) selling pizzas, the new Diamond bow was purchased in June of 2015, that gave him a year to prepare.
From: Bigpizzaman
15-Jun-16
We shot and increased draw weight thru the Fall and Winter with no real urgency. Spring rolls around and Riley was only pulling 33 #'s, didn't look like 40 #'s was going to happen. My son Greg also joined in the trip and I was "helping" to finance so I told Riley he had to earn more money for tips and misc expenses. He was back selling Pizzas and we started a routine of push-up's and burpee's to build up his strength.
From: Bigpizzaman
15-Jun-16
This is Riley selling Pizzas, kid was a "tip-magnet"!
From: Bigpizzaman
15-Jun-16
By the beginning of May Riley was pulling 38 #'s and was very proficient from the ladder, both standing and sitting positions!
From: Bowboy
15-Jun-16
Keep it coming Tim!
From: Brotsky
15-Jun-16
Alright Tim! Looking forward to hearing the rest of the story! Well done Riley!
From: Bigpizzaman
15-Jun-16
More practice! He would get mad at me but I'd put him in the stand by himself and sit under him, barking orders like a drill sergeant! Draw! Let Down! Draw and Hold! Let Down! Draw Shoot!! All the while telling him if he missed we were tuning the crossbow! I tired to add some realism to our practice, knowing his nerves would be rattled when a bear came in.
From: Bigpizzaman
15-Jun-16
From: Bigpizzaman
15-Jun-16
Dates are set! We have a plan, June 5th we need to be in Winnipeg. One of my best friends, Dustin Poirier (UFC lightweight fighter) gets a fight on June 4th in L.A. We are the last week of Ron's hunt dates and Riley isn't out of school until late May, so I'll fly the boys up and take the "Red-Eye" from LAX to Winnipeg to meet them.
Mean-while Riley hits a growth-spert and his draw is increased at the same time he hit's 40 #'s! Great but new arrows required!
From: Bigpizzaman
15-Jun-16
Oh by the way, Dustin knocked his opponent out in the first round! I was at the fight with my wife and Eric Vallencourt who I met thru Bowsite (ExpeditionTraders)!
From: HUNT MAN
15-Jun-16
This is great. Can't wait for the rest. Thanks for posting . Hunt
From: GhostBird
15-Jun-16
Very cool... a three generation hunt!!!
From: Medicinemann
15-Jun-16
I have had the privilege of sharing a camp with Bigpizzaman. Not only is he great to hang with, he also has his head screwed on pretty darn straight....if he could just learn how to walk up a mild incline into hunting camp without messing up his shoulders.
Family is a top priority for him, so this hunt is going to be extremely memorable for his grandson AND for Tim. I am going to enjoy following this thread.
From: Bigpizzaman
15-Jun-16
So I meet my boys in Winnipeg Sunday the 5th and Pat, Ron's head guide, picks us up and off we head to Bear Tracks. A little over 3 hour drive. In camp Ron and Jeannine meet us and have a meal fit for a king on the table. We go over camp rules and it's decided our clan will hunt with Ron on the river baits and the Lake. We have a group of 2 fathers and their sons from Oklahoma in camp, they will hunt the road and trap line baits with Pat.
From: Medicinemann
15-Jun-16
Step away from the pizza dough, and finish this story....!
From: Bear Track
15-Jun-16
You all are going to enjoy this, the guy's an articulate story teller and Medicinemann is right. The man's got his head screwed on tight and straight.
From: Brotsky
15-Jun-16
"the guy's an articulate story teller"
That's high praise coming from the master of story telling Ron! Ha!
From: pav
15-Jun-16
Anticipation......
From: Bigpizzaman
15-Jun-16
Thanks Guys! Well our new Oklahoma friends Jim & Tanner Alexander and Allen & Blake Jumper sure we're a pleasure to have in camp!! I believe Allen posts here as skippy?
Anyway Riley was ready and as bad as I wanted to sit with him, that honor belonged to his father, my son Greg!
From: Bigpizzaman
15-Jun-16
First night out we had north northwest winds, not normal for this time of year and not great for the baits. Ron does a great of knowing what baits are hot, rotating them and using cameras to identify a shooter bear. Unfortunately for Ron I'm the worst guy to have in camp, the only bear missing in my portfolio is a big colored boar! I mean everyone wants that, right! Lol
First night was slow 5 stands hunted and I think only one bear sighted.
From: Bigpizzaman
15-Jun-16
Day two and get the rain gear on, we all know what rain does to bear movement, we tried but got skunked! Good news though, favorable weather and winds forecasted for the next two days! Great meals and story-telling by Ron kept the camp in high spirits!
