I do believe my last blog was in bear season, which was a very discouraging and disappointing one. Second year in a row of low kill count. Although after talking with several other guides and services who mostly experienced the same, I still felt absolute frustration and continue to think "what could I have done".
In order for things to survive the tests of time, they need to adapt and Mother Nature does that best. Seemed all the large bears came in well after hunting time was over. I have heard it said a million times; they don't get big by being dumb. Still doesn't make me feel any better.....
After the third week of hunting, I was ready to throw in the towel; give up. After all, who wants to be asked "how was your season?', when your season...well, sucked to say the least. However I did have a little redemption on the fourth week that redeemed my faith. Our little buddy Trevor Stanley, who has been hunting and trapping with Big E and I since he was ten years old bagged a beautiful bear. He and I were sitting out that Monday afternoon when everything worked out right and a 313 pound bear came into the bait site the last hour of the hunt. Trevor listened and did everything right; I'm so very proud of him. To top it all off, he also got a super 8 point buck this year, his first!
While sitting out that night I also once again reinforced a few things that I have tried to tell my hunters; you must sit absolutely still and make not a sound. The lay of the land on this particular site is a steep slope directly behind the bait. The way the bait was set, the 55 gallon drum was to the left, with a large rock to the right with a couple large trees. Of course one must realize we are in the forest, so lots of trees, branches and leaves still at that time of year. Trevor saw the bear before me, as I had a branch in my line of vision. When he asked if he could shoot, I could not even see the bear. I leaned very slowly towards him and there she was; nothing but a head and ears could be defined as she stood rigidly still, staring on our direction from the slope behind the site. I told him "no, wait and don't move" in as low a whisper as I could so as not to bust us. The bear silently moved off behind the rock to the right and I told Trevor to shoulder his rifle and get ready. She appeared behind the bait once again, and just stood there.....watching...... This bear did that three times before emerging onto the bait site, where she once again stopped, and stared. I have said this before, and I will say it again; in all the years that I have guided, hunted and observed bear on bait sites, only once did the bear not look right at me in the stand. This has lead me to believe that a bears eyesight is a little better than what has been said over the years. Although they may not have the clearest vision, they can see movement; the number one enemy of a bear hunter. Also, I have come to the conclusion that all too many hunting shows, showing hunters talking and moving around in their stands has created an idea that what I have preached for years is not so important. I beg to differ and will defend my position over and over again. After all, I'm the guide, but I'm also a hunter and my success has come from my experience. I know my game so follow the rules. Next year, hunters may not like me so well, as I'm requesting that all ipods,blackberries or whatever will not be allowed on the baits, and should someone decide to go against the rule, they will not have the option of another bait site, or could be told to sit at camp, or leave. My success as a guide/guide service is quite dependent on the success of my hunters and judged much the same way. If you do it my way and it doesn't work, well at least I will feel it is the way it was meant to be. It's hunting. However, when someone goes against what I truly believe to be the defining factor my frustration goes into overload and I have to think that maybe there was nothing more that I could have done to change the end results. In that case someone chooses to just throw away their money. Listen to the guide!!!
I also feel that the bears are adapting to the game so to speak, which will only make the game a little harder to win. However, still, no matter what, bottom line......do it right.
I try to keep this blog about being a guide. It's about life in the woods here in Maine. I have branched out here and there to include other news in the outdoors world here in my neck of the woods, from the coyote issue to Roxanne Quimby's land grabs. Issues that every outdoor sports enthusiast encounters. However life in general goes on and life has it's ways of interrupting and disturbing the order of things. The slacking economy has had a great impact on how we do business. We are still making plans for the future on the new lot, but maybe not quite as extravagant as originally thought or dreamed. The lot has been cleared and prepared; the driveway is in as is the well, but that is where it has ended for this year. We hope to continue next Spring. Life has got in the way just a little with the need of a new truck and the upcoming arrival of our first grandchild ( daughter and babe will be living with us). We have dealt with a few dear loses, and a couple of new lives as we lost 2 of our pack, but gained 2 new ones that have brought smiles back on our faces. Of course our new grandson will bring on many smiles and good memories that are more precious than words can say! However all in all, we have had to regroup and one of those decisions I felt that had to be made is that we will not be attending the Eastern Sports and Outdoor Show in Harrisburg PA. this year. We will have to try to advertise in other ways to keep going. The show is a sportsman/womans dreamland and we have made many friends that I will miss;however it is one of the largest expenses next to insurance, leases and in this economy, gas. It is the only show that we have done for the last 5 years. Sometimes we did well, and other times not so well. Had it been a successful event for us every time, I would cut corners some other way. We do what we must and I have always been a stickler, that if you are going to do something, do it right, do your best and whatever is meant to be will be. With that said, I want all who read this to know, I appreciate you and if you like what you have read and followed along with since the beginning of this blog, would you please pass it along. Currently our web site is down, and I'm working on that, so apologize for the inconvenience. We can be found on facebook at Ktaadn Guide Service, Outfitter and Camps, with lots of pictures, information and updates. We have lots of openings for the upcoming seasons from camp rentals, kayaking, hiking, ATV trail riding,to fishing and hunting adventures. We have 3 cozy cabins, beautiful starlit skies, blazing sunsets and all the charm one expects of life here in the shadow of Katahdin.
Happy Holidays!!!!!
