Hunts On Outfitting Podcast
Stories! As hunters and outdoors people that seems to be a common thing we all have lots of. Join your amateur guide and host on this channel Ken as he gets tales from guys and gals. Chasing that trophy buck for years to an entertaining morning on the duck pond, comedian ones, to interesting that's what you are going to hear. Also along with some general hunting discussions from time to time but making sure to leave political talks out of it. Don't take this too serious as we sure don't! If you enjoy this at all or find it fun to listen to, we really appreciate if you would subscribe and leave a review. Thanks for. checking us out! We are also on fb as Hunts on outfitting, and instagram. We are on YouTube as Hunts on outfitting podcast.
Hunts On Outfitting Podcast
Ep.14 From Funeral Director to Bowhunter: Matt's Journey Through Bear Archery and Deer Management
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When Matt, a dyed-in-the-wool hunter with the unexpected twist of being a funeral director, joins me, your anticipation for bear archery tales will be richly rewarded. His transition from the distanced precision of long-range shooting to the heart-pounding proximity of bow hunting comes with stories that promise to keep you on the edge of your seat. Not only does Matt's improved scent control bring humor to the pursuit, but his expertise in reloading ammunition makes the technical side of hunting as compelling as the chase.
Venture with us through the complex terrain of deer management, where the art of growing big bucks is both a science and a passion. The strategy behind each harvest decision reveals a keen awareness of the environment and a dedication to conservation. And when it's time to switch gears to filming hunts, you'll find yourself weighing the challenge of capturing the moment versus living it—a juggling act known all too well by any family that hunts together. Matt's personal anecdotes remind us that what's captured on camera can be as unforgettable as the experience itself.
Conclude your listening adventure with a foray into the dense New Brunswick woods, where bear baiting is an exercise in patience and precision. Matt's vivid recounting of bait tactics, wind management, and the thrill of an elusive quarry will transport you right to the stand. And as the discussion turns to the plans for preserving the memory of a successful hunt through taxidermy, it's clear this isn't just a pastime; it's a profound connection to the wild that both Matt and I cherish deeply.
Check us out on Facebook Hunts On Outfitting, or myself Ken Marr. Reach out and Tell your hunting buddies about the podcast if you like it, Thanks!
Hunting Podcast
Speaker 1This is Hunts on Outfitting Podcast . I'm your host and rookie guide , ken Murr . I love everything hunting the outdoors and all things associated with it , from stories to how-tos . You'll find it here . Welcome to the podcast and welcome to Hunt Sound Infant Podcast , the only podcast brought to you by Pete's Pool Hall . Feel our new thick sticks and now denser balls .
Speaker 1Now today's show we are getting a great spring bear archery talk hunt . But first , who's telling the story ? Well , today's guest is Matt . Thanks so much for joining us here on Hunts and Outfitting . We're going to be talking about your spring bear hunt . It's spring right now . In New Brunswick you shot it with a bow , a compound bow . Before that , matt , you were really into long-range range shooting and now there's a rumor , started by me , uh , that long range shooters just have really bad bo problems and that's kind of why they're shooting so far away , because you know they can't get scent control under control . But sitting here across from me I can see that you cleared that up . Finally , and , uh , you know we're excited to hear about this bow hunt . But , matt , why don't you tell us a little bit about yourself ?
Speaker 2yeah , I'm a funeral director in the area nice and see a lot of people yeah , I've been working . Some of them don't see you back kind of thing no , but I've been working at that for now for 12 years , so it's been a while . I've taken me all over the province and finally being back in Salisbury and then surrounding areas Salisbury , New Brunswick .
Speaker 1We got a lot of people listening to this Salisbury , New Brunswick it brings me back to the area .
Speaker 2No matter where I went , it always seems like you want to go back well , you know you're in a good business .
Speaker 1It's very recession proof . People are dying every day . You know you get to uh read the rewards of it . You get to help them through the process , kind of thing yes , yes , yes , uh , well , yeah , yeah I mean they're less a person , but we're all gonna experience it . Um so , matt , you grew up on uh , on a sheep farm yeah , corn hill you know cattle too . You're tall , you play . They call you Mad Dog , mutton Buster .
Speaker 2Yeah , I never heard that . But yeah , close , I called you , I think . Yeah , I called you once .
Speaker 1Yeah , I mean nickname there Matt so you've got a YouTube channel , you started filming your own hunts . I mean , that's a whole different process in itself , right there , isn't it ? I mean , on top of trying to hunt bear or any animal , and you're doing it with the bow , so you're getting closer because , thank God , you got the BO problem under control , because we're in a closed room right now and you know , filming it and all that just really adds a lot . It's a whole new dynamic . It is , it is , it really is . I do want to talk about the long range shooting just a little bit . What kind of gun were you shooting and how far were you going out ? Because I remember you seeing on facebook and stuff you , you were into that .
Speaker 2The fair amount , weren't you ? Yeah , yeah , yep , me and a friend there , uh , clark , and uh we kind of started that just . Uh , I don't know , this is just more fun . We were kind of into the military style stuff , yeah , yeah , so when we started shooting 308 , so yeah , so I had a . I had a short action and uh it was a 308 .
Speaker 2Uh , clark had a number of different rifles over the years but we kind of just well , he really got into it first and I kind of tagged along for a bit . I like shooting but I just never , you know , like I like shooting stuff , yes , and then he , but he really got snowballed into this whole . You know how far can we get out ? Yeah , so it went from . You know , everybody buys their rounds .
Speaker 1Right , everybody buys their ammunition you guys reload . And then so Clark started reloading . Oh , so we're getting into a whole other subject . Okay , yeah , okay , so that's how we got really good at it is .
Speaker 2We just started mixing and matching , but what kind of rounds go best with our rifles ?
