I have not expected to receive any pictures of recoveries from Pete Martin this year as his Lisa von Moosbach-Zuzelek is 13.5 years old. Boy, was I wrong! This recovery is the 19th bear in Lisa's tracking career. Huge congratulations to Pete and Lisa!
Pete wrote in his email:
Sunday, October 21, 2018 was the day of this awesomely
memorable bear track. I received the call the nite before. The shot was
taken @ 5:30 p.m. Hunter waited a good hour before looking. In the dark he
took up track with his buddy and proceeded to follow blood for about 75-100 yds.
No arrow found but recovered the luminock glowing in the dark. When he came to a 1/2
acre recently cleared logged area, hunter backed out for the night. This is where
Lisa and I started track next day 18 hours later.
No blood to get started on, but
Lisa picked up scent and went across this soft wet dirt/rock area to the woods
on the other side. We crawled 30 or so yards in on our hands and knees, and Lisa took me
right over top of blood. Our confidence soared. Now Lisa was very vocal. Another
25 yards, another spot of blood. Little ways more hunter noticed blood. After a very
thick mountain laurel we came to logged road.
This was Lisa's first check. 15
minutes, round and round, and back again, where we came from only slightly to the
left. A while later another check in the laurel. Small circles and zig-zags.
After figuring this one out, she had positive body language and nose glued to the
ground. Then another point of confusion before she picked it up again. All this
time she was vocal when tracking and quiet when checking. So focused you could see what
she was thinking. Just when we started to have some doubts, Lisa got quiet, pulled me to a beautiful black bear and started to claim her prize.
Yet
another two hour lesson in trust taught to us by Lisa. She wiped all shadows of
doubt anyone could have had about her ability to track so flawlessly because of
her age and weight. This was black bear #19 at age 13 1/2 years old. I can't
ask for anything more of a blessing. Thank you John and Jolanta.