WAUTOMA, Wis. (WFRV) – Teri Jo Fendler of Wautoma recently turned a long-time hunting dream into reality when she successfully harvested a massive black bear during her first-ever bear hunt in Webster.
A veteran of small game hunting, Fendler hadn’t hunted deer or fowl in over a decade but was determined to check bear hunting off her bucket list. After applying twice, she was finally drawn for a tag in Zone D, where the hunt is regulated by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to ensure bear populations remain healthy and hunting is safe.
Image courtesy of Teri Jo Fendler
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Hunting from a ground blind rather than the more common tree stand, Fendler faced a bear known among locals as “the beast,” estimated to weigh around 500 pounds. On the last day of the hunt, just 15 minutes before shooting time ended, the massive bear appeared.
Fendler, not an adrenaline junkie, took careful aim and fired her rifle as the bear approached. While the bear initially ran, it was eventually assessed by her guide and his son, revealing a staggering 586-pound animal, nearly six feet tall on its hind legs.
The bear’s skull is large enough to qualify for a Boone & Crockett official score, a distinction given to only the most impressive specimens. Boone & Crockett scoring is based on two primary measurements: the greatest length and the greatest width of the skull. The final score is the sum of these measurements, with the average final score for black bears being approximately 20.60. Fendler’s bear, with its exceptional size, is expected to score significantly higher, potentially placing it among the top entries in Wisconsin’s record books.
Teri Jo Fendler
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Fendler, who brought along a lucky horseshoe, had originally intended to make a bear rug, but the sheer size of this “beast” has her now considering a full-body mount.
Bear hunting in Webster is tightly controlled. Hunters enter a statewide lottery to secure a special bear hunting license, and in Zone D, dogs are not permitted. The season runs from early September through early October, and hunters may use bait and other approved methods under DNR guidelines.
Fendler’s success underscores both the excitement and challenge of bear hunting in Wisconsin while highlighting the state’s careful wildlife management practices.
