Glenn
Dunning is a member of New England Outdoor Writers Association
(NEOWA) and contributes monthly to Outdoors Magazine
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Outdoors Magazine, January 2011 Issue, Traveling Outdoorsman col. Submitted by: Glenn Dunning |
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Matt Gonyo of Colchester, Vermont sat quietly atop the elevated wooden platform with nothing much to look at but the 55 gallon bait barrel 25 yards in front of him. The thick brush and second growth spruce and balsam made it nearly impossible to see beyond the shooting lane that had been cut to offer the hunter a close and clear shot. While bear hunting over bait is principally an afternoon and evening activity, the days are long in early June and allow plenty of time for contemplation if not somewhat mindless day dreaming. Five and half hours into the second night of his weeklong bear hunt, Matt was feeling pretty good about the outfitter they had gotten hooked up with for this, his third bear hunt. He specifically had wanted a destination with good pike/walleye fishing in addition to a reasonably good chance to kill his third bear. So he, his Dad, Reginald and his air force buddy Primus had driven 9 hours north of the Canadian border and then 68 miles into the bush on a gravel road to reach Berthelot Lake Lodge arriving late Saturday afternoon June 5th. They had gotten unpacked in time to get in a little fishing that night and outfitter Gary Koch had pointed out a few spots close enough to the lodge where they could wet a line. Matt smiled as he recalled the dozen walleyes they had hooked into that night followed by the 50-60 fish caught the next day when they had paid for a guide to help them get oriented. That evening, which was their first on stand, Primus had connected with a 200 pound bear around eight o’clock. He was set-up close enough so that Matt heard his shot. It was now after nine on Monday and with darkness closing in Matt was shaken back to reality by the sounds of movement in the forest around him. “I could hear what sounded like multiple bears somewhere close but not in sight.” Instinctively, he readied himself and switched the video camera he had mounted on his chair to record. Just then a bear stepped out of the brush. He did not want to take an animal under 200 pounds but even in the dim light he knew this was a shooter. “Just as I was getting set, another much bigger bear charged into the shooting lane, running the first bear off.” It all happened very quickly; the big bruin hesitated for a moment, time stood still; Matt’s scope centered on the shoulder as the model 700 belched flame like a flashbulb illuminating the big boar going down as the shot echoed out across the bogs and clear-cuts. Central Quebec has lots of black bear destinations that also offer fishing, there are also dozens of pike/walleye outfitters that maintain a few baits for clients who want to bear hunt but the key is to discover those places that have both good hunting and good fishing. When the Gonyo group headed home at the end of their week, they were two for two on bear and had caught hundreds of pike between the three of them. What’s the secret to having the best of both? First, would be location and generally speaking the more remote the better the hunting and fishing. Of nearly equal consideration is the outfitter’s commitment to management. Just as an example, Berthelot is nearly 400 miles north of Montreal, they host only a dozen or so bear hunters annually but maintain upwards of 30 bait sites and they have strict catch and release guidelines on their water. Timing is also an important factor. In most of Central Quebec pike season opens around the middle of May. While it can still be cold and snow is not uncommon, the big Northerns are in shallow water and the walleye action on jigs can be non-stop. Often however, this is too early for bear hunting as outfitters need time once snow is out of the woods to establish good traffic on their bear baits. Ideally, trip dates between the last week of May thru the second week of June will provide the best opportunities on the water and over bait. Plus, it is usually still cool enough so that bugs are not as great an annoyance as they can be later in the summer. Certainly, one of the great appeals of this combo is cost and options. Most packages include the use of a boat for every two or three bear hunters and if you go European plan which means you bring your own food the price tag can be well under $2000. But don’t be pound wise and penny foolish. If you want to catch a lot of fish spend the extra $150 for a guide to show you where the fish are and how to catch them. American plan packages are naturally more expensive because they include your food and other amenities. The spectrum goes from minimal to magical with 5 star fly-in lodges featuring gourmet meals and hunting and fishing opportunities to match. Still, when all is considered, the price tag for a week in the Canadian bush with great fishing and the opportunity to harvest a spring black bear is still far less than what most sports pay for their fall hunting exploits. All outfitters who advertise bear hunting and fishing combo’s are not created equal but find a good one and you may just find yourself going back year after year. |
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