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By: Joella Bates
Bear Hunt Sept. 17-22, 2007
The calves of my legs burned as is if the muscle fibers were literally on fire. The mountain’s elevation began around 800
feet above sea level and rose sharply as we ascended to about 2200 feet. The beach tree stood on the 40-yard wide shelf;
there the big black bear had dug in his claws as he climbed to a height out of the reach of the treed hounds. Before I could
continue the trek, I had to remove my boots and massage my feet and calves to release the knotted muscles.
“We’ve got to go,” exclaimed Mo, as I pulled my Muck Boots back onto my feet.
“That’s better,” I said as I stood up then leaned over to stretch my quads, calves, and hamstrings. “Let me grab a quick drink
of water from the backpack and I’ll be ready.”
“Time’s wasting,” Mo confirmed. “Those hounds have been at it for near six hours. Before long the bear may decide that they
are no longer a threat. When he does, he will bale out.”
“The dogs sure aren’t barking with the gusto that they had earlier,” I comment.
“That’s what I am afraid of,” Mo confirms. “When they lie down and get lazy, the bear may sneak down and leave. I know that
Wally must be wearing down. Yesterday’s chase on that young bear took them across at least four mountains and that isn’t
even countin’ today. He sure is a good’un.
The hounds had cut the track shortly after daybreak. Wally, an English hound, had stayed treed on another mountain for part
of the night. We aren’t certain if he was still on the same bear or if he had come back into the bait site then cut another
track. We knew for certain that the young hounds had joined him in a two-hour chase before the bear decided to go up a tree.
As the incline steepened, the vegetation thickened. The spindly stripped maples and aspens were interspersed with thick
hemlocks. If it wasn’t difficult enough to squeeze through the trees, the loose shale rocks made walking quietly near
impossible, not to mention the evidence of years of dropped leaves that littered the forest floor. The challenges were
immense, but not nearly as extreme as the challenges that my hunting companions faced.
Bobby and Wally Hart, two of the owners of Hart Custom Rifles, and Tommy Lee Osha and Chad Thousand, of the Fail-Safe
Group (a business solutions firm located in North Carolina) had invited my daughter, Jana, and son-in-law, Travis Crowell,
grandson, Laken, and me to a fish fry at Buck and Boar Plantation in South Carolina. While chatting around the campfire, we
all became acquainted with Maurice Hart Jr. (Mo) of Bear Ledge Kennels and Guide Service of Sumner, Maine. We believed
that the highlight of the fish fry would be the opportunity to meet PBR bull rider, Tony Mendez, who was presented a custom
30 Hart built by Bobby Hart and presented by he and his dad. Additionally, I finally got to spend time in hunting camp with
the folks at Buck and Boar and lastly, I met former High School National Champion bull rider, Johnny Howell. The reality is
that this turned out to be a life-changing event. Many of the new acquaintances have now become members of my inner circle
of dearest companions.
As Mo talked about hunting bears with hounds, I became more and more intrigued. Before the evening ended, I had been
invited to Maine for a fall bear-hound hunt. I graciously accepted the invitation and looked forward to the experience.
I made plans to pickup Johnny Howell at the airport in Albany for the 300 mile journey to Mo’s bear camp.
At the Deerassic Classic in Cambridge, Ohio, I had another chance meeting with a guy from North Carolina. He had recently
shot and hunted with some of my friends (the Harts, Dwayne Wessinger of Buck and Boar, and former 3-D archery super-
star Johnny Heath). Dwayne and Mike Alford became acquainted through an internet chat room. When Dwayne realized Mike’s
fascination with long range shooting, he made the introduction and initiated an invitation for Mike to meet and shoot with
Bobby Hart.
For well over 30 years, Bobby Hart has introduced thousands of people to the sport of long range shooting. Johnny Howell
and Mike Alford are just two of the many persons that Bobby has taken under his tutelage.
My challenge was that my physical condition was not as good as it needed to be to endure and enjoy the hunt. The guys had
much bigger issues to overcome. Johnny had become paralyzed 17 years ago during a bull riding event that had broken his neck.
