Me and 2 black widows pack up today in prperation for the journey to Canada on Sunday. I spend the night in Dallas Sunday then on Monday, I catch an early flight to Yellowknife, spend the night and then out to Holman for Musk Ox. PMA 51lb @ 28", axis carbons with 2 blade phantoms. I hunt 4 days and return to Yellowknife and catch my plane to Pond inlet. There I take a dog sled team out on the ice and search for bear. PSA 56lb@ 28", axis carbons with 4 blade phantoms. All your prayers are appreciated for success, saftey, and for my wife and 4 kids aged 11 thru 3 who I leave behind. Aspen, one of my 7 y/o twins, says thanks for your prayers a year ago when she had her heart surgery. I'll be back home to Lubbock, TX 4-23-09 and if I can post while I'm away, I'll keep you updated.

Good luck!!

Good Luck! What are you allowed to bring home?

good luck and prayers sent for a safe hunt.enjoy yourself. rich in pa.

Good luck, sounds like an awesome trip!

Good Luck!! Enjoy your trip. If you can send post while your gone that would be great.

good luck,,,,,,would love to tag along w/some pics if you can post,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Shoot first, worry about size later on the polar bear. Good luck to ya, wish I was going along also.

Good luck on a great adventure!...4finger

I can only bring the musk ox back home, until someday hopefully the laws relax and allow for importation of the polar bear. I will have it ready to mount and bring home later.

Good Luck Moose.

Bill

I though the bears were on the endangered list? Maybe that was a re-run I watched about them the other night that said that..

You are going after Polar Bears with a 56 pound stickbow? NICE! Let me ask you, do you need special jeans made to accommodate your cojones? Look forward to seeing some pics when you get back... Musk Ox is one of the two things I want to do before I die...the other is to stick my thumb in a dolphin's blowhole, but that's a story for a different occasion. Prayers you come home safe and successful!

Sounds great! Have a good time. Jawge

No Walrus too? Disapointing. Have a great trip and good luck.

I have been told by many, 55lb is plenty for any North American Big game animal, I guess I will see.

Thanks guys for your prayers, I leave shortly.

Be safe and best wishes from a fellow Texan.

way ta go Aspen!!..i always liked that name.. best of luck on your trip,, be safe, and check in with us on your return..snake

I know it is enuf for the ox part as I just shot one with 54#. I suspect most polar bears won't out bulk a mature bull ox so it's probably not much to worry about.

Steve, was that you with the musk ox I saw takin' by a long bow? Thanks for the encouragement. I'm sitting on a 1.5 hr delay start the first leg of the trip.

keep us posted, any way ya can, OK?

keep us posted, any way ya can, OK?

Great adventure. Good Luck, Sodbusterjim.

Good luck. Stick a big one!

I dont really get why someone wants to kill a polar bear.

Wow, that's some trip you have planned! I hope you bring back some good stories and pics to share.

Best of luck to you!

FF

Good luck, sounds like quite an adventure!!!!

Dartwick, same reason we want to kill a deer, elk, mountain goat, grizzly, lion, leopard black bear, moose, snowshoe hare, alligator, cape buffalo, cougar or wild boar. Adventure,excitement, challenge!

I’m sure he doesn’t really care if you see why he wants to do it or not.

good luck and God bless. I can't wait to see this pcitures!!!

Free Range "I’m sure he doesn’t really care if you see why he wants to do it or not. "

Well as long as youre sure.

Fred Eichler killed his Grizzly, and Pplar bear with 57 pounds. I don't think you'll have a problem. Have a great trip! Dartwick, I'm also sure he really doesn't care if you see why he wants to or not.

a couple other good reasons are:

polar Bear rug, polar bear full-body mount, polar bear european skull mount, polar bear half-body mount, polar bear shoulder mount, uhhh.... there are more... let me think.... ;-)

Now thats an adventure! Best of luck to ya bud, may your trip and hunt be safe.

Fuzzy, you forgot snow camo string silencers. lol...4finger

One would think we ALL could be happy for moosehunter and give him our best, but Nooooo, someone just HAD to bring in a negative response.

Best wishes moosehunter, have a safe hunt!

Be careful and good luck!

Sounds like an awesome adventure to me!

><>

Chief

Sorry fumble fingers!

I wonder how that game of ring around the Bronco ended up???

Don't you just love it when someone's in danger and the person keeps filming.Oh well I hope he didn't miss the fumbling for the keys shot!!Moosehunter congratulations on your adventure and like everyone else has stated,we can't wait for the stories and pictures.Stay Warm up there!!ED

Wondered that myself, I don,t think he has enough time to open a door, hop in,and then close the door before the bear is there.

I'll try muskox and polar bear just as soon as that powerball investment strategy pays off.

good luck and send pix

Guys, I have the honor of knowing moosehunter personally and let me tell you, he's first class all the way! Good luck to ya moose, you know you and your family are in my prayers. Can't wait to hear the stories and see the pictures! mike

Polar Bear is my #1 all time dream hunt.

Good luck on your hunt.

when you are up there, be sure to ask the polar bear why he wants to hunt people ;-)

That delay cost me dearly, I am now in Inuvik, NWT and leave for Holman tomorrow morning to start the musk ox hunt. I will be 2 days short on that leg of the hunt now. Just praying for good weather now so I can hunt the remaining days to get the musk ox. Guys, I don't want to turn this post negative but please allow me say why I am going to hunt the polar bear, not why you might, but just why I am. Ted Nugent's song Spirit of the wild says, Adventures like this cleanse the soul, I am experiencing nothing like I have ever felt before and I haven't even started hunting. The journey is part of the thrill. Here is why, in part, I am engaged. Reason 1 = I'm chasing the 28. Reason 2 = It's the challenge of the hunt. Climate, the dog sled experience, the igloo, the culture experience, not to mention weapon of choice, my RECURVE bow. Reason 3 = It is a life fullfilled dream I have had since I was a boy, wanting to walk in the hunting footsteps of a hero of mine, Fred Bear. I'm 49 y/o, I can at this point, why not take a slot in the management plan for conserving this majestic carnivor for the generations that will follow. Conservation of the polar bear includes harvesting them - the # 1 killer of the polar bear is not man, it is another polar bear. Reason 4 = It is a goal I set for myself to HUNT the polar bear, harvesting one will be icing on the cake. My freind Dennis Dunn went on 3 hunts before he got his. Each hunt was an adventure and harvesting is not the only way a great hunt ends. I am not swayed by the negative opinions of others, I do tend to just keep somethings to myself because most who oppose my hunt frankly are not as educated in the methods necessary to preserve our wildlife and they are not likely to listen to me, besides I'm going to hunt no matter what they think anyway. I will be back on email in a few days to give the report.

