Nov 26, 2017 4 min read

I was discussing bear hunting when my friend Mike offered a bit of advice: never shoot a bear more than 250 pounds. Heavier than this and it becomes a major task just getting the bear out of the woods and into the truck. On top of that, it becomes too expensive to have a big one turned into a rug.

Well, he sure listened to his own advice and downed a 210-pound bear this past week. That was his second bear taken from the northern part of the state. To some, that might not sound like much but he has been hunting with this group and in that area for only 10 years. Knowing Mike, I would expect he is almost always driving and seldom on the stand. This group is the same bunch of hunters I talked about last week and they have brought in 130 bears since 1981.

As I write this, I can say I haven’t quite made it to another rifle season but its close. After so many years of deer hunting I have come to a definite conclusion: with me it’s all about the anticipation that comes with the hunt. After all, it only takes seconds to down a whitetail, watching and waiting can drag on for hours that brings worry along with expectation. With that in mind, the most important assets one can take with him or her are covered by the 3 letters: P, C and P.

The first of those is Patience. When freezing on a stand it takes a lot of patience to wait and watch. Ice balls in the beard aren’t a deer attractant but might be badges of patience. Good shoes, heavy socks and a good warm coat are necessary aides but so is patience. If one is on a good stand and has the patience to stay there, then the buck is likely to come along. The coat and boots help one stay put but the patience that comes from within is far more important. Few bucks have been shot while the hunter sits in the living room or impatiently started to take a walk only to watch a white flag disappearing over the hill. If only I had stayed put.

Confidence is not necessarily an arrogant attitude but the knowledge that a deer will come along, if not now then eventually. I once hunted every day of the season and shot a huge buck on the last day. I had never gone through a deer season that I hadn’t seen a buck. Why would this season be any different? As I approach the day of the hunt I ask myself where will I see him and when will I see him? I never ask will I see him. Confidence, along with patience, helps keep me out in the woods or on an open hillside. As King Solomon says, what was will be.

I might miss the shot but I will get one. I might shiver and get numb feet but I will stay a while longer because I know there is a buck wandering about with my name on it. Arrogance maybe but confidence surely. It keeps me from giving up when that buck of a lifetime is just yards away.

Perseverance is the last letter, a word that might seem to be a repeat of the first letter patience. Yet I often separate the two. To me, that word patience means sitting still watching and waiting. Patience is a sedentary word while, to me, perseverance means giving it your all despite the conditions. Let it rain and I will persevere. Snow and cold, it’s the same, I will persevere. I think the two Ps represent a slightly different mentality. You might be well equipped and warmly dressed and your rifle might be hitting right on but it’s the mental approach to the hunt that is most important.

• Remember the George H. Block Conservation Scholarship and send your nominations. The youngsters must be 18 years or younger and a resident of Washington County. The nominee should write a few lines on that applications about what they believe qualifies the person in the fields of hunting, fishing or conservation. There will be a cash award given to encourage our youngsters to continue to support good sportsmanship and conservation practices. We will read them all and choose this year’s winner before the sports show at the mall. Forms are floating around or you can contact Mike Weber at 724-945-6707.