Why cant I pull the trigger

[curlewkiller]

I saw two great bears this deer hunting season.  One was a bowlegged monster and the other was a great bear with a super coat.  The first time I was with my son on his second deer hunt.  He only had the weekend ( school and soccer) and if I shot the first one it would have taken me all day to get the pig out of there and processed.  The second one I had at 30 yards broadside and I did not pull the trigger.  I was more concerned with killing a deer.

I am a bit ticked at myself now.  I guess it is because I have never killed one and I am a bit perplexed on how to process the bear to save the hide and pull the tooth and seal the pelt and .......I guess I am asking if everyone would have pulled the trigger.  I know I am going to get lambasted but oh well...

[jrebel]

I have horrible luck finding the darn things.....I will gladly come up and help you!!  You can even pull the trigger.    
the rest is easy.

[jasnt]

I would have shot the 2nd one.  Personally I like bear better than venison. Don't need a pelt seal on bear just send in the tooth. Little tiny one behind the k9  its not hard to remove. Next time id highly recommend shooting. Jme

[WA hunter14]

all that stuff is stuff you worry about after you kill something 

[Brad Harshman]

You said it yourself - you're DEER hunting with your son.  If you have regrets tell your son.  That way next time out everyone will know the expectations.  it's all good.

I would of shot one.    But I would of made that clear from the beginning. 

[Heavyfoot]

Don't regret it, Had a similar issue when I took my boys hunting.

[h20hunter]

Don't regret anything. Its your choice. If you can gut and skin a deer, you can gut and skin a bear. Hide doesn't need to be sealed. For the tooth, cut the gum, pull that sucker out. If you break it that is why they have two!

Bottom line....its your choice to shoot, not ours.

Also, I'll come shoot if you need me to!   

[Bob33]

I would much rather not take a shot and regret not doing so, than take a shot and regret doing so.

[Boss .300 winmag]

Your taxi will probably send the tooth in for you. Mine does. 

[JohnVH]

Bears are delicious, your taxi will pull the tooth if you ask, research how to cape.

[MP123]

I would much rather not take a shot and regret not doing so, than take a shot and regret doing so.

   Well put...

[tonymiller7]

Did your son not have a bear tag?  I'm sure he would have been stoked to get an awesome bear like that.  I'm also sure he would have been happy just to be involved in getting that monster out of there.  In short, I would have shot either one of them.

[Katmai Guy]

When my son and I go out, it's a "hunting" trip.  We don't make it species specific because we never know what we'll see.  And it all tastes good on the BBQ.   

[skeeter 20i]

Don't feel bad I've done it too this year.  This was my sons first "deer camp" and he was jacked to get a deer.  So on the first day when a brute of a bear walked out in front of me I just let it keep on walking, I figured I would get it after my son shot his deer.  Well that didn't work out as planned  LOL.  I don't regret not shooting since the smile on my sons face after he shot his deer was better than any trophy I could have gotten or will ever get. 

Enjoy the time in the outdoors and the memory of the hunt, to me meat in the freezer is just a bonus.  The reason I hunt is to share time with my boys in the outdoors and to take them on an adventure that is different every time we step into the woods. 

[curlewkiller]

I am glad that I am not the only one!  But unlike you, I had a chance even after he left.  I guess I dont know bear meat well enough to risk not getting a deer for the time taken gutting, skinning and trimming a bear.  Apparently they are delicious, and these bears only eat grass, grubs, and fawns. 

Nice to hear your son got a deer.  We are back at in unit 124 November 8th.

Thanks.

Don't feel bad I've done it too this year.  This was my sons first "deer camp" and he was jacked to get a deer.  So on the first day when a brute of a bear walked out in front of me I just let it keep on walking, I figured I would get it after my son shot his deer.  Well that didn't work out as planned  LOL.  I don't regret not shooting since the smile on my sons face after he shot his deer was better than any trophy I could have gotten or will ever get. 

Enjoy the time in the outdoors and the memory of the hunt, to me meat in the freezer is just a bonus.  The reason I hunt is to share time with my boys in the outdoors and to take them on an adventure that is different every time we step into the woods.

[B-Nut]

That is what happened to me last year. I saw a few bears during deer season and one time I had him in my scope for about 10 minutes trying to decide. I chose to wait for after deer season to take him and he never showed back up. I've regretted it ever since. I've told myself bear or deer which ever shows itself first from now on.

[ctwiggs1]

I'd shoot.  It'd be different if it was a grouse.  If the bear is good sized, that's meat in the freezer.

[LeviD1]

I have never sent in a tooth. Maybe my taxidermist does that. You just cut up from groin to base of the head and down each inside of the arm down to the base of the paw, just picture how the arms would look as rug form. My taxidermist doesnt charge extra to skin the face and paws out and its way more delicate work so I dont want to ruin it. Not to hard. Get it in the freezer as soon as possible also. This preserves the hide the best. You can keep it in the freezer for a long time also if you dont have the money to take it in at the time. But that's the most critical thing is to get it in the freezer otherwise you risk hair loss exponentially the longer its out.

[RadSav]

My opinion probably doesn't matter because I do not have kids and I'm a bear fanatic.  But I would have dropped the hammer on them both!!

[fisheral87]

A bird in hand.....

I don't have kids either. 

[Turner89]

Did your son not have a bear tag?  I'm sure he would have been stoked to get an awesome bear like that.  I'm also sure he would have been happy just to be involved in getting that monster out of there.  In short, I would have shot either one of them.

    Even if he didn't have a tag I bet he would have loved being part of you getting a bear

[n_mathews13]

 Would have let my kid shoot them, what a memory .