A North Shore Experience

   I thought I had my story outlined. I thought the theme of the story was going to be about a great week of hunting spring black bear with North Shore Guide Service, and being out-smarted by cagey old boss bruins. Although present, not giving me a shot at them.
   That was until my last evening on stand during torrential rains accompanied by vicious thunder and lightening bands of pure misery. But , I'm getting a head of my own story.....
   In an attempt to keep this short story, well short, I'll just say from my first night on stand till the closing minutes of light on my last sit, I was into bears in a big way. Big ones, small ones, medium ones but no really big trophy sized ones came to stand while I was sitting.
   The guides and accommodations were top notch. The area was beyond scenic. The main attraction however were the multiple bears that surrounded me each sit on stand.
   One particular bear worthy of mention was the 150 pounder that climbed into the treestand with me. I had to poke him with my black widow bow to stop him from getting his back leg on the platform ( he already had his front paws firmly planted on it). I told Lisa Godin, owner of North Shore Guide Service, I needed the bears close for an ethical shot with my low pound Black Widow Recurve. We later joked she delivered on my request !
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     Early on in this hunt, the decision had been made to hold out for a truly big boar. Evenings and mid-days were spent pouring over trail cam pictures that the guides collected on their baiting rounds each day. On the dozen or so baits, there were 5 big boars. The task at hand was to review the camera pictures and make the best choice to intercept a trophy boar.
    On my last evening we opted to try for a bruin who had been dogging a big sow relentlessly for a few days. They had been caught on camera each day between 9 pm and 920 pm. Dark time was around 10 pm. 
   My last hunt of the spring season found me heading to stand while thunder rumbled and lightening streaked across the sky not too far away. I wasn't in stand long before bear number 29 rolled into view. I was tempted on number 30 but I held off. He was a nice shooter of 225 lbs or so, but not what we were looking for. Number 32 however was a no brainer....
   With about 15 minutes of shooting light left, I had been watching a nice sow feed heavily for 20 minutes or so. I caught movement behind the barrel and saw the dark mass make his way confidently towards the sow. He was grunting and making low grunt/growls with each step . He slowly but deliberately worked his way behind the sow and I stood slowly and pushed my bow arm  forward. 
   My heart was pounding with the thought of taking this great bear. My head was spinning and I struggled to keep my thoughts in order. I silently reminded myself to pick a spot and concentrate on it. I visualized my shot. Perhaps I visualized myself posing with him and sending out the BBD text I had been dying to send to my friends for 8 days.
   Although beyond fun and exciting, it was a tough week and a half of hunting. A couple all day 15 hour sits on stand. Many 4 am departures to try and catch one of the big boys on an early morning visit. There is not much dark time @ NSGS's area during spring bear hunts. Sun sets after 10 pm and rises at about 445 am. Considering travel to and from baits and  meal preparations, sleep takes a distant second. Sleep can wait till  home !
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   I had the boar anywhere from 13 yards to 10 feet for 10 minutes. I drew the recurve twice and about half draw another couple times. The sow lead that boar all around me. He dutifully trundled along behind her grunting with each step. Clearly, his only focus was her, he had dropped all his normal guards.
   The one problem was they were constant motion. Not fast. But  few stops. When he did stop, it was either for too short of time or was angled wrong. He paused once for about 30 seconds. Instantly, I drew.  My fingers found the much practiced anchor point at the corner of my mouth. Release was a heartbeat away.  Before unleashing the arrow I took one last look at the bruin. It was his feet that clued me in to the fact he was actually slightly quartered to me and not broadside. The option to release was aborted. There's not much harder act to commit than letting down on a king size boar from 10 yards. But somehow I mustered enough courage to do it. 
  The last shot opportunity I considered was when the great bear was 10 feet directly below me. I had some fleeting thoughts of shooting him right between the shoulder blades. I didn't however. I have too much respect for the animals I hunt to let the arrow go unless I have what I consider a perfect shot. But that doesn't mean it's easy to do. 
   My one forever ingrained image  of that moment however is looking down at the brute of a bruin, while lightening cracked all around me and thunder rolled across the remote ridge. I had my rain jacket hood up and while looking sharply down a steady stream of rain rolled off my hood and onto the bear's back. 
  I wanted that bear as bad as any bear I've ever been lucky enough to be close to.  I just couldn't take that unsure shot. As the sow moved off, so did the bear I had hunted so hard for. As he lumbered up the hill, massive muscles rippling under a jet black pelt, a small part of me was glad he won the standoff. A very small part mind you...but a part nonetheless. I awoke early the day after our encounter to head for home. Knowing he was out there, pursuing  that sow as bears have done in that remote area since time forever, I tipped my camo hat to the big boy. 
   Starting my truck and pointing it Southward towards home as the sun was turning the eastern sky red, I had one thought......What a week it had been on New Brunswick's North Shore.