September 23rd, 2008

GLOF Treasurer bags U.P. Black Bear
by Lee Zeidler

September 23, 2008

GLOF Treasurer Sandy Brown went on her first Black Bear hunt this fall in Michigan’s western U.P. Black Bear season opened on September 10. The first day turned up one small Bear and one Coyote, nothing to take home. We were hunting on a large tract of the J.M. Longyear Company property that is in the CFA (Commercial Forrest Act, which is private land open to the public for hunting) program. The second day was wet, and we were hunting on the McCormick Federal Wilderness property (public land open to hunting) we sat in the rain all afternoon in a downpour, and the bear decided to take cover as well. The third day was a beautiful sunny day, no wind, and just a nice day to sit in the woods and enjoy the sights and sounds. Fall was starting to turn the leaves, and it was quiet except for the stream in the background.

It was getting close to dark, and we were thinking that it would be another day of no bear, when five minutes before dark, a nice bear came into the bait, and after watching her for a few minutes Sandy decided to take the shot. She touched off her .300 Weatherby Magnum and made a nice shot through the shoulder and vitals, within seconds it was over. Check out the video, she looked right up at us, and was a little leery but being uphill and no wind was a big advantage. Sandy’s first Bear is going to Outdoor Ventures Taxidermy in Marquette (906) 249-3691 for a nice shoulder mount. Bonnie has done several mounts for us, and they do a fantastic job.