April 2010

Steve’s 50th Birthday. . . Again – A Spring Blast!

 
 
Spring time in the North Country can be one of the most erratic yet thrilling seasons of the year.  One day you may step outside and experience 75 and sunny. The next day you may be shoveling 8 inches of snow. These large swings in temperature and weather are fun and all, but the most volatile actions come from the Boars.  This is the Spring Breeding Season, and getting between a hot sow and a hormone enraged Alpha Beast could very well be one of the most intense situations a hunter could find himself in.

Recently, good friend Steve Grabusky had just spent the better part of a year oversees on a job site. Unfortunately, where he was stationed there was no hunting and he missed out on all of the great fall and winter hunts over here in North America.

Upon returning, Steve contacted Bear Mountain and lined up a special “Birthday Hunt” for him and his good friend David Champion (Champ).  After being gone for nearly a year, he certainly deserved a special present to himself.  His custom package included Herd Boars for everyone hunting as well as a free “Party Pig” for the birthday boy. This special “Party Pig” was going to be for a weekend of Thrilling and Grilling.  A fifty five pound Russian Boar is a tough meal to beat. Fire up the SMOKER!

After picking up Steve and Champ from the airport (15 minutes away) we got them settled in and discussed the game plan for hunting the “Party Pig”.  Steve had decided to let Champ hunt for the tasty porker. Being that this was his third trip up and Champ’s first, Steve was going to let Champ get his feet wet before going after the Alpha Beast.

As you can see, Champ laid the smack down, and we were in business for cooking up fresh wild boar for the whole weekend.

David vs. Goliath
Through out the weekend Champ and Steve hunted everywhere in search of the Biggest Boars possible. During this time of the year, the low ground tends to be very saturated and sometimes is impassable. Of course, this is where the biggest and meanest boars typically lurk.  The high ground is dry and it is natural for the Boars to move up high in the evenings to chase sows and battle with other boars.

Champ was able to connect on one hell of a boar when the beast was coming off of the high ground in the morning heading to the thick wet timber below.

It took three well placed shots from a 45-70 to anchor him to the ground. As you can see from the picture, he is a real brute. The long face, massive shoulders and hump, surgically sharp cutters, and the stamina to withstand almost a 1000 grains of lead and copper makes him a great trophy.

That evening Steve and Champ dined over grilled boar back strap stuffed with garlic and rubbed down with a bourbon dry rub. Glasses were held high as we toasted the great hunt and hunters.

Death from Above
The next day Steve and I worked a high ridge searching for any fresh beds. With no leaves on the trees yet, visibility was ideal. We could perch up high and see deep into the recess of the cedar forest. Recent warm weather had produced a lot fresh chutes of grass in the mineral rich soft black dirt. Glassing down into these fresh growth areas could produce the beast we were search for.

As we worked the ridge stopping from time to time to glass, Steve heard a grunt and snort. Just over the cliff face were four dandy Herd Boars. Feeding in the open, there was one Boar that certainly stood out from the rest. He had a superb coat and all of 50 lbs. over the rest of the Boars. His cutters shinned bright white in the peeking sunlight.

Steve made the decision that he wanted this Boar. We crept tenderly across the dry leaves and twigs to a point on the cliff that provided cover. The wind was in our face, and the Boars were 40 yards down in front of us.

Steve settled in with his 45-70 and waited for the perfect broad side shot. Slowly the Boar turned and presented himself just right. The Boar stayed broadside for some time, and I began to wonder if Steve was waiting for it to pop out of birthday cake for him. At the thunder of the rifle, the Beast slammed to the ground. After one kick and a quarter spin in the dirt, he was finished.

Steve could not have made any better of a shot on the Beast. He took out both shoulders, and as there was no exit hole, the Boar took the full brunt of energy from the Hornady bullet. I don’t think Steve could have had a better Birthday Present.

After pictures and recovery we enjoyed a pleasant sunny day on the patio. The hams from the “Party Pig” were on the smoker and slowly cooking to perfection. Greg the “Moose Man” had pulled out a couple of Lake Trout fillets from last years catch, and we were in for a Birthday Feast.

Spring Hunting at Bear Mountain Lodge runs mid March through the end of May. At the time of this writing we are in the peak of the Spring Hunts and May will certainly be a great month for hunting. Bear Mountain typically doesn’t experience the leaf out until Memorial Day or after so you still have great visibility. The Boars are still chasing down any sows that aren’t bred, and the meat is sweetened by the fresh growth in the rich soil.

Birthday Hunts are available all year. One of the great things about hunting at Bear Mountain Lodge is that any day you hunt, it doesn’t count against your life. I think Steve has had three 50th Birthday party’s by now! If you would like to host a special Birthday Party for you or someone you know, contact Bear Mountain directly.