Thanks again for your prayers for success.

Musk Ox down! What a great day to be in the Artic @ -30 below, with a widow. I got my chance at a nice bull this morning and moved in to 15 yds. I cleanly passed my first arrow thru him, a 480gr Beman MFX carbon. My guide, quite suprised, said to put another one in him which I did, 4 inches about the first point of entry, buried to the fletchings and sticking out the other side, this time a double lunger. The bull did not run, he stood his ground and the blood just was pouring out. He turned a 180, stood a few seconds, then went down on his his knees and put his head on the ground and it was over. I had to unscrew the phantom to get the arrow out as it had passed thru a rib. After skinning and quartering him, I retrieved the broadhead and upon exam, it was like new, even after penetrating a rib. Stay tuned, hope to relay a positive story on the polar bear soon. Thank You god for answering my prayer and thanks to all of you who joined me in prayer.

Congrats!!! Amazing!! Looking forward to the story on your bear.

Go get him, Ethan

Good hunt,now get the bear!

cool mits. Nice looking musk ox. Sounds like a grand adventure. Not sure I would want to get that close to a polar bear with a bow and not a lot of cover to hide behind.

Congrats on a animal that most will only kill in their dreams! ADVENTURE ON!!!...4finger

Congatulations Bryce! Wow! What a thrill! Where the heck did you hide? Not much cover there! Mike

There are rocks and ice buckles dotting the landscape however these 2 bulls were not spooky. I wonder how many humans they ever have seen. Even after I got close, they were not too eager to leave. They did posture as they do, before they charge, head down, pawing, swaying their horns side to side. I didn't want to risk being charged but couldn't pass up trying to get as close as I could. What a thrill!

Congrats Man! Good luck on the bear!

OUTSTANDING,,,,,,,CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Very good news. Sounds like the best test in preparation for the bear. Stay calm at the moment of truth.

Congratulations on your hunt.

Excellent MH. It have have been me you saw with a lb and my recent ox. So if you get a PB it will be how many of 28/29?

Only 7 thus far, long way to go but ooohhhh so much fun to be had. Thanks for your help on the ox.

Moosehunter that is awesome! Chief that is a scary photo.

Are you waiting still to get after the bear, I don't suspect there is a connection in the igloo you will be living in!

Great job! Can't wait to see the polar bear pics!!!

I'm over night in Ottawa, I go to Pond Inlet in the morning and get in at 430P, I will get the hunt started Tues morning. Looking forward to it!

Good luck Man! Hope the successes continue!

Nice ox, sounds like a grand adventure!! Good luck with the bear!!

I left Ottawa this moring at 9a in a blizzard snow storm and arrived here in Pond Inlet at 5p via 1 stop and plane change. I met my guide, Sam, a very experienced polar bear hunter guide and also the inuit who took Les ? ( survivor man TV show )out in the artic to see if he could survive in the elements here in Pond Inlet. Sam also was a guide for Michele Leqve, the first woman to harvest a polar bear. Michele told me she hoped I got Sam when I came here because of his knowledge of the P. bear and many years of experience so I am obviously blessed and highly favored. The land here is not flat like in Holman. There are huge glaciers around and from the air, the land scape has many more crevices and frozen bodies of water. It certainly is cold here and brutal, we head out in the morning via snowmobiles pulling a sled with me and the gear and another snowmobile will be pulling the dogs who will ride on a sled in box that has dividers to make seperate spaces for each dog. The dogs can look out and about and yet won't be prone to fighting. We will ride this way to our hunting area, some 90 miles away. After a meal at the hotel dining room for all the guests here at the hotel, of t-bone steak, shrimp, potatoes, rice and chochlate cake, The guide coordinator came to my room tonight to certify my gear. He went over each piece of clothing, my underware, my socks and boots, my camo, my coat mittens, head gear goggles, balaclava, boot covers and neck gaiter. Next, my sleeping gear, sleeping bag, thermorest grounf pad, goose down sleeping clothes, footwear for when my boots are off and sleeping hat. Next, my hunting gear. He quized me on my arrow weight, bow draw weight, set up, checked my quiver, spare quiver, broadheads and fletchings on the arrows, bow strings, my limbs including tips, my riser, arrow rest, padded bow case and then my spare bow and arrows. He gave me the thumbs up and the game plan for the morning. I will get my tag and license after an early breakfast, load my gear and we are on our way. My laptop will stay here at the hotel. I can't sleep, i'm so excited! It's 1145p and I can tell it will be a long night. The adventure begins!

Wow....what an adventure!

Tom I.

tt

Best of luck!

Good luck. I'm sure this will be the hunt of a lifetime!

Good luck!! Congrats on the Ox!!!!

Hi you men ( Ladies too I suppose?) of traditional archery, my husband is Moosehunter, or Bryce and I am his wife. He is so crazy about reading this forum, he does it practically everynight in bed instead of watching TV. Sometimes he wakes up in the night and I hear him click clicking away on the keyboard and there he is, sending some message. I had to send you a quick note from him, I spoke to him via satellite phone and he asked that I pass this along. Let me see if I can get all these details, I took some notes. After he got his tag and lic. Tues morning, he got his gear loaded on 1 of the 2 sleds. It was on the sled he was riding on along with the food, tent, fuel for the snow machines, ect. The second sled carried the 11 sled dogs and stacked on top, the dog sled which is smaller and has some sort of plastic runner lining so it goes easier in the snow. The trip that first day was 82 miles to where they spent the first night. He said the ride was really rough and quite jarring and very cold. It was windy, gray and snowing ice crytals he said they call it, a really fine and powdery like snow. He said he took alot of pictures of glaciers and rough broken up ice and they also saw bear tracks. He said the inuit's would stop every few hours and melt snow and make tea - but he brought hot chocholate since he prefers it over tea. They ate bannick (spell?) bread with butter, apparently that is what they eat up there, some dense short bread without yeast. Also, slices of a sort of summer sausage, and would be on there way. He got a caribou coat to wear and said it was quite warm but had started to mold on the inside because it was stored damp and he didn't like the smell so he won't wear it anymore. When they got to the first night to camp, the inuit's climbed a glacier and spotted a bear so they came down and got the dog team harnessed up and went after it. It ended up being a 7' bear but Bryce wants an 8' or better, if possible. He said the inuits said 7 to 7 1/2 are good bears and better to eat but he said to them, not on the first day. Apparently earlier on the trip, they saw a mom and a smaller cub as well so 3 bears the first day was exciting. He said the had boiled "chicken" wings for dinner along with vegatables, mashed potaotes and bannick bread. Later the inuits said they were raven wings, not chicken. He sounds really excited and said the ride on the dog sled was way cool. He said it is colder than Holman was and that was -30. since -40 F and -40 C is the same ( so I'm told )I guess it is just flat cold. Anyway, all for now. I'll check back. Liesl ( Aspen says hi)

