I just got back from my annual trip to Northwest Manitoba. I saw one bear on Sunday evening, none on Monday (it was raining hard) and five on Tuesday before I killed this one. A couple were larger, but I just couldn't get a good shot.

I got quite a thrill when a big ol' boar slipped in behind me and banged my tree hard to get my attention and show who was boss. I thought there was an earthquake or a bomb went off. When I looked down and was 6" from a bears snout, I about pooped my drawers. The bear just wandered off in the bushes about 5 yards away where I couldn't shoot and just looked at me for 10 minutes or so, then wandered off to never be seen again.

The boar in the picture should be 18" plus, and weighed 232 pounds. You would have paid to see me get him in the boat by myself.

The pike was a good one, but not the best I caught by far. 45" pike are not at all rare.

Come with me some year???

[ 06-14-2003, 01:08: Message edited by: JudgeG ]

Good job...I am glad you had a great time.

Urdubob

JudgeG......I didn't know you were a recurve man!

Excellent!!!

I have been shooting one for a few years now. I took it up after I killed 3 deer in 2 days with a compound....I sold the compound and went traditional.

TXPO:
What's a compound?

I used to sell bows back in the early 80's, but had to decide if I was a bowyer or a lawyer. Never have done either very well, it seems...

I still shoot a recurve (mostly... unless the longbow bug gets me), and have taken over 100 head of game with that old, beat-up sucker. It pulls 70#'s at 28 inches and with heavy arrows will penetrate about anything. I've never had it let me down.

I don't have anything against compounds, but just can't figure out the appeal... Different strokes, I guess.

Well done Judge, glad you didn't bet me on bears because I never saw one on my bear hunt earlier in May. First time I've ever been skunked!

Looks like you had a great time judge, nice bear, wouldn't mind going with you as long as I didn't have to use one of the stick things Can't pull one any more,
Understand about the bear, had a racoon scare the bejesus out of me,once he decided it was his tree

[ 06-14-2003, 07:38: Message edited by: Dave James ]

Congrats on the bear! Managed to see one (1) bear in seven trips, but got a wolf this week to make up for it!

But Dave...what's with the Dutch byline there: "niet geschoten is altijd mis"?

You got Dutch ancestors?

Frans (still Dutch)

Glad you had a good trip. A pike on a fly rod is a blast. My biggest was a 30" on my 5wt! Oh yea, nice bear too.

Frans it came from a friend of my father,when we used to hunt together,translation is "A shot never fired, is always a miss". I could have Dutch in the background lot of them and Greman out in Kansas. Haven't found any as of yet,but i am releated to the JAMES boys, and WYATT ERAPP,

Looks like you had a great trip! I am also a recurveoligist. I swore off my compound and sold it on a garage sale, I own a PSE take down. I used to have a Herters laminated 60# recurve years ago that accounted for lots of deer but whet with the flow to compounds. If you are ever hunting in Wy look me up!

Judge,

Glad you had a good time in our friendly province. Next time your in Winnipeg, instead of killing time in SIR waiting for the plane/outfitter, spend the afternoon on the Red looking for some large cats. I know of at least one boat owner who would gladly trade a afternoon of fishing for one pack of your fine American cigarettes (must be Marlboro).

Bear hunting is a blast. I have only hunted them by spot and stalk and calling but I love it. Glad you had a fun and successful trip. Rufous.

Great pics and even better story Judge, thanks for sharing them.