Despite the doctor’s diagnosis that Johnny would never walk again, he worked his way out of the wheelchair through
dedication, determination, and with a never-quit attitude. Today he can walk with the aid of a quad-cane. At age 14, Mike
Alford, a dedicated little league baseball player, was involved in a devastating collision with a gravel truck while riding a
moped. The incident severed his left leg from near the knee. Then in 2001 the doctors discovered a tumor in the right side of
Mike’s brain. After surgery and a maximum amount of radiation treatment, Mike was finally cancer free.
Bobby Hart and Tommy Lee Osha were instrumental in arranging the details for the bear hunt with Mo Hart. Bobby loaned
Mike his 30 Hart rifle known as the HAMMER for the hunt. Additionally, Bobby built Johnny Howell an incredible .264
Custom Hart engraved with a bull, bull rider, and Johnny’s family brand.
I spent the mornings and into early afternoon hunting bears with Mo and his hounds. Toward the week’s end, Mo’s friend
James let us hunt with his hounds on another friend’s property. The afternoons were spent with the guys sitting on stands
that had barrels baited with pastries and doughnuts.
Mike sat in a ground blind with Joe, Mo’s friend that had filmed fishing shows for ESPN TV. Within the
first hour, a near 300 pound black bruin ambled in to the bait. The bear caught Mike trying to raise the 30 Hart.
An unobstructed cough spooked the big guy back into the dense woods. As camera light faded, the bear returned.
Despite attempts by Mike to center the crosshair on the bear’s shoulder, he lacked the confidence necessary
to squeeze the trigger.
“I came and saw a bear. I accomplished what I came for. I saw the big bear and he was absolutely beautiful. I
did not want to wound him. Since I was having a hard time seeing my crosshairs in the scope, I chose not to
shoot,” Mike declared, as he shared his thoughts with us that night.
Despite valiant attempts, the bears avoided the sweet temptations offered at each stand that Johnny and I
occupied. We were entertained by the bawls of lovesick moose and cheerful scampering of feeding and hoarding
squirrels. On Thursday evening, Johnny and I had a close encounter with a lurking bear that felled a tree just
to our north before circling us in the thick hemlocks at a close enough distance to make all hair stand at
attention. On Saturday evening the bear returned and once again circled at close range. I heard him spook and go crashing
through the bush when he encountered our human scent on the trail we had walked in on three hours earlier.
I was challenged again on Friday. Another trip up the mountain, but this time when the bear jumped from the tree, James, Mo,
and a police chief friend from Massachusetts followed the bear. I stayed behind with the husband and wife that owned the
property. James carried my .280 Hart and handed it to the police officer as the bear backed down the tree. James handed
him my rifle. Bang the gun went off. Bang the gun went off a second time. With the bear jumping to the ground, he shot a
third shot as the bear disappeared in the thick hemlocks. It was evident that the bear had been hit.
An hour and a half of fast and furious hound and bear action took the men scurrying through the woods. First the bear bailed
over the steep cliffs and disappeared into the thick alders as though pulling the door closed behind him. The hounds followed.
The hunters stopped periodically to locate the barking hounds wondering how close the dogs were to the bottom of the
mountain. Mo followed with the video camera. We followed along as stragglers, stopping to hear the action. When gun shots
rang out to our south west, we believed the challenge to be over.
The reality was that the bear climbed a
10 inch beach tree and hung on until the
hunter fired a mortal shot from his
handgun. The bear dropped within mere
feet of the hunter. At over 400 pounds,
the huge bruin will make a dandy trophy
as the tale is told over and over.
On Saturday morning, Mike wished us all
farewell as he departed Maine for the
long trip back home. He traveled through
Pennsylvania with a stop to leave the
loaner rifle at Bobby Hart’s home. After
a brief visit with the Harts, Mike
returned to North Carolina. He was a
satisfied man: he had hunted bears; he
had seen a beautiful black bear, and he
had made new friends that he will cherish
for a lifetime.
Johnny looks forward to another long range adventure. And I promise myself that next time, I will be able to keep up.
For more information on Hart Custom Rifles visit their website at www.rwhart.com or call 570-752-3655 to place an order
for your own special custom Hart Rifle.
For more information on an exciting Maine bear-hound or bear-bait hunt contact Mo Hart at www.bearledge.net or call 207-
281-2518(cell) or 207-674-5047.