Thank you for the update, what a great adventure-memories to last a lifetime. I appreciate you two sharing it with me/us...4finger

Moosehunter is living his dream, just happens to be mine and a bunch of other guy's dream too. Thanks for letting us tag along. Good Luck, Sodbusterjim.

wow! he is a lucky man, in many ways! thanks Mrs Moosehunter!

Cool, more than one way. Mike

Thanks for the update....Great thread....Whishing him the best of luck with his bear hunt. This is soooo exciting.

Good luck Moosehunter!!! Way to go holding out for a big mature boar. A polar bear hunt is an awesome experience, there is nothing like riding on a dog sled through a brilliant white barren landscape in search of Nanuk.

John

It hurts me to shoot in 40 degree weather, can't imagine shoot a polar bear in -40. Thank God for Mississippi weather.

Hi guys, this is so fun, thank you for writing back! John, that is a neat picture, did you go polar bear hunting too? This is going to be so long of a hunt, the kids and I miss him so much, seems he has been gone a month already. We have 4 kids, an 11 y/o girl, sloan, 7 y/o twins, Aspen and Elle, and a 3 y/o son Gunnar who is the biggest daddy's boy you ever saw. Befoe he left, Bryce wrote them leeters I open for them every mornig so he can send them some words of encouragement while he is away. They were so happy when he sent word about the musk ox. I hope all is well, I know this is a dangerous hunt, thanks for all your prayers ( and again thanks to all of you who prayed last year when our daughter Aspen had heart surgery, she is doing great!) He spent hours out back shooting all those animal targets and making arrows and I know he is ready but God be with him. Thanks for your support on this blog and Stay tuned, I'll be back later. Liesl

Thanks so much for keeping us all up to date! cant wait for more pics!!!

Yes, I hunted polar bear a couple of years ago, I spent about 10days on the ice and I got my bear on the 8th hunting day. We probably saw more than 50 polar bears including sows, cubs, and young boars during the hunt. I wore the native caribou clothes with the seal skin mukluks and was never cold even when it was -50C. The main thing is to protect your hands and feet. When it warmed up to -20C one day it almost felt warm and it sure made it easier to do things. The Bannock bread that we had was fried and we ate it with every meal, I liked it. I thoroughly enjoyed the hunt and would love to do it again someday. Don’t worry Bryce will be just fine, he is in good hands.

John

How could you possibly shoot a bow wearing that sumo-suit...? I couldn't walk let alone shoot :)

I took a few practice shots while wearing the caribou parka; it was difficult but possible to shoot your bow with it on. When I shot my bear I took the parka and gloves off and shot while wearing just the liner from my Northern outfitters jacket and a thin pair of gloves. That is how many people do it but rule number 1 is never leave your coat and gloves where you can’t quickly get to them. The adrenalin will keep you warm for a little while though : )

Actually I thought it was a little easier to get around when wearing the caribou skins than the Northern outfitters gear because the seal skin mukluks’ were easier to walk in than the northern outfitter boots which don’t have much ankle support and have very thick/tall heals. The Northern outfitters gear was much better though when it was time to use the outhouse because time is of the essence, no magazine required. : )

John

I don’t personally know Bryce but we have a common friend and I know what’s happening on his hunt, but I will let Bryce tell his own story. : )

John

wow, very cool good luck bryce. sounds like a good husband and father. very cool he left letters for them. :)

chris.

