1 00:00:05,200 --> 00:00:08,640 Speaker 1: Welcome to this country Life. I'm your host, Brent Reeves. 2 00:00:09,119 --> 00:00:12,680 Speaker 1: From coon hunting to trot lining and just general country living. 3 00:00:12,920 --> 00:00:13,880 Speaker 2: I want you to stay a. 4 00:00:13,840 --> 00:00:17,799 Speaker 1: While as I share my experiences in life lessons. This 5 00:00:17,920 --> 00:00:21,280 Speaker 1: Country Life is presented by Case Knives on Meat Eaters 6 00:00:21,360 --> 00:00:25,480 Speaker 1: Podcast Network, bringing you the best outdoor podcast. 7 00:00:25,000 --> 00:00:26,320 Speaker 2: The airwaves have to offer. 8 00:00:27,360 --> 00:00:30,880 Speaker 1: All right, friends, grab a chair or drop that tailgate. 9 00:00:31,280 --> 00:00:39,600 Speaker 1: I've got some stories to share. Saying yes to Clay 10 00:00:40,040 --> 00:00:45,560 Speaker 1: and the Black Bear Bonanza. It's Black Bear Bonanza twenty 11 00:00:45,680 --> 00:00:48,239 Speaker 1: twenty five time. And instead of giving a play by 12 00:00:48,360 --> 00:00:51,600 Speaker 1: play of that wonderful event this year, I'm going to 13 00:00:51,680 --> 00:00:54,240 Speaker 1: talk about how agreeing to go to the first one 14 00:00:54,640 --> 00:00:59,560 Speaker 1: over five years ago that actually never happened, It's helped 15 00:00:59,600 --> 00:01:02,240 Speaker 1: set a horse for my life and where I am 16 00:01:02,320 --> 00:01:06,200 Speaker 1: right now. Confused already, Well, welcome to the party, pal, 17 00:01:06,280 --> 00:01:09,160 Speaker 1: That's what I call Tuesday. I'm gonna clear it all 18 00:01:09,280 --> 00:01:11,280 Speaker 1: up for you in the next little bit, but first 19 00:01:11,880 --> 00:01:21,319 Speaker 1: I'm gonna tell you a story. This week's story comes 20 00:01:21,319 --> 00:01:25,679 Speaker 1: from Pennsylvania's on bo Jones, a resident of Pittsburgh, which 21 00:01:25,760 --> 00:01:29,480 Speaker 1: is one hundred and fifty five miles southwest of my 22 00:01:29,720 --> 00:01:35,120 Speaker 1: favorite town in all of Pa Bradford ground zero for 23 00:01:35,200 --> 00:01:38,080 Speaker 1: zip O lighters and that's right said with my kids. 24 00:01:38,959 --> 00:01:42,920 Speaker 1: Case Knives both sent this one back in October and 25 00:01:42,959 --> 00:01:46,720 Speaker 1: it had a few elements that coincided with today's episode 26 00:01:46,720 --> 00:01:50,240 Speaker 1: of talking about Canadians and bear guides, and plus the 27 00:01:50,360 --> 00:01:55,200 Speaker 1: added spice of someone getting slapped. How could it get 28 00:01:55,280 --> 00:02:00,120 Speaker 1: any better? So, in Bo's words, in my voice. 29 00:01:59,520 --> 00:01:59,880 Speaker 2: Here we go. 30 00:02:03,360 --> 00:02:06,040 Speaker 1: Like any good story. This was started when I was 31 00:02:06,080 --> 00:02:08,520 Speaker 1: a kid. My dad and I used to take an 32 00:02:08,520 --> 00:02:12,120 Speaker 1: annual fishing trip up to Ontario with a few buddies 33 00:02:12,120 --> 00:02:15,760 Speaker 1: of his, and I fell in love with walleye fishing. 34 00:02:16,639 --> 00:02:20,080 Speaker 1: That passion would carry with me the rest of my life, 35 00:02:20,639 --> 00:02:23,919 Speaker 1: and when I eventually had my own boys, I started 36 00:02:23,919 --> 00:02:27,359 Speaker 1: the same tradition with them. But since it had been 37 00:02:27,400 --> 00:02:30,480 Speaker 1: a long time since I actually fished in Canada, I 38 00:02:30,520 --> 00:02:32,400 Speaker 1: didn't know where to begin to find. 39 00:02:32,120 --> 00:02:32,800 Speaker 2: A place to go. 40 00:02:33,720 --> 00:02:36,160 Speaker 1: The lodge we used to stay at was only accessible 41 00:02:36,160 --> 00:02:39,200 Speaker 1: by boat, and I didn't have one, but I did 42 00:02:39,240 --> 00:02:41,960 Speaker 1: have an old pop up camper, so I found a 43 00:02:42,000 --> 00:02:45,360 Speaker 1: campsite on a large lake in a remote area that 44 00:02:45,480 --> 00:02:50,160 Speaker 1: rented twelve foot alumon of boats. Perfect I booked a 45 00:02:50,200 --> 00:02:54,240 Speaker 1: site and a boat for Memorial Day weekend and we'll 46 00:02:54,360 --> 00:03:01,160 Speaker 1: have four days of the best Canadian fishing we'd ever seen. Now, 47 00:03:01,160 --> 00:03:04,240 Speaker 1: what I didn't think about was Memorial Day in the 48 00:03:04,280 --> 00:03:08,839 Speaker 1: States is more of a summertime vibe. I remember going 49 00:03:08,880 --> 00:03:11,000 Speaker 1: to the DY five hundred on Memorial Day and it 50 00:03:11,040 --> 00:03:14,960 Speaker 1: was brutally hot. We showed up at the campground up 51 00:03:15,000 --> 00:03:18,280 Speaker 1: north and had to dig the utility pole out of 52 