| Scott Batchelor wins a Father and Son Bear Hunt to Eagle Mountain Lodge Maine |
Father's Version- Scott
Our Father and Son Bear Hunt began with a road trip to Otis, Maine. Once
we found the remote Eagle Mountain Hunting Lodge, we met our hosts and
guides. The lodge owners, Matt, his wife Lisa and their son Ethan, gave us
a warm welcome as we arrived. They introduced my son Dylan (10), and I to
the other guide, Kim, and four other hunters we would be staying with, and
hunting along side us for the week.
Our Father and Son Bear Hunt began with a road trip to Otis, Maine. Once
we found the remote Eagle Mountain Hunting Lodge, we met our hosts and
guides. The lodge owners, Matt, his wife Lisa and their son Ethan, gave us
a warm welcome as we arrived. They introduced my son Dylan (10), and I to
the other guide, Kim, and four other hunters we would be staying with, and
hunting along side us for the week.
Matt’s wife Lisa prepared us a delicious of hot meatball subs and we we’re shown
to our private room with bath. We settled in for the night in anticipation of our first
bear hunt the next afternoon. Waking at 6:30 am to begin our first day’s adventures
was no problem! We ate a hearty home- cooked breakfast and set out fishing for
Brookie's with spinners. We caught fish all morning. It was soon time to get
dressed for the bear hunt. We put on our new Silver Scent Cover Scent and we we’
re ready to go out and bag our very first bear.
Kim guided us to our tree stand, named fifty-fifty and to;d us to sit tight until dark,
baited the pile, and wished us good luck as he disappeared with out a sound. We
had high hopes of seeing bear because the guides said there we’re signs of
several hitting the the bait at that stand just a couple of days before. The weather
was windy and very mild. After five hours of listening and seeing other wildlife we
called it a day. Out guide Kim, returned at dark to transport us back to Eagle
Mountain Lodge. Signs of black bear eating the bait had been at the stand, but no
bear sightings today!
to our private room with bath. We settled in for the night in anticipation of our first
bear hunt the next afternoon. Waking at 6:30 am to begin our first day’s adventures
was no problem! We ate a hearty home- cooked breakfast and set out fishing for
Brookie's with spinners. We caught fish all morning. It was soon time to get
dressed for the bear hunt. We put on our new Silver Scent Cover Scent and we we’
re ready to go out and bag our very first bear.
Kim guided us to our tree stand, named fifty-fifty and to;d us to sit tight until dark,
baited the pile, and wished us good luck as he disappeared with out a sound. We
had high hopes of seeing bear because the guides said there we’re signs of
several hitting the the bait at that stand just a couple of days before. The weather
was windy and very mild. After five hours of listening and seeing other wildlife we
called it a day. Out guide Kim, returned at dark to transport us back to Eagle
Mountain Lodge. Signs of black bear eating the bait had been at the stand, but no
bear sightings today!
As we returned to the lodge we looked forward to another home cooked meal and hearing stories from our fellow
hunters. Bear we’re seen that day, but none we’re taken.
The evening was spent sitting around the massive fireplace enjoying hunting tales. The next few days went
quickly as we continued to hunt at the Triple Deuce stand with Kim guiding us. Dylan and I enjoyed shooting the
22., fishing for more Brookie's, picking berries, and playing with the owners dogs.
The fifth day was windy and warm. We set out to find the elusive black bear once again. Like the previous few
days we we’re sure today would be the day! Our guide set us up in a different stand this afternoon. As we settled
in, we noticed many bear tracks and moose droppings. After four hours or so, a huge black bear approached our
stand from behind. He was circling the bait and approached cautiously coming downwind toward the pile. I slowly
stood and turned around in my stand, my heart racing. Then I raised my 30-06, set my cross-hairs on the bear’s
vitals and took the shot. The bear dropped in it’s tracks, slid down the embankment, gurgled and came to a stop. I
lowered my rifle, adrenaline pumping through my veins, and radioed the lodge to tell them I had just shot a
monster. Suddenly the beast got back up and ran in to the underbrush. As I stared in astonishment, the bear
seemed to look over his shoulder and laugh at me. The chase was now on.
Matt, Kim, the other hunters. And I began tracking the bear. The rain started pouring down in buckets as we
followed the blood trail. After four hours of tediously tracking through the underbrush in the rain and the dark,
we decided to wait until daylight and begin again. Returning to the lodge excited, exhausted, soaked and hungry I
looked forward to finding my trophy the next morning.
We ate breakfast quickly the following day and returned to our last blood trail marker. The rain had totally washed
away the trail away. There we’re no signs of the trail or the bear.
Day seven came faster than we expected. It was time to return to NY State. We would be going home without a
bear, but with experiences, memories and stories that we will never forget. The guides and owners provided an
unforgettable experience for my son Dylan and I.
Thanks to USOC and Eagle Mountain Lodge and Guide Service, we had a trip that some people only dream about.
Dylan and I hope to return someday soon to bag that big one.
Scott Batchelor
Son's version- Dylan
It was a long and hard trip up here, but it was definitely worth it. We finally got up here around 2:00pm on
September 7th. As soon as I got out of the truck, I almost fell my legs we're so tired!