Polar Bear Down

I'm back to Pond Inlet and I got my bear, what an adventure! Too many details to include them all, but on with the short story; It was a gray, cold and windy morning, ice crystals were falling, we would call this a light snow in Texas. The visibility was getting worse and was down to less than 100yds. We started this day after waiting awhile for the wind to blow and clear the air for better visibility but my 57 y/o guide Sam, decided it was not going to improve so we left camp. After being on the ice 3 hours or so, searching for tracks, we just finished our break of bannic bread and hot tea/chocolate made from melted blue glacier ice. We came on the boar and a sow before we even saw the tracks. These were the 6th and 7th bears we saw since it was only the 2nd morning of the hunt. The bears split and the 11 dogs pulled the sled with my guide and I on it, over the bumpy ice. My guide kept them on the trail of the boar yelling “ Geee” and “Hohh” that kept them mushing around the pushed up, broken ice, like thread thru an eye of a needle. We lost the second Inuit who was along to help us, we got separated when my guide spotted these 2 bears. I’m holding on to the handle of my soft sided bow case with one hand and on to the dog sled with the other as I sit behind the guide who is keeling on front caribou skins padding the sled. He occasionally cracks his seal skin 50’ whip at a dog off pace, the feeling I have is surreal, as the sled moves along in pursuit of this bear. My Eskimo guide, Sam, says “it is good bear, big bear” in his broken English. Then it happens, the bear stops and turns to face the barking, frenzied dog team held back at 20 yards, the snow anchor pushed into the snow to hold the sled. My guide jumps to his feet and yells, “shoot, shoot”. I am trying to get off the sled, my knees are bent, the sled is low to the ground and I my 7 layers of clothes have me so bound up it’s hard to move. I stand, my fur mittens come off, I’m trying to get my bow out of the padded case and before I can get my outer coat off, remove my optics and camera from around my neck, the bear is off again running away along the same heading as before. We get back on the sled and resumed the chase. My hands are trying to warm back up inside my fur mittens and I’m trying to figure out how to get ready faster to shoot, should I get a second chance. It happened so fast, I am doubting my next chance will give to get enough time to get ready to shoot if I first try and remove my outercoat and apply a bow arm compression sleeve, and pull my face mask off and put on my glasses. Soon, the bear stops again, this time ready to fight, the dogs have stopped our sled 15 yds away. Expected, the guide leaps up and yells, “shoot, shoot” I could not of conceived what was to happen next. I am looking to the left where I plan to step onto the snow and get off the sled and shoot. Looking the ground over for footing, my mind racing, my nerves firing my back and leg muscles into action to stand, the dogs are at the front of the sled, barking and tugging at the sled's harness unable to loose the sled from the snow anchor. I feel my right leg stuck, and I am unable to extend my right knee, my boot top is caught under a sled crossbar and I am struggling to free it. Suddenly, I hear the bears roar, it was like a jet engine, deafening, it seemed to shake the ground it was so loud. I whip my head from left, back to the right, to look where he was and he had leaped from where he was, to a spot in the middle of the dog team! He covered the ground as fast as lightening and had a dog locked in his jaws who was yelping as the bear lifted him over head and then shook him. The dog flew to the end of his tether and fell to the ground. Dogs are attacking the bear on every side, his big paws swinging to bat them away. Just feet from the sled, the bear caused a surge of adrenaline in my blood and I freed my leg from the sled, dropped my mittens, nocked an arrow and drew on the bear. He turned to run back to his original stopping place as my arrow missed the mark and stuck in his front leg. He roared and bit at the shaft and I drew arrow #2. As the bear turned to face us and assess what danger we posed to him, I still had not a clear view of his vitals. My guide yells, he’s dangerous, he’s hurt shoot, shoot. I took the only shot I had and buried the arrow into his right chest, angling into his Left lung. The bear, angry and confused, bit off the unpenetrated portion of the shaft which gave me a second of time to pull a third arrow from my 6 arrow Selway bow quiver. “Not good, not good, shoot again” Sam cry’s out. Arrow number 3 is on the way, despite my bulky coat, camera and optics around my neck, the bowstring clears but my form is not as I practiced. This arrow's 4 blade phantom found the left jugular vein; the bears piercing stare squarely at us, was all I could see. Blood instantly appeared on the boars white coat and was coming out with such force, it began splattering on to the ground. “Don’t shoot my bear, don’t shoot my bear”, I plead, “he’s going down, he’s a dead bear”. I put another arrow on the string and when the bear began to move again, this time towards us as we stood behind the sled, his steps were slow, no lunging, but not he is not yet down. I can’t believe it, do I need to shoot again? “Shoot, shoot” Sam yells. I flub the shot, my 3 fingers under tension against the bottom of the arrow nock, causes the arrow to move off the shelf while I am at full draw. I shift my focus off the bear and onto the arrow now off the bow shelf. I let down, reposition my fingers on the string and draw again. What is happening I ask myself, the arrow moves off the shelf again! I cant my bow but decide to let down again. I do, reposition, and look once again at the bear but fail to pick my spot. My concentration is suffering, The bear is a slow step closer now, the arrow fly’s true to where I am looking, just not where I should have been looking. It lands and sticks in his skull, above the bears left eye, I missed his chest, I tell myself. The bear turns to his right as if to go back to the dog team. Smelling the blood, the dogs are fighting to free themselves and get on the bear but their seal skin leads hold them back, the sled is firmly anchored in the snow. The bear circles to sit, his back to me, I drill him with arrow number 5 between the shoulder blades. He pauses, obviously weak and losing strength fast, he try’s to resume his escape at this point and leave our position. The snow is blood soaked, he steps away and falls to his side and kicks. “He’s dead, he’s dead” I say to Sam. Sam answerer’s back, “bear not dead, I scared, move back away, back, back”. I feel the cold on my R foot, and I look down, to see no Boot! My sock liner and thick wool sock succumb to cold snow and biting wind. I had not noticed till now, I point this out to Sam, “Where your boot?” I said, "beside the sled, it got hung up there and I jerked my foot out of it." Sam cautiously retrieves it and I quickly put it back on. We back up to 40 yards away and all of a sudden the bear stands back up. He turns to face the dogs, he is unsteady on his feet and rocking to keep his balance. He’s broadside now, finally my first motionless view at this area of his vitals. “Do you want me to put one more in him, behind the shoulder?” “ No”, Sam answerers, “it is OK”. The bear steps a few more steps away and goes down with his head on the snow between his front legs. After a long few minutes, he raises his head to look about then turns on his side, his 4 legs extended and kicks his last kicks, we hope. Meanwhile, the dogs have settled, the ice crystals continue to fall and there is still no sign of the Eskimo helper named Caleb. Sam says “you go shoot 1 more arrow in him, if you in danger I shoot” “Now?” I ask. "Yes, you shoot now". I said, “Sam, I don’t want to ruin a bow kill now with a rifle shot? Let’s wait on Caleb and give the bear a while longer.” My guide says, “alright. Where my helper? He supposed to stay behind me, I fire my gun, maybe him come” He points his old, beaten, 22-250 rifle in the air and pulls the trigger, click, he lowers the barrel , looks down at the bolt action, re-aims, and pulls the trigger again, click. Once more, click – our eyes meet, we both smile and laugh and then I hug him and say, “thank you Sam, thank you, we got my bear!” I don’t mention the inoperable gun, we go back to the bear. He takes his whip and I knock another arrow and we approach the bear. He cracks the whip near the bear and we step closer. The bear is motionless. Again, he cracks the whip, this time across the bears head. No motion. Once more across the back and he says, “Bear dead” We measured him, 9’ 2”, “big bear, you like?” beaming I say “ I love this bear man!” The skinning and quartering and rolling the hide passed more time. Caleb still didn’t show. We load the sled and head back to where we first spotted the bear, probably a mile, and there was Caleb. “The ice crystals too much, I not see where you are, I worry for you” The dogs are each given a piece of meat, they wolf it down having not been fed for 2 days which is customary. I also learned on this hunt they are not given water all winter, they just eat snow. Pretty low maintenance. We enjoy another round of bannic bread and hot tea/chocolate and relive the hunt as we tell Caleb the story. Please pardon the graphic picture. Thanks for your prayers! Bryce

Congratulations on the kill, I bet the adrenaline rush was something else. Now get home to those kids and wife, sounds like they are missing you.

