# 12 yr old's collared bear



## adamsto (Sep 6, 2011)

Well, I wouldn't say it was done text book but it's done. My son got his first bear. Early on in the baiting season we were seeing about 8 different bears. Had a few pictures of a large collared bear back in early September but he never stopped again. Once bird hunting and deer youth hunting started the bait went cold and my trail camera had taken a picture of one bear(3 am) in 2 weeks. There was plenty of food but no bears. Our commute to hunt was about 90 minutes and was happening after school/work. We talked it over and decided we were going to close it down for the season and focus on deer hunting. So, we drove up after school/work loaded up our barrels, took down our double tree stand and parked my truck. We had about an hour until dark and decided to sit until dark....just in case. Now, let me stop there...remember my title "12 yr old's collared bear"....well, I contacted the local bilogist to ask him about collared bears. He told me that if a hunter gets a chance at any big bear he should take it because it might be the only chance they get. I asked about how it made him feel if we shot a bear he had collared and he said don't hesitate, take the bear. Fast forward....so we are sitting there listening and watching a **** with 3x9 Optics...the scope fills with black....the gun goes off and seconds later the loudest death moan I have ever heard. The bear was big, was trotting through the wood line and "Boom" it was over. We waited 30 minutes, put the gun away, grabbed our flashlights and my little man insisted on treking into the swamp with me for the tracking (proud dad moment). There were only a few drops of blood where the bear was shot but we heard the death moan, so we felt confident. We headed in the direction of the moan. The bear had ran about 50 yards and piled up. To our surprise the bear had a GPS collar on and had both ears tagged (one red and one blue). We never saw them in the flash of seeing/shooting the bear. We gutted the bear and drug it out (man I am getting old). We managed to lift the bear into the truck and head home. I called the DNR in route to our home to inform them that we had just tagged a collared bear and don't be alarmed if you see a bear running 70mph for 90 minutes on your tracking system. The next morning we took the bear to be sealed by the biologist that had collared the bear. This particular bear weighed 245 pounds on June 9th when he was trapped and collared. The biologist said the tags are intended to be blue for males and red for females, the particular day they tagged him they ran out of blue and used one of each. The bear was never relocated or a nuisance so that was a surprise to me based on the speculation I have read on this site about ear tags colors and nuisance bears. The biologist was a pleasure to work with and will be emailing me information on the travels of this particular bear after he downloads the tracking information. He was shot about 10-15 miles from where he was collared. The bear was shot with a 30.06 and was double lunged. There was no blood trail...this is the third bear we have killed in my family and there has never been a blood trail. Seasoned bear hunters know this is possible but I just want "new to bear" hunters to know so they don't give up on the tracking. I have attached a picture of the bear at the bait and one of my son with it in my front yard. The DNR biologist said that he was pushing 300# based on typical summer weight gain (40-60#). We have learned so much about Michigan Bear hunting through this experience that I felt compelled to share with this site. Good luck out there!

Two more data points: The bear was 4 years old (they age them when they collar them )and was taken on private land.


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## filet-o-don (Feb 13, 2008)

Congratulations to you and your son, Great story and information. Persistance paid off, in a big way!


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## Luv2hunteup (Mar 22, 2003)

Great story and bear. Congrats to your son and your self for sticking it out.


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## srconnell22 (Aug 27, 2007)

Very cool, congratulations to your son. That bear is certainly something to be very proud of.


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## kstout (Dec 26, 2005)

Congratulations! Very nice bear!!


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## Gill'in time (Apr 20, 2012)

That's awsone congrats


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## woodlandgirl (Feb 20, 2011)

Great job! Your son should be so extremely proud of himself.that is a memory he will hold dear for the rest of his life. Good job to you too Dad!


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## billya (Jun 7, 2001)

Just AWESOME.


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## hunterbrooksfarm (Oct 3, 2013)

great job!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thats a memory that'll be remembered for a lifetime and a story that neither one of you will get tire of hearing or telling!!!!


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## EBAAS (Feb 9, 2009)

Congrats, and a good read.


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## Greenbush future (Sep 8, 2005)

Thanks for sharing the details of your sons first bear! I'm sure you are proud, I bet your son feels very lucky to have a father that cares this much!!
Great write up on the entire effort and result!!


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## old graybeard (Jan 19, 2006)

Awesome! Congrats to both of you!


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## LJA (Aug 30, 2000)

Wow, congrats, and thanks for sharing all of the collaring info!


Posted using Outdoor Hub Campfire


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## Sprytle (Jan 8, 2005)

Very Cool! Congrats


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## NancyJ (Sep 2, 2008)

That is so cool. And that picture of your son with his bear...priceless. His grin tells it all! I have one similar of one of our boys. I hope you frame it and keep a copy in your wallet. 
Give him a big high five and congratulations hug from me!


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## adamsto (Sep 6, 2011)

My son's bear mount is done. The property owner had it mounted and it turned out GREAT!


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## Callinalldeer (Jun 25, 2009)

Congrats,it looks good.


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## adamsto (Sep 6, 2011)

Callinalldeer said:


> Congrats,it looks good.


Thank you!


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## kstout (Dec 26, 2005)

Nice mount!


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## Unregistered4 (Dec 11, 2004)

Very nice, and did the DNR ever seen you the data of his travels.

If you don't mind me asking, what area of michigan was the bear taken?

Congratulations, to you and your son on a fine bear.


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