Member of the elite

Already at age 14, Nathan Kaiser has been granted membership in an elite international hunting and conservation organization. At the Boone and Crockett Club’s July 22 banquet in Springfield, MO, Nathan received a plaque acknowledging his “outstanding accomplishment” of taking a bear which scored 20 8/16–that is, the measurements of whose skull totaled 20 and a half inches.

For reference, an average-sized black bear is likely to have a score of 12 or 13 inches.

The Boone and Crockett Club, named after the famous frontiersmen Daniel Boone and David Crockett, was founded by Teddy Roosevelt in 1887. In addition to its conservation work, the organization acknowledges impressive big game takes from the entire North American continent. Receiving recognition at its once-every-three-years banquets is a goal not many hunters accomplish: Also acknowledged at the Jack Steele Parker Generation Next Youth Banquet were two other bear hunters 16 and under and other youth who had taken an exceptional deer, mountain goat, and cougar. At the banquet, Nathan received a plaque, an engraved knife, a golden measuring tape, and tickets to the museum where his bear’s skull was on display from April to the end of July.

Nathan’s dad, Tom Kaiser, explains that a bear is measured from its nose to the back edge of the skull, and from ear to ear, and the two numbers are totaled to create a score.

Nathan’s bear, shot on public land in the vicinity of Bemidji in 2019–when he was 11 years old–  was a state record holder for the year. He then went on to take record-winning animals again in both 2020 and 2021.

Nathan took his bears using a Remington Youth Compact 20-gauge. He also had the advantage of the collective experience and expertise of his family members. His father has been bear hunting since 1991; family members Heidi Wiitanen and her son Jonathan are enthusiastic supporters of their passion. The household hunts each year in northern Minnesota, both on 60 acres of private property and on nearby public lands. 

Nathan has been helping with the hunts–or at least the hunting process–since he was 4 years old.

Bear hunting season in Minnesota opens September 1 and goes through October 15. Licensed hunters can begin “baiting” in mid-August: that is, they can choose a likely location and begin setting out food and treats that will draw bears to the area. Animals can only be shot once the season begins.

As a small child, Nathan says he was enthusiastic about bear hunting, but could not receive a license until he reached the minimum age of 10. Until then, he was the “spray bottle” kid, spraying sweet-smelling liquids around the baiting area with the intent that the scent would be taken by air movement and would alert bears to the presence of the bait.

Family members Tom, Heidi and Jonathan joined Nathan at the July 22 event. Said the family, “We are unbelievably proud of Nathan. He knows that the planning and hard work are necessary to a successful hunt, and he’s glad to do his share. He is also a patient, determined hunter who takes the time to figure his odds and make well-thought-out choices.”