00:03:18,320 --> 00:03:23,240 Speaker 1: the snow. That's right, snow. It was twenty eight degrees 53 00:03:23,320 --> 00:03:26,520 Speaker 1: fahrenheit when we got there and didn't catch a dang 54 00:03:26,560 --> 00:03:31,040 Speaker 1: fish in four days. Didn't even get a bite. The 55 00:03:31,120 --> 00:03:34,560 Speaker 1: following year, we backed up our plans to July and 56 00:03:34,680 --> 00:03:38,120 Speaker 1: let it warm up. This definitely made for a better 57 00:03:38,200 --> 00:03:43,760 Speaker 1: fishing experience, except for the catching. We put one walleye 58 00:03:43,760 --> 00:03:47,800 Speaker 1: in the boat in four days. Needless to say, I 59 00:03:47,960 --> 00:03:51,600 Speaker 1: was frustrated, but had a fortunate thing happened when we 60 00:03:51,600 --> 00:03:55,160 Speaker 1: were checking out. I need to describe the campground a 61 00:03:55,160 --> 00:03:58,800 Speaker 1: little here. It's a family run campground with about twenty 62 00:03:58,840 --> 00:04:02,400 Speaker 1: spots right on the lake, plenty dock space for people 63 00:04:02,440 --> 00:04:05,560 Speaker 1: who bring their own boat. Very friendly people. He's a 64 00:04:05,600 --> 00:04:08,000 Speaker 1: bear outfitter as well, and as clients that come in 65 00:04:08,040 --> 00:04:11,720 Speaker 1: for bear hunts from Pittsburgh, where I'm from. He likes 66 00:04:11,760 --> 00:04:14,480 Speaker 1: to hunt and fish and do a host of other 67 00:04:14,520 --> 00:04:19,479 Speaker 1: outdoor activities. So as I'm checking out and swallowing my 68 00:04:19,560 --> 00:04:23,719 Speaker 1: pride as a fisherman, I noticed the unmistakable blue star 69 00:04:24,320 --> 00:04:29,600 Speaker 1: of the Dallas Cowboys logo right behind the counter. I 70 00:04:29,640 --> 00:04:34,520 Speaker 1: simply asked Cowboys fan, and he responded, not really, but 71 00:04:34,560 --> 00:04:39,160 Speaker 1: my wife is a huge fan. Now, my family has 72 00:04:39,200 --> 00:04:41,800 Speaker 1: season tickets to the Steelers, and back in the seventies, 73 00:04:41,800 --> 00:04:45,000 Speaker 1: both the Steelers and the Cowboys were fighting for NFL 74 00:04:45,120 --> 00:04:48,960 Speaker 1: dominance and started a pretty good football rivalry that has 75 00:04:49,279 --> 00:04:53,360 Speaker 1: since faded, but it still lingers. And it just so 76 00:04:53,520 --> 00:04:58,000 Speaker 1: happened that the Cowboys were playing in Pittsburgh a few 77 00:04:58,000 --> 00:05:02,360 Speaker 1: months later. So I said, well, if you can get 78 00:05:02,400 --> 00:05:05,640 Speaker 1: to Pittsburgh, I can take you guys to the Dallas game. 79 00:05:06,160 --> 00:05:09,840 Speaker 1: My family has season tickets. Now, his wife shot out 80 00:05:09,839 --> 00:05:11,560 Speaker 1: of the other room as if I had just said 81 00:05:11,600 --> 00:05:14,960 Speaker 1: the Pope pulled into the parking lot. She said she 82 00:05:15,000 --> 00:05:17,880 Speaker 1: had never been to a Cowboys game before and it 83 00:05:17,960 --> 00:05:21,520 Speaker 1: was on her bucket list. So we exchanged phone numbers 84 00:05:21,839 --> 00:05:23,560 Speaker 1: and made some rough plans for. 85 00:05:23,480 --> 00:05:24,320 Speaker 2: Them to come down. 86 00:05:25,760 --> 00:05:28,800 Speaker 1: I'm not the world's greatest entertainer. But I know how 87 00:05:28,800 --> 00:05:30,839 Speaker 1: to have a good time, and I made sure that 88 00:05:30,960 --> 00:05:34,720 Speaker 1: they did too. That's how I was raised. Make sure 89 00:05:34,839 --> 00:05:37,800 Speaker 1: your gifts have a great time, so I did. I 90 00:05:37,839 --> 00:05:41,600 Speaker 1: got a fraternity brother who also has seasoned tickets, and 91 00:05:41,680 --> 00:05:44,520 Speaker 1: his are way better than I was, so I upgraded 92 00:05:44,520 --> 00:05:47,560 Speaker 1: our seats. These seats were so good we can hear 93 00:05:47,600 --> 00:05:51,159 Speaker 1: the players having conversations on the field. And I also 94 00:05:51,279 --> 00:05:54,840 Speaker 1: arranged another friend to host a big tailgate for us 95 00:05:54,960 --> 00:05:59,640 Speaker 1: right there outside the stadium. Everything went off without a hitch. 