Wow, what an adventure. Congratulations Bryce and thanks for sharing with us. Sodbusterjim.

WOW - WAY COOL!!! Many CONGRATS!!!

Very nice ! Glad it went well and thanks for letting us join you on this journey !

What an exciting hunt! I am happy for you and your success. Thanks for sharing this hunt with us. I know your family are all proud of you. We on the leather wall are too.

That is an exciting hunt! Congratulations!

Congratulations!!!! And great story.

John

Fantastic story my friend, fantastic. Thank you for sharing it and the photos. Maybe someday...

outstanding,,thanks for the ride,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Wow, Thank you for taking me along!!!!

Wow!

Thats a Hunt!

What's with the non-operable pea shooter

:^)

><>

Chief

Congrat on a great hunt!

Awesome adventure! Congratulations!

Congratulation! The hunt of a lifetime. Thank you very much for this, I've enjoyed it more than any other thread I can remember reading here.

Travis

Amazing thanks for sharing. Show some more pics!

I'm trying to send a few more pics but the internet keeps timing me out. I will try again when I have a better connection.

HOLY S DUDE, that was crazy!!!! What a story, thanks. I like the line, "My concentration is suffering." no kiddin, with that much adreneline coursing thru your veins, I'm impressed you got it done.

The back up gun was a 22-250????!!! unbelievable

A Very Big Congradulations Bryce, your story sent chills down my back. What an adrelin rush it must of been, and to try and keep steady for your shot. WOW!

AMAZING!! I bet your concentration would have suffered more if you had known the 22-250 didn't work!! WOW!! How many dogs were injured?

WOW!!Congrats MAN! Truly a great adventure, thanks for taking us with you, I felt myself riding in the sled as "we threaded the eye of a needle"-cool...4finger

Incredible hunt, better make that a once in a lifetime hunt or else take your guide a new shooting piece. Post us as many pictures on here as you can, this was a great hunt congratulations.

Congratulations again on your hunt. Great story, thanks.

Thanks Mr. and Mrs. moosehunter for sharing with us. I really enjoyed reading and waiting for the next installment. Congradulations. Have a safe trip home.

Terry

Incredible! The muskox and the polar bear are some of my dream animals. Thanks for the story and the pics!

Kingwoulbe, I just got in to Ottawwa where I will spend the night here on a bench in the airport and catch a 6a flight out to Detroit, then Dallas, then Lubbock arriving to see my wife and kids at 745p. Let me try and answere your questions and by the way, thank you for asking. Here goes;

1. How hard was it to shoot in that cold. I practiced with all my gear on, including the white cover ups which I never even got a chance to put on. I found however my bowstring catching the coat due to the bulk so I figured out if I put on a bungy cord around my chest girth, I got the compression I needed for the string to clear. I had it tucked neatly in my pocket that covered my L thigh for "quick access" , ha!ha!little did I know.....Now how I shot the bear was a different story, I didn't have time to put on my chest strap, plus I had my optics and movie camera around my neck adding bulk to the coat, and worst of all I was not able to use my natural shooting form. I got to my anchor, index finger to my corner of my mouth and cock feather to my nose tip, but i was stooping forward somewhat in an effort to hold my bow out and away from my chest. I was worried about no chest strap. Plus, I had more bend in my bow arm than normal because I also didn't have on my sleeve compression. I was disappointed in my shot placement, i certainly didn't plan on shooting the bear from the angles presented to me nor with the bow held unnaturally away from my obstacles. i know this, my Almighty Lord and Savior Jesus Christ gets all the credit for the shooting to result in this bear's demise. Short answere, If I use a bungy strap on my chest and have nothing hanging on my neck, the shooting is actually quite doable. For cold weather shooting, up there you have to keep your hands covered or in seconds they will freeze and you can't shoot. That happened to me on the musk ox during my time to prep and put on my chest strap, take off my coat and optics, and put on my glove liner, plus a Filson wool glove, then my leather shooting glove. i actually had to take a minute and tear open a chemical hand warmer and jam my hand back in my fur mittens to get my fingers warm enough again so I could put my R hand liner, wool and shooting glove. Keep in mind it was my first day of the M.O. hunt so I was not expecting 3 hours into it to be on a herd of M.O. Now for the bear, i already had all the gloves on and just was wearing them inside my double fur mittens. The kiner and one layer of wool however will only protect you for a few minutes and the cold begins to stiffen your hand, followed by the pain and then weakness.

2.Was you penetration what you expected. yes,i had confidence the 56lbs was good, and at my draw length it was actually 62lbs. Considering I never took a broadside shot, i can't say what the penetration would of been but for my 2nd arrow to go thru the right chest and and comeout the L ribs, that that was good. In the bear pic, you can see what the bear bit off laying on the gound - at least in one of my pics you can see it. It was short, maybe 8" or so.

3. What would you have done different. the plan was to have Caleb shoot a video of the live action but he was not there, if that cold be changed, obviously i would have wanted that. I would have put my chest strap on over my coat as soon as Sam saw the 2 bears just in case what happened, happened - meaning we would be off in a flash after them. there was a minute looking back I could of done it. I would have removed my camera and optics at that time also. I would have used that 6th arrow for a broad side shot when I had the opprotunity. This way we would of had 1 more assurance the bear was dead so we coul dof approached it sooner and positioned it for photos before it froze and i would have tried to put snow all over it to hide the blood. After the kill, i would have asked Sam if we could have a more time just to soak in the moments, and not be in such a rush to get started skinning and quartering. In his defense, he may of known up there the weather is too unpredictable to lolly gag around. you could die trying to find your way back to camp and he was quite concerned about Calebo. I would stuff my camera in my coat let it warm up and take more pics. My low battery light came on at the end of the pics I took so I thought I was about done being able to take pics but later after my camera warmed back up, it still had enough power to shoot more pics. I think that would be it.

