July 11, 2013
By PH Online Editors
On an exciting episode of The Outfitters, a new series by Ford on The Sportsman Channel, Fred Eichler traveled to Arizona in search of a monster black bear. He teamed up with guide Schylar Cloudt to kill one his biggest bears ever.
"I was blown away," Eichler said. "I think it's the biggest bear I've ever taken."
Though the bear has not yet been officially scored, the local game warden said it's one of the biggest bears he's seen. He took DNA and tooth samples so the state can age the bear, but either way he said it was a full grown giant.
"That's a really good, big, mature bear," the warden said. "That's as big as they get around here, for sure."
Eichler and Cloudt — an experienced guide who heads up S Crescent Outfitters — tracked the bear on horseback with hounds after it developed a habit of taking out livestock on the Oro Ranch, which is about 45 miles outside of Prescott, Ariz.
Don't miss a second of the action; be sure to tune in Thursday, July 11, at 8:30 p.m. (EST) on The Sportsman Channel, and be sure to enter the Ford Insider Adventure Giveaway for a chance to win the ultimate outdoor adventure and a brand new Ford F-150 with EcoBoost.
Dogs are key to treeing bears in this country where bears can run for miles. Getting bears treed also allows hunters to ensure sows are not tending cubs.
A very happy Fred, who took his bear with a lightweight, single-shot Rossi in .243, using Hornady ammo.
Fred's Leatherman tool is 4 inches long. His bear's paws were well beyond that measurement, making it an exceptional black bear for this country.
The boys take a break while packing out the bear. Lots of tasty meat on Fred's horse.
Hounds are all-important to finding bears in the open wilds of Arizona. Schylar keeps a full pack of Blueticks and other hounds to pursue bears and mountain lions where he hunts.
Fred's bear looks great and really squares well. A game warden who came to check in the bear said it was one of the largest he's seen taken in that area.
When Fred and Schylar got close to where the dogs were barking, 'treed ', they really had to race. Once bears are treed the object is to get to them quickly before any dogs are injured.
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