Bowhunting Video: 14-Year Quest for a Boone and Crockett Black Bear

Watch as bowhunters tag three Manitoba black bears at close range, with the largest making the Boone and Crockett record book.

Bowhunting Video: 14-Year Quest for a Boone and Crockett Black Bear

Bowhunting black bears is popular for many reasons, and the primary one might be that you can’t pursue any other big game animal during spring. (Note: I’m not counting wild turkeys as big game. Sure, they’re big birds, but it’s not the same.) Black bears are legal to hunt during spring in a few western states and several provinces. You can hunt black bears during fall, too, but for many bowhunters, spring is their favorite time to be in the woods for bruins. After a long winter, it’s refreshing and exciting to grab your bow and dream of a magnum boar slipping into shooting range.

In the YouTube video below from Interlake Outdoors, the host, Cole Kilpatrick, takes viewers on three different spring hunts in Manitoba. You’ll see his brother arrow his first bear in a decade, then their buddy Sean tags his first black bear. Viewing tip: Pay close attention to how long it takes for Sean’s boar to bellow a death moan. This is proof that an arrow with a scary-sharp broadhead is an effective tool for bears.

The third and final bowhunt is self-filmed by Cole, and he’s in the tree with only a couple days remaining in Manitoba’s spring black bear season. As you’ll see, it’s been a grind for him recently; his confidence isn’t high. Plus, the mosquitoes are miserable! The important hunting lesson illustrated here is never give up until a season is officially closed. After a 14-year quest, Cole finally punches his tag on a Boone and Crockett bruin.

Regarding field judging a black bear: Pay close attention as Cole’s boar slowly approaches the steel bait barrels, which are filled with oats and used deep-fryer grease. I’m not sure of the barrel sizes; the smaller one is probably a 30-gallon steel drum, and the larger one is likely a 55-gallon drum. The height of a 55-gallon steel drum is about 35 inches, and as you’ll see, the backline of Cole’s bear matches this height. It’s clearly a magnum bear!

This video has a high production quality, and seeing the excellent footage of black bears makes me excited to pursue bruins again with stick and string. It’s time to start making plans!



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