From: Bigpizzaman
15-Jun-16
Day 3! We are hunting the lake, I've been hunting a big Cinnomon Boar, we think he walked on us, so we move to a bait with a larger black boar and a unique sow, she's black and Cinnomon, like a girl with high-lights in her hair!
She comes in early and often, the boar well I hear him circling but he never steps out! Guess that why he's big!
From: Bigpizzaman
15-Jun-16
I think I heard Ron in the boat across the lake, but I can't be sure. When he picks me up I see my boys smiles, I know there's a dead Bear in the boat!
From: Bigpizzaman
15-Jun-16
Not a bear but TWO!!! Riley is pretty excited to say the least, he tells his story in detail, he's getting pretty good at that as well! Seems the bear was on the bait when they walked in, it ran off but came back. He told his Dad this was the one he wanted, he had to draw and let down a couple times, just as we had practiced! The bear finally turned slightly quartered away and his muzzy tipped arrow flew like a dart! Complete pass thru! The Bear went 20 yards then up a tree, fell dead in seconds after.
From: Bigpizzaman
15-Jun-16
4 more bears came in that night, the last was an old gray haired sow with little to no teeth in her head, she was heart shot by my son, only making a few yards before she expired!
From: Chip T.
15-Jun-16
Great story so far Tim. Keep it coming and a big congrats!!!!
From: HUNT MAN
15-Jun-16
That's a great photo of your boys and there bears. Hunt
From: Medicinemann
15-Jun-16
Your grandson's Christmas shopping list probably just got a whole lot easier!!!
From: Charlie Rehor
15-Jun-16
Smiles says it all! You are very fortunate that you have a hunting son and grandson! Cherish every moment! C
From: Bigpizzaman
15-Jun-16
Whew! Pizza man had to make a few pizzas!!! Thanks again guys!
So back at camp we learn it was boys night as they all shot bears! Great stories and smiles at another fantastic meal!
From: Bigpizzaman
15-Jun-16
Next morning is photo secession! Riley was still on cloud nine! Before we started skinning we possed for a few shots! This is Riley's Bear!!
From: TD
15-Jun-16
Wait wait, back up a second.... you're a Grandfather??? =D
Congrats Tim! Great job all the way around, grats to the boys too!
But I think there's more.... please?
Mr Foss..... heheheheheh... is good folks for sure. Class act. nuff said....
An'den????
From: Bigpizzaman
15-Jun-16
Both bears and 3 generations!
From: Bigpizzaman
15-Jun-16
Try Again.
From: Skippy
15-Jun-16
Tim, It was a pleasure to share camp with 3 generations of Metcalf's. All boys in camp got bears, mission accomplished. Another great time at Bear Track!!
From: OneShot
15-Jun-16
Seemed like Riley really wanted to kill a bear with his bow. He worked hard and was rewarded with a great bear. Congrats to all
From: Bigpizzaman
15-Jun-16
TD yep!! Lol
Skippy, Yes Sir!!!!
Still a couple tags to fill and two days to go! We decided to go after that boar with the high-lighted hair girlfriend. I think they went on a date, nice weather for a sit but nothing. We checked all baits/cameras and decided a new bait with a nice boar (jet black) would be our target bear. The wind picked up 20-30 miles an hour from the West. I was hoping it would lay down before dark. I got settled into the stand and the winds picked up, the tree I was in is a dead spruce, it was rocking! If the ticks weren't so bad I would have gotten down and made a ground blind.
From: Bigpizzaman
15-Jun-16
7:45 I see the boar coming in, he's not confident or acting like he owns the bait, but the bow comes off the hook. He moved in and runs off, only to repeat that a couple times, never offering a shot. He finally hits the barrel but is always either laying down or quartered hard into me.
He only stays 5 min and as he's leaving he stands and faces me @ 23 yards. I'm at full draw but the tree is rocking one direction and the bow is being pushed (by heavy left to right winds) in another. Frontal shots work but you better be on the money, I let down as he walks away.
It's early surely when the winds lay down he'll come in or perhaps a bigger boar? 9:30 the winds begin to die, I know I have pin light until 10:45. I get ready. Then a feel it wind coming back but it's switched to North, hitting me on the back of my neck! As the sun goes down so do my chances at a bear!
From: Mark Watkins
15-Jun-16
Congrats Team Metcalf! Great storytelling thus far! Delegate that pizza making Tim...we need more info and pics!
Mark
From: Bigpizzaman
15-Jun-16
Ron picks me up at 11:00 we idle back 9 miles to camp as the winds blow the shallow lake into 3-5 foot waves. He knows the lake and his boat so no worries, gave us time to compare "war-stories" without the boys around!!