Speaker 1We started with three people and , anyways , we learned how to not mix rounds . That's right , we're down to two . We learned yeah , there's two guys .
Speaker 2But no , we had a good time doing that and we were pretty successful at it . Like I've had multiple thousand-yard-plus shots .
Speaker 1Really so you said you're shooting a short-action .308 .
Speaker 2Well , .30 plus shots , really . So you said you're shooting a short action , 308 . Well , 308 is a short action .
Speaker 1So , like short action , long action . That's what , uh , that's what I think a lot of the military and police use for , not , maybe not the military police use for sniper is 308 .
Speaker 2Yeah , yeah real good flat shooting it is but a hard hitting round hard enough , but it's flat yeah , I would choose a 308 all day . 800 , 800 yards and under . Oh , yeah , yeah , see .
Speaker 1I shoot a 7mm 08 , which is smaller but it is real flat shooting rifle , but that would you know , it all depends on ballistics too .
Speaker 3Yes .
Speaker 2How good can your round be for your rifle ?
Speaker 1Well , how many grains were you guys shooting ?
Speaker 2Well , I was using 168 grain Match Kings . Okay , yeah yeah , but that's just what was best for my rifle itself . You know your rifle might be different than mine , which it definitely is . It might like a different round , more so than mine . So that's why you mix and match about what you know , which bullets you use , which powder you use , which primers you use . It comes down to even the brass , the primers . It even comes down to the brass .
Speaker 1Really the primers it even comes down to the brass really like in how the primers the primers make a difference .
Speaker 2Yeah , like , get some decent , decent gear and you know you can shoot same hole at 100 yards yeah if you can get your ballistics down , yeah the same hole like you can call your shots anywhere with . You know , get yourself a good scope really yeah you're only as good as your scope .
Speaker 1Well , yes , and a lot of other gear . Hell yeah , I mean you get it .
Speaker 2No well , I'm for real , If you get yourself a good scope , that's going to mean the world to you .
Speaker 1So you had the one where you can just turn it by hand with the adjustments . Yeah , what was the other way ? You get it like a frigging quarter out or something , and I used to use a dime . Oh , that's just to zero it .
Speaker 2Yeah , yeah , yeah , and then you leave it alone . Yeah , yeah , no , like this one's here . It's got like you guys had a little more to it . Yeah , it's got a turret system .
Speaker 1I suppose you said you shoot in how many yards .
Speaker 2I shot that .308 . It was a calm , still day , like there was no , no wind or nothing . It still took six tries , but it was 1100 yards that's pretty good that's good for a short action , and if anybody knew anything about short action to long action , you know they would understand . But all right 1100 yards . It took six tries but I ended up getting them once . But like I said , 800 yards and under all day I'd same hole it .
Speaker 1Really yeah , wow .
Speaker 2Yeah .
Speaker 1Six six .
Speaker 2I have a , I have a target set up . Well , Clark , he he , he welded it together and we have it at like 607 yards , just for fun .
Speaker 3Oh yeah , that's just where we shoot for fun and like that's like dang .
Speaker 1And every single time it's like you , some , like we're waiting around for them to hit a hundred .
Speaker 2Yeah , like you know , like I know some boys that need a piece of paper . I know some boys that need to take some lessons .
Speaker 1Yeah , yeah , yeah , they could come hang out with you see , if you guys are shooting 600 just for like something to do , yeah but that's how we started and from there it just stemmed into hunting , and you know rifle hunting .
Speaker 2But once you get tired of shooting stuff at such a ways away , it's like like how can I make this more personal and get into bow hunting , so that yeah .
Speaker 1I mean , that's what a thing you guys were shooting , you know , 800 yards , all day , every day . And then bam , compound bows , which is slightly under 800 yards . Yeah , so and then ?
Speaker 2and then I want to ask too how did you get get into filming it , because I mean , that's a whole other . Yeah , you know can of worms that you're opening up there . Yeah , it's hard man , but hunting is tough by itself while I'm trying
Deer Management Strategies and Filming 101
Speaker 2to film it .
Speaker 1And now I got a channel on youtube and it's just for fun . But what's your channel , matt ? Come on , give us a plug at full draw what is it ?
Speaker 2at full .
Speaker 1At full draw archery or just after .
Speaker 2Okay , yep , yep , that's basically what that is , your full draw on an animal . You're at it . That's all I could come up with .
Speaker 1Well , no , it's great right , Because like what was he at ? Like right full draw .
Speaker 3You know , that's how you put it in .
Speaker 2That's where he's at .
Speaker 1Yeah , yeah , yeah , you're making food plots , you're managing , you know the deer in the area Trying . You're trying , you're in a good area . You're in an agriculture area . You got some cedar swamps around you , kind of thing right Owned land area too .
Speaker 2That's key . Yes , yes .
Speaker 1I know that because I've been watching you with a drone during deer season ?
Speaker 3No , but you got some cedar swamps around you .
Speaker 2You got you . You've got corn fields around , You've got grass fields and stuff , so it's a really good area to be able to manage some big boxes and stuff and if you can get people on the same page . That's what it comes down to . Everybody has to work together .
Speaker 1I don't know if people agree with me or disagree with me , but here in Canada I find that we lack the deer management .
Speaker 2You see the guys in the States , you see the guys in the .
Speaker 3States .
Speaker 1That's deer management right there . 101 , yeah , they are a lot of people , from what I've seen , yeah , are on the same page with that . They're really putting in the work with it . They're not shooting the small ones and stuff like no the us . Hats off to you , boys . You seem to be managing the deer . Now there's spots in canada as well , but not not to the extent to there . No , there , no , not at all .
Speaker 2It is tough . I mean I won't give everybody such a hard time around here because we don't have the population quite like the states do .
Speaker 1No , we don't Even Maine . It's healthy though it's healthy .
Speaker 2We have a healthy herd , but it could be better .
