Big 20" black bear

[Axle]

I'm posting this for my son. He tried twice to post it and it just didn't work.
I'll add more to it and pictures too if this makes it.
Here is his post:

First of all, getting this bear was by far the most intense and thrilling hunt I have ever had!!
After hiking up on Tiger Mt and finding a trail to sit by, I waited a while (maybe 1.5 hours) before I heard the bear coming down the hill. It was a beautiful crisp early fall day and I could feel the excitement and anxiety in the air for a good hunt. It was good that I had knocked an arrow before seeing this big boar because the shakes had me going pretty good for a while once I caught first sight of him; but with the slow movements of the big guy, I had time to relax a bit. Taking a little extra time to aim properly when he came closer and turned sideways at 18 yards, I was able to pick ‘the spot’. Since I had forgotten my backup sidearm, I didn’t want any mistakes - nor did I want to make the evening news.
Upon releasing the arrow, I could celebrate in my mind before it reached the double-lung spot my sight had focused on.
It was a quick and clean pass through. The bear wasted no time in turning and peeling off to the north and down the ravine. He didn’t make it far though. He piled up at no more than 40 yards and in doing so – managed to take in a mouth full of dirt.
He will be an open mouth bear rug which will be done by Cedar River taxidermy. Rick was thrilled to see it and I had a great time meeting him. Rick skinned out the head so he could measure it. The bear measured out for a 20 inch skull on the dot as of right now. He was 78 inches nose to tail and 53 inches wide. Just the cape and head alone was 109.6 lbs. Quite the tough hike out with that pack! According to the measurements he is estimated to be somewhere around 400-450 lbs.  Can't wait to see that rug come back!!
I used the NAP killzone maxx broadheads with a 2 3/8 cutting diameter. This is my first year using mechanical heads. The bow I shoot is an Elite Answer bow. It’s been working very well for me.

Pictures to follow....

[Axle]

Here is one picture up on the hill. This thing had a big noggin.

[Axle]

And a paw pic

[Axle]

Here is a nice picture of the head at the taxidermist next to a brown-colored black bear that had a confirmed weight of 350 lbs.
 
We didn't know how to guess the weight of this bear when he was on the ground. We had never actually been that close to one like this.
My son was alone when he arrowed this. He called a buddy and me to come help out after he got it. When we walked up to it, we were amazed at his size. Especially his head.

[Woodchuck]

  Congrats to your boy. Thanks for sharing.

[bearpaw]

That's a great bear, congrats to your son! If he's a member remind him to enter it in the "Head Competition".

[ctwiggs1]

That bear is huge!

[bearhunter99]

That's a beauty!  Congrats to your son!

[STRINGSHOOTER]

Great bear and a great story. Any issue with hikers in the area?

[Widgeondeke]

what a noggin!
Congrats to your son.
2nd the entry into "head competition"

[Southpole]

That's a big ol'bear  I would love to know what he weighed.

[saylean]

Great bear. Was it his first?

[CAMPMEAT]

Great bear and a great story. Any issue with hikers in the area?

I was wondering the same thing about hikers...and anybody else who has never seen bear.

Nice, nice, nice as my 88 y.o.Mom says..

[Eli346]

Beautiful bear! He's going to make a great mount and better story for years to come!

[JBar]

Was wondering if his bear would make it on here. He sent me the pics that night. Awesome bear!

[KevinClimbs]

Awesome bear!

[HUNTNORTHWEST]

so you shot a mammoth.

[Timberstalker]

What a stud bear!  Thanks for sharing.

[jessie88]

Thanks everyone!! I am super thrilled about getting this boy. How exactly do I enter it in the head competition?

[zwickeyman]

Congrats! That's a great Bear. let us know the age when you get the info back from the game dept in a few months. I'm betting between 8 and 10

[Machias]

Nice melon!  Congrats!

[shanevg]

Congrats!  What a beast!  Unbelievable how a big a bear has to be in WA to get a B&C skull.  You'd think that guy would be 21+ easy! 

Good job!

[tgomez]

Nice bear! The head will get a smaller measurment after it is  cleaned down to the bone. I measured mine just over 21", then after i simmered and cleaned skull it was 19 2/16". The final offical score will be after all the meat,cartilage, brains are all off of the skull and has dried for 60 days. That's a great bear you got, id get in touch with an offical Boone and Crockett/ Pope and Young measurement after you clean and let dry for 60 days. I called and am having mine measured in late November. GOOD JOB MAN ON A FANTASTIC BLACK BEAR!

[Axle]

Thanks everyone!! I am super thrilled about getting this boy. How exactly do I enter it in the head competition?

It looks like this is the one: http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,174352.0.html

Not much in there yet.

[Axle]

Great bear and a great story. Any issue with hikers in the area?

No - he was not on the east side of the mountain. We go over there occasionally but there are animals on the whole hill. Bears are usually closer to the homes too.
I overheard a hunting conversation recently and stepped in and showed two guys a picture of this bear my son arrowed (Jessie88 is my son) and the guy about flipped. He said he hikes Tiger Mt a lot and had no idea there were bears up there - let alone big ones like this. He said he wasn't letting his dog of the chain again when he goes hiking there again.

There have been a few hikers who have been belligerent and rude over the years but we politely tell them that it's hunting season and that we hunt there.

[Watimberghost]

Congrats again Jessie! Thats a bear of a lifetime, and with a bow!! Thanks for sharing the story and pics with me, look forward to seeing that rug! I think you just got your name in the pope and young

[Mark251]

Great looking bear!  Congratulations 

[Axle]

That's a big ol'bear  I would love to know what he weighed.