Was a fantastic trip, Riley and Greg make me proud! The opportunity was amazing both Tom Foss and Ron Dares generosity had everything to making it so! A true gesture of paying it forward, Greg, Riley and myself are working on a plan to make someone else's dreams come true!!!
Thanks Alll!!!!!!
From: Brotsky
15-Jun-16
Great story Tim! Congratulations to all three generations! That's what hunting is all about, time spent out in the woods with the ones we love. Memories that will last a lifetime!
From: Jaquomo
15-Jun-16
Awesome stuff, Tim!!! Yep, this epitomizes what it's all about.
Thanks for sharing!!
From: Reflex
15-Jun-16
Awesome story. Congrats to you all!
From: Medicinemann
15-Jun-16
BTW, just so you know....it's a darn good thing that you posted a second photo with the hint of a smile....that first photo looks like you are next in the ring for a UFC fight!!
From: drycreek
15-Jun-16
Great story ! Congrats to Riley for the first bear and for working hard to get there !
From: Ibow
15-Jun-16
Great story. So enjoyed this from beginning to end. Congrats Bigpizzaman on not only being a good dad but a good grandpa!
From: loesshillsarcher
15-Jun-16
Awesome!!
From: Quinn @work
15-Jun-16
Thanks for sharing. Love he smile on Riley's face. That's a pretty big accomplishment for him Taking that bear with a bow at 12! Tell him congrats!
From: Buffalo1
15-Jun-16
Really neat adventure.
The hunting experience of 3 generations is a priceless family memory. Your family is truly blessed.
Riley is learning how to work, what it takes to go on a bowhunt & how to bow hunt. And you have Christmas shopping solved !!
Thanks for sharing. Looking forward to the next bowhunting saga.
From: trkyslr
15-Jun-16
That's great!!! Well done by all!!!
From: Dennis Razza
15-Jun-16
Way to go guys. Awesome memories!
From: midwest
15-Jun-16
Thanks for the great story, Tim, and congrats to the boys!
From: JohnB
15-Jun-16
Way to go all three of you!
From: Cajunarcher
15-Jun-16
Awesome story Tim! Congrats on a successful hunt with family!
From: Bowboy
15-Jun-16
Great story and pictures! Like stated the smiles says it all. Hope we get to see more of Riley's hunts in the future.
Is Riley's bear getting some taxi work done?
From: Mad Trapper
16-Jun-16
Congrats boys!
From: GhostBird
16-Jun-16
Congratulations to all you guys. Memories that will never be forgotten!!!
From: otcWill
16-Jun-16
Good stuff, Tim! Congrats to you and your boys. Loved the write up of you training your grandson
From: Chief 419
16-Jun-16
Congratulations to Riley and family! The smiles tell it all. He's a bowhunter for life no doubt.
From: kota-man
16-Jun-16
Sounds like a great trip Tim. Congrats to you and the gang.
From: bigguy
16-Jun-16
Great post Tim! Congrats to Riley on his first bear! Im glad that the "tip - magnet" was able to bring in enough tips from the tree huggers at the pizza stand to make the trip possible!! I hope they don't start boycotting him on facebook. LOL
From: OFFHNTN
16-Jun-16
Awesome! Congrats to all and thanks for sharing!
From: Rocking R
16-Jun-16
Congratulations to everyone involved! Sounds like a great hunt, which is no surprise with Ron and Jeannine at Bear Track. Such a great thing to see Riley work hard and be rewarded with a bear.
Thanks for sharing the adventure.
From: iceman
16-Jun-16
Awesome all the way around!
From: bhunter
16-Jun-16
Congratulations!
From: Zebrakiller
17-Jun-16
cool stuff , congrats
From: Fuzzy
17-Jun-16
That is freakin AWESOME stuff there! :)
From: Bigpizzaman
19-Jun-16
Thanks Guys!!! Happy Fathers Day to one and all.
From: Bowgator
19-Jun-16
Great stuff Tim. Congrats from fellow cajun. Couldn't have a better gift for Father's day!! Kudo's to Ron and Jeannine at Beartrack, too. I sent my son-in-law and a boy whom I taught to hunt, to Beartrack two years ago where they both killed nice bears. God is good!!
From: Bou'bound
19-Jun-16
Tom and tom. Well done on all fronts. Congrats and thanks for sharing
From: BC
19-Jun-16
Very cool. My grandkids are still young but someday....Thanks
From: SteveB
20-Jun-16
Congratulations Tim on a gret hunt and making incredible memories. BIG PROPS to Tom Foss and Ron and Jeannine Dare at Bear Track for their generosity.
A bunch of winners here!