96 00:05:59,839 --> 00:06:02,920 Speaker 1: The Steelers even did their part by letting Dallas win. 97 00:06:04,200 --> 00:06:06,000 Speaker 1: They had such a great time. In fact, at the 98 00:06:06,080 --> 00:06:08,279 Speaker 1: end of the day, they both asked how they could 99 00:06:08,400 --> 00:06:13,240 Speaker 1: ever repay us for the great time they had. All 100 00:06:13,320 --> 00:06:16,360 Speaker 1: I could think of his payment was show me where 101 00:06:16,400 --> 00:06:19,919 Speaker 1: the fish are. So the next year he took me 102 00:06:20,000 --> 00:06:24,200 Speaker 1: and my boys out fishing, and we slaid them. We 103 00:06:24,200 --> 00:06:26,839 Speaker 1: were putting our lines in and catching fish before we 104 00:06:26,839 --> 00:06:31,040 Speaker 1: could set the bail. We were on the ex This 105 00:06:31,320 --> 00:06:36,520 Speaker 1: is how I remember fishing in Canada. Finally, as the 106 00:06:36,560 --> 00:06:39,760 Speaker 1: evening fishing wore on, we were catching them so fast. 107 00:06:39,480 --> 00:06:41,080 Speaker 2: We couldn't net all of them. 108 00:06:41,560 --> 00:06:43,880 Speaker 1: So the smaller ones we caught, We just talked them 109 00:06:43,920 --> 00:06:46,920 Speaker 1: back like they were paying fish. If it flips off 110 00:06:46,920 --> 00:06:50,080 Speaker 1: the hook, no big deal, we were tossing it back anyway. 111 00:06:51,120 --> 00:06:53,520 Speaker 1: I hooked him to a twelve inch wall eye, big 112 00:06:53,640 --> 00:06:56,600 Speaker 1: enough to have some weight, but not a keeper, as 113 00:06:56,640 --> 00:06:59,760 Speaker 1: I had done numerous times that day and many days before. 114 00:07:00,440 --> 00:07:03,160 Speaker 1: I had my pole in my right hand and was 115 00:07:03,200 --> 00:07:05,760 Speaker 1: swinging the fish toward me to grab with my left 116 00:07:05,760 --> 00:07:08,960 Speaker 1: hand and unhook it, kind of like a rerecord ball 117 00:07:09,040 --> 00:07:11,480 Speaker 1: at the end of a chain as it slowly swings 118 00:07:11,480 --> 00:07:15,040 Speaker 1: towards you. I don't know if I broke concentration or 119 00:07:15,160 --> 00:07:18,560 Speaker 1: just mistimed it, because that fish was slowly swinging toward me. 120 00:07:18,960 --> 00:07:21,040 Speaker 1: It kicked as I reached out to grab it, and 121 00:07:21,080 --> 00:07:24,440 Speaker 1: it flipped around behind my hand. I hardly tried to 122 00:07:24,440 --> 00:07:26,560 Speaker 1: grab it again, and it bucked again, and this time 123 00:07:26,720 --> 00:07:28,280 Speaker 1: right in my face and made. 124 00:07:28,200 --> 00:07:29,840 Speaker 2: A very audible slap. 125 00:07:31,440 --> 00:07:34,320 Speaker 1: Now that would have been embarrassing enough, but I still 126 00:07:34,360 --> 00:07:37,520 Speaker 1: didn't have a hold of the fish during this melee. 127 00:07:37,560 --> 00:07:40,400 Speaker 1: The fish was still between my hand and my face. 128 00:07:40,480 --> 00:07:43,600 Speaker 1: We are literally eye to eye in this situation, and 129 00:07:43,640 --> 00:07:46,240 Speaker 1: the only thing I could think to do was to 130 00:07:46,280 --> 00:07:48,560 Speaker 1: press him against my face for leverage and get a 131 00:07:48,560 --> 00:07:52,760 Speaker 1: hold of it. This didn't happen instantaneously, and the wet, 132 00:07:53,000 --> 00:07:56,239 Speaker 1: scaly wrecord ball got a few more slaps in before 133 00:07:56,240 --> 00:08:00,000 Speaker 1: I could get my hands on it. This all happened 134 00:08:00,240 --> 00:08:02,440 Speaker 1: so fast I didn't even see what was happening in 135 00:08:02,480 --> 00:08:05,120 Speaker 1: the boat. Our guide and my boys are looking at 136 00:08:05,120 --> 00:08:07,800 Speaker 1: me with their jaws open wide and their eyes popping 137 00:08:07,840 --> 00:08:10,680 Speaker 1: out of their head, just staring at me for a 138 00:08:10,720 --> 00:08:14,800 Speaker 1: split second, and then proceeded to laugh uncontrollably for the 139 00:08:14,840 --> 00:08:18,240 Speaker 1: next three days. You know the kind of laughter where 140 00:08:18,240 --> 00:08:20,280 Speaker 1: you can't breathe and it hurts a little. 141 00:08:20,720 --> 00:08:21,280 Speaker 2: That kind. 142 00:08:22,800 --> 00:08:25,240 Speaker 1: Our guide and host, Paul, invited us to a fish 143 00:08:25,320 --> 00:08:29,239 Speaker 1: fry that evening, and my story was repeated and recounted. 144 00:08:28,800 --> 00:08:30,360 Speaker 2: From all parties involved. 145 00:08:31,560 --> 00:08:33,960 Speaker 1: I referred to him as Paul now because this is 146 00:08:34,000 --> 00:08:38,800 Speaker 1: the moment that we became friends. Paul has since introduced 147 00:08:38,840 --> 00:08:41,559 Speaker 1: me to everyone as this is the guy who was 148 00:08:41,600 --> 00:08:45,960 Speaker 1: slept by a fish. We text each other every so often, 149 00:08:46,080 --> 00:08:49,120 Speaker 1: even though he is over a thousand miles away, and 150 00:08:49,240 --> 00:08:52,840 Speaker 1: we share our photos of successful hunts. Since that day, 151 00:08:52,920 --> 00:08:56,160 Speaker 1: we have caught our limit of walleye in two days 152 00:08:56,760 --> 00:09:00,439 Speaker 1: on every trip all because I had to get fish 153 00:09:00,480 --> 00:09:06,520 Speaker 1: slapped for success, and according to my favorite Genser bo Jones, 154 00:09:07,280 --> 00:09:12,040 Speaker 1: that's just how that happened. Thanks for sending that in, Bo, 155 00:09:12,160 --> 00:09:15,439 Speaker 1: and I hope your pals appreciated your unintentional folly. 