Need Input...Shot first bear ever

[jrebel]

Today I shot my first bear ever.  It is not huge, but it has an awsome color phase.  Beings that I have never shot a bear before, I really need help on a few questions. 

Here is the scenaria
45/70 325gr bullet at approx 50 feet. 
I shot this bear and it turned and ran for approx 5-10 seconds....sounded like a freight train in the brush.

No more crashing and I hear the "Death Bawl" that lasted for approx 15 seconds.  With this I could hear very clearly gurgling in the lungs.  I have hunted for approx 27 years and have heard this numorous times with my archery kills.

Wait for an hour and hear absolutely nothing......then start the search.  I cannot find blood and the bear.  It is literally a jungle of tangled mess and every trail down there has bear sign.  I looked for 3 hours tonight and nothing.  Me and my hunting buddy are hitting it hard tomorrow.  I know this bear is dead and in my estimation it is within 50 yards of where I shot it. 

How do you find these animals in this kind of jungle/thicket without blood.  Is is normal for them not to bleed, enough to find easily, for the first 20-30 yards??

Will they ever give the death bawl just becaus....I know I hit this bear, but I cannot believe I can't find blood with that gun and ammo. 

Any suggestion or words of wisdom would be great.  I plan on using my nose tomorrow but everything in this jungle smells like bear. 

[buckfvr]

Broadside heart lung ?

[DoubleJ]

Never shot one but from what I understand, their fur doesn't let a lot of the blood hit the ground.  Sucks it up like a towel

[NW-GSP]

I'm sure you will find it. Bring a machete

[buckfvr]

Fat will plug the hole......you may have to near step on it to find it, could have gone down between blow down or fell in under the brush and is covered.......

[Cap.Silver]

Jrebel  Pm sent your way

[Harborhunter]

What kind of shot did you have?  That bear did not go far if it did what you are describing.  Look for hair on the brush, might be able to figure out where he went.  You should be able to smell him tomorrow too.  Sounds like it is brushy, but is there any brushier spots or brushy draws he might have run into? 

[ICEMAN]

Come on, some of you wenatchee guys get out there and help tomorrow am!

[Ridgerunner]

Good luck, sounds like he is dead for sure.

[jrebel]

Machete is a must and maybe a chain saw.....It is some of the thickest stuff I have ever seen in my life.  It is relatively flat with small contours in the land.  Where I believe it to be is approx 50-60 yards from where I shot it and it would be a more marshy area.  Lots of alder tangle, thistle and other 6-10 foot tall dog hair tangle mess.  All of this in under a huge old groth forest wich does not let a lot of sunlight in. 

The load was 45/70 325 grain leverevolution (factory load). 

It was so thick in there tonight and I was by myself, that I would be a liar to say I was not scared for my life.  All I could think about was this bear or another bear eating me.  I looked for hair or broken vegitation and truth be told there is so much bear sign in there that you could not tell what was the bear I shot. 

I have no doubt with the 15 seconds of bawling and gurgling that it is a mortal wound.  I just can't believe that it got up after the shot and then did not bleed. 

[demontang]

Man that sucks. Start in the am and do circles, down on your hands and knees to look for him. If I where close I'd help you. Like was said there fur will soak up the blood. The bear I shot never left a drop of blood. 

[billythekidrock]

Fat will plug the hole......you may have to near step on it to find it, could have gone down between blow down or fell in under the brush and is covered.......

100% correct.

Do a grid search. Use flaggy and work on your hands and knees if needed. Even an average bear can ball up under some firns or a blowdown and be invisible from above.

Take your time in your search and make sure every foot of the grid has been checked before moving on to the next grid.

[billythekidrock]

Also be willing to believe that the bear went farther than you think. A death moan can sound closer than it really is, even in thick reprod.

[jrebel]

Yeah, but how much ground can he cover in 10 seconds or less.   After that initial burst I never heard another branch brake and prior to shooting him you could hear every step for 100 yards.     

[RadSav]

Definately sounds like he is down.  Sure wish I was closer to help.  Best of luck.