Speaker 3And people don't understand that .
Speaker 2Everybody complains about the dough numbers . Yeah , and it's like well you know , harvest your dote . If you get doe tags , use them yeah , you should yeah and you know , you know it just makes . It makes the deer deer population way better . Like , yeah , you got to use them doe tags and you can't shoot them small bucks , because if you're shooting you know tomorrow's trophy . Today they aren't going to be a trophy .
Speaker 1Yeah , that's right yeah , but I mean too I think it's getting better around here . You know , just not that you have to , but you know , making the food plots , stuff that you see , the guys in the states , there's a lot of them doing that , yeah , and everything that really does help grow big but we have really great agriculture land managed by our dairy farmers .
Speaker 1Shout out to our dairy farmers here um , that does help grow some big deer . Yeah , you know they've got the alfalfa fields going and stuff like that . They're putting fertilizer to it and ignoring that stuff's growing some really lush , healthy , you know grasses and fescues and everything growing some big deer . But still , I mean I do find a lot of people just shoot the first thing they see , and I mean to each their own .
Speaker 2But Yep , whatever I mean , I won't ever , you know , crap on someone because no , no , no , no to each their own . But to me , like you know , you're looking at all these deer that are in your plots .
Speaker 3Yeah .
Speaker 2You know small bucks you'd like to see , and then some that have great potential , and then you know the neighbor , just you know .
Speaker 1Well , I find , like my parents own some land there and I've done that before . It's you know , let it go , let it grow . And then someone jacked it that night in the field or something like that .
Speaker 2We have a issue with that , yeah .
Speaker 1Yeah . So it's like well , shit should have shot it then , I guess yeah . But there's , you know we could argue and you know , agree and argue and go on forever . All right , let's do it . Yeah , yeah , yeah , we got 45 minutes , yeah , we're . Uh , so I'll do them here . Guys , shoot what you want . If you're after the meat , go after the meat , that's fine we're not judging at all .
Speaker 1If you got a dough tag , go for your meat because some people just say save a dough , but it's all right , it's lots of doughs , you don't you don't gotta save them all right the numbers are , you'll save them and some girl in a Civic flying along Texas is going to hit it .
Speaker 2Yeah , that's right . You might as well eat it , yeah that's right .
Speaker 1So , matt , when did you start filming the hunts ?
Speaker 3Let's get into that a little bit Well .
Speaker 2I don't know .
Speaker 1What made you think I'm going to start filming my hunts ?
Speaker 2I don't know .
Speaker 3It just added in a whole another dynamic .
Speaker 1You're just doing a selfie and like a deer walked out like hey , that's cool , I'm gonna do on there . Yeah , mix this together . I'm gonna make this selfie longer , yeah yeah , people to like it , yeah , no .
Speaker 2So so it kind of started like just I was watching a lot of youtube like everybody else does , our age and uh , you know , you see the guys down the states and how they do that . But they do that with deer . Yes , it's a whole other . It's a whole other ball game deer to bear . I'll tell you that right now . Yeah , I've been doing the film filming hunting with the deer , but I've had a lot more .
Hunting and Filming Wildlife Experiences
Speaker 2On success yes , then , success with that , because it just happens so quick with the deer , yeah with deer , specifically that bear like it's , it's harder .
Speaker 2I mean , if they're on a bait site in the spring , it's a little .
Speaker 3It's not . I don't want to say easy .
Speaker 2I don't even want to say that , because you got to have nope no okay , you got to be down like you got to . You know you got to watch your winds . They are more predictable though they are , I got to say that bears are more predictable baiting in the spring . They are because you have something that they want , so they can be possessive over the area Charisma no no .
Speaker 3Yeah , that's you , that's what they want but the deer .
Speaker 2you might see them one day . You might never see them again .
Speaker 1Well , they've got a lot of options . They've got a lot of options , yeah .
Speaker 2So I mean , if you're in that , you're in that moment , yeah , where you either got to get a shot or you're going to gamble with your camera . It's like , yeah , depending on that deer that's standing out there , you're probably like , I'm probably gonna shoot that deer right , yes , yeah , like I kind of run into that last fall and I was lucky enough to harvest a good deer , I used 200 pound . Nine point that's .
Speaker 1That's big . You got some people listening to this that are in some of the States where they're a lot smaller 200 pounds big deer yeah , you know that's a good size deer that's eating well , anyway , I it came down to whether I was .
Speaker 2I seen him once in the afternoon and he was fighting with another deer that also got harvested .
Speaker 1Okay .
Speaker 3So , dad , dad ended up getting him too , but they were fighting in the plot .
Speaker 2Oh , you got one , your dad got one . The ones that were fighting yeah , they were fighting the whole family affair with you guys huh yeah not a family affair with the deer anymore . No , they're done . No , but I shot the . I shot the nine point because he was the second biggest on the plot .
Speaker 2Yeah , I had one , of course , the one that always got away right yes and then , uh , the third one that was the biggest was actually the one that dad got two days after . But it all come down to am I going to get that shot or am I going to shoot that deer ?
Speaker 2yeah and you know he wasn't , uh , he wasn't liking the idea of coming out in the plot the second time , let alone the first time , and the first time only was to fight off that other buck okay yeah , so anyway , he did come out , came in passing , come and gone and uh , anyway , he ended up coming back out and he was , he was staring the old blind down and I was actually rifle hunting this deer because it was , it was the very first snow in October . Yeah , I don't know if you remember that or not .
Speaker 1Yeah , I do . I was like I'm going to do it . Yeah , we had early snow in October . I'm going to do an all day sit that day .
Speaker 2You know , pressure , pressure .
Speaker 1Yeah , you know you're getting the blind oh , so you're looking at all that stuff .
Speaker 2Yeah , yeah , okay so , sure enough , all day deer , all it was , and then he ended up coming back . It was a quarter after five yeah pretty sure it's quarter after five and uh anyway legal shooting hours .