156 00:09:15,559 --> 00:09:28,720 Speaker 2: That led to the gears with success. Thanks buddy. 157 00:09:29,520 --> 00:09:32,120 Speaker 1: Five years ago, Clayton Nuclem asked me to go with 158 00:09:32,200 --> 00:09:35,319 Speaker 1: him on what would be the first Black bar Bonan's event, 159 00:09:35,960 --> 00:09:38,960 Speaker 1: and I agreed. I don't remember if I ever told 160 00:09:39,080 --> 00:09:42,040 Speaker 1: him no to a Hey, I'm going to such and 161 00:09:42,120 --> 00:09:43,400 Speaker 1: such and I want you to go with me. 162 00:09:43,480 --> 00:09:45,400 Speaker 2: Can you go? Yep? 163 00:09:45,760 --> 00:09:50,600 Speaker 1: That was my standard answer to everything anytime he asked, 164 00:09:51,160 --> 00:09:55,960 Speaker 1: and has been for the past eleven years. I've been 165 00:09:56,000 --> 00:09:58,600 Speaker 1: going places with him, mostly sitting behind the camera and 166 00:09:58,640 --> 00:10:01,800 Speaker 1: filming him doing aangeriously dumb things that I was going 167 00:10:01,880 --> 00:10:04,320 Speaker 1: to have to testify under oath about so his wife 168 00:10:04,320 --> 00:10:07,840 Speaker 1: missed it could collect the insurance money. Like the time 169 00:10:07,880 --> 00:10:10,959 Speaker 1: in Saskatchewan when we had bears at a bait site 170 00:10:10,960 --> 00:10:14,440 Speaker 1: that we'd been sitting at for almost a week. We'd 171 00:10:14,480 --> 00:10:17,520 Speaker 1: watch bears every day from the time we got there 172 00:10:17,600 --> 00:10:20,959 Speaker 1: until the last light lay it in the bait fighting 173 00:10:20,960 --> 00:10:23,680 Speaker 1: other bears over what they were eating and having to 174 00:10:23,679 --> 00:10:25,520 Speaker 1: throw sticks at them to keep them out of the 175 00:10:25,559 --> 00:10:27,760 Speaker 1: brush blind that we'd bit while we sat on the 176 00:10:27,800 --> 00:10:30,640 Speaker 1: ground making coffee with a jet bawl and eating the 177 00:10:30,720 --> 00:10:35,040 Speaker 1: snacks we'd brought with us. Bears are like me when 178 00:10:35,040 --> 00:10:37,200 Speaker 1: it comes to food that tend to be a little stingy. 179 00:10:38,120 --> 00:10:41,160 Speaker 1: Anyone who knows anything about bears knows that there's three 180 00:10:41,200 --> 00:10:43,920 Speaker 1: times when you're most susceptible to getting in a boxing 181 00:10:43,960 --> 00:10:47,840 Speaker 1: match with one. Getting between them and food is one way. 182 00:10:48,000 --> 00:10:51,800 Speaker 1: Here's an example. Not long after we had the coffee 183 00:10:51,840 --> 00:10:56,120 Speaker 1: drinking that brush blind we built in Saskatchewan, I felmed 184 00:10:56,160 --> 00:10:58,720 Speaker 1: Clay poke a hole in a nice colored face bear. 185 00:11:00,160 --> 00:11:06,000 Speaker 1: Waited to prescribe thirty minutes, probably more like fifteen, probably 186 00:11:06,040 --> 00:11:09,200 Speaker 1: closer to ten really, before walking out to where he'd 187 00:11:09,200 --> 00:11:11,200 Speaker 1: shot the bear, to see what kind of blood trail 188 00:11:11,240 --> 00:11:12,600 Speaker 1: that we were going to be dealing with. 189 00:11:14,600 --> 00:11:15,200 Speaker 2: At that time. 190 00:11:15,280 --> 00:11:17,680 Speaker 1: During the shot, there were two bears on the bait, 191 00:11:17,760 --> 00:11:20,880 Speaker 1: one black and the color faced bear that he shot. 192 00:11:21,800 --> 00:11:24,040 Speaker 1: They had already been duking it out for who the 193 00:11:24,080 --> 00:11:26,640 Speaker 1: groceries belonged to when Clay decided to let the air 194 00:11:26,679 --> 00:11:29,560 Speaker 1: out of the biggest one. Now This had been taking 195 00:11:29,600 --> 00:11:33,319 Speaker 1: place twenty five yards in front of us all evening 196 00:11:33,360 --> 00:11:36,240 Speaker 1: with those bears. I felmed them slugging it out to 197 00:11:36,280 --> 00:11:39,360 Speaker 1: the point that their fight had become background noise while 198 00:11:39,400 --> 00:11:43,720 Speaker 1: we waited for a giant to come in. I remember 199 00:11:43,760 --> 00:11:45,960 Speaker 1: one time Clay and I were watching it and I 200 00:11:46,040 --> 00:11:47,880 Speaker 1: wasn't filming it, and it had been going on for 201 00:11:47,920 --> 00:11:49,760 Speaker 1: so long. He turned around and looked at me, and 202 00:11:49,840 --> 00:11:55,040 Speaker 1: I just