Bear Hunt Sept. 17-22, 2007
The calves of my legs burned as is if the muscle fibers were literally on fire. The mountain’s elevation began around 800
feet above sea level and rose sharply as we ascended to about 2200 feet. The beach tree stood on the 40-yard wide shelf;
there the big black bear had dug in his claws as he climbed to a height out of the reach of the treed hounds. Before I could
continue the trek, I had to remove my boots and massage my feet and calves to release the knotted muscles.
“We’ve got to go,” exclaimed Mo, as I pulled my Muck Boots back onto my feet.
“That’s better,” I said as I stood up then leaned over to stretch my quads, calves, and hamstrings. “Let me grab a quick drink
of water from the backpack and I’ll be ready.”
“Time’s wasting,” Mo confirmed. “Those hounds have been at it for near six hours. Before long the bear may decide that they
are no longer a threat. When he does, he will bale out.”
“The dogs sure aren’t barking with the gusto that they had earlier,” I comment.
“That’s what I am afraid of,” Mo confirms. “When they lie down and get lazy, the bear may sneak down and leave. I know that
Wally must be wearing down. Yesterday’s chase on that young bear took them across at least four mountains and that isn’t
even countin’ today. He sure is a good’un.
The hounds had cut the track shortly after daybreak. Wally, an English hound, had stayed treed on another mountain for part
of the night. We aren’t certain if he was still on the same bear or if he had come back into the bait site then cut another
track. We knew for certain that the young hounds had joined him in a two-hour chase before the bear decided to go up a tree.
As the incline steepened, the vegetation thickened. The spindly stripped maples and aspens were interspersed with thick
hemlocks. If it wasn’t difficult enough to squeeze through the trees, the loose shale rocks made walking quietly near
impossible, not to mention the evidence of years of dropped leaves that littered the forest floor. The challenges were
immense, but not nearly as extreme as the challenges that my hunting companions faced.
Bobby and Wally Hart, two of the owners of Hart Custom Rifles, and Tommy Lee Osha and Chad Thousand, of the Fail-Safe
Group (a business solutions firm located in North Carolina) had invited my daughter, Jana, and son-in-law, Travis Crowell,
grandson, Laken, and me to a fish fry at Buck and Boar Plantation in South Carolina. While chatting around the campfire, we
all became acquainted with Maurice Hart Jr. (Mo) of Bear Ledge Kennels and Guide Service of Sumner, Maine. We believed
that the highlight of the fish fry would be the opportunity to meet PBR bull rider, Tony Mendez, who was presented a custom
30 Hart built by Bobby Hart and presented by he and his dad. Additionally, I finally got to spend time in hunting camp with
the folks at Buck and Boar and lastly, I met former High School National Champion bull rider, Johnny Howell. The reality is
that this turned out to be a life-changing event. Many of the new acquaintances have now become members of my inner circle
of dearest companions.
As Mo talked about hunting bears with hounds, I became more and more intrigued. Before the evening ended, I had been
invited to Maine for a fall bear-hound hunt. I graciously accepted the invitation and looked forward to the experience.
I made plans to pickup Johnny Howell at the airport in Albany for the 300 mile journey to Mo’s bear camp.
At the Deerassic Classic in Cambridge, Ohio, I had another chance meeting with a guy from North Carolina. He had recently
shot and hunted with some of my friends (the Harts, Dwayne Wessinger of Buck and Boar, and former 3-D archery super-
star Johnny Heath). Dwayne and Mike Alford became acquainted through an internet chat room. When Dwayne realized Mike’s
fascination with long range shooting, he made the introduction and initiated an invitation for Mike to meet and shoot with
Bobby Hart.
For well over 30 years, Bobby Hart has introduced thousands of people to the sport of long range shooting. Johnny Howell
and Mike Alford are just two of the many persons that Bobby has taken under his tutelage.
My challenge was that my physical condition was not as good as it needed to be to endure and enjoy the hunt. The guys had
much bigger issues to overcome. Johnny had become paralyzed 17 years ago during a bull riding event that had broken his neck.
Despite the doctor’s diagnosis that Johnny would never walk again, he worked his way out of the wheelchair through
dedication, determination, and with a never-quit attitude. Today he can walk with the aid of a quad-cane. At age 14, Mike
Alford, a dedicated little league baseball player, was involved in a devastating collision with a gravel truck while riding a
moped. The incident severed his left leg from near the knee. Then in 2001 the doctors discovered a tumor in the right side of
Mike’s brain. After surgery and a maximum amount of radiation treatment, Mike was finally cancer free.
