NewsFebruary 4, 2025

Drew Tyler fulfills his dream of bear hunting in Monticello, successfully bagging a 275-pound bear with the help of his father and a tracking dog. The bear rug will soon join his trophy collection.

Drew  Tyler bagged his first bear. Pictured are Drew, his dad, Michael Tyler, and Dude, the tracking dog.
Drew Tyler bagged his first bear. Pictured are Drew, his dad, Michael Tyler, and Dude, the tracking dog.
Drew Tyler of Lepanto killed his first bear.
Drew Tyler of Lepanto killed his first bear.

Drew Tyler of Lepanto has wanted to bear hunt for years. In Monticello where his family hunts, there has been a bear season for the last couple of years. After catching pictures of bears on their hunting grounds, he and his dad, Michael, decided it was time to try their hands at bear hunting.

On Dec. 21, about 4 p.m., Drew shot his bear. He and his dad tracked it but it had gone into thick brush with briars. It was beginning to get dark so they decided to continue tracking it the next morning. They called Ellis Hopper at Star City to help. Ellis and his tracking dog, Dude, joined the hunters the next morning. Dude had never tracked a bear but the men were hoping for the best. After about 20 minutes, Dude found the bear. It took Michael, Ellis, Drew and friend Charles Hope, to get the bear to the truck. The bear weighed approximately 275 pounds.

In about a year, the bear rug will be on display at Drew’s house along with ducks, deer and alligators.

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