said bouling. And that was to an amazing 203 00:11:55,120 --> 00:11:57,760 Speaker 1: bear fight that was going on in front of us. 204 00:11:58,240 --> 00:12:01,640 Speaker 1: But since a bigger board didn't materialized, Clay Bow decided 205 00:12:01,679 --> 00:12:04,440 Speaker 1: he'd be happy with this one that we'd been watching 206 00:12:04,520 --> 00:12:07,080 Speaker 1: all week, so he picked up his stick bow and 207 00:12:07,120 --> 00:12:10,920 Speaker 1: took his shot. That bear left with the arrow, and 208 00:12:11,000 --> 00:12:14,440 Speaker 1: the black bear that wasn't targeted claimed the bait site 209 00:12:14,480 --> 00:12:18,480 Speaker 1: as his unbeknownst of the coup Clay had orchestrated on 210 00:12:18,559 --> 00:12:22,120 Speaker 1: his behalf that had just taken place. Now looking back, 211 00:12:22,200 --> 00:12:25,080 Speaker 1: one would assume the bear that state had figured he'd 212 00:12:25,080 --> 00:12:28,440 Speaker 1: finally scared the bigger bear off. Ten minutes later, we 213 00:12:28,520 --> 00:12:31,480 Speaker 1: challenged his right to the bait by ignoring his presence 214 00:12:32,040 --> 00:12:35,000 Speaker 1: and walking over to where the bear that Clay had shot, 215 00:12:35,040 --> 00:12:38,000 Speaker 1: had been standing when he did it. It was like 216 00:12:38,120 --> 00:12:40,680 Speaker 1: we thought he was on our team, like we'd all 217 00:12:40,720 --> 00:12:43,200 Speaker 1: been in on this from the beginning, and that the 218 00:12:43,200 --> 00:12:45,920 Speaker 1: black bear was distracting the color phace bear so we 219 00:12:45,960 --> 00:12:48,160 Speaker 1: could just job a hole in him and told him 220 00:12:48,200 --> 00:12:52,760 Speaker 1: back to Arkansas. Now, we may have thought that or 221 00:12:52,880 --> 00:12:56,240 Speaker 1: acted like that, but we forgot to include the bear 222 00:12:56,400 --> 00:12:58,199 Speaker 1: in on that message thread. 223 00:13:00,360 --> 00:13:01,199 Speaker 2: We stood there in. 224 00:13:01,120 --> 00:13:03,320 Speaker 1: The middle of that bait that was scattered all over 225 00:13:03,360 --> 00:13:06,040 Speaker 1: the ground, looking for the arrow and the blood sign 226 00:13:06,400 --> 00:13:10,160 Speaker 1: while our amigo continued to stuff his face with oates, 227 00:13:10,640 --> 00:13:13,400 Speaker 1: simultaneously staring at the two of us from less than 228 00:13:13,440 --> 00:13:18,520 Speaker 1: five yards away. Finally, after several minutes, the fog of 229 00:13:18,600 --> 00:13:22,239 Speaker 1: focus began to fade from filming the moment of adrenaline 230 00:13:22,280 --> 00:13:25,360 Speaker 1: that follows a bowshot on a large predator, and play said, 231 00:13:26,080 --> 00:13:28,760 Speaker 1: maybe we should give that bear a little more room. 232 00:13:30,200 --> 00:13:33,240 Speaker 1: I forgot about it. I took my attention away from 233 00:13:33,240 --> 00:13:35,320 Speaker 1: the camera. I looked over at him and realized for 234 00:13:35,360 --> 00:13:37,920 Speaker 1: the first time in the week of watching him chew, fight, 235 00:13:38,000 --> 00:13:42,840 Speaker 1: and chew, that Eloso had stopped chewing and was just 236 00:13:43,000 --> 00:13:45,800 Speaker 1: glaring at the two of us like we'd finally gathered 237 00:13:45,920 --> 00:13:49,800 Speaker 1: enough gumption to crash his party, a party that he'd 238 00:13:49,800 --> 00:13:54,000 Speaker 1: spent all evening try to win for himself. We moved 239 00:13:54,040 --> 00:13:57,560 Speaker 1: away and he said thanks by not killing us in 240 00:13:57,640 --> 00:14:03,480 Speaker 1: the Canadian North, appreciated that I was there and living 241 00:14:03,520 --> 00:14:05,760 Speaker 1: on the verge of being able to write my own 242 00:14:06,280 --> 00:14:10,000 Speaker 1: This happened to me calling for Outdoor Life magazine, assuming 243 00:14:10,480 --> 00:14:13,959 Speaker 1: I lived through it. Otherwise it would have been this 244 00:14:14,040 --> 00:14:18,199 Speaker 1: happened to him article written by someone else, maybe the bear. 245 00:14:19,720 --> 00:14:22,040 Speaker 2: And I was there because I had said yes. 246 00:14:22,280 --> 00:14:24,560 Speaker 1: When Clay asked me if I could go with him 247 00:14:24,560 --> 00:14:29,840 Speaker 1: to film a bear hunt, and says Scatchewan, surprising them 248 00:14:29,840 --> 00:14:32,880 Speaker 1: and getting too close to a sound cubs is another 249 00:14:32,920 --> 00:14:35,640 Speaker 1: way to get on the business end of a bear's pause. 