.Field Notes 6: When the Arrows Fly – Diamond Bear’s Last Stand

Send us Fan Mail The rain hammered down, the wind never settled, and a 20-year mystery finally walked into view. We’re fresh off New Jersey’s bear week with stories that run from legendary to hard-earned: Eddie closes the book on “Diamond Bear,” a boar first photographed in 2004 with a hollow diamond blaze on his chest, and we unpack the meticulous bait logs, peanut-fueled strategy, and storm gamble that made the difference. It’s a masterclass in reading daytime bears, avoiding being patterned, and using scent-only sits to force curiosity when bait would only feed competition. Then we shift to firsts and fixes. TJ times a 30–40 minute drizzle window, scrambles to a rock ledge, and arrows a 300-plus bruin at spitting distance—a case study in making short seasons count. Chris grinds an all-day sit through a nor’easter, puts a perfect lung shot on a bear that still crosses a thigh-deep creek, and leans on a tracking dog to finish the job when rain erases sign. Frank owns a miss after a bear ducks an arrow—yes, it happens—then redeems himself with a tight quartering shot that wrecks lungs. We get real about angles, penetration, and why heavy arrows and patience matter when fat, shield, and weather complicate everything. We also zoom out: harvest numbers by zone and county, what a 15.7% harvest rate says about pressure and weather, and the cultural logistics you only learn by dragging bears—crew coordination, quads, check station timing, meat care, and why some hunts start with a plan for getting 400 pounds out of a swamp. We even wade into Segment B’s bow ban and make the case for “any implement” access when cold temps favor ethical results. When deer and bears time-share baits and sows drop four or five cubs, management isn’t abstract—it’s on our cameras, in our freezers, and at the check station scale. Subscribe for more big-animal strategy, share this with a hunter who needs storm-play confidence, and drop us a note: bow or gun for late season, and what’s your best plan for a mile-long drag? Support the show Hope you guy's enjoy! Hit the follow button, rate and give the show a comment! Ghillie Puck- https://www.ghilliepuck.com?sca_ref=6783182.IGksJNCNyo GP10 FOR 10% OFF GET YOUR HECS HUNTING GEAR :https://hecshunting.com/shop/?avad=385273_a39955e99&nb_platform=avantlink&nb_pid=323181&nb_wid=385273&nb_tt=cl&nb_aid=NA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bdhunting/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZtxCA-1Txv7nnuGKXcmXrA