Bobby Hart and Tommy Lee Osha were instrumental in arranging the details for the bear hunt with Mo Hart. Bobby loaned
Mike his 30 Hart rifle known as the HAMMER for the hunt. Additionally, Bobby built Johnny Howell an incredible .264
Custom Hart engraved with a bull, bull rider, and Johnny’s family brand.
I spent the mornings and into early afternoon hunting bears with Mo and his hounds. Toward the week’s end, Mo’s friend
James let us hunt with his hounds on another friend’s property. The afternoons were spent with the guys sitting on stands
that had barrels baited with pastries and doughnuts.
Mike sat in a ground blind with Joe, Mo’s friend that had filmed fishing shows for ESPN TV. Within the
first hour, a near 300 pound black bruin ambled in to the bait. The bear caught Mike trying to raise the 30 Hart.
An unobstructed cough spooked the big guy back into the dense woods. As camera light faded, the bear returned.
Despite attempts by Mike to center the crosshair on the bear’s shoulder, he lacked the confidence necessary
to squeeze the trigger.
“I came and saw a bear. I accomplished what I came for. I saw the big bear and he was absolutely beautiful. I
did not want to wound him. Since I was having a hard time seeing my crosshairs in the scope, I chose not to
shoot,” Mike declared, as he shared his thoughts with us that night.
Despite valiant attempts, the bears avoided the sweet temptations offered at each stand that Johnny and I
occupied. We were entertained by the bawls of lovesick moose and cheerful scampering of feeding and hoarding
squirrels. On Thursday evening, Johnny and I had a close encounter with a lurking bear that felled a tree just
to our north before circling us in the thick hemlocks at a close enough distance to make all hair stand at
attention. On Saturday evening the bear returned and once again circled at close range. I heard him spook and go crashing
through the bush when he encountered our human scent on the trail we had walked in on three hours earlier.
I was challenged again on Friday. Another trip up the mountain, but this time when the bear jumped from the tree, James, Mo,
and a police chief friend from Massachusetts followed the bear. I stayed behind with the husband and wife that owned the
property. James carried my .280 Hart and handed it to the police officer as the bear backed down the tree. James handed
him my rifle. Bang the gun went off. Bang the gun went off a second time. With the bear jumping to the ground, he shot a
third shot as the bear disappeared in the thick hemlocks. It was evident that the bear had been hit.
An hour and a half of fast and furious hound and bear action took the men scurrying through the woods. First the bear bailed
over the steep cliffs and disappeared into the thick alders as though pulling the door closed behind him. The hounds followed.
The hunters stopped periodically to locate the barking hounds wondering how close the dogs were to the bottom of the
mountain. Mo followed with the video camera. We followed along as stragglers, stopping to hear the action. When gun shots
rang out to our south west, we believed the challenge to be over.
The reality was that the bear climbed a
10 inch beach tree and hung on until the
hunter fired a mortal shot from his
handgun. The bear dropped within mere
feet of the hunter. At over 400 pounds,
the huge bruin will make a dandy trophy
as the tale is told over and over.
On Saturday morning, Mike wished us all
farewell as he departed Maine for the
long trip back home. He traveled through
Pennsylvania with a stop to leave the
loaner rifle at Bobby Hart’s home. After
a brief visit with the Harts, Mike
returned to North Carolina. He was a
satisfied man: he had hunted bears; he
had seen a beautiful black bear, and he
had made new friends that he will cherish
for a lifetime.
Johnny looks forward to another long range adventure. And I promise myself that next time, I will be able to keep up.
For more information on Hart Custom Rifles visit their website at www.rwhart.com or call 570-752-3655 to place an order
for your own special custom Hart Rifle.
For more information on an exciting Maine bear-hound or bear-bait hunt contact Mo Hart at www.bearledge.net or call 207-
281-2518(cell) or 207-674-5047.
| Just 3 weeks after we completed the hunt, Mike Alford found out that his brain cancer had returned. This time the tumor was in his brain stem and the cerebellum. On October 19th, Mike underwent a gamma ray treatment. He continues to undergo chemotherapy. Bob Hart and I have promised Mike a deer hunt when he recovers his strength and is able to go hunting. |
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| Since the end of August, I have lost 32 pounds and know that I am on my way to being capable of climbing Maine mountains ... Joella |
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