Speaker 1Yeah , trying to get across here , yeah but anyway he .
Speaker 2And then I was like I gotta shoot that deer . I can't get the shot , but I'm gonna get him . Yeah , anyway it ended up working . It was nice deer and but uh , deer hunting and filming is a lot harder than it is with the bear so you just yeah , you just thought why not film this ?
Speaker 1you just watch stuff on youtube and you're like you know , I'd like to film my own you get an idea .
Speaker 2Yeah , watching guys , and I mean you don't have to say a whole lot like you just do like a brief introduction louder than words .
Speaker 1You know , shoot what you're seeing . Yeah , speak louder than words .
Speaker 2Shoot what you're seeing . Yep , get your shot on camera .
Speaker 1Shoot what you're seeing literally and with the camera Yep . Like shoot it , yep and shoot it . Shoot it in both ways , yeah .
Speaker 2I know it sounds like I'm just saying that it's super easy . It's not at the same time .
Speaker 1Oh no , no , I know it's not .
Speaker 2Yeah , we definitely this spring , for instance . Like you know , I started off with like a bait and you know how you bait it what you know what to bait , or yeah , so yeah , you're on here .
Speaker 1We're going to talk about your bear hunt this spring . Yeah , you got the whole thing on film . Yeah , I saw it great video .
Speaker 2It was the last video uploaded , so if you actually go and look on , that , yeah , at full draw yeah at full draw yeah it .
Speaker 1Uh is good . So , yeah , let's
Bear Hunting With Compound Bow
Speaker 1get into that . So it's springtime here in new brunswick , actually , I want to get into first . How did you start compound bow hunting from the long range shooting ? What like made you like , all right , we're shooting 800 yards , now we're going to shoot 30 . Yeah , what , what happened ? Yeah , 15 , what was the switch ?
Speaker 2it was just the guys down in the states , man . You see them all running bows so that's really .
Speaker 1That's what I'm kind of just like man .
Speaker 2That's pretty cool yeah , like I mean you're seeing a video of an animal literally on you on you , yeah . You can't quite figure out what's going on , but it knows something isn't right . There's a panic in their face that you can see and you'll never see anything like it unless you're a mortician . No , no no , but anyway , that's what it is , man , you see you're on these animals so that's what get you into is youtube videos .
Speaker 2Well , you're in charge in that brief brief moment in time , that brief moment in time , and it's just like I said in at the end of one of the videos they're actually the one from the spring . It's like I'm very lucky to even have 30 seconds with a legend like that yeah you know a bear that you've been after for three years . He's been in the area . He's only been at nighttime . Pictures , skip ahead .
Speaker 1Yeah , yeah okay , we're gonna start the story from the start , man , not from the end . Uh , sorry to scold you there , but it had to be done . No , so ? So that's what got you into bow hunting was the youtube videos . Yeah , wow , that's cool , that's really cool . Yeah , um , all right . So it's springtime in new brunswick , you get compound bow , you're starting baiting yeah , I'm seven days late getting my tag .
Speaker 2It was the 20th , 22nd , I think I find on the 15th .
Speaker 1Well , I find that the bear activity in here in new brunswick , canada , really doesn't seem to pick up until , I mean , you're getting into may okay . Well , this year was an exception it was warmer because of the brief winter . Yes , it was a very brief winter , so you are right , past years yeah yeah this year was way far ahead yeah , like we did have a very brief winter yeah , so then bear were out .
Speaker 2Uh , I had a . My first picture was like either the first week April or second week . Oh , that's early , Like that is way early . So I was like man , I got to get some , I got to get going ?
Speaker 1Yeah , so I mean what you're setting . Did you have a predetermined bait site Like where , talk us through , where you're setting up for bait ? Yep , what's the area like ?
Speaker 2If you're bear hunting , look for something that's dense , somewhere that they can look at your terrain .
Speaker 1Look for something dense . I'll be setting up with my sister-in-law's house , dense bushes , yes .
Speaker 3No , so you've got to look for dense bushes .
Speaker 2Yeah , train that they can get in and out of and then train how the hills are , so that you can check the winds and like see how they would smell .
Speaker 2So you look at your prevailing window , wind a lot , and then see how the you know and then try to try to maximize your position going in . You know where are they , what , what's the higher percentage based off of where I am and how ? They're not going to smell me , that's all it is . They're not going to see you , they'll smell you and you won't even see them .
Speaker 3Yeah .
Speaker 2So , bear , you got to be careful with that . You really got to watch your wind . They can see , but they rely so much more on their scent ?
Speaker 1Yes Than anything , I think . Don't quote me on this , but I'm quite sure their scent is . Scenting is better than a deer it is .
Speaker 3it is okay yep , yep , you quote me on 100 . You got her man .
Speaker 1Yeah , yeah I knew it was yeah , no , it's really good but you got it , so you maximize your stand potential .
Speaker 2You know when you're going . You know never go in on a bad one , because they blow you once right , like yeah , they might not come back yeah you might get that one chance at a legend and you might see him . He might be 30 feet away . He'll smell you . Well , that's the thing .
Speaker 1You see people get baiting bear and all that and um , you're like , oh , I'm having lots of bear come in and all that , but are you having any big ones ?
Speaker 2come in , because there's a difference right there is .
Speaker 1Basically , you can throw some crap out in a barrel .
Speaker 2You'll see a year and a half old bear . Yeah .
Speaker 1But to get a big one come in , that's a whole different ballgame .
Speaker 2They're a whole different bear too .
Speaker 1Yeah , they're smarter , obviously yeah , they're way smarter . It's just more leery .