Then we got to the room. It was called Moose Run. I met our hosts son. His name was Ethan and he is 12 years
old. He is really fun! They have four dogs too. They are named Tina, Evee, Cody and Gunner. They are really fun
too. Tina, Evee and Gunner are Pointers. Cody is a Springer. It is really fun here. At 2:30 the next day we would
hunt. The owners, the Whitegiver family are awesome people.
I took a shower and then got my camo on. It was heavy. We we're in a two man tree stand called 50/50. Our guide
Matt said he like that stand so we tried it. We didn't see a single thing. It was boring. Then we came back and had
dinner, boy that was good!
The next morning, we got up and went fishing. We did not catch much. Then we went back and had lunch,
meatball subs with cheese. It was amazing. Then we went hunting again, nothing. All week, the same thing kept
happening except we caught fish each morning. We didn't see anything until....
On Friday, our guide Kim, changed the tree stand. He moved us to Tug. It was about 6:50 pm when I heard some
sticks breaking. I turned my head and there he was, the bear. He came in behind us and my dad turned around to
get a shot. The shot hit the bear really good. It knocked him right off his feet and he slid down the hill. He slid
behind the bushes so we could not get another shot. The darn bear jumped up and took off. We tried to get
another shot but he was too fast. They are faster than you think.
We called our guide on the radio and the tracking began. They tracked and tracked, but couldn't find it. We got up
in the morning and tracked again, but it was no use. It was gone. Maybe I'll see you there next time.
Your hunting buddy,
Dylan Batchelor
hunters. Bear we’re seen that day, but none we’re taken.
The evening was spent sitting around the massive fireplace enjoying hunting tales. The next few days went
quickly as we continued to hunt at the Triple Deuce stand with Kim guiding us. Dylan and I enjoyed shooting the
22., fishing for more Brookie's, picking berries, and playing with the owners dogs.
The fifth day was windy and warm. We set out to find the elusive black bear once again. Like the previous few
days we we’re sure today would be the day! Our guide set us up in a different stand this afternoon. As we settled
in, we noticed many bear tracks and moose droppings. After four hours or so, a huge black bear approached our
stand from behind. He was circling the bait and approached cautiously coming downwind toward the pile. I slowly
stood and turned around in my stand, my heart racing. Then I raised my 30-06, set my cross-hairs on the bear’s
vitals and took the shot. The bear dropped in it’s tracks, slid down the embankment, gurgled and came to a stop. I
lowered my rifle, adrenaline pumping through my veins, and radioed the lodge to tell them I had just shot a
monster. Suddenly the beast got back up and ran in to the underbrush. As I stared in astonishment, the bear
seemed to look over his shoulder and laugh at me. The chase was now on.
Matt, Kim, the other hunters. And I began tracking the bear. The rain started pouring down in buckets as we
followed the blood trail. After four hours of tediously tracking through the underbrush in the rain and the dark,
we decided to wait until daylight and begin again. Returning to the lodge excited, exhausted, soaked and hungry I
looked forward to finding my trophy the next morning.
We ate breakfast quickly the following day and returned to our last blood trail marker. The rain had totally washed
away the trail away. There we’re no signs of the trail or the bear.
Day seven came faster than we expected. It was time to return to NY State. We would be going home without a
bear, but with experiences, memories and stories that we will never forget. The guides and owners provided an
unforgettable experience for my son Dylan and I.
Thanks to USOC and Eagle Mountain Lodge and Guide Service, we had a trip that some people only dream about.
Dylan and I hope to return someday soon to bag that big one.
Scott Batchelor
Son's version- Dylan
It was a long and hard trip up here, but it was definitely worth it. We finally got up here around 2:00pm on
September 7th. As soon as I got out of the truck, I almost fell my legs we're so tired!
Then we got to the room. It was called Moose Run. I met our hosts son. His name was Ethan and he is 12 years
old. He is really fun! They have four dogs too. They are named Tina, Evee, Cody and Gunner. They are really fun
too. Tina, Evee and Gunner are Pointers. Cody is a Springer. It is really fun here. At 2:30 the next day we would
hunt. The owners, the Whitegiver family are awesome people.
I took a shower and then got my camo on. It was heavy. We we're in a two man tree stand called 50/50. Our guide
Matt said he like that stand so we tried it. We didn't see a single thing. It was boring. Then we came back and had
dinner, boy that was good!
The next morning, we got up and went fishing. We did not catch much. Then we went back and had lunch,
meatball subs with cheese. It was amazing. Then we went hunting again, nothing. All week, the same thing kept
happening except we caught fish each morning. We didn't see anything until....
On Friday, our guide Kim, changed the tree stand. He moved us to Tug. It was about 6:50 pm when I heard some
sticks breaking. I turned my head and there he was, the bear. He came in behind us and my dad turned around to
get a shot. The shot hit the bear really good. It knocked him right off his feet and he slid down the hill. He slid
behind the bushes so we could not get another shot. The darn bear jumped up and took off. We tried to get
another shot but he was too fast. They are faster than you think.
We called our guide on the radio and the tracking began. They tracked and tracked, but couldn't find it. We got up
in the morning and tracked again, but it was no use. It was gone. Maybe I'll see you there next time.
Your hunting buddy,
Dylan Batchelor
