I was back out again on Friday with my favorite hunting buddy back in our spot with all the bear scat. We spent a few hours hiking and calling, but no luck. On the way out we bumped into one of the hound hunters that was working an area farther in. He suggested we either try a new area or go back to the area that we had seen the bear a couple of weeks ago. Visibility would be better.
I set out on Saturday morning by myself to check out the new area. It had lots of peeling from last year but nothing recent so I went back to the general area where I saw the bear before. I hiked in and sat down for an hour of calling and eating lunch overlooking a clear cut up against a patch of woods that I had found scat in before. After an hour, I decided that nothing was coming in and started hiking further in along the road.
Turning the first bend in the road I spot two cubs at the edge of the brush. Then mom comes into view popping her jaws and herding the cubs over the edge and they all drop out of sight. I hurried over to where they vanished, hoping to get a photo of them disappearing through the brush. I peered down, but wasn't spotting anything when I heard some hissing from over my head in a tree about 25 feet away. This little guy was not happy with me:
Because he was really close, the brush was thick at the base of his tree, and I didn't know where mom was I thought it best to beat a hasty retreat without getting better photos. As I backed out he dropped down off the tree.
Encouraged by the bear sighting, I went back to the truck and headed for another likely spot. As I came to the end of the road I spotted another sow with two cubs running out the top of the clear cut. It looked like the bears were finally out but it was mommies take your cubs to work day. None-the-less I grabbed my gear and headed over the berm to glass through a series of clear cuts.
I was also taking time to glass the far side of the valley where I had seen the bear before. I was violating one of the rules of glassing, look near by first. I heard a huff from below me and spotted a bear running away. He ducked behind some stumps and the noises stopped so I cut back along my trail to try to catch another glimpse of him. I was able to get a broadside shot at him off hand at about 100 yards with my 7mag and down he went.
I rushed across the clear cut (as fast as you can rush across one) and found him about 10 feet from where I shot him. He had not expired yet so I finished him with my 45LC Ruger revolver. He wasn't huge, but I will take him for my first bear. I tagged him and started gutting him out before I realized I was forgetting trophy photos again. Here are a couple of hastily posed shots.
With a bear down 150 yards down hill from the road, I prudently called for reinforcements. My friend Rolf and his wife Karen agreed to meet me at the DNR gate and lend a hand. On my way down I met three other hunters, all of whom offered to help carry.
With Rolf and Karen in hand we lashed the bear in a blue tarp and onto a plastic sled to drag him out. Part way out, Tim (one of the hunters I met on the road) showed up and pitched in. With three three people lifting it was easier to carry than to drag and we got him out. I want to say it is impressive how hunters are ready to pitch in and help other hunters they have never met before. Thanks Tim.
We took the bear back to my place and hung him in the shop for skinning. In the end it was easier to hang him from the front end loader of my tractor. By midnight the hide was in the freezer and the carcass was bagged. Here is a shot of the skin waiting to be folded.
Thanks to my wife for letting me put in all the time for this hunt, to Rolf and Karen for pitching in in the woods and in the skinning, to Curtis and my father for help with the skinning, and to my favorite hunting buddy for all the time in the woods.