Speaker 2I had two big bear , one being the guy that I harvested the big bear um , one being the guy that I harvested the other one was equally as big might have been 50 pounds heavier . Okay , I let that one go , hoping for the one that I got . The reason why I let him go is because I finally seen him on daylight oh , one picture yep , so we'll go back , yes , so don't be starting in the middle now , so I bait .
Speaker 1yes , yes , you bait .
Speaker 2Yep Okay Opened on April 15th . I think that was when the start date was . Got my tags around the 23rd , I think I sat . I want to say five days after that , after I got my tags . What are you baiting with Popcorn ? Just ?
Speaker 1popcorn Yep , really .
Speaker 2Popcorn and grease and you really only have to hit grease once and the idea behind the grease is if you put it , all over the ground .
Speaker 1They're going to trace it back through the woods . They're going to trace it back into the woods .
Speaker 2It's going to let you cast in a big net . Yes , so to speak , you just use popcorn . Eh , that's it .
Speaker 3That's it , it's the easiest thing to carry in .
Speaker 2It doesn't . You don't have to carry a bunch of bread and all these guys here throwing barrels full of meat and all this . Yeah , you throw meat and they're going to be spilling it from the stand and , like bear , you'd rather them not be eating meat because of that trichinosis stuff .
Speaker 1Yeah oh yeah , I know about it so you got to cook all bear meat , wild boar , carry it too anything carnivorous , omnivorous , like . Omnivores . Is it Eat meat . Well , both .
Speaker 2I mean bear , well , carnivore like .
Speaker 1Yeah , carnivorous , yes , but I mean bears , and pigs eat both . They eat everything , though , but I mean anything that's carnivore , could potentially have .
Speaker 2Yeah , yeah , so . So anyways , I bait popcorn . It's just the easiest . You can carry four feed bags in and you know , if you get yourself three air poppers , I mean you're done . In 40 minutes you get four feed bags full of popcorn .
Speaker 1You got three air poppers . Oh yeah , I got a whole set up Really . It all funnels down into one , Just throwing it to Walmart . Eh , I got a handful of popcorn makers going at the store . They're looking at you like watch a lot of movies , Like know why ? Know why Made a lot of bear .
Speaker 2Yeah , yeah , but now so I bait that and then it doesn't take long , like as soon as you get that food in there . I mean , they're coming out very vulnerable . They're going to eat whatever they can . Yeah , so you're going to start out with those one two-year-old bears and then you're just gonna wait for a bit and wait for a bit . That's why I waited five days . So these guys started coming in and then I seen the guy that I wanted , but he's still at nighttime right I was like , okay , so this big white chested guy that I want for the last three years bear
Speaker 1bear . Yeah , okay , yeah , we'll do . Yeah , we'll narrow that in .
Speaker 2Yeah , at the pub or something like that , yeah but uh , no him , we wanted him and okay , well , he's back . And then I had another big one , that was daylight , and I was like , well , I should go after that one , because then you know , history repeats .
Speaker 1Give him a chance to get shot too , kind of thing , yeah history repeats itself .
Speaker 2You're not going to see that bear with the white chest that you want , because you know he's just going to be nighttime all the time yeah so you know so . And then the next best wind . I was like well , I'll just go in , so you pick your best you really pay attention to the wind .
Speaker 1You have to have to , I know . See , I just kind of pop out there . No , people , people just go man and they're like why am I not seeing nothing ?
Speaker 2yeah , like well , they're smelling you even before you're you're checking that . Yeah , all right , good , good check your , you know , and then , deer , we'll get off top a bit .
Speaker 1Do you check the barometric pressure ? You do , yeah , really .
Speaker 2Pressure changes , see .
Speaker 1I run hounds and I don't check it . If I'm going hunting , I'm going hunting , but the barometric pressure for scenting it does make a difference , it really does .
Speaker 2It does , and hounding would be different , because you can go and just have fun .
Speaker 3Yeah .
Speaker 2You don't want to go into your good stands when you aren't maximizing the potential to shoot that deer that you want . Get a chance at that deer . It's ideal conditions . You might not even see that deer that you want , but you want to maximize every chance you can . So it's kind of with bear the same thing . I don't blow my stand because I go in and only when it's a good win , when you know that you're going to see something . Because who the hell likes sitting there and like not seeing nothing ?
Speaker 1no one , no one , no , not one . No , they'll say they do , but they say they do , but they don't .
Speaker 2So I just like being in nature , like , really like everybody always said I was full of shit , but I get it on camera , so yeah , well , I mean , it's exciting seeing a squirrel , so that's how you know you're bored . Yeah , yeah so yeah , so anyways , and then , like you go in on your , you know your max potential , that you're going to see these guys , so I hunted twice . So both , well , three hunts total .
Speaker 2To get that bear To get this bear Cool . But it's a lot of bragging . The first , the first couple yeah , that was the first hunt . And then the first night I actually didn't see anything because I went in and there was a bear already at the bait .
Speaker 1As you saw him , as he was going in , and I'm like I got to go in there .
Speaker 2I'm here already .
Speaker 1You saw him .
Speaker 2Yeah , so I already seen him .
Speaker 1Did you drop the bow and get in karate mode ?
Speaker 2Well , I dropped the but . I threw a stick in the bushes and it bumped him off .
Speaker 1Okay .
Speaker 2And so then I just slipped right into the stand real quick , got up and I was like man , it's cold for the bet .
Speaker 1No , oh , okay , I didn't know . You said he's small , yeah , yeah .
Speaker 2Well , I mean small bear man . Yeah , I know he's very strong . You're a tall guy , yeah .
Speaker 1Yeah , it's not going to probably how close are you when you put your hands up . You wouldn't believe how close I put my hands up around his neck yeah , then he leaves , yeah kind of freaks out yeah , so first night wasn't real , uh , it wasn't real productive .
