DAN SIMMONS Sportsman's Quest MORE COLUMNS Advertisement

Hunting bears is a challenge and passion both Roy Keefer and I share, along with many other sportsmen. I began hunting them as a bear control officer with the British Columbia, Canada, Wildlife Branch. It was our job to respond to bear encounters and attacks.

The most memorable, unfortunately, were interactions between bears and children. We need to be reminded; bears are also predators and some of them see humans as easy food. They have the equipment, and ability, to be the top predator which many assume humans are.

It's also, unfortunately, sometimes necessary to intervene in hunter bear interactions, when the hunter has not been able to complete his job the way he should.

True hunters of bears respect their quarry, have a measured fear of them and always make sure of the situation before they fire that first shot, or in Roy's case loose that arrow. He is a fine example of the hunting sportsman and knows bears. He also tells a good story. Enjoy.

Bears from the Past

Not too long ago my wife, Shelby, and I returned from a successful spot and stalk black bear hunt in Alberta. After we had unpacked and settled back into our routine lives, I began to think about why I like hunting black bears.

This caused me to replay in my mind some of my hunts from the past and, of course, I only remembered the good parts.

My first hunt for black bears occurred more than 30 years ago. I was living in Ohio; a friend and I dreamed of hunting "out West". Finally we decided we would try a black bear hunt with dogs.

We saved our money, paid a deposit, and counted the days until our hunt would begin. We were so pumped up with excitement that we drove straight through to Grand Junction, Colo., taking turns sleeping in the car as the other person drove.

Our guide was Cap Atwood from Grand Junction. Ol' Cap was a legend in those days and one of the best houndsmen to ever live, or at least that's what he told me. We spent 10 days with Cap riding horses and following the hounds.

My buddy, Joe, didn't get a bear, but I got my first one, a cinnamon. After that I was hooked on bear hunting. I don't go every year but I do go every chance I get.

I've hunted them with dogs, using baits and by spotting and stalking; all of these methods have their challenges.

Another time in Alberta, I was hunting in a two-bear area. It seemed everyone in camp was seeing bears but me. That is until the fourth day. From my stand, I saw a black bear being chased by a cinnamon colored black bear.

They were too far, and too fast, to shoot so I watched the show. The cinnamon chased the black for a moment and gave out a sound that sounded like a muffled "ho, ho, ho", almost like a chuckle.

Shortly a bear came down the trail to the bait I was perched over. The closer he got the worse he looked. He was rubbed almost to the point of being bald and he had a two inch tracking collar around his neck.

For a while I thought it was someone's dog and wondered how I would explain it in camp if I shot him. My good sense took over and I just observed the bear eat some of the bait and lie down for a nap twenty yards from my stand.

He slept for thirty minutes or so and then he and I heard something coming toward us. It was the cinnamon and black. When they had closed the distance to fifty yards, the small, bald, collared bear stood up.

In a flash the cinnamon charged at him and up a tree the little guy went. The cinnamon stood at the base of the tree and again in a low moan let out with a "ho, ho, ho." And then the guide appeared and all three bears vamoosed.

The guide believed the black and cinnamon were both boars and the chasing was an act of showing dominance. I've heard bears since that encounter make a similar noise; usually when they are agitated.

Whatever the case, it made for great viewing. If only I had a video camera, it would have been priceless. On the sixth day, I managed to arrow two bears, a very good day indeed.

A couple of years ago, I hunted Saskatchewan. This place had bears, lots of bears. And they weren't afraid of humans. I got so tired of small bears eating all of my bait and trying to climb my tree that I resorted to stuffing rocks in my pants pockets and throwing them at the bears to get them to leave.

I also took a long tree branch in the stand with me to discourage any of them from climbing up for a visit. I managed to arrow a bear on that hunt, but we didn't find it until the next morning.

When we found the carcass, one of his brethren was standing over him eating chunks from my trophy. Maybe someday I'll share more of that hunt with you, it was a unique experience.

On another Ontario hunt I was positioned over a hot bait. Bears were hitting it regularly. I was using a Game Tracker string attached to my arrow. The string makes tracking a breeze and doesn't affect the arrow flight on shots up to about 25 yards.

The baits were set up in the customary fashion. The meat was placed in a pail, covered with rocks and surrounded by a two sided, v-shaped fence made from tree limbs, forcing a bear to give the shooter a quartering away shot.

True to form, a bear appeared in the brush nearby, but made his way to the back side of the fence. Then he reached through the back, grabbed a piece of meat, stood upright on his hind legs and went into the brush again. I sat there dumbfounded. He wasn't supposed to act that way.

After a short time he came back and repeated the same act, approached from the rear, reached through, got some meat, stood up and left. I was a little less dumbfounded this time.

Now I was getting a little smarter and plotted what I would do if he had the nerve to make another raid on the bait.

Sure enough, a third time, he came in from the rear, reached through and got some meat, stood up on his hind legs and I sent an arrow through his chest. The line on my Game Tracker zipped off my bow.

I felt like a fisherman and wondered if I should set the hook and then the line went dead. I followed the tracking string and eighty yards away I found him; his bait stealing days were over.

These are just some of my memories. I've been fortunate to have taken ten bears, a mountain grizzly and a coastal brown bear over the years and each hunt contained some interesting moments that I will never forget.

I think these exciting, interesting experiences and the desire to see what the next hunt will bring, causes me to keep hunting bear every chance I get. You have to add to that the thrill of hunting something that can hunt you and inflict pain. I have a lot of respect for bears, and some fear of them as well.

Bears and I have a special, close relationship and 15 yards is about as close as I want our relationship to get.

Recipe of week

Cast Iron Bear Camp Casserole

Bear meat has a mild flavor and the texture of pork. It makes great roasts and stews. I've made and enjoyed many of each. Here's one of my favorites and a regular around the campfire. It's easy to make, the ingredients keep well in the grub box and my hunting pals always come back for seconds, or thirds.

Ingredients: 3 Tbsp. oil; 2 pound bear meat, cut into cubes; 1 large onion, chopped; 2 pounds potatoes, cut in thick rounds; 1 can of beer; 3 links garlic sausage, without skin and cut into bite size pieces; 3 large carrots, cut into bite size pieces; 1 can of corn; salt and pepper to taste.

Directions: In a cast iron Dutch oven, heat the oil and add the meat, sausage and onions. Brown and then add the remainder of ingredients. Place in the campfire coals for 45 minutes or until meat is tender.

This goes well with bannock or baking powder biscuits and some fresh, flavored, spring water.

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If you have an adventure, a story or a comment give me a call 727-9777 or email me at dansimmons@usa.net.