250 00:14:35,760 --> 00:14:38,880 Speaker 1: Check this one out. He asked me to go with 251 00:14:39,000 --> 00:14:41,840 Speaker 1: him to film a hunt in British Columbia, and without hesitation, 252 00:14:42,000 --> 00:14:45,960 Speaker 1: once again I said yes. This one was going to 253 00:14:46,000 --> 00:14:49,040 Speaker 1: be a bit different though. We were still hunting black bears, 254 00:14:49,040 --> 00:14:51,440 Speaker 1: but we would be taking bait out of the process, 255 00:14:52,040 --> 00:14:55,200 Speaker 1: and in that empty space we'd be adding the presence 256 00:14:55,600 --> 00:14:59,200 Speaker 1: of grizzly bears. Not to hunt, mind you, we were 257 00:14:59,200 --> 00:15:01,800 Speaker 1: strictly after black bearries. We just happened to be doing 258 00:15:01,840 --> 00:15:05,760 Speaker 1: it in the prime country, where grizzly bears and black 259 00:15:05,800 --> 00:15:11,600 Speaker 1: bear habitats overlapped. I've heard folks say that if you 260 00:15:11,680 --> 00:15:15,240 Speaker 1: find black bears in grizzly country, old grizz won't be 261 00:15:15,280 --> 00:15:19,360 Speaker 1: there because they don't live well together. My own personal 262 00:15:19,400 --> 00:15:23,760 Speaker 1: research has proven that to be none percent true. I 263 00:15:23,800 --> 00:15:27,920 Speaker 1: saw both brands of bears in the same fields, separated 264 00:15:28,040 --> 00:15:31,240 Speaker 1: only by ankle deep grass that they were both munching 265 00:15:31,280 --> 00:15:33,240 Speaker 1: onto the tune of about a bail of hay each. 266 00:15:35,000 --> 00:15:36,760 Speaker 2: First afternoon we were there, we. 267 00:15:36,640 --> 00:15:39,600 Speaker 1: Walked up within fifty yards of a south grizzly feeding 268 00:15:39,720 --> 00:15:41,800 Speaker 1: and two cups that were playing on the edge of 269 00:15:41,840 --> 00:15:45,360 Speaker 1: a big open pasture that was surrounded by thick aspen 270 00:15:45,400 --> 00:15:47,840 Speaker 1: trees and brush that we didn't see. 271 00:15:47,680 --> 00:15:49,800 Speaker 2: Until we stepped out into the opening. 272 00:15:50,920 --> 00:15:54,160 Speaker 1: Three of us stood there in the fald opened, a guide, 273 00:15:54,200 --> 00:15:56,560 Speaker 1: a hunter, and me holding a tripod and the camera 274 00:15:56,680 --> 00:15:59,840 Speaker 1: on my shoulder like I whope both carries his bending 275 00:16:01,400 --> 00:16:04,320 Speaker 1: Surprise bears, is us the humans with only a stick 276 00:16:04,360 --> 00:16:09,080 Speaker 1: and a string between us and your next pile of scat. Fortunately, 277 00:16:09,600 --> 00:16:11,720 Speaker 1: our guide had left his bear rifle one hundred and 278 00:16:11,760 --> 00:16:15,120 Speaker 1: fifty yards way back in the truck. Wouldn't have wanted 279 00:16:15,120 --> 00:16:19,000 Speaker 1: it to get too loud around there, and all because 280 00:16:19,120 --> 00:16:21,880 Speaker 1: I said yes to the question Klay asked me a 281 00:16:21,960 --> 00:16:26,440 Speaker 1: few weeks before when he said British Columbia, and I 282 00:16:26,440 --> 00:16:31,560 Speaker 1: immediately romanticized about the possibility of actually seeing my first 283 00:16:31,600 --> 00:16:35,600 Speaker 1: grizzly through binoculars at a great distance, every thinking I'd 284 00:16:35,720 --> 00:16:37,640 Speaker 1: be looking at one of the way my dennist sees 285 00:16:37,760 --> 00:16:41,520 Speaker 1: me mouth wide open and pearly white exposed all the 286 00:16:41,560 --> 00:16:44,520 Speaker 1: way back to my goozle at my yearly check of 287 00:16:46,160 --> 00:16:48,600 Speaker 1: Now that sound didn't do that, but I was expected 288 00:16:48,640 --> 00:16:51,880 Speaker 1: at any moment. The cubs spooped and ran away, and 289 00:16:51,920 --> 00:16:55,240 Speaker 1: after a momentary stairdown it seemed like it lasted for 290 00:16:55,280 --> 00:16:57,840 Speaker 1: a couple of days when reality was only for a 291 00:16:57,880 --> 00:16:58,680 Speaker 1: few seconds. 292 00:16:59,240 --> 00:17:02,520 Speaker 2: The South stamp and ran off after her cubs, and 293 00:17:02,600 --> 00:17:06,000 Speaker 2: I was there all because I'd said, Yester Clay. 294 00:17:07,520 --> 00:17:10,159 Speaker 1: Now, at this point, you'd have thought I'd learned my lessons, 295 00:17:10,240 --> 00:17:13,320 Speaker 1: But no, I've done it many times since and believed 296 00:17:13,400 --> 00:17:17,320 Speaker 1: or not it's all worked out most of the times. 297 00:17:18,040 --> 00:17:18,760 Speaker 2: My advantage. 298 00:17:20,320 --> 00:17:22,920 Speaker 1: Remember, way back when I started talking about how he'd 299 00:17:22,960 --> 00:17:25,080 Speaker 1: asked me to go with him to the first black 300 00:17:25,080 --> 00:17:29,080 Speaker 1: Bear Bonanza. Well, it wasn't really the black bear Bonanza, 301 00:17:29,840 --> 00:17:33,919 Speaker 1: not yet anyway. It was more of a celebration of 302 00:17:33,960 --> 00:17:37,200 Speaker 1: the American black bear, and folks were going to gather 303 00:17:37,359 --> 00:17:40,560 Speaker 1: up and visit and tell stories about bears. 