Speaker 2And then so we seen the one the second night after that first bear I seen was that big one that I was like the second target yeah , he came right out during daylight right out . But I didn't have , and this was the all black one , so we'll . So we'll have these bears named . We'll have the all black bear and then the white bear , so the white bear is the one that I ended up shot and it's racist .
Speaker 1No , we'll go with it . That's what we're doing . Yeah , we're rolling with that . So we got the black black bear .
Speaker 2Yeah and then the white black bear .
Speaker 1Okay okay , right . So this is clear as black and white to me . That's right .
Speaker 2Yep , so the first black bear come in , and he was probably around the 250 , 270 range , like I figured he was around that weight . That's pretty good spring weight it is .
Speaker 1Well , I mean , you know , for a new Brunswick it's nothing to shake a stick at .
Speaker 2No , you know anything over 200 pounds .
Speaker 1Yeah , pretty good animal , yeah .
Speaker 2So I seen him and I was like I'm going to shoot this bear , but for whatever reason , like it just seemed like I didn't , I couldn't get a shot and I was like I wonder if this is like just a test . And so I was like you know what ? I'm going to let this guy go .
Speaker 1This is a test from the bear .
Speaker 2So that's what we kind of rolled with , Actually .
Speaker 1Matt , before we get right into it , in case we forget , give us a setup of your bow . What's the bow ? What are you shooting for ? Broadheads , let us hear it .
Speaker 2I got a PSE Drive NXT . Okay , why did you go with the PSE ? I like John Dudley there , that fellow there down in the States , and he's a big PSE guy .
Speaker 1You ever shoot Obsession . No , well , you'd never touch a PSE again .
Speaker 2I don't know about that , but anyway .
Speaker 1All right .
Archery Equipment and Bow Selection
Speaker 2Anyway , so actually Logan Elliott , yes , he's been on here before .
Speaker 1Shout out Logan .
Speaker 2Yeah , he knew of a guy in Fredericton that had these PSEs and he like no , this is a really good deal . Blah , blah blah .
Speaker 1Was that the Fredericton bow shop ?
Speaker 2Brian Campbell , it's Atlantic Paintball and Archery , if you guys want a bow , he's actually a really good guy to buy from and he actually knows what he's doing when it comes to building a bow .
Speaker 1Hey , that helps a lot when you're selling them and buying from . That I would buy from him if I was to buy from anybody .
Speaker 2So , logan , he kind of like this is the best bow , I would say , for like where you want to spend , because I didn't want to go , like you know , $2,500 on a bow because he's got like a Matthews . V5 or whatever it is . I don't even know what the name is Logan .
Speaker 1Yeah it's like the 1,000 series .
Speaker 2Yeah , he's got like a Like . I would say like if there was a guy to shoot a bow , that would be the guy to get for like targeting .
Speaker 1Okay , Logan's going to listen to this and his head's going to swell up . Yeah , that's all right .
Speaker 2Anyways , that's all right , he's a good bow shooter . He showed me like we'll go with this one and then , we kind of picked a few pieces together , Like I got a Yep .
Speaker 1So it's an adjustable .
Speaker 2I've got one too yep , so it's an adjustable . You can go from like 20 yards to 100 , depending on your sight setup and everything .
Speaker 1And shooting capabilities and shooting capabilities .
Speaker 2You've got to remember that Not everybody's going to be able to shoot 60 yards with their bow .
Speaker 1No .
Speaker 2No , the most I think I've ever got was like 70 yards . Logan , I think he got up to like 100 or something like that . What , yeah , he's good . Don't be saying that we'll have to get him on the podcast to verify in the video yeah , so anyways , I got the pse and then get carbon express arrows okay , yeah they're the short , the sd ones . I don't know whether that's small diameter or short diameter or something . Anyways , they're just like broadheads , broadheads rage , hyp , broadheads Rage .
Speaker 1Hypodermic . Okay , all right , that's what I was curious about .
Speaker 2Yep People give them such a hard time , but the mechanical right , mechanical man .
Speaker 1But they're set up so that when they hit , they've basically got to go . They expand , yes , because you hear some guys like the mechanicals off , but I find those rage ones they're set up to like .
Speaker 2There's got to be like a 99.9 chance that they are . When you know how to install your broadheads , they're gonna . I think it's all shooter error when stuff like this goes wrong , because I have to draw weight on your bow 70 , it's max okay yep , and it's 33 inches axle to axle with a 31-inch draw length , because my arms are 8 feet long . Yeah , that's crazy so it's hitting hard , it's hitting hard and these Rages like I tighten them down real good .
Speaker 2Oh yeah you got it . And they never premature expand . They always expand and I've never had a bad shot with a Rage hypodermic .
Speaker 1Yeah , and I don't know . I'm pretty sure that's what . No , I got
Bowhunting Bear With Compound Bow
Speaker 1the rage typhoons . I like rage ones .
Speaker 2Yeah , no , they're good yeah they're good because I mean , I like how their mechanicals are set out so that when they hit they're gonna open .
Speaker 1Yeah , they got no choice . Odd weird fluke that they don't kind of thing . So you know , and with uh to reach .
Speaker 2Yeah , and then with with the draw length like as big as mine which is , which is kind of like a bird's , you know , wingspan . Yeah I mean that that arrow's coming at you yeah and like when it hits , it's got no choice but to expand , right yes as long as you tighten them down , like I always flex test arrows , make sure that there's no frigging around , all right good and always make sure your broad heads are tight yes and then in line with those shot collars that are on them , because what they are like breakaways so you got to make sure that your fins are in the slots right .
Speaker 2So as long as I think it's anytime anybody's had something bad say about Rage or any type of broadhead . Fins weren't in the slots or like the blades , yes , but I would say it's like more shooter error than anything . Yeah . Or lack thereof of responsibility , or a fluke , yeah , but I mean we've all had some . I've never I've had really good luck . You know , anything rage and any animal I've shot at with a compound , yeah , yeah . So that's the setup , that's the setup .
