Maine bear trip-update on page 2

Mike Bolin · August 08, 2017, 03:40:00 PM

The Black Widow Bear hunt is coming up fast! I've pretty well worked thru my shoulder and hand issues with physical therapy and working out and am back to shooting my 50# bows. I truly believe that reason I have made such good progress is that I had the Bear hunt for incentive. The second week of May, I couldn't even draw my bow one time and now I am shooting 25-50 arrows at least every other day. A lot of days my shoulders hurt so bad I didn't even want to get out of bed, but having this hunt on the calendar spurred me to get up and do the therapy and quit my whining!

We leave on the morning of August 26 and will drive about 2/3 of the way to Squapan Mountain Outfitters, then finish up the drive on Sunday. I will be hunting with a 50#@28" Widow PLV, Beman 400 shafts with VPA 3 blades. 17 days left to do some fine tuning on my shooting and get my gear sorted and packed.

A Lex · August 08, 2017, 05:16:00 PM

When I bought my 55lb Blackwidow PLX, the idea of the Blackwidow Bear hunt was floating around in the back of my mind. Unfortunately, doing that hunt from Australia is way out of my budget at the moment.

Would absolutely love to do it though.

Enjoy your hunt and would love to see some pictures when you get back.

Best
Lex

goingoldskool · August 08, 2017, 06:01:00 PM

I really need to try that hunt as well....every year at this time when people start threads on it, I find myself trying to find the easiest/fastest route up there!

Good luck and shoot straight!
God bless,

Rodd

ron w · August 08, 2017, 06:06:00 PM

Excellent......best of luck on your hunt!!

JakeD · August 08, 2017, 06:25:00 PM

Good luck on the hunt! You might get a chance to meet my brother and a friend of his. They are leaving September 2, so I don't know if you'll still be there when they get there or not.

Biathlonman · August 08, 2017, 07:56:00 PM

You don't need #50 for bear, but I'm glad you got the shoulders working. VPA 3 blade is an excellent choice.

Mike Bolin · August 08, 2017, 10:25:00 PM

JakeD-I believe we will be gone before your brother and his friend arrive, but if not I will introduce myself for sure!
Biathlonman-the lightest bows I own are 49# and 50# and then on up to 58#. I did borrow a 43# bow to shoot to help get the muscle memory back. I could've hunted with it if I needed to, but I am getting comfortable with my bows again. I have killed a few deer and a hog with the VPAs and I am very impressed with them. I killed a couple of deer with the Cutthroat heads that VPA make for RMSG as well and they are a great head too. I have killed a couple of bear in the past...one with a 3 blade and one with a 2 blade. I liked the blood trail I got with the 3 blade.

Phillip Fields · August 09, 2017, 06:17:00 AM

Mike, I'll see you there. This will be my first bear hunt and I'm pumped. I'll be shooting a Brushwolf longbow built by a good friend of mine in Texas. It's 45# at my 28" draw, shooting wood arrows with 125 gr Ace Standard 2 blade heads.

Mike Bolin · August 09, 2017, 11:07:00 PM

Look forward to meeting you!

AR RidgeRunner · August 09, 2017, 11:32:00 PM

Maine is a beautiful place to look at and even better to look at while your hunting. Hope to go back someday.

Meflyfisherman · August 10, 2017, 08:25:00 AM

Good luck Mike, will keep fingers crossed for cool windless days for you. Hope you have a ball. Are you stand hunting or using hounds?

August 10, 2017, 09:24:00 AM

Good luck!

Bisch

Trout man · August 10, 2017, 09:53:00 AM

Hope ya take a nice bear and have a great time up there.Glad to hear you are doing great with your shoulder problems..I am going thought it right now.GET SOME GREAT PICS TO PUT UP.

Mike Bolin · August 11, 2017, 04:43:00 PM

Thanks to all for the good wishes!
Meflyfisherman-It is a bait hunt. I have never been to the northeast and I am really looking forward to it.
Trout man-Shoulder problems are tough to deal with. I had both knees replaced last November and I saw the same doctor/surgeon for my shoulder issues. He prescribed physical therapy which worked amazingly well. He told me that a double knee replacement was a cake walk compared to shoulder repair/replacement. That made me become very vigilant with my therapy and very conscious of my shoulders when working in the woods or around the house. I still do the things I need to do, I am just careful of shoulder position. Hope you do well with your shoulder issues!

Friend · August 11, 2017, 10:43:00 PM

Enjoy a great hunt.

Sean B · August 12, 2017, 10:34:00 PM

Good luck! I've done the first three Widow hunts and they were a lot of fun. Tony's got a great family and runs a great operation. You'll have a blast!

Ghostman · August 14, 2017, 09:08:00 PM

A friend whom I used to guide with when I lived in Maine has a camp in Castle Hill on Squapan lake. I've hunted the Castle Hill, Mapleton, T11R4 and Chapman areas for years and took a couple of nice bear off of Squawpan mountain.

There is lots of good sized bear in the area. Good luck on your hunt!

The Vanilla Gorilla · August 15, 2017, 12:19:00 AM

Good luck Mike. Send pics.

Ethan Grotheer · August 16, 2017, 10:17:00 PM

Awesome!
My good friend and Pastor, Lyke Shaulis, will be on the hunt as well. I can't waint to see pics of all the bears taken that week!

Mike Bolin · August 18, 2017, 10:17:00 PM

Gettin' close now! Had new tires put on the truck yesterday and takin' her in for service on Monday. Trying hard to get caught up on chores and "honey-dos" by tomorrow evening so that I can get the huntin' clothes washed up and all the gear packed. Shoulders are feeling good so I have up my practice sessions to everyday now! Hope to have some photos to share with you all here in a couple of weeks!