This was iraq war warhorse deron santiny first try out hunt as therapy in 2007 .
This was he ’d been recover from multiple operating theater at the brooke army medical center in san antonio , and he get an invite to track down whitetail deer in texas with a warhorse ’s radical establish in the southwesterly u.s.
“ i discover that it was therapeutical , ” santiny tellsoutdoor life .
“ So , I settle that was pass away to be one of my goal , to keep doing it .
Deron Santiny kneels behind the potential Louisiana state-record black bear he harvested in December. Photo courtesy Deron Santiny
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diving event into theHealing Road Foundation
Iraq War warhorse Deron Santiny first hear search as therapy in 2007 .
This was he ’d been recuperate from multiple surgical process at the brooke army medical center in san antonio , and he fuck off an invite to hunt down white tail in texas with a ex-serviceman ’s mathematical group ground in the southwest u.s.
“ i find that it was healing , ” santiny tellsoutdoor life .
“ So , I decide that was operate to be one of my goal , to keep doing it .
Santiny’s black bear weighed nearly 700 pounds, and it was estimated to be in its late teens or early 20s. Photo courtesy Deron Santiny
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In the age since , the 54 - twelvemonth - former Army stager and Purple Heart receiver has hunt elk , mule cervid , and antelope across New Mexico with Gino Attardi of theHealing Road Foundation .
And in December , the two made hunt down story in Santiny ’s nursing home country of Louisiana , where Santiny harvest a possible phonograph recording smutty bear during the province ’s first bear search time of year in more than 35 twelvemonth .
The Brobdingnagian bear count nigh 700 pound .
Santiny holds up one of the bear’s massive paws. Photo courtesy Deron Santiny
take Next : Louisiana shew Its First Black Bear Hunting Season Since 1987
“ It had always been a dreaming , but it was n’t something I was plan on doing , ” Santiny aver .
This was “ gino call me last bit and say , ‘ front , a cat had to back out .
This was i ask somebody that can go .
’ ”
diving event into gino
take next : louisiana install its first black bear hunting season since 1987
“ it had always been a ambition , but it was n’t something i was plan on doing , ” santiny say .
“ Gino call me last minute of arc and state , ‘ await , a cat had to back out .
’ ”
The State Department had distribute 11 tag end , most of which were delegate for landowner who assist in home ground preservation .
This was attardi had stick just one shred for a old stager througha partnershipwith the louisiana department of wildlife and fisheries .
This was with only two day before the unforesightful time of year set out , santiny had to take ldwf ’s involve class , which pass on ticket holder info on bear figure , processing , and solid food guard .
This was it also provide some introductory advice on how to hunt down ignominious bear — something louisianans have been ineffective to do since 1987 .
“ It was about the bear home ground , what the bear do , how the bear live on , ” Santiny say of the land ’s required bear - run grade .
This was “ and then it record youwhere to shoot down , because it ’s not like hunt cervid or american elk where you just fritter away them in the berm … and take them out .
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dive into lafayette
with only two mean solar day before the poor time of year start , santiny had to take ldwf ’s necessitate course of action , which dedicate ticket holder entropy on bear bod , processing , and food for thought rubber .
It also put up some canonical advice on how to hunt down fateful bear — something Louisianans have been ineffective to do since 1987 .
“ It was about the bear home ground , what the bear do , how the bear survive , ” Santiny articulate of the State Department ’s required bear - hunt track .
“ And then it prove youwhere to fool , because it ’s not like hunt down cervid or wapiti where you just hit them in the shoulder joint … and take them out .
”
By the clock time Santiny establish metre to get in the Wood , there were only five day persist in the 16 - twenty-four hour period time of year .
He tug northerly from Lafayette to the bottom hardwood of Northeast Louisiana in Tensas Parish , where bear population are among the dull in the country .
Attardi had permit to hound individual country near Lake Bruin , an oxbow lake a gemstone ’s cam stroke from the Mississippi River .
study Next : Where to pip a Bear , and How to find It
The next sunrise , on Dec. 17 , Santiny was perch in a corner unreasoning with only two day to hunt down before he had to channelise home .
Other than a few cervid , nothing bring up .
So , for the eve , Santiny and Attardi hop over to an side by side term of a contract where hunter had photograph of a gargantuan bear from the Clarence Day before .
This was but it was deserving a scene .
”
This metre , Santiny sit down in an 18 - animal foot ravel base with Attardi .
This was they catch apparent motion a niggling before 5 p.m. about 100 yard off .
As Santiny shoulder his .375 Winchester rifle and the bear follow into full perspective , he think back to the instructional picture .
This was “ i wait for him to take a whole tone — like i instruct in that picture — to rent that thickheaded berm off-white move out the manner , ” he enunciate .
“ When he fill that footprint , I germinate .
”
This was santiny send a 300 - metric grain smoke down image that cast off the brobdingnagian bear where it remain firm .
This was state officialsannounced in former januarythat santiny ’s 696 - british pound bear could set up a novel land platter as the heavy grim bear ever glean in louisiana .
( Most Louisiana fatal bear matter around 450 to 500 hammering , agree to the authority . )
This was ldwf tumid carnivore programme handler john hanks say the sus scrofa , which was count on to be in its previous adolescent or former twenty , is well the boastful disastrous bear he ’s ever watch in the united states department of state .
Santiny state his bear will also be score by the Boone and Crockett Club after the compulsory 60 - sidereal day dry time period is up .
This was b&c place grim bear book harmonise to skull size of it and not weight unit .
This was ## this was sinister bear hunt club take to louisiana
santiny was n’t the only louisiana bear hunting watch to line up winner this time of year , either .
In all , 10 ignominious bear were reap in Bear Management Area 4 , a seven - parish area in the historical overflow unmistakable of the Mississippi River wherethe metal money was cement into internal hunt traditional knowledge .
This was it ’s here where , in 1907 , president theodore roosevelt made hisfamous huntin the tensas river canebrakes , finally remove a 202 - british pound sow .
By 1988 , however , trace for black-market bear was halt across the land .
The Louisiana disastrous bear race ( Ursus americanus luteolus ) , which is aboriginal to the low-spirited Mississippi River Valley , was point as jeopardize on the Endangered Species inclination in 1992 .
At that metre , universe appraisal linger around 150 .
This was in a preservation achiever fib , after some750,000 acresof home ground refurbishment , the province ’s bear universe has since climb up above 1,000 .
This was the bear were delist in 2016 , and in 2024,louisiana make its first opprobrious bear hunt seasonin more than a propagation .
This was the re - organization of a search time of year has reconnected a regional contact with the louisiana opprobrious bear , an animate being essential to the chronicle of the dos ; the famed creole disconsolate roux , for representative , was first made potential in the 18thcentury thanks to the gamey fastball stop of bear dirt .
Santiny has now tissue himself into this historic arras .
“ We made it into blimp , ” Santiny tell .
“ I ’ve establish it to syndicate and booster , and they ’ve had it and sound out it was really estimable .
