Bearpaw Season - Fall 2012

[Duffer]

Hey Dale?

How do your bear hunting 'prospects' look toward the end of the season?

I'm trying to organize/fund a visit your way for a hunting buddy and myself yet this year.

and thanx to you once again for your personal involvement in Washington (and beyond) hunting!

[bearpaw]

Hey Dale?

How do your bear hunting 'prospects' look toward the end of the season?

I'm trying to organize/fund a visit your way for a hunting buddy and myself yet this year.

and thanx to you once again for your personal involvement in Washington (and beyond) hunting!

Late in the season bear hunting can be hit or miss. Right now I have a bear hitting an orchard but you never know how long that will last. I have several other orchards full of apples that haven't been touched yet, but at some point there should be bear coming into them. The best thing to do is keep in touch with me so that I can let you know when it will be good to come. Last year we had numerous bear hitting the apples in October, I was able to get one bear hunter, he shot a nice bear the first morning. But I don't want to have you come hunting late in the season unless we have bear hitting the apple trees. So first decide if you want to hunt, then let me know how flexible you are with your hunting dates and we'll see if it comes together. Otherwise you could wait for spring or early fall next year.

[RadSav]

That sow was 240 field dressed?

[bearpaw]

That sow was 240 field dressed?

No, that's the weight including guts. But she was well over 200 after gutting.

[bearpaw]

Today Brian and Nick started Mule Deer hunting in Utah. One of our hunters is 88 (I think) hoping he gets a good one.

I have moose hunters hunting here in Washington, they called several bulls yesterday and had two different bulls picked out that they are going after today. My fingers are crossed!

The governor tag holder sent me a photo, he filled his tag two days ago with a dandy with a couple other locals, but it's not my picture to post on here.

[bearpaw]

Moose Report
Well no moose today in Washington for us, one grouse was taken or we would have all been skunked. None of the moose that were sighted yesterday were seen today, but that's hunting. 

Utah Mule Deer Success
In spite of the slow day in Washington I was greeted with the news that Jack (88 years young) killed a 4x3 mulie in Utah today. They were on a good buck this morning but it was too long of walk for Jack, they had to give it up. They went in for lunch and rested and in the afternoon they got Jack on a 4x4, but he couldn't get settled for the shot and it got away, then they passed some smaller bucks and finally Jack nailed the 4x3. That was great news, can't wait to get the photo.

 

[RadSav]

That sow was 240 field dressed?

No, that's the weight including guts. But she was well over 200 after gutting.

Sure you were showing the right picture!  That's the thickest 240 bear I've ever seen

[bearpaw]

That sow was 240 field dressed?

No, that's the weight including guts. But she was well over 200 after gutting.

Sure you were showing the right picture!  That's the thickest 240 bear I've ever seen

Yep, it's the right photo. You can take pictures that make the animal look small or pictures that make the animal look big. The real trick is in taking pictures that don't make it obvious you are trying to make the animal look as big as possible.

I don't always accomplish the desired result, but I am getting better as my hair changes color.

The heaviest bear that we killed this year scaled 251 or 252, some may have thought it weighed more, but that's what the scale said. He was old too, would not have gotten any bigger.

(maybe I should start adding 100 pounds to the scale weight) 

[whacker1]

Do you have any hide measurements or skull measurements for those bigger bears? 

[bearpaw]

Do you have any hide measurements or skull measurements for those bigger bears?

I didn't measure them, but the hides are probably a little under 6 feet at that weight. Skulls vary a lot, the bigger one might have been 18 to 19.

[bearpaw]

Utah Update
Numerous bucks spotted, Brian's other hunter missed a 4x4 mule deer they figured was about 24ish. One of Nick's hunters missed another 4x4 buck they figured about the same size (24ish) this morning. I'm hoping for better success this evening.

[RadSav]

Yep, it's the right photo. You can take pictures that make the animal look small or pictures that make the animal look big. The real trick is in taking pictures that don't make it obvious you are trying to make the animal look as big as possible.

I don't always accomplish the desired result, but I am getting better as my hair changes color.

(maybe I should start adding 100 pounds to the scale weight) 

Adding 100 pounds will at least match the hunter's story when he/she gets home   150 after a few beers!

Doesn't really matter how you took the pictures.  That's one dang good sow for sure   Should be some sweet tasting vittles too!

[bearpaw]

Here's photos of 3 of the 4 bucks taken a few days ago on our Utah deer lease. Unfortunately all 4 hunters missed bigger bucks. Brian had to remount the scope and sight in one rifle that wouldn't touch a deer. But the trip was salvaged and all four hunters still killed bucks. Best of all Jack, 88 years young, killed his deer again this year.

[bearpaw]

Marty has hunted several times with me in the past. He killed a nice cougar and he brought his best friend who is blind up on a bear hunt when we could still hunt hounds on bear. His friend pointed the shotgun loaded with 00# Buckshot up the tree, I looked up the sites from behind him and told him to hold steady and pull the trigger. He knocked the bear right out of the tree, that was a very memorable hunt for all three of us and we talked about it on this trip.

This year Marty pulled a Spokane moose tag, we started hunting on Oct the 4th, we went two days without seeing a bull that we wanted to shoot. In one spot I called 4 bulls, a cow, and a calf, none were big enough, we called that spot the moose nest after that.

On the 3rd day I had a complete different plan, we went back behind the moose nest and hunted different country. I called at several different bulls but none would show themselves, we saw a young bull, a cow, and calf along the logging roads, but still no big bull. Next I tried a new area that we had not been in before, you know the old saying, the grass is greener across the fence, well this time the bull was bigger on the other side of the hill.

I drove into a landing and started to turn around, then for some reason I thought I better drive into another old road that came into the landing, I just pulled around the corner and there the bull was standing on the hillside, I immediately told Marty "He's a shooter!" and Marty jumped out to load his gun. At the same time I grabbed my binos and got a better look, "Marty his right side is real weak!" I said, but Marty quickly replied "I don't care I'm shooting him!"

The first shot probably would have killed the bull but Marty put a couple more in for "above the road insurance" since the bull was walking downhill. The bull dropped 10 feet above the road, a moose guides prayer come true. 

We took photos, skinned and quartered the bull on a tarp, then loaded the bull and drove home, the 13x5, near 45 inch bull was hanging and washed clean before dark. "I love it when a plan comes together!"

We found that the bull had been badly wounded on his left rear leg, thus the reason for the weak right antler. Marty was more than happy with the bull, but jeez I sure wished he would have had a matching right antler. That left paddle measured 33 1/2 and even with the 5 point side I still think he's the best bull we saw, congrats Marty!

FYI - Check out the cysts on the liver. I wonder if these are from wolf worms?

[THunt]

Wow that right side is really impressive. Way to go!