TOM'S U.P. BLACK BEAR - PART 2

Author's note: this is the finishing segment of the story about Tom Deno's successful bear hunt in Michigan's Upper Peninsula during September, 2006. Part one ran yesterday, August 25, 2008.

The bait that seemed to generate the most interest was outdated pastries procured from a local bakery. He also tried meat scraps, dog food, a frozen beaver carcass donated by a trapping acquaintance, and a few other items. His hunting time was mainly limited to afternoons, after working his shift at the mill.

“Bears don’t make any noise” Tom told me, “so watch closely while you are on stand”. He reported that he might try using a tree-stand on future hunts, but that an enclosed ground blind helps contain your scent more effectively.

“I haven’t felt buck fever for some years while deer hunting” Tom said, “but I admit I felt some shakes when this bear came into sight”. The time was about an hour before dark. He chose to make a solid behind-the-front-shoulder shot like that used for a deer standing broadside. He had been sitting in the blind almost daily for a two-week stretch.

The bear is being mounted by Blue Ribbon Taxidermy (906-233-1782) and the meat was processed by Michigan Meat Processing (906-786-7010), both located in Escanaba, Michigan. We enjoyed both steaks and chops, grilled over charcoal sprinkled with wet apple wood chips. I also enjoyed bear sausage made by this processor, and tried Tom’s bear chili and stew. The meat was absolutely delicious, and that meal was one of the highlights of my mid-October bow hunting trip to Delta County.

Later in the year, I returned to the area for an ice fishing trip. We thawed some frozen bear steaks and found that the meat was perfectly accented with friend Fred Johnson’s home-made wine, a deep red Michigan vintage made with grapes grown in Escanaba. With a sweet start and a strong but smooth finish hinting at blackberry and oak, Fred’s wine put the perfect finishing touch to this classic Michigan dining experience.

Copyright Ray Hansen, 2008