For all you Bear hunters a must read!

[Bearhunter]

With Spring Bear season fastly approaching I was thinking about a book I own and wanted to share with you all. Its called EDUCATION OF A BEAR HUNTER By Ralph Flowers. Its a very entertaining book, with a great amount of history laced threw it about the Coastal regions of Washington. Check it out you wont be dissapointed...

http://www.amazon.com/Education-Bear-Hunter-Ralph-Flowers/dp/0876911696

 

[Mike7]

Thanks! I will check that one out. Only $5 on Amazon w/ shipping included.

 

[actionshooter]

That is a good book James, gives a lot to think about. I guess the guy was full of great stories, an old hunting partner of mine knew him.
Steve

 

[Bar]

Not too crazy about this review of the book.

"Mr. Flowers shot quite a few bears, some of which he didn't recover. He makes no mention of bear hunting seasons or limits. He hunted primarily for meat and would shoot sows with cubs if he got a shot at them or even immature bears, just for the meat. It's an interesting read but not recovering wounded bears or shooting sows with cubs or immature bears sticks in my craw."

 

[Bearhunter]

Bar,

He was a hired Bear assassin that is for sure and killed hundreds and hundreds of bears and was compensated for it. Pretty cool job if you ask me! That cool steve, I have heard he was quit the character..

 

[actionshooter]

Not too crazy about this review of the book.

"Mr. Flowers shot quite a few bears, some of which he didn't recover. He makes no mention of bear hunting seasons or limits. He hunted primarily for meat and would shoot sows with cubs if he got a shot at them or even immature bears, just for the meat. It's an interesting read but not recovering wounded bears or shooting sows with cubs or immature bears sticks in my craw."

You have to take into account when this guy was hunting bears,40s-70s. Bears weren't considered game animals, they were vermin. There was a bounty on them, no different than wolves.

 

[roknHS]

I met and worked with Mr. Flowers. In his later years, his methods of controlling tree damage from spring bears didn't involve killing. He developed a food formula that he placed near tree plantations that bears liked better than the cambium layer of tree bark. My company blended, pelleted and bagged his formula for him. He told me this strategy was more effective in reducing tree damage than trying to kill the offending bruins. He also said he wished he could put back most of the bears he had killed over the years. He was a very nice man and had a tremendous respect for bears.
True.............when he was first hired by tree plantation owners to protect the tress, bears weren't considered big game. They were considered scavengers and a nuisance. Times have changed..........Mr. Flowers changed with them.

 

[JJHACK]

I worked with Ralph for more then a decade, I learned so much. During my career with the WFPA and Weyerhaeuser Ralph and I had the same job. He was working on the coast and I was working in the cascades. He was a quiet soft spoken guy that learned what he knew from the bush in person. Not from a school or reading a step by step how to book. He was 100% the real deal.

 

[Bar]

Ah ok. I wasn't hunting bears back then, and didn't pay much attention to what was going on.

 

[djsmith46]

I was in line at a little grocery store in Grays Harbor County buying this book last year and the lady behind me in line says, "my uncle used to hunt with Mr. Flowers," Then the guy checking me out in line says, "Mr. Flowers used to speak at my church." Its still a small community in Grays Harbor.

One of many points I took from Mr. Flowers' book is he said ALWAYS put two shots into a black bear, even if you drop him. I found this interesting and as I read on it made more sense. Have fun reading this book for those that haven't.

 

[charvey9]

I ordered it the other day. Look forward to the read.

 

[wawhitey]

Just ordered it too. And 4 other black bear books while i was at it. I get impulsive on amazon

 

[Bearhunter]

Wow I would have loved to have met Ralph sounds like a wealth of knowledge and a standup guy. I too found this book near Grays Harbor at a little convenience store in Moclips, Wa about 10 years ago of all the places to find such a book it was actually quite appropriate as that is the area he was home based out of....

 

[wawhitey]

When i was ordering this book i came across another called "born under a stump" that seemed to be something similar and bought it also. Anybody read it?

 

[Bar]

Well, you guys peaked my interest. I'm going to buy it.

 

[Lastcar]

Just got mine last night. About to dive in. Thanks for the heads up!