Show Notes
In this episode of Huntavore, Nick welcomes Mitchell Shirk of the Pennsylvania Woodsman Podcast back to the show to finish telling the story of Nick’s first Pennsylvania black bear hunt. What began as a promising morning hunt quickly turned into an emotional roller coaster involving a difficult recovery, thick briars, challenging wetlands, and a tracking dog that ultimately made all the difference.
Missed Part ? Head over to Pennsylvania Woodsman Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sportsmens-empire-whitetail-hunting/id1062077484?i=1000798492824
Together, Nick and Mitch recount the highs and lows of recovering the bear, the importance of making ethical decisions in the field, and the responsibility hunters carry when taking an animal’s life. They also discuss the field care and processing of Nick’s first bear, along with his plans to turn the harvest into meaningful meals for his family.
The conversation goes beyond the hunt itself, exploring the respect, humility, friendships, and appreciation for wild game that make the full hunting experience so rewarding.
In This Episode
- The recovery challenge: After the initial shot, the bear disappeared without leaving an obvious blood trail. Nick and Mitch decided to bring in Brandon and his tracking dog, Laney, rather than risk contaminating the trail by searching the area themselves.
- Following Lainey through tough terrain: The tracking team worked through dense briars, thick grass, and wetlands before the dog picked up the trail and led them to the wounded bear.
- Brandon Bowkill Tracking: https://youtu.be/3iKfZs9-Hi0?si=rPNlpV8afAwwY6i4
- A difficult final encounter: Finding the bear alive in extremely thick cover forced Nick to confront the uncertainty and danger of the situation. With Mitch and Brandon alongside him, he worked to bring the hunt to a close.
- The weight of taking an animal’s life: Nick reflects on his shot placement, the excitement that affected his trigger control, and the responsibility he felt to ensure the bear was recovered. Both hunters discuss why a successful hunt should include humility, respect, and an appreciation for the animal.
- Building friendships through hunting: Brandon and Laney became essential parts of the experience, demonstrating how hunters can come together to help one another and make lasting connections.
- Field care and processing a bear: The conversation covers skinning, quartering, keeping the meat clean, and taking advantage of cool nighttime temperatures to help the quarters cool properly.
- Letting the animal guide the cooking: Nick rethinks his original plans to cook bear like other proteins and embraces the value of low-and-slow cooking to make the most of the animal’s dense meat, connective tissue, and rich flavors.
- Making the most of the harvest: Nick shares plans for braised bear roasts, slow-cooked shanks, shoulder cuts prepared like short ribs, rendered bear fat, and a bear pot pie made with pastry incorporating the rendered fat.
- Celebrating the first bear: Mitch reminds Nick that the significance of a harvest isn't measured by the animal's size. Nick explains that feeding his family with the meat is what ultimately completes the hunt.
The Takeaway
The full bear experience wasn't a perfectly planned hunt, but it became an unforgettable lesson in persistence, humility, and respect for wildlife. Nick's story highlights that hunting doesn't end when the trigger is pulled. It continues through recovery, careful field handling, processing, cooking, and sharing the harvest with family.
For Nick, the real reward is not simply having harvested his first bear. It's the opportunity to use the animal fully, learn from the experience, and turn the harvest into nourishing meals that give the hunt a meaningful conclusion.
Listen in for a candid conversation about the realities of bear hunting, the people who make recovery possible, and the connection between hunting, food, and gratitude.
