Bear!

 What’s it like to hunt bear?  Pure – D – excitement!  I can think of no other way to describe it.  Whether you’re calling them in or running them with dogs.  Bear hunting is a hair-raising experience. 

Big Bryant

     Team AZOD Joined Chris Burkhart of MagNock and Marvin and Ladonna Weatherhead of Sportway Supplies.  Our Guides were Greg Godbehere (Archery Shooter for Martin), Bryant (Ope) Ogle and his son Bryant of Double O Guides & Outfitters. Rick Williams of Arizona Wilderness Productions was there. We also enjoyed the company of an excellent houndsman by the Name of Bill Marshall (Check out the 19 yr. wait).  

Chirs

 
Moving in...

   We all headed for unit 23 and a chance at a bearskin rug and hopefully some good video footage. There are two ways to hunt bear and both are very exciting.  Calling them gets you up close and personal.  Louis Urquides found out Saturday afternoon when he called in a bear within 15 yards. Unfortunately it wasn’t Louie’s day and we were unable to harvest the bear.  I’ll say this in Louie’s defense when you’re that close it’s not easy to remain calm.   He endured all of the kidding and funning with a humble smile and a shrug of the shoulders.   

Greg

 The other way to hunt bear is with dogs. The terrain in this area is unbelievably rugged with deep gorges and canyons full of boulders, brush and trees. Hunting with hounds is not as easy as it might seem.  It’s one of the most physical hunts to participate in.  The dogs are released on a fresh track and the chase is on and I do mean chase. Radio colors and directional equipment keep the dogs located but in this type of terrain it’s almost impossible to pinpoint their exact location.  There are a few roads and ATV’s were used to get to a starting point but from there on it’s a foot race to the dogs while the bear is still in the tree.  

Marvin and Ladonna Weatherhead

  Sunday morning we located a fresh track near a watering hole and released the dogs.  Bill would coordinate the hunt by radio and Bryant (Ope) and his son shouldered 25 lb. packs of equipment and headed out to track the dogs on foot.  The rest of us moved into positions on nearby high points and waited for radio confirmation that we were indeed chasing a bear.  It wasn’t long before Ope actually saw the bear.  As the chase progressed the camera crew, Chris Burkhart with his bow and I joined the chase on foot.  Within an hour the bear had outdistanced the hunter and the cameraman. We headed back to the ATV’s to try and get back into striking distance of the bear in case it was treed again.    

  Two hours later Bill decided the bear was again treed and that the camera crew and hunter would have to move in on foot in an attempt to harvest it. Radio communication was difficult and we often had to climb a ridge in order to communicate.  Three hours later in a deep canyon the hunter and camera crew came to an impassable part of the canyon probably less than a mile from the bear.  The hunt was over and it was time to retrieve the dogs.   As darkness fell an exhausted Father and son team emerged form the wilderness with their canine partners. 

  As I drove home back to Wickenburg that night I was a little disappointed, but one thought kept crossing my mind.  What a hunt! That’s the key.  I had been hunting with good friends and I also made new ones.  It truly is the hunt that counts not the trophy.

  Special thanks to Brian and Bill for inviting us.  Be sure to stop by and say hi to Marvin and Ladonna up at Sportway and if you need a good guide give Bryant or Marvin a call.

Double O Guides and Outfitters:

520-466-4615

520-836-2762

Sportway Supplies, Guides and Outfitters:

Phone: 520-635-4571
Toll-Free:
FAX: 520-635-0611
Email: bullsn5a@aol.com

Robert Willis

Team AZOD