Method: Mathews Q2
Arrows: Carbon Express, Rage Broadhead
Date: 9/12/2010 thru 9/18/2010
Camo: Realtree AP
Location: Grygla, Minnesota
Conditions: Calm, 53 degrees

Pro Staff, Brett Grimm

September 2010, I found myself traveling to Northern Minnesota on a Black Bear Hunt, Bowhunting North Americas top predator, the bear. The hint of danger for this hunt only seemed to fuel my excitement for a Northern Adventure.

This was my 3 rd trip to Minnesota for bear, the first 2 times I was met with some tough weather and bad breaks; I was hoping this time would be different. I had talked to the outfitter, Tim Irlbeck of Grygla, Mn. (218-689-3935), several times over the summer and I was confident this Outfitter knew how to get me on some bears.

We were hunting the 3 rd week of the season and the reports I was getting from Minnesota the first 2 weeks were not as good as I wanted to hear. I called Tim up to see how his hunters were doing, only to find out he was 14 for 15 on clients with some big bears down and several color phased bears.

After driving all night to get there we arrived at 5:00am got unloaded, had some breakfast and got ready for the afternoon hunt. It was determined that I would be hunting the stand called “The Rock”, due to the stacked rock formation from the local Indians of many moons ago. This stand is still close to the Indian Reservation today and many say this stand is haunted and you can hear voices or see things, even though there is nothing around for miles.

The Stand was deep in the North woods, only a small four-wheeler trail was available to get all the way back to the stand. The trail was questionable at best from all the rain the previous week, the deep puddles made it difficult to conquer, followed by a traverse over an engineering marvel of a beaver damn that was over flowing with flood waters. Only then were you able to get to this remote stand.

First night in the stand, it was a cool calm evening with a occasional breeze that would rustle the trees. I was tired from a long drive and my eyes were heavy from lack of sleep. As still as I tried to be, I am sure my head bobbed a few times trying to stay awake. I watched a family of Skunks come in and out of the bait several times throughout the evening, but I was unable to spot the elusive black bear.

It was getting dark and I thought my night was over. That is when I heard something coming through the woods. I got my bow ready and checked if I could see my pins, “Barely” this was going to have to happen quickly before I ran out of daylight in this dark timber. That is when the shadowy bruiser appeared to my left. He paused for a moment in a small clearing checking out the area, I guess he saw no sign of trouble because he sauntered confidently into the bait.

Before I had left camp, I remember the guide saying “The way these bears are acting, you need to make up your mind quickly if you want to take a Bear” I took that into consideration and the fact that the light was fading fast, I looked at the rounded ears that looked wide on his head, and gauged the height of the bear as he passed some fallin trees, it looked like a good bear and I drew my bow.

It was so dark, I could not seem my pins real well against the dark background of the bears thick fur, it took me several times moving my head off the string to make sure I was still on target, as the bear fed, I took aim and touched off my release. The mighty bruin jumped, growled and bit at the arrow as the rage broadhead enter his side.

The boar turned to run down the trail that he had so confidently came in on, only to stumble and fall 30 yards from where I had shot him. He rolled out of sight of my stand. I was concerned about not being able to see the bear, wondering if he had gotten up, had my shot been as true as it looked. When all of a sudden he let out a gargle of a death moan, I had just shot my first Black Bear with a bow.

I waited till well after dark, climbed out of the stand and snuck out of the area, back over the Beaver Dam, down the trail and back to camp, only to tell my story to all that were there. There were probably a dozen of us that returned to “The Rock” Stand only to find this Beautiful Chocolate colored 300lbs Bear right where we expected to find him the double lung shot did it’s job.

After a 20 minute photo session, we had to get the large Beast out of the woods. It took every guy we had to get him out. It turned out to be another late night after the weighing, gutting and skinning of this fine animal but it was worth it.