Story goes:
Brother is headed off to college again soon, so we (MOST of my brothers and Dad) decide to do a quick family bear hunt after work. We meet up and head up to the spot. Once again, saving the children of Clear Lake from certain death from the mighty bears...
One brother (jimmy, who got his bear last week) took a lower road with his bow (bought a second tag), while Pops, myself and Johnny (lil bro) head up the hill.
After some sweat and wondering why we are hiking in the heat ( 6:30ish at night) we get near the top of the hill. I take a lower road and seperate from dad and bro...Dad says he is gonna find a spot to take a nap, so off I go.
About 5 minutes pass since we seperated and I think I hear a pack falling sharply..didnt sound like a shot, just a back pack hitting the ground (since they were not far above me)...but then I catch an echo which was a very muffled, but still audible shot...it was strange...barely sounded like a shot, even though it was a 30-06.
Everyone brought their radios but me, so I hustle back up their road...
Johnny was slightly ahead of dad on the hike and was laying down watching a clear cut when Dad rounded the corner and found Johnny...Johnny spots the bear about 150 yards off eating berries...
After some deliberation, it is decided that Johnny takes the shot, which he does...and sends the bear running...one more shot piles up the bear as it runs cross hill toward heavy cover.
Once I get up to Johnny, (dad headed into the timber above where the bear was heading) I ask if he hit it..in reply, he says, "Ya, I must have, he was running real funny...plus I heard him bawl"...
We wait a few minutes and radio Jimmy on the lowest road to go get the game cart and start hiking...which he does.
John and I hit the brush, ready to find him..we pick up a nice game trail and after a few minutes I spot the bear...
I tell John, I can see why he was walking funny...he was missing his front right leg! It was either shot off, bit off, or something, but he had a strong left leg, thats for sure. The leg was missing just below the shoulder blade, above where the joint would have been. It was completely healed.
We made a gernie (sp?) out of some branches and hauled it out after gutting it. It was his first, a great memory for all and I think we got dad hooked...
Love hunting with the family. Enjoy the pics! Now to go get dad and myself one...
Oh ya...the boar was 5ft 5in nose to tail, nothing but berries in the ole stomach.