4. Can you bring him back to the USA. No, i can't bring him back but he is on the way to yellowknife to Robertson's Taxidermy on Monday( go check out their website www.ssimicro.com/~wildart) and he will be a full mount because i believe someday the US will allow the trophies to be brought in and if they never do, i will donate it to a place to display it. Or who knows, i may become a citizen/land owner in Canada with a cabin where I can hunt and have my traditional buddies like you guys come and spend some time.

5. What was your cost door to door? I don't have the exact total yet but roughly the outfitter fees were 5K for the M.O., 27K for the P.B. then you have airlines which ran about 5k and mine ended up more since I had to change my flights to come home early, then you have hotels at $200 a night - and it wasn't the ritz carlton, it was economy dirt cheapest you could get. meal swer $20-$25 each. The tags for M.O. and P.B. were $52.50 each and the export fee paid to Canada for the M.O. was $157.50 and they call it a harvest fee for the P.B. and it was $787.50. The pricing for the taxidermy will be roughly 5K for the M.O. and for the P.B. is roughly 8K. Then there was extra baggage weight costs of over $500, guide tipping fees that are unique to each hunter's own conviction. Now if you add cost to be away from work that could be another factor to consider.

I hope I didn't miss anything but fire away if you have more. i am here all night in the airport, online. moosehunter

Bryce, are you saying Polar Bear mounts cannot be brought into US from Canada or ALL mounts?? Brian, There are 2 kinds of polar bears you can select to hunt, importable ones from alaska and non importable ones from Canada. The alaska PB hunt is 15K more in cost, I just didn't have that kind of cash. the canadian ones are less expensive but you cannot take a mount a hide, hair, tooth, fang or claw, skull, any single piece of it across the border from Canada into the usa. isn't that a shame? The Canadian gov't is really fighting the US on this one, they don't want to lose the hunters revenues for the inuit people. Hunters like us have a voice to reverse this idiotic decision so make yourself heard. My musk ox is not problem, it will be shipped to me around Christmas.

this is where i shot the bear, my Left finger is the GPS spot. It's literally on top of the world. My right finger points to pond inlet about 103 miles south.

oops, pushed the wrong button.

This is a ring seal breathing hole, the polar bears primary food source, the bears hunt the

ice looking for these and they lay waiting for the seal to come for a breath and snag him out for lunch

82 miles from Pond inlet, at the end of the first day, my guide climbed a glacier and spotted a bear so we took off after it but it turned out to be a 7 ' bear. This photo was taken as he and the team were heading to me before I jumped aboard to join them.

we stopped every few hours to get something warm in our stomachs. I drank hot chocolate, they drank tea. We ate bannic bread and here, pepperoni. This is my guide, sam. Note the frozen seal on the sled, food.

Glassing for bear. every rise in elevation was helpful. The bears are yellowish from the ring seal fat that contains a yellow oil. Note how it is not a smooth as far as you can see but actually pushed up ice.

The 9'2" beast is down - an easy blood trail to follow. Note the proximity of the blood soaked snow to the sled and where the dogs are laying. My first shot did not happen until he was leaving the dog team, a failed front leg stick. Shot #2 was the Right chest that entered his Left lung. Followed by the neck, head and the last was between the shoulder blades.

My boots. I ended up wearing the northern outfitter artic boot. It is basically like putting your foot and lower leg inside a soft 2 inch thick walled, foam rubber sock. It is affixed to a 2 inche some sort of plastic/rubber sole that insulates you from the ground and then covered with a gaiter sleeve that is windproof, and a draw string at the top and buckle sinch straps across the foot and up the leg of the boot. Warm ,but no support for climbing and you can't run in them, they aren't tight enough to your leg as I found out! What I thought I would wear was my Cabela's Predator boots but they were heavy, tigher fitting and less comfortable. i didn't give them a chance to compare how warm they would keep my feet. Next is the Kenetreck boot I wear as my normal hunting boot. It has 1200 grams of thinsulate and does the job nomally.

Sweet!!!! Thanks for the story and the pics... Something I'll probably never get to do, but in a way I feel as I've already been there... Hopefully the laws will change and you can someday have your trophy.

That was an adventure. These memories will last you a lifetime!

Congrats.

Bill

Moose Hunter ----

Congratulations !!! and very well done considering the situation at hand.

......so what about the stories that I hear, that if you get closer than 60yds. from a polar bear, he will charge and kill you...? Did you and your guide talk over the different senarios that might occur, or were you just suprised at the final confrontation?

Congratulations again !!

oso

No, my guide and I never discussed that " 60 yds " boundry. I fully expected this hunt to be like so many I have seen and read about before. The dogs are loose and run the bear down and you wait for an opprotunity to shoot. as it turned out, it unfolded completely different for me. i know now they will charge when you get in their space, glad it all worked out! Here is nice pic of the glaciers that dot the land scape. This one is probably 3 stories tall.

Moosehunter

congrats, what a brute of a bear.

chris.

Moosehunter

Thanks for the picks and details. Your living the dream for all of us....you done us proud!

God bless.

Michael

can you keep the pictures coming. this is great.

Autum Archer, Let me answere your questions; Regarding the environment and possible demise of the p. bear, I have a local news paper article that cites the P bear population is so closely monitored these days with tagging, lip tattoo's, GPS coordiates citing locations and sightings, cub counts, ect... the population has grown from 8,000 to 25,000 P bears. The Inuits say from their experience, there is no change in temp, it is as cold as it has always been. While the months of Jan and Feb are not as cold as they were, the months of Mar and April are colder thatn they ever were. They do not buy the concept of global Warming and laugh about how ridiculous that whole idea is. Every town I visited was so freindly, it was not uncommon to have every other or every third person you walked by stop, hold their hand and introduce themselves and say welcome to our town. Are you a hunter, yes I would say and they were happy I was there to hunt Polar bears. It is the life blood of the community. I almost felt like a celebrity or something. We can all do our part by supporting our national organizations ( NRA, P & Y, Compton's, PBS ect..) and informing our politicians of our feelings about hunting and these issues we have close to our hearts. I hope more will turn out and join our fight to make hunting safe and a sport we can pass on for generations to come.

Wow Moosehunter!! What an experience, I felt as if I was there, even got a shiver down my spine! Congratulations!!!

Kent

Did the dog that got bite by the Bear servive alright?