Speaker 1Good , all right , I like it . Now we know what we're working with .
Speaker 2Yep , and so I've seen the big bear first , mm-hmm , and anyway I kind of didn't really get a shot or one that I was like real happy with . I could have , but I didn't , and so he got away and then I was kind of like battling with myself . I was kind of getting more like I was like , should I have shot him ? Like eh , whatever , so anyways , and then the little bears all come back in again , and then , oh , you had a few in after that .
Speaker 1Yeah , yeah , well , they kind of trade off like you'll never see a small bear in with the big boars .
Speaker 2No , no , no big bear will send them back they know to stay , they know to get out of there , yeah , and . And then , when that small bear leaves that bait , that is a very good indication to turn your freaking camera on okay , all right because , you don't know what's going to happen .
Speaker 1Lesson learned , yeah .
Speaker 2Okay , if you're planning on filming , you see a small bear , leave in a hurry , turn your camera on , but so , anyways , and then so the little ones have seen them around , and then , anyways , they left and I seen the big one again .
Speaker 3Mm-hmm .
Speaker 2And the Like I knew that morning . So so I guess reverse back a bit . Well , I finally got a daylight picture of this white chested bear that I wanted and I said , as soon as I got that daylight picture , the first thing I said I'm going to get that bear .
Speaker 1Cause you knew he was coming during the daylight . Well , I knew he was going to . He slipped up once . Yeah , yeah .
Speaker 2He's going to do it again , mm-hmm . So that night I think I went in around 4.30 . I wanted to go in real early . That's pretty early for now , because I mean you can sit until 9 o'clock 4.30 in the morning 4.30 pm .
Speaker 1Okay , yeah , all right .
Speaker 2I was like you're really committed , no , so 4.30 pm , sit till you know nine o'clock . That's a good haul . You know four and a half hours sitting in the stand yeah so good thing I went in 4 30 because at five o'clock that big bear with the all black he come in just like oh yeah and he caught me right off guard .
Speaker 2I was still getting my stuff set up and then him sitting in there staring at me , and so I was like frozen how far away are you 25 yards okay , so you're close , yeah so he's like staring at me , so I just stand there like a statue and then wait for him to either , you know , turn around or stop staring at me , one or the other right . And so , anyways , he did , and he walked off and I was like okay , well , if he comes back , I'm gonna , I'm gonna get him , I'll get him and whatever , because I mean he obviously I wasn't too too sure it's a good death wish .
Speaker 2I wasn't too , too sure about this white chested bear and I was like , well , I really want , but anyway . So then the smaller bear come , this one of the smaller bear I can't tell any of them apart , just because they're so small , but yeah , anyway , the smaller guy come in and he was there for , I want to say , like two hours . Oh , really this small bear chowing down on popcorn huh . So I was getting pretty , like you know . I was like I don't know if it's gonna happen .
Speaker 2That's my popcorn well , yeah , I mean he's eating through your bait and whatever it is what it is , and uh anyway . So he just stayed there for about two hours and then I literally I said on my on the you know I did like a little interview , yeah , it was coming on seven o'clock . Seven o'clock was like my that's . That's where I think like most of the action starts happening yeah , just based off of what I was , yep yeah , it's like your gray light during deer season .
Speaker 2So so I said seven o'clock , I said something's gonna happen . It's gonna have to happen fast and then hopefully , like you know , this bear gets out of here in a hurry , yeah , so no sooner did I get that camera flip back around he's seen something and then bolted and I was like okay well , this is gonna happen , this is gonna happen , yeah .
Speaker 2So I'm sitting there in the blind or in the stand , I'm 18 feet up in the air and I'm just waiting . So I'm like , okay , either either this , this black bear is going to come back hey , the all black one . And I was like , oh , this is perfect . I mean , you know , if I get a square shot on them , whatever , never in my life did I think that the first thing I was going to see . When that bear came out , I was like , okay , there , that's him . When he made his , when he put his right foot forward , once he got into the frame , I seen the white and then the shake start .
Speaker 1Oh , you knew it was him . I was like , oh , this is him .
Speaker 2Yes , I was like this is a guy that we wanted for you know three years and I'm like what is even the chances of this ? I mean two days ago . He's on camera once in the daylight and you're telling me right now he's sitting there . He knew from the moment that he stepped into that opening that something was up . He had his eyes on me the whole way around the barrel . So he come around and he's kind of like just looking and looking and you'll see in the video , when he come around that barrel , all you see was that white chest . And that's when I really started getting nervous .
Speaker 2I was like he's going to see me because I'm sitting here shaking . Yeah , this is the feller I wanted , though . Yeah , this is the feller I wanted , though . Yeah , yeah , so he's dead . Stare at me and I'm like , oh no , like what you know , he might know yeah , he didn't . And like you see it in his eyes , he's like something's going on . I don't know what it is he's like , but I like popcorn .
Speaker 2Yep
Bear Hunting Success and Taxidermy Plans
Speaker 2, yep . So I waited him out and he's like , okay , seasoning all the popcorn , or yeah , what do you have ? Yeah , no , yeah , no , you don't know , just a fryer grease , yeah , oh , that's it okay .
Speaker 1No dill pickles , no , okay , all right . Should , though , man , I know I'd be out there .
Speaker 2Yeah , you'd be in there . I can't get the hell out of my bait , but that's what you'd be saying .
Speaker 1Yeah , that'd be on your next video yeah , yeah , all right , so the bear's just coming in for the fr of grease and and popcorn .
Speaker 2All right yeah , so he come around the barrel and he was looking dead at me and this probably felt like forever , but I kind of made like a a good decision . I put a jar of grease , a little bucket , around the barrel , so around front okay . So he had to stick his head out and get start looking at it , which would maximize his potential to spin his back end around so I can get a good shot .
