First bear down

[7mmfan]

What a hunt. My good friend and hunting partner headed in Friday night to our camp for the last weekend of the high hunt. We ground out 7 miles, finishing in the dark. Got camp set up and hit the sack.

Up early we found ourselves socked in. We took our time and hiked over the ridge into the next basin where we intended to hunt. We sat in fog so dense we couldn't see 40-50 yards until about 9:30 or so. Finally it broke and we began slowly working along the ridge glassing down into basin below. We'd only gone 100 yards and I looked back to slope below where we had sat most of the morning and there was a large black bear just munching away on berries. I decided to make a stalk and get close to ensure a clean shot than take what I had which was only 250. I got within 40 yards but the brush was just tall enough to screen the bear. She ended up winding one of us and left in a hurry.

We moved along and 20 minutes later we crested a small rise and there was another bear, 150 yards out. I navigated to a rock ledge to set up for the shot. The bear knew something was up and began moving out in a hurry. I lip squealed really loud and he stopped and looked back over his shoulder giving me his neck. The 7mm-08 barked and he was on his way down the hill, end over end for several hundred feet. He came to rest in a great spot to photo and process.

We processed him and got back to the ridge line. I spent the majority of the afternoon boning quarters and cleaning the hide up. My buddy worked a large area glassing timbered benches, open faces and rock slides, turning up nothing. We navigated back to camp and settled in for the evening.

The hike out was a long wet slog. My pack weighed in at 75#  and that 6ish miles may have been one of the most physically demanding things I've done. Thank goodness for a good friend to split the load with.

[h20hunter]

Very cool. Can't believe that's your first bear!

[7mmfan]

Very cool. Can't believe that's your first bear!

Thanks, had a few opportunities,  but have just never connected. Never put a ton of time into it.

[HillHound]

Awesome story. Congratulations. Now you will be hooked on bear hunting.

[h20hunter]

Bear skull makes cool euros.

[7mmfan]

Theres a rug and a euro in my future for sure.

[Boss .300 winmag]

Nicely done, look like a wet side color phase.👍

[Gobble Doc]

👍👍


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[7mmfan]

I think one of my favorite parts was killing it with my 7mm-08. I've owned that gun for over 10 years but could never get it to shoot. In the last couple months I did a lot of work to it and developed a tack driver load. The bullet hit exactly where I aimed. Couldn't be happier.

[dscubame]

Awesome!

[pashok23]

Nice job!!!

[Bango skank]

Right on man, west side bear?

Looking forward to seeing the 2019 harvest report.

[7mmfan]

Right on man, west side bear?

Looking forward to seeing the 2019 harvest report.

Yes a westside bear. Not by a whole bunch, but west side none the less. It's the first color phase bear I've ever seen, and it got me super excited!

[yakimanoob]

Nice!

[Turner89]

Right on
My first one was also a color phase., but not near as far pack out.