OK here we go with the story.
Yesterday got home from work with the plan of going to check trail cam pics and glassing for bears. Had the wife and kids so a ton of hiking was out of the question. Left the house at 1000 hrs and was checking trail cams at 1400 hrs. Was leaving that area (1600 hrs) to head to blewitt pass 2 hour drive to glass for bears. I thought by time I made the drive the heat would be tolerable and it would be a good time to find a bear. Well much to my surprise on the drive I pushed this bear out of the road (1445 hous).
It bailed off the road into some of the thickest brush I have ever seen. I started walking down the road thinking I may be able to follow it in the bush and maybe catch up to it. I knew it was a younger bear, but the color was awesome and for my first bear I wasn't going to be too picky. After about a hundred yards of following this bear (hearing it walk parallel and sniffing me) I thought I would never see it again. The brush was so thick all I could see was the tops of bushes moving. Finally I see the brush move about 50 feet in front of me and out of the brush appears booboo. I take the safety off the 45/70 when I saw the bear climb up on a stump. I leveled the 45/70 off and fired. The bear fell and all I heard was about 5-10 seconds of thrashing (what I thought was him running) and then the death bawl. The death bawl lasted for approx 15 seconds and I could hear gurgling like a lung shot during this period. Then the woods went silent.
I knew I had hit the bear hard and knew it was a leathal shot. Having never shot a bear before and hearing how tough they are, I backed out and waited for approx 45 minutes. I go in after it (scared for my life) and start looking.....Keep in mind the brush is so thick you can't see much more than 5 feet in front of you. I could feel my pulse in my finger tips as I gripped the rifle pointing it in front of me waiting to face off with an angry bear. I search for blood at point of impact and find none. I start looking in what I thought was the direction I heard the bear run and bawl (after the shot I never actually saw the bear again cause of how thick the brush is). Still no blood. Every trail, and there were a ton of trails / tunnels, had bear sign in it so that made tracking even more difficult. After approx 3 hours of searching and finding nothing, I am more than frustrated.
It was getting dark so I made the decision to leave and seek the expertise of Hunting-Washington.com members. I make the two hour drive home and post immediately. I also call my hunting buddy and secure help for first thing in the morning. Needless to say I could not sleep. I knew it would be an early morning so after reading some posts I head to bed.
0430 I am up and headed to what is now been labeled bearville. I have the 870 home defense gun stacked with buck shot and slugs and all the supplies needed to skin and process the meat rapidly. Thanks for the advise of taking a cooler full of ice. Also thanks for the advise of looking real close to where you shot the bear. One stop for coffee and Ice and away I go. I make it to bearville at 0630. Walk in to where I believed point of impact to me. Start searching.....and low and behold the darn thing was less than 10 feet away under some broad leafy vegetation. All the thrashing I thought was running was actually the bear rolling circles down a small hill into the thicket. I had literally walked within 5 feet of this bear twice yesterday. Honestly had I not stepped on him I probably would have walked right by him again.
Again thank you to the member that said look hard around where you shot him. Upon arriving at 0630 the temp gauge in my truck said 47 degrees...pretty cold. I instantly skin the bear and prep the meat. The meat does not smell rancid and looks good. I put it on ice and then prep the hide. On the way home I call the taxidermist and arrange to drop off the bear. It measures 54 1/2 inches tail to nose and is estimated to be around 120 -140 lbs. I am having a full mount done on him where he will be sniffing a beehive I have. I couldn't be more excited.....For my first bear it is beautiful, though small. Can't wait for the mount.
For those who are interested...the shot was slightly quartering away from me. The bullet entered just behind the front shoulder half way up the bear and exited center of off shoulder. The hole was amazing and the bullet performed exactly how it should have. Not finding the bear was a result of me and the thick vegetation.....the bullet devistated that bear. I love my 45/70.