304 00:17:41,240 --> 00:17:41,960 Speaker 2: Would they want me. 305 00:17:41,920 --> 00:17:44,359 Speaker 1: To tell a story too, like in front of a 306 00:17:44,359 --> 00:17:47,520 Speaker 1: bunch of people. I thought of doing that in front 307 00:17:47,560 --> 00:17:49,280 Speaker 1: of a bunch of people I didn't know. Made me 308 00:17:49,359 --> 00:17:53,240 Speaker 1: a little nervous. Then augural event was scheduled to take 309 00:17:53,280 --> 00:17:59,359 Speaker 1: place in March of twenty twenty. Yep, that's right, cancel 310 00:18:00,080 --> 00:18:04,600 Speaker 1: cause of COVID. I was actually a little relieved. Maybe 311 00:18:04,600 --> 00:18:07,280 Speaker 1: they wouldn't do it again a one and done event, 312 00:18:07,480 --> 00:18:11,679 Speaker 1: or more like a Nune and done event. But wouldn't 313 00:18:11,680 --> 00:18:15,200 Speaker 1: you know it, the ladies and gentlemen at backcountry Hunters 314 00:18:15,240 --> 00:18:18,720 Speaker 1: and Anglers kept beating the drum, and when twenty twenty 315 00:18:18,720 --> 00:18:23,840 Speaker 1: two rolled around, the event became the first black Bear Bonanza. 316 00:18:23,960 --> 00:18:26,320 Speaker 1: I served as a judge for the al Houton contest, 317 00:18:26,359 --> 00:18:29,040 Speaker 1: and me and Clay demonstrated how to render some bear 318 00:18:29,119 --> 00:18:35,160 Speaker 1: fat and we talked with funds folks from everywhere all day. 319 00:18:36,280 --> 00:18:40,840 Speaker 1: Nine am five pm people that followed Clay's working. My 320 00:18:40,960 --> 00:18:45,000 Speaker 1: minor contributions to his endeavors starting before met either was 321 00:18:45,200 --> 00:18:48,800 Speaker 1: either of our employer them. When Clay went to work 322 00:18:48,840 --> 00:18:50,720 Speaker 1: in a few years later, they offered me a spot. 323 00:18:50,800 --> 00:18:53,840 Speaker 1: We'd already built an organic group of people that I 324 00:18:53,960 --> 00:18:58,040 Speaker 1: looked forward to seeing every year, folks from all over 325 00:18:58,080 --> 00:19:03,800 Speaker 1: the United States and Canada, speaking of Canada in a 326 00:19:03,880 --> 00:19:07,879 Speaker 1: roundabout way, through my association with folks from the Bonanza, 327 00:19:07,960 --> 00:19:12,080 Speaker 1: namely my good friend David McDaniels, who coincidentally I invited 328 00:19:12,240 --> 00:19:14,920 Speaker 1: to the second event, and by the time the third 329 00:19:14,960 --> 00:19:18,360 Speaker 1: event rolled around, he was helping our friend Kobe Moorehead 330 00:19:18,400 --> 00:19:22,280 Speaker 1: who owns Bear Hunting Magazine, working his booth and writing 331 00:19:22,400 --> 00:19:25,600 Speaker 1: articles for the magazine and gathering video content as well. 332 00:19:26,280 --> 00:19:32,000 Speaker 1: Now through that friendship, I met the McCarthy's from Manitoba, Canada, 333 00:19:32,160 --> 00:19:35,080 Speaker 1: the ones I told you about back in episode two 334 00:19:35,200 --> 00:19:37,520 Speaker 1: nineteen entitled Canadian Chocolate. 335 00:19:38,200 --> 00:19:39,960 Speaker 2: It's about that big four. 336 00:19:39,880 --> 00:19:42,560 Speaker 1: Hundred and forty pounds color face bear I got with 337 00:19:42,560 --> 00:19:46,160 Speaker 1: my bowl while hunting with him back in twenty twenty four. 338 00:19:48,440 --> 00:19:50,720 Speaker 1: David had hunted with him the year before and created 339 00:19:50,720 --> 00:19:53,760 Speaker 1: some content for the magazine and had such a good time. 340 00:19:53,840 --> 00:19:57,159 Speaker 1: They invited him back and I went with him. If 341 00:19:57,200 --> 00:19:59,440 Speaker 1: you hadn't heard the details about them, their family and 342 00:19:59,480 --> 00:20:02,080 Speaker 1: their business in that bear, I suggest you go listen. 343 00:20:02,119 --> 00:20:05,560 Speaker 1: I think you'll like it. But they were a long 344 00:20:05,720 --> 00:20:08,400 Speaker 1: way from the snow drifts and cheese curds of their 345 00:20:08,400 --> 00:20:12,760 Speaker 1: homeland north of the border. They poured their frozen noses 346 00:20:12,880 --> 00:20:15,680 Speaker 1: south and followed them all the way down to Arkansas 347 00:20:15,720 --> 00:20:18,600 Speaker 1: by way of Texas. And when they got here they 348 00:20:18,640 --> 00:20:23,280 Speaker 1: had David and his son Bania and told my friend 349 00:20:23,280 --> 00:20:25,320 Speaker 1: Michael Rosemand and I took them coon hunting, and we 350 00:20:25,320 --> 00:20:29,000 Speaker 1: stayed at my friend Randall and Wade Whitmore's Cash by 351 00:20:29,040 --> 00:20:32,520 Speaker 1: You Hunting Club, what most of us call coon Camp. 352 00:20:33,840 --> 00:20:35,720 Speaker 1: It was a treat for Michael and me to take 353 00:20:35,760 --> 00:20:38,560 Speaker 1: a group of folks who'd never been coon hunting before. 