First Time’s the Charm

Hunting black bears in the thick woods of New Brunswick is no easy feat — dense cover, unpredictable movement, and the importance of staying undetected challenges every hunter. Read how one man set out in pursuit of his first black bear, trusting his R10 when the moment arrived. But the true shock came after the shot, as he took in the sheer size of the beast he had just harvested.

Tell us about how you got to go on this hunt and your decision to trust a crossbow?

I grew up hunting a variety of animals and spending time outdoors, but a bear hunt was one I had never checked off my list. Fortunately, my close friends, who make an annual trip up to Kovack Guide Services in New Brunswick, Canada, reached out with an invitation. After weighing the logistics and costs, I took a moment to think it over. About ten minutes later, I kicked myself for hesitating and realized what an incredible opportunity this was — I knew I couldn’t pass it up.

I then began thinking about what weapon to bring, knowing these tough animals require precision and speed to get the job done. Fortunately, my cousin had been using a Ravin R10 for years and swore by it. After winning a local buck contest, I also had some unused credits at my local shop, making it the perfect time to buy my first crossbow. For a hunt like this, I knew it had to be a Ravin. As I quickly found out, the R10 is an unbelievable bow, and it played a major role in the success I found later on this trip.

Let’s dive into the hunt — what stood out, and what made it special?

After arriving at the camp, I knew this was going to be a great week! Steve and his team have an incredible setup and truly put on a great experience. For the first couple of days during the week, I hunted out of a ground blind that was set up a ways away from where the action ended up taking place. After the first two days of seeing nothing, we learned the bears had still been hitting the bait late at night. At that point, I decided to move spots. Steve, the owner of the lodge, offered to take me to a new location that would be ideal for how the bears were acting that week. With his years of bear hunting experience, I had full confidence in his choice. 

We prepared our gear knowing it was balmy 80 degrees that day and took off up into the mountains, taking a narrow path that was truly incredible to take in. The journey took about an hour, and we ended up in a place near the local River. When we reached the spot, I was amazed at how remote we truly were. The dirt road ended abruptly, and I was surprised to find the blind just 10 yards away in the thick brush. After setting up the blind, I noticed the bait pile was gone, so Steve restocked it. He gave me a thumbs-up and headed out, leaving me in silence. 

Every noise made my body tense, anxiously awaiting movement. Around 5:30 PM, I saw a bear for the first time on this hunt. It came out behind the bait pile, and when it stood up, I thought, 'Wow, that’s a big bear.' But it wouldn’t commit to the barrel — it kept looking around like something was off. I knew better than to take the shot unless it was fully focused on the barrel, so I waited. About an hour later, around 6:30, I heard some twigs snapping off to my left. I thought, 'It’s that same bear again.' But when I looked, it wasn’t him. Another bear appeared around 7:00, coming from the same spot the first one had. This one, when he stood up, I swear he was 9 feet tall. My heart was pounding out of my chest, and I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Never in my life would I have expected a bear of this caliber to appear during my first bear hunt. 

I set up and got the crossbow ready, quickly turning the sight on as he came into view. When he emerged from the trees and into my sightline at around 25 yards, I realized how massive this bear truly was. He came in broadside, circled the barrel, and started licking the frosting on top. I knew this was my chance. As soon as his front leg moved forward, I took the shot without hesitation. It was like he shot out of a cannon — he didn’t make a sound, not even a scream. That was surprising, since they usually holler when hit, leaving me to wonder if I had missed.

Tell us more about what happened after the shot.

Noticing I had one bar of signal, I texted Steve that I just shot a monster bear. He replied skeptically, saying that every hunter claims their bear is massive. I insisted that this one truly was, and he let me know that he would head on over with his team. The wait felt endless, but about half an hour later, Steve arrived. As I packed up my gear, I texted my wife and daughter telling them about the crazy experience, knowing that the hard work was about to begin. While still in the blind, I heard the unmistakable death moan. I knew then that the shot had landed right where it needed to. If you've ever heard that sound, you know how creepy it is — it gave me chills, but I was certain the bear was down for good.

Steve arrived, eager to track the bear. We approached the bait barrel and discovered my Ravin arrow after a clean pass-through, covered in blood. Seeing that allowed me to fully relax. As we began following the blood trail, Steve offered to let me lead. However, unfamiliar with tracking a bear, I preferred he take charge. Confident the bear was down, having heard its final moments, I deferred to Steve, and he agreed to lead the way.

We tracked the bear for about 60 yards through a forest thick with pine needles, moss, and dense underbrush. As we continued to move forward, the blood trail became more consistent. We all stayed focused, refusing to celebrate too soon. The anticipation was killing me as I scanned the trees, my heart pounding. Then, Steve suddenly stopped, spotting something ahead. At first, only part of the bear was visible, lying in a ditch. As we moved closer, its full size became clear and I was right, it was massive. 

When we finally reached the bear, everyone was stunned. It weighed in at an impressive 421 pounds, and you could see the shock on everyone’s face at how massive it was. We waited to let the rest of the group arrive so we could all celebrate together. Some of the guys, who had been hunting here for years, joked about how I wouldn’t be invited back after taking such a big bear on my first trip. We all stood around the bear together, and I made sure to capture the moment on video. It was the perfect ending to an unforgettable hunt.

How did the R10 perform? What stood out to you?

I couldn’t be happier with how the Ravin performed — I can’t say enough good things about it. The shot happened so fast I didn’t even see the arrow, almost like I blacked out in the moment. Everything felt smooth, with no issues at all. I had put in plenty of practice at home, confidently shooting out to 60 yards. I wasn’t ready to push it to 100 just yet — I wanted to be absolutely sure of my shot. At that range, I knew I was dialed in. 

I also had to thank my nephew for recommending it. I tell everyone I know that it’s a fantastic archery option. Even if you're typically a compound shooter, a Ravin Crossbow is an incredible addition to your arsenal.