Overnight bear hunt

[SilkOnTheDrySide]

Anyone got a link to that thread?

http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,132674.msg1767806.html#msg1767806


god i want to go bear hunting..

thanks for the link! 

curious about the procedure here for keeping the meat cool if part/all of it needs to overnight.

1. does boning the meat out help with the cooling process or is it mostly just for weight savings?

2. spreading the hide out over some deadfall to let it cool overnight... critters don't come around and chew it up?

3. i'm always curious what people are using to hang their meat during an overnight.  seems like hauling anything into a tree with 550 would be very difficult.  are people carrying some sort of accessory cord, like 4mm stuff? what about pulleys or carabiners to assist?  am i overthinking it?

4. how many game bags are typically carried for a bear and what size?

thanks!

1.  Yes de boning helps with the cooling. The bones hold a lot of heat and getting the meet cut and spread helps a lot.

2.  They didn't bother it.

3. We just tied it to a tree. We weren't really concerned. Just regular 550. I take a contractor bag as well too keep my pack from getting super bloody.  You are def overthinking it.

4. Couple?


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[RadSav]

Most fall bear require skinning twice in a way.  Removing hide with as little fat attached as possible will help keep it from experiencing hair loss.  And then skinning the fat away from the meat.  I find the fat holds more heat in than does leaving the bones in.  Though I do encourage you to do both.  You will be happy you did by the time you get to the truck with that last load too

I usually carry four Alaskan small quarter game bags and one full size deer bag for the hide.  Once you get the fat off that is more than enough.

Any small para cord is good enough to hang small quarter bags.  One of my favorites is 160# braided Dacron fishing line.  The Muzzy bowfishing line is good too and comes in florescent colors!

Since I am not normally in grizzly country I never worry about hanging them high.  So it is very easy.  Biggest thing is to avoid direct sunlight and to get good ventilation.  Try hanging the game bags by a cord on both ends making a long horizontal meat tube rather than a big bowling ball in bag.  This allows more ventilation and reduces trapped heat.

In August I say "Pack All Night" if you have to.  If in a hole or other unwise trekking in the dark spot I like to leap frog quarters to a trail or safe night travel route during the day light hours.  That way I can utilize a safe area during night time to get the meat out.  No meat is worth getting injured in the back country, but with a little pre planning you should be able to take advantage of the cool darkness without worry.

Biggest advantage to me is to play all scenarios over in my head before I find myself needing to come up with a plan while the adrenalin is affecting my thought process.  The worst case scenarios in my head are almost always much worse than the actual reality.  I think that is a good thing and helps us prepare and organize the pack without a bunch of unnecessary weight and bulk.  Yet allowing a prepared plan for just about every surprise, good or bad! 

[Todd_ID]

Excellent advice here.  But, yes, all are overthinking it.  Hunting is simple.  Every item you take above rifle and bullets is just fluff.  Common sense rules after you pull the trigger. 

Shoot.  Recover.  Keep meat cool until it's cut and wrapped.  That's about it.

[RadSav]

One thing I would like to add;

More people die of hypothermia in Arizona than in Washington, Oregon and Idaho's back country combined. They find out too late they are not prepared for cold weather in hot country.  It sneaks up on you quick!

My first close call almost lead to being one of the exceptions in August while hunting outside Baker City, Oregon in '85.  Had I chosen either to find shelter and sit tight or to leave the meat and come back after the 7,000' elevation storm had blown over I would have been fine.  I was completely unprepared to exert that much energy, push myself to such extremes all while dressed for 90 degree weather during a massive hail storm and major temperature drop.

I like challenges and I am often bull headed to a fault.  That is a good thing when dressed appropriately or the weather is mild.  But high elevation during August can change in an instant.  Temperature drops can seem to come out of nowhere!  If the temperature drops below your preparedness it's good to remember the meat will benefit...your body will not.  Keep an open mind and make smart choices!  It's really sort of simple if your not the bullet proof punk I thought I was in my youth

Since maturing I have pulled hunting partners off of August bear kills a number of times.  Each time their excitement over ruled an easy diagnosis of emerging trouble.  In each of those cases we got the meat out the next day without a single bit of loss.  Even with one large boar that was only butterfly cut and left on the ground with just a few sticks attempting to elevate it.  Each time the partner disagreed with the decision until sitting in the safety of a warm truck and finding dry cloths.  Then it hits them..."Man!  That wasn't good, was it?"

[Crook]

water filter, or Iodine. REI has many to choose from. I've had one for about 20 + years and all that time raerly used it, but then wham two years ago I got sick (vomiting, uncontroled runs, headaches, spasms etc...)from Giardia, water born, needless to say I use mine religeously now. Thought I was relatively safe drinking from water sources that were fast moving and not in an area where range animals spend the summer, I was just very lucky!!!!

[JJB11B]

nobody mentioned a tag  unless I am blind and missed it

[WaltAlpine]

That's why I look at this site.
Lots of great help.

And the cynical comments are funny too.

TP
Don't forget the TP