BEAR – MUZZLELOADER RECORD
1. Henri Lapensee 21-7/16 2012
I’ve been hunting black bears in Centennial Lake since I was 16 years old. I have taken a lot of bears in my day but not like this one.
My son-in-law, Jim, and I were baiting for five weeks through the summer and by the second week our bait had been hit. The trail camera showed mostly small bears but then one picture made our hearts skip a beat. It was a big bear! Bigger than any we had seen in this area but he was hitting the bait between 1 and 3 am.
After a long work week we were on our way back to top up that bait. We went in cautiously, it had been hit, and we couldn’t wait to check our pictures again. We went straight to the computer when we got home and were disappointed that there was no big bear to be seen. You should have heard us, we sounded like a concerned family talking about a loved one: “I hope he’s alright”,” I hope he didn’t get hit by a car, or worse, poached.”
We had one more week of baiting and then it was time to hunt. We baited and went home with trail cam cards in hand. There he was! What a picture. We could really see him well this time. He was standing against our 45 gallon bait drum. His size and muscle tone made my hair stand on end.
Jim and I hunted the weekend, but Jim had to go home Monday morning so I was alone that evening. One small bear was constantly sending us on high alert. The small bear would come in and investigate nervously, but not brave enough to touch our bait so I knew this was a good sign.
Wanting to keep my bears hungry, I baited with small amounts. I climbed into my treestand and just settled in when my ears told me to look to my right. There he was standing and looking over the area. Then he started coming. He walked tight under my treestand. I was comfortable as I gripped my muzzleloader tighter.
“Patience now, no mistakes, wait for the shot and take it”, I kept telling myself.
He went straight to my small pail of bait that I had just put down, grunting and groaning to let his presence be known. I had no shot. All I could see through my scope was his big rear end so I began making small grunts and groans like the little bears. It didn’t take long for that big bear to turn and look and BOOM!
He went ten yards rolled and death moaned. It was over! I had recently had open heart surgery and it was too thick for an ATV so I needed help getting him out of there. Andre Martin and his two sons, Curtis and Jordan were there on a fishing trip, as well as my grandson, Jordan. After three hours of back breaking, sweating and swearing we got him out.
We roughly weighted him at 525lbs. dressed. I have to thank Gail and Steve Maine the owner operators of Eagles Rest, also a special thank you to Daniel Callan, Master Taxidermist, this man deserves the title. My bear mount is beautiful. The skull measured in at 21 7/16. I broke a 17 year old record. Mostly though; I had a hunt of a lifetime.