Speaker 1Yeah , and it worked . Oh , it did yeah All right , stuck his head out .
Speaker 2He was into that barrel and I'm sitting there like , come on , man , just spin around , just spin around , just spin around . I need like a foot , I just need a foot , so I can kill you , yeah and then so I was full draw on him for , you know , 20 seconds and that's , that's okay and it's only 25 yards , so yeah , so I was on him for probably like 20 seconds it seemed , and , uh , finally spun around and hammered him and it was a clean pass through both lungs , clipped the heart , nice the craziest thing .
Speaker 2Craziest thing after that though . So you know the bears and their you know , their death roar or whatever you want to call it yeah , I've heard it like once yeah twice out of the , the multiple bears that I've shot , and then it's only like a soft little roar or whatever . But this guy went 20 yards , crashed and then it sounded like a cow was down oh really 10 big roars and like I was like sitting in the stand , I'm like what is happening ? I knew he was down because it was a stationary sound .
Speaker 1I've never heard , because I , the bears , I shot with a rifle and they just piled up where they sat . Impact right , yeah , but this bow , I've never heard it actually both lungs out of him clip his heart . He went 20 yards he's still screaming and he was still roaring tough old boy I was like holy and of course man , like that's something you that's got to be like .
Speaker 2You know , one of the top three things I've ever experienced yeah , yeah , just in the end , like because you , you know , you hear it once or twice and you're like , oh yeah , that was cool , but this was like , this is insane , like this is a giant bear and you know you got him , man , yeah I was like . I was like holy freaking , especially you know the . It was the guy that you wanted for forever that was the target .
Speaker 2Yeah , he was the target that you never , ever thought was even possible . Yeah , you know , until the one day . All it takes is one daylight picture and you're finally like man .
Speaker 1I might have a chance with this guy . He could be it .
Speaker 2Yeah , and I said too I was like man , I'm gonna get him , yeah , and then the exact time got him , that was it . So it worked out , worked out . So we got him out of the woods and , uh , weighed him , without the guts he was 200 okay , yeah , and so he had quite a bit to him and so he's hanging at 200 and then todd todd turner taxidermy yes and wants
Speaker 3to do a bear mount . He's probably the best guy , that's who ?
Speaker 2he took it to eh yeah , well , he come out oh , he did he said because he's like well , I'll skin that for you because we're going to do a three-quarter or whatever with a three-quarter mount . Yeah , like , with'll skin that for you because we're going to do a three-quarter or whatever with a three-quarter mount . Yeah , like with the arms and everything , just because we're going to preserve what that chest looks like . Mm-hmm .
Speaker 1Yeah , the white in it . Yeah , you'd obviously want that .
Speaker 2Yeah , and it was probably like a two , like it was like a two-foot section of white , like he was a big guy , yeah , and I noticed a Yep , and also Todd came out and you know we skinned him off and so now we just wait . Gee , so you got it done .
Speaker 1Got it done . Bear season's still going on here in New Brunswick and Matt's just sitting back looking pretty enough .
Speaker 2Got a second tag though .
Speaker 1Yes , yes you going to wait until fall . Yeah , we'll see . We're just going to watch the cameras and see that something bigger comes out .
Speaker 2Wow , there's still that big black one . Yeah , yeah he's .
Speaker 2He's dark right now , like he's in the day , he's in the night time yeah I mean , I imagine I would be too , if you're , you know considering that , yeah , brian the bear , yeah so right now it's like a lot of daylight activity of smaller bears between ages of like one and three , yeah , and I would say these guys are like in the age class of like five to seven , okay . So because I mean and that's just an educated guess , like I don't know for sure- but like they're an older bear , yeah , yeah , oh yeah , for sure they are . I mean some bears . I guess they can live for I've heard of like 20 years .
Speaker 2Yes , yeah , I was gonna say 17 or 20 , yeah yeah , yeah , I've heard that yeah , but I I really only knew who this white bear was for about three years and like I figured , well , three . And then you know the size of he is and I don't know , maybe five , five to seven years old that's , it's a good guess yeah , he's been around forever .
Speaker 1Yeah , it seems yeah , no , that'd be , seems . So it all worked out . It's good , matt . So it's at full draw . At full draw . Yeah , it's a 28-minute video .
Speaker 2It's a YouTube video . I'd like to say it's the 28 best minutes of your life .
Speaker 1Yeah right .
Speaker 2It's definitely worth a watch . You'll see some bears , you'll see how it all unfolds . There's not a whole ton of talking and it's definitely worth the watch . And , like you , see some bears , you'll see how it all unfolds . Yeah , and there's not a whole ton of talking and it's just more action than anything . And you know , I kind of just you know I touch base on a few things and , like you know , play the wind , always do that with bear , like a kind of some tips and things , and we're still just working at it like I'm no I'm no pro , you're not no , get off the podcast , all , all right , I'm out of here .
Speaker 1No , that's good . Yeah , no , it's just more for fun than anything . That's what hunting is . That's what hunting's supposed to be . Yeah , a lot of people lose sight of that . Yeah , yeah , we see it during deer season right here .
Speaker 2Yeah , I mean , I get the frustration , a holes patched in my head ?
Speaker 3No , I don't really care .
Speaker 2Yeah , you got an old giant hanging out over here , though You're good .
Speaker 1What did he score ? Anyway , he was 154 and 7.8 . Nice buck Net but that's a whole other story , mate , you're jumping ahead on my buck . Yeah , no , it's cool . Just don't do it again . No , that's right but uh matt . No , I really appreciate coming on . I hope to have you on lots more because we're going to get into more quality deer management stuff and even the long range shooting . I mean , that's kind of interesting too yeah in and of itself .
Speaker 1So , uh , good bear story . Everyone check out matt's video and , uh , we'll see you next time . Thanks ,