I've been on the leatherwall for a few years now and this is by far the best thread I've ever read! Awsum and unbeliveable to say the least! At the risk of speaking for everyone we can't thank you enough for sharing your adveture with us!

Wow! incredible story and photos. great job! oh yeah...how is that dog?

Pahana, fortunately, a good ending to the dog trauma, I was curious and so I checked the pack over after we loaded the hide onto the sled. I love animals and beings how my father and brother are veternarians, i have been around dogs all my life. The sled dogs took well to me, the eskimo's commented that is uncommon. Most of them let me sit among them and pet them as much as I wanted. A few were more "wild" and not interested in a freindly neck rub and ear scratch. After the skinning and 1/4 ing, several of the dogs were all around me licking the blood off my gloved hands, boots and pant legs. The injured dog had blood in his fur but did not appear to be hurt too bad. He ran with the sled team and was quite resilient. I don't know how he survived that but some how he made it through. I asked Sam later about my unexpected way the hunt unfolded, no dogs were released to distract the bear. He said this team was 10 new dogs and I old one. He reminded me when he first saw the bear, he loosed the old dog but that would not run to catch the bear so he put him back on the tether to pull the sled. Every polar hunt story is unique, I am very fortunate mine turned out so well.

Agree with Tomahawk, best thread ever. Thanks for taking us along.

Fascinating and just awesome. Congrats, Bryce, on a very successful hunt and thanks for sharing this adventure with all of us. You "ROCK" brother!

To answere the penetration questions, If you can zoom in on the right side of the skinned carcuss, just beneath the white strip of fascia ,you can see 2 broad heads as they penetrated the chest cavity and exited just beneath the skin. One broadhead is covered with ice crystals and is pretty visible, the other is not ice crystaled but visible as well. These 2 plus the jugular vein neck shot were the lethal combo.

great pics and the best hunting story I have read on leatherwall yet. thanks for letting us tag along.

I agree, the best Internet reading I have had in a long time. Thanks for sharing.

Congratulations! Great story. I got an adrenaline rush just reading it! LOL. Wow, sure was lots of money though. Glad you'll be home safe. John in Colorado

Great reading and pics, Thanks again for taking us along.

wow! just WOW!

What an incredible adventure…congratulations on your successful hunt!!!

FF

Congratulations, what a story. I can't believe he was carrying only a 22-250. Sounds more like he was going ground hog hunting. lol

I trhink the "headline" is that the backup gun was a malfunctioning .22-250! :-) good thing the archer did the job!

Amazing story. Thanks so much for sharing and letting us join in on your hunt! After reading your account I had to go back and stare at the picture of you with 2 arrows left in the quiver... those were much more reassuring than the .22-250! Quite a tale that I'll remember for a long time.

What an adventure, good job on the musk ox. I feel the bear probably deserved a more ethical/clean death but it sounds like you did the best you could under the circumstances.

Thanks for the great account of your hunt! I felt like I was there with you during it. And congrats on a gorgeous bear.

prayers for your safety and success!

A video of that would have been amazing. I think it was a fitting death. I don't think a clean ethical .375 would have been more fitting. He got to go down fighting as he should have. Thanks for sharing your trip with us.

What is your guide shooting up there with a 22-250? Seems a bit strange he wouldn't be carrying something bigger if he is guiding for polar bears. I wouldn't have been too pleased to know that ahead of time for what you paid. I'm figuring the other guy who got separated must have had the big gun??

The 2nd guide was carrying a .300 win mag but then we got seperated so it did me no good. Sam is a verteran of more than 200 polar bear hunts and always has carried a smaller caliber rifle. Caleb was also going to do the video, I spoke to him ahead of time and he agreed and was comfortable he said with my camera. I would estimate the bear was expired in 2 minutes, it could of been less however. I rapid shot 5 arrows from my quiver and he went down very quickly.

Sounds like the adventure of a lifetime...Thanks for sharing.

well....if all the hunts are like this one, we now know why that caribou coat had started to mold on the inside ...and it had nothing to with being stored damp!. Sure hope you had your brown pants on. lol

Glad that you are okay - and quite a story!

D

Amazing, what an experience. Thanks!!!

i forgot, the guide manager said the smell won't hurt the hunt, it will attract the bears. They can smell a seal at 40 miles so that coat was certainly a potential attractor.

22-250...Polar Bear....I think I would be the source of the "smell"......I don't think the "smell" would attract anything but buzzards LOL. Great job, thanks for sharing!!!!

We read all your comments and thank you for joining our daddy on the hunt and for your prayers. Sloan, Elle, Aspen and Gunnar

wow! that last post has the greatest "success photo" you will ever have! :-)

That is simply amazing! Very interesting to hear some viewpoints from the inuits about global warming and polar bear numbers.

ttt

Bryce,

Awesome story and experience! Can't wait to hear about your Pink Mountain Bison!

Jon

ZenBowyer, I shoot 29.5" so my 56lb is close to about 60lb or so. It is hard to shoot with that many clothes on, even harder with a video camera and camera around your neck! But ,with the bear in the middle of the dogs figthting and just yards away, I got it done. The penetration was great, I hope I do as well with the grizzly and brown bear later.

Jon, The pink Mountain Bison hunt #1 is actually in a story in the book titled, "Barebow" by Dennis Dunn. "The day hell froze over" was the title of the story in Dennis's book amoung many interesting bowhunting stories. He has taken all 29 american big game animals and was the first to do it with no sights on his bow. He shoots both a compound and longbow/recurve. Good reading and beautiful pictures if you are a reader and like archery stories. I didn't get a bison but I am going back and can't wait. I'll keep you posted on this forum for sure.

moosehunter, a mighty and heartfelt 'thank you' for sharing your Musk Ox and Polar Bear story. I felt like I was right there.

Thanks Shifting Shadow, Hopefully it will appear in TBM along with an artists painting of the bear fighting the tethered dog team and me scrambling to get off the sled, bow in hand, and my R boot missing exposing my stocking foot.

P & Y contacted me, seems the Polar bear I harvested is among the top taken for the 2 year recording period. What a pleasant suprise!

ttt

Congrats on the P&Y bear. that is a great bonus from a great hunt!!

