A Northern Ontario Fishing, Hunting & Family Vacation Paradise !
Custer's Last Stand It was a mild mid September afternoon, when my wife Kerrie, guided George Custer to his stand located in the north central section of our Bear Management Area. It was Thursday and with only 2 days remaining in his hunt, George was prepared with his secret that he planned to introduce into today's hunt. In the first 5 days of his hunt, George had seen a cow moose twice and heard a bull moose grunting in the dense forest behind him - but he hadn't seen a bear. George made his way down the long sandy trail toward his tree stand and bait station. Before entering the forest, he took out his secret that he had been keeping from his fellow hunters … along with his guide and Outfitter ! George took his plastic bag of freshly picked blueberries that he had crushed in the bag, and emptied it's juicy contents into both his hands. He then smeared blueberry juice and remnants all over his clothing, hands, face, neck and finally completely covering his boots. He then walked into his stand, climbed the ladder up to the 18 foot high platform. As George settled into his stand at 2:30 pm, Kerrie came along to bait his station. After straightening a few logs that a night bear had knocked down from the crib, she baited the 55 gallon drum with meat scraps, hung a plastic bag of meat scraps and slopped molasses over everything. As Kerrie turned to leave the bait area, she noticed George - in his stand - laying on the platform - sound asleep ! Now George didn't realize just how long he had been napping - but he knew he was very exhausted - due to the lack of sleep the night before. George was the week's poker champion - and had nearly broke all of his hunting partners ! George was slightly awakened by movement of the trees that supported his tree stand, but in believing that a slight breeze can move the trees, he drifted back to sleep. He felt another movement … and when he opened his eyes he was looking directly at his boots. At that moment … a huge tongue licked his boot ! George jumped to his feet and let out a horrid scream that would have startled Satan himself ! He grabbed for his gun as the tree stand shook violently with the retreat of the bear down the ladder. When the bear touched the ground … it was off on a dead run toward the bait station. George remembers the huge bear stopping - turned around - stared at George and raised to it's hind legs to let out a territorial roar as it swathed the forest air with it's front paws. Then George's 50 Caliber Encore barked with the bear folding to the ground. George returned to camp with this story - probably yet another camp record for the books ! We went to retrieve George's bear and it weighed in at 450 lbs. - the largest of the 2004 season. We at Golden Eagle Camp, do not suggest following George's steps in scent elimination or lure scent. George could have easily been dragged from his tree stand by a 450 lb bear and killed. The bear also could have severed George's foot when it was startled. I'm sure that George Custer is still shaking after his experience with Mother Nature ! The name of George's stand was called "Edgar Lake" … it now has been changed to "Custer" … but we're sure it won't be the "last stand" for our friend, George Custer.
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