We came up to Northern Maine Sunday and started hunting at noon on Monday for the season opener. It's so hot here it's hard to believe any bears would be moving around and such was the case on our first day. The only thing we saw were chipmunks, squirrels, and blue jays robbing the bait all afternoon and evening. Hunter was getting impatient and
discouraged after sitting for 7hrs and seeing nothing. We took off a little before shooting light ended and talked to the guides and they said he did good sitting that long but wanted him to go out a little later in the afternoon the next day so he didn't have to sit that long.
The next day (Tuesday) we went out to the blind around 3pm and sat waiting while the same chipmunks, sqirrels, and blue jays robbed their share of the free sweets sitting at the bait. Around 6pm Hunter looks at me and whispers "I don't think I'm going to get my bear again today." I leaned over and whispered in his ear reminding him what we had talked about yesterday on the way out. I told him "all things good come to those who wait"
It's about 7:15pm now and I whisper over to Hunter to be ready as I can
hear a bear or two circling around behind us trying to wind whatever might be at the bait. Legal shooting time ends at 7:44pm that day and about 7:35 Tammy (my wife and camera woman....if light permited) whispers over saying she can see two bears coming in to the bait. It's getting really dark and with light diminishing quickly I see the black outline of a bear standing on some logs giving a perfect broadside shot for Hunter. I leaned over and whispered "Put the crosshairs behind his shoulder and bust him down." 5 seconds later my eyes were blinded by the muzzle flash and ears were ringing by the sound of a 170gr .30-30 bullet rocketing towards the black ghost of the Northern Maine woods that we've come to love!
The next thing I hear is Hunter asking me if I seen the bear when the bullet hit him. He said it did a 360 degree flip. Unfortunately I was blinded by the muzzle flash, but knew he made a really good hit as we heard the bear make a death moan. I couldn't be prouder of my 10yr old son.......he's been waiting for this moment for ever it seems. He couldn't legally hunt until he turned 10 and I made sure he got to fullfill his dream.
He shot a small bear, but made a perfect shot. A true trophy and lifetime memories for all of us that shared this moment in life! We don't hunt for the kill, we kill for the hunt!
A pic of Hunter, his Marlin 336Y .30-30 and his bear......not the best pic!