354 00:20:39,000 --> 00:20:41,000 Speaker 1: And there were a lot of first that night, most 355 00:20:41,040 --> 00:20:44,920 Speaker 1: notably eight year old Benign knocking his first coon out 356 00:20:44,920 --> 00:20:49,440 Speaker 1: of a tree on his very first hunt. All those folks, 357 00:20:49,480 --> 00:20:52,520 Speaker 1: every single one of them, I owe to knowing in 358 00:20:52,560 --> 00:20:56,920 Speaker 1: one fashion or another, to the black Bear Bonanza. And 359 00:20:56,960 --> 00:21:01,400 Speaker 1: it's not limited to just them either. People I met 360 00:21:01,400 --> 00:21:03,600 Speaker 1: and keep up with through the year that I may 361 00:21:03,640 --> 00:21:06,679 Speaker 1: not talk to often, maybe only at that event. But 362 00:21:07,119 --> 00:21:09,800 Speaker 1: I watch them and their kids on their social media posts, 363 00:21:09,840 --> 00:21:12,639 Speaker 1: and I see how they've grown and the milestones that 364 00:21:12,680 --> 00:21:15,720 Speaker 1: they've had and the losses they've suffered. Over the past 365 00:21:15,760 --> 00:21:19,160 Speaker 1: few years, I've been hunting with some of them, been 366 00:21:19,160 --> 00:21:21,320 Speaker 1: to some of their kids' ball games, and have We've 367 00:21:21,320 --> 00:21:23,719 Speaker 1: gotten to know some of them so well that it's 368 00:21:23,840 --> 00:21:27,040 Speaker 1: kind of like I've always known them. I never give 369 00:21:27,080 --> 00:21:29,240 Speaker 1: it a passing thought that we met at an event 370 00:21:29,359 --> 00:21:33,280 Speaker 1: I was initially nervous about attending and relieved when it 371 00:21:33,359 --> 00:21:38,680 Speaker 1: was postponed. Not only that, but I've obviously gotten over 372 00:21:38,760 --> 00:21:41,040 Speaker 1: the I wonder if they're going to make me talk 373 00:21:41,080 --> 00:21:43,119 Speaker 1: to a big group of people syndrome. 374 00:21:43,320 --> 00:21:45,119 Speaker 2: Now I'm worried they won't let me. 375 00:21:46,760 --> 00:21:49,760 Speaker 1: Started going to that gathering before this show was ever 376 00:21:49,840 --> 00:21:53,119 Speaker 1: a passing thought, and through this show, that crowd of 377 00:21:53,200 --> 00:21:59,360 Speaker 1: familiar folks gets bigger and better every year. I think 378 00:21:59,400 --> 00:22:02,080 Speaker 1: of all the wonderful people I met, places I've gotten 379 00:22:02,080 --> 00:22:05,480 Speaker 1: to go, and experiences I've gotten to share, all because 380 00:22:05,600 --> 00:22:09,520 Speaker 1: of a casual invitation to write Shotgun to a meeting 381 00:22:09,640 --> 00:22:16,919 Speaker 1: celebrating of all things fairs, all of us every cotton 382 00:22:17,040 --> 00:22:20,679 Speaker 1: picking one of us has a similar convoluted pathway to 383 00:22:20,760 --> 00:22:25,200 Speaker 1: where we are now, good or bad. It shows the 384 00:22:25,240 --> 00:22:29,879 Speaker 1: impact of a seemingly inconsequential act. They can have a 385 00:22:29,960 --> 00:22:33,520 Speaker 1: life changing effect on us and influence those around us. 386 00:22:34,600 --> 00:22:38,080 Speaker 1: For me, that's been a good thing and a blessing 387 00:22:38,560 --> 00:22:42,320 Speaker 1: to my family. I woad ded a gratitude to my 388 00:22:42,400 --> 00:22:46,960 Speaker 1: friend the meal Skinner for that initial invitation, and for 389 00:22:47,160 --> 00:22:49,960 Speaker 1: all of you as well for checking in each week 390 00:22:50,560 --> 00:22:54,040 Speaker 1: to see where that invitation is leading me next. 391 00:22:56,560 --> 00:22:57,119 Speaker 2: Good stuff. 392 00:22:59,280 --> 00:23:01,720 Speaker 1: Thank y'all so much for listening to me and c Hey, 393 00:23:01,920 --> 00:23:04,199 Speaker 1: if you get a chance, the nerds back at the 394 00:23:04,280 --> 00:23:07,720 Speaker 1: lab would appreciate you posting a review on whatever platform 395 00:23:07,720 --> 00:23:09,600 Speaker 1: you listen to us on. It really helps get the 396 00:23:09,600 --> 00:23:10,880 Speaker 1: word out to others. 397 00:23:10,840 --> 00:23:13,400 Speaker 2: Who might like to hear it to you. Don't ask 398 00:23:13,440 --> 00:23:16,760 Speaker 2: me how it works, just do it Until next week. 399 00:23:16,840 --> 00:23:20,080 Speaker 2: This is Bret Reeves. Sign it off. Y'all be careful.