We would too. Had we known What Jessie had gotten, we may have taken a scale up to weigh everything. It would've been good to get body measurements too but we didn't.

Here's a bit more to the story of that day:

I had taken the day off work to be with my wife. We celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary that day. We were heading out to eat dinner at Jack's restaurant in Issaquah by 4 pm. Our son (Jessie) had arrived at the same time we were leaving and he was headed up Tiger to hunt bears. He had already had arrowed his buck earlier in the season so this focus was for a bear. We stopped to say hi and ended up taking a couple pictures with him all dressed in camouflage gear. I was wishing I was going up there with him and I just knew it was a day to hunt due to the crispness in the air. I also had a feeling I would be staying up and late packing out meat. Sometimes I get that feeling and I never regret it. That's a darn good feeling if you ask me!
My wife and I stuffed ourselves with Nebraska-fed beef and baked potatoes at the restaurant. Upon leaving the restaurant, I pointed to the moon and told my wife it was about 51.5% illuminated. She could care less about that but what was going through my mind was that it was almost straight up. I'm a firm believer in hunting the moon position.
Once we returned home, I had a feeling I should rest a bit before getting 'the call'. I had not rested long before that call came. Looking at the caller ID, I knew the answer before taking the call. My son had arrowed a bear. The sun was still up but fading quickly.
Jess wasn't too far up the mountain but by the time his buddy and I got our stuff together and we all got up there, it was dark.
We examined the boar and admired its size. Then we moved it a few yards down the hill to a flatter area so we could work it up. An owl stopped by to give us its vocal impressions for a while but finally quit bothering us and moved off. After working it up, we stuffed our packs as best as possible and headed out with loads on our backs that later made us to wish we had made more trips. It was only about a half mile to the road though so the torture wasn't too bad.
I was quite happy my son had gotten such a large bear - especially with a bow! And on my 30th wedding anniversary, I doubt I'll forget that date!
 

[Watimberghost]

Congrats on the 30th! I guess Jessie had your guys' anniversary present picked out before hand

[jessie88]

Nice bear! The head will get a smaller measurment after it is  cleaned down to the bone. I measured mine just over 21", then after i simmered and cleaned skull it was 19 2/16". The final offical score will be after all the meat,cartilage, brains are all off of the skull and has dried for 60 days. That's a great bear you got, id get in touch with an offical Boone and Crockett/ Pope and Young measurement after you clean and let dry for 60 days. I called and am having mine measured in late November. GOOD JOB MAN ON A FANTASTIC BLACK BEAR!

The measurement was taken after being cleaned down to bone not as it is in the picture.... Rick cleaned it down to bone and used his tool to measure it then. At 20 on the dot.

[Turner89]

Awesome bear kid.

[tgomez]

Nice bear! The head will get a smaller measurment after it is  cleaned down to the bone. I measured mine just over 21", then after i simmered and cleaned skull it was 19 2/16". The final offical score will be after all the meat,cartilage, brains are all off of the skull and has dried for 60 days. That's a great bear you got, id get in touch with an offical Boone and Crockett/ Pope and Young measurement after you clean and let dry for 60 days. I called and am having mine measured in late November. GOOD JOB MAN ON A FANTASTIC BLACK BEAR!

The measurement was taken after being cleaned down to bone not as it is in the picture.... Rick cleaned it down to bone and used his tool to measure it then. At 20 on the dot.

Oh, well lets see that big skull! That thing has got to be up there on the Washington State records with archery euiptment.

[jessie88]

Haha I can't wait man I will for sure keep you updated when I get a full measurement. Minimum for pope and young is 18 so I should be good for that.

[jessie88]

Another head pic

[tgomez]

Sweet Jessie88, I'm glad you entered in the head competition. It was getting lonely in their! I think your gonna win for sure. That's a hard bear to top, and with a bow to boot! If you lived by me I'd take you out for a celebratory drink my friend! Way to go bro, two thumbs up!

[TheHunt]

Congratulations on a great bear. 

[jessie88]

Sweet Jessie88, I'm glad you entered in the head competition. It was getting lonely in their! I think your gonna win for sure. That's a hard bear to top, and with a bow to boot! If you lived by me I'd take you out for a celebratory drink my friend! Way to go bro, two thumbs up!

Thanks a lot Tgomez!! I am super thrilled I still can't stop thinking about how intense that was. He walked through those ferns and woods literally like he owned the place and wasn't afraid of anything lol.  I had to tell myself 3 times before I drew back before he was broadside (calm down calm down its just an animal... if you don't calm down you won't be able to shoot) haha hard to be calm when he was coming near me though. He literally sniffed the ferns and trees and air where I had walked through. He knew I was there.

[rasbo]

great bear there,love them big ol heads

[Wea300mag]

Wow, look at that melon, great bear.

[jessie88]

Thanks! Can't stop looking at him haha

[tgomez]

The good thing is you have him for the rest of your life now. He's down for the count!

[boneaddict]

That's a really nice bear. 

[STRINGSHOOTER]

Great bear and a great story. Any issue with hikers in the area?

No - he was not on the east side of the mountain. We go over there occasionally but there are animals on the whole hill. Bears are usually closer to the homes too.
I overheard a hunting conversation recently and stepped in and showed two guys a picture of this bear my son arrowed (Jessie88 is my son) and the guy about flipped. He said he hikes Tiger Mt a lot and had no idea there were bears up there - let alone big ones like this. He said he wasn't letting his dog of the chain again when he goes hiking there again.

There have been a few hikers who have been belligerent and rude over the years but we politely tell them that it's hunting season and that we hunt there.

Considered some action over there but my buddy said too much hassle with all the hikers, tons of them where we passed. Good info from you on that.