George's
Trophy
Published in Records and Stories of Manitoba Big Game
by
George Andre Jr.
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Black Bear 2000 George Ander Jr.
Yorktown, VA, Score 19
Skull length:11 10/16 Skull Width: 7 6/16
On the 26th of May 2000, I made
my trek to Thompson, Manitoba, Canada to try my luck for a trophy
black bear. This, in fact, was my fifth bear trip. While I was
waiting for the other members of my hunting party to arrive, I
met my Outfitter, Cory Grant of All Terrain Bear Hunts. I rode
around with him while he checked the baits. The weather was cloudy
and gloomy for the first three days prior to our hunt, which started
on May 29th, 2000. On Sunday it poured which kept the nasty "black
flies" down. The first day of the hunt became a reality and
I found myself walking into the bush with my guide, Carl Clearwater.
It was 6:05 p.m. When I settled down in the stand, the sun was
out with a temperature of 62°F and the north woods had a peace
about them.
Cory had told me there was a "big boy" making the stop
at this "snack stand" staying for about 1/2 hour at a
time. Needless to say, I was pumped. He also had told me that another
hunter had hunted this bear for ten days prior to my arrival but
to no avail. At 7:05 p.m. I heard small branches crack directly
behind me and I just knew that something was coming to the bait.
I could hear the bruin walking and I turned my head to catch him
as he stopped short of an opening in the bush. He looked directly
up at the tree stand and my heart started pumping. I knew at that
point the "big boy" was here for groceries. After glancing
up at the tree stand, he would take two steps, stop, look up at
the stand, and then take another two steps, repeating the same
posture until he reached the bait barrel. He finally made it to
the bait but before checking to see what groceries were available,
he took one more last glance at the tree stand. I didn't move a
muscle! He quickly grabbed a fish that was on the top of the other
meat scraps and started to walk quickly back to the bush. I knew
then that he wasn't feeling very secure, so I picked up my .30-06
Remington Model 700 and looked for an opening to place the shot.
I found the opening - fired - and the 180 grain Federal Premium
Nosier partition found its mark. The "Big Boy" dropped
in his tracks and George had his trophy. My trophy bear officially
scored 19 inches B & C and weighed 475 lbs with front pad sized
at 5 ½ inches. The rug measured in at tip of nose to tail
at 7'-5". This is one hunt I will never forget.
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