Great story and pics

Wow incredable you went through something very few get to to do, you were extreamly blessed and got home safe back to family.

I had a freind that passed on now that shot 2 polars in his life and the very last one charged dead and fell on him and broke a rib.He didn't use sticks he was a compound guy. I can't even imagine what its like even though I herd him how he did it.

Great story thanks for sharing.

I just read this story... (linked from another thread). Awesome read! A hunt I'll never be able to make. Thanks for sharing!!!

Any pics of the finished mounts? Where is your PB now?

CD

My bear still is in Canada, due to the idiots in Congress. Robertson's Taxidermy in Yellowknife did my mount and it is in their showroom...

Very nice mount! Maybe one day things will change and you can bring it down.

CD

I was at the Jack Kempf classic 3D shoot a while ago and one young fellow that we shot with showed up with one of Jack's longbows that had white glass limbs...Jack just casually mentioned that bow was built to shoot a musk-ox and it had done that..glad you brought this thread back...I somehow missed it the other two times...I have spent some time living and working in what would at best be called the "near North", 58 degrees North Latitude in Northern Saskatchewan...the one comment that rang most true for me was how minus 20C can feel warm...after living in that kind of climate for a while you will be stripping clothes off like crazy on a sunny minus 20 day...not something that most people who have not experienced it could ever believe

DDave

Great mount! Hope you get to bring it home soon.

Got my painting from artist to put the moment on canvas....

Nice.

That was exciting!,and your way above my level. You had guardian angels brother, there were about only two ways that fight was going. Congratulations

Rusty

Read & then reread again & again. Easily one of the top 2 bow hunting stories of all time! Glad the dog is OK also.

I'd certainly have to claim all those prayers too if I was you! Sensational!

Great job Bryce!

Thanks Straitera, it certainly is an experience I'll never forget!

Bryce, that was an awesome read, I'm so glad someone brought it back to the front page! Congrats on everything and especially a very supportive trophy family! Rick

Moosehunter, I just read it and I'll never forget it either. lol

Thanks for taking us along.

ttt

ttt

Wow is all I can say....

What an adventure right there and a story that could easily be taken out of a book wriiten 50/60 years ago.

I love that painting too...

Prayers sent Bryce. I hope you have a safe and successful hunt.

Check the date, I resurrected this the other day.Yesterday morning actually. I've been around here since 99ish, don't know how I missed it the first time. Rusty

Congrats! Moose! What an awesome trip and story! I read it 3 times this past week it was so good. Cant get any more thrilling than that! WOW!>>>>>--------> X

Buckfever, Thanks so much for your kind words. It was a magnificent experience. Not one I am likely to ever repeat. I wondered after this hunt, how could any future hunt be exciting? Fortunately, the hunts all hold a special thrill and create unforgettable memories that are best shared around a warm fire and a gathering of kindred spirits of the traditional brotherhood.

Awesome, thanks for the play by play! If you don't mind, what is the method used to keep the blood from staining the hide?? Simple as using water or what did you do?

Considering the latest current events, maybe you could sneak your bear in through Cuba;)

I'm not sure what the method is, there was plenty of blood on the hide. The taxidermist took care of it somehow. The hide was removed and folded up and then it froze solid on the sled. Once we arrived back to the town it was sent to Yellowknife. It would be great to have that bear back here, I am holding out for a piece of heaven across the North Border someday where we will reunite.

TTT

Photoshopping the blood away

Thanks Bryce, exactly what I was looking for...can't wait to see the look on this young guy's face when he reads this!

Wow what a read!!!! Congratulations on both animals. Have you gotten to go Grizzly or Brown Bear hunting yet? Keep us informed!

Jake

Jake here's the link to his Alaskan Brown Bear.

http://leatherwall.bowsite.com/TF/lw/thread2.cfm? threadid=252157&category=88#3481576

Ok so that didn't work, just enter Alaskan Brown Hear in the search box and it's a 9-13 thread.

Bear not hear

Where has your bear ended up?

What is their reason for not allowing Canadian polar bear into the US?

Almost assuredly a CITES ruling.

Awesome, have a great trip. Stick'em with the pointy end !

Y'all realize this thread is 14 years old, right?

Bryce's story is still the best read that's ever been on this site, even at 14 y/o.

Lowcountry, The main characters are still here and even if they weren't people still talk about other things that happened even longer ago.

Never could quite understand the "old thread" complaint so many love to bring up.

I wish that the photos would show up. Seems like OLD threads and photos don't mix??

Left hand is where I hunted, R hand is where the village was located. 80 miles away by snow machine

Massive ice glaciers dotted the frozen landscape and provided glassing points

Musk Ox success before moving on to the polar bear hunt

Stopping for tea and bannock bread along the trail

Once we arrived in the area to hunt, the rest of the trip was by dogsled

Painting of the Bear attacking the dog sled as I loosed 5 arrows into him

This photo is touched up to remove the blood

My bear lives in Robertson’s Taxidermy there in Canada. Maybe someday they will change the law to allow these magnificent bears to cross the border again and enter the USA. This is the mount I wanted to preserve him with.

Good luck.

That’s an adventure Love the painting. Thanks for sharing.

Terrific thread! Lots of "ground covered" and I don't just mean literally distances.

The CITES rules should be changed, but then some would have admit the Polar Bear is doing just fine and not threatened by anything, including so called climate change. The greatest "friend" any animal has is the managed hunt/hunter. The fanatics would lose one of their icons to push their climate agenda. I'm a retired wildlife biologist and unfortunately I can attest to the feds here in the US not following their own rules regarding listing and delisting for political reasons. When I was asked to ignore an achieved objective to continue researching, I said no.

Regarding this hunt, wow! There were so many times and ways this hunt could have gone very sideways for moosehunter! Reminds me of bad dreams when things you can ordinarily do; run, throw, etc. you can only fumble.

Congratulations on harvesting the most important thing from hunting ....memories to last a lifetime. By sharing like you have we readers can add your experience to our memories as well. I think we all know elderly people (me calling the kettle black) who relive the same memories over and over because they are making no new ones. This one will be worth re-living when you are 80+!

Congrats again ! ... thanks for shareing your adventures with us , flat out beyond awesome .

Absolutely incredible! Congrats!

Wow! What an incredible experience.

Wow! What an incredible experience.