2022 Bears

[Shawn Ryan]

First bear, first Washington harvest, first solo hunt, first backcountry hunt, first quarter, first bone out, first pack out! Face down in huckleberries at 6600 ft (east side) just after the morning sun hit the slope. Shot at 100 yds with 6.5 creedmor Hornady 143 grain ELDX on morning 3 of a 4 day trip. High double lung and I think some shrapnel hit spine because he was lights out on impact. Took me all day to quarter, get back to camp, then bone out because I am inexperienced. 76 lbs boned out without rib meat and with fat trimmed (wish I could have taken, but it was just too heavy). I hiked the 10 miles back to the truck on Labor Day. Hardest thing I've ever done! Going back next weekend to get some gear I had to cache and I'm going to grab the skull.

Super great "first" experiences.

[Shawn Ryan]

XL bear with a cool color.

XL? More like cave bear. He looks huge. The distance between his ears is unreal.

[jasnt]

XL bear with a cool color.

your on a role this year! Congrats

[Ntbutcher]

I'll keep the party going! Shot this beautiful chocolate sow on the 5th. Watched her for 2 days, stalked in 3 hours over 2 miles of deadfall. Dropped in from the ridge above her and double lunged her at 143 yards and she dropped right where she stood. First chocolate and first sow. She measured 17" skull and has an amazing coat on her.

[knob221]

Great job Ntbutcher! Sounds well deserved!

[NRA4LIFE]

Quote by Duckmen1 " We are always there for each other."

That says it all.  I've had 1 partner like that.  Too bad he lives 1800 miles from here.

Nice bears all, keep them coming.

[Dwrecknfish]

I can never get pictures to work on this sight but got lucky and filled my first bear tag on September 2nd on a beautiful chocolate bear. Filled my 2nd tag on a smaller sow black bear on Friday the 16th.

[Pacific Ghost]

Sure does seem like a slow start to everything this year. I'll make a contribution. Harvested this sow on Friday evening. She was hanging out in about the only pocket I came across that still had decent berries left when most of the other areas had already burned up. It all came together pretty fast due to the intermittent fog and limited shooting lanes, but she only made it about 10 yards after the ear-loving bark of the 7mm WSM from 215 yards. Was a steep several mile pack-out to complete about 14 total miles of this deer/bear combo hunt. I kept telling myself that I was bound to run into something after 58 miles logged so far this year in three different wilderness areas. And, to that doe with the twin fawns that I was previously watching just before the bear made its glorious appearance right below you, you're welcome. How about a little less hissing and moaning next time around. 

[Timberstalker]

Nice bear, Ghost.  Congrats.

[hunter399]

I did notch my first tag the other day.
Kinda a small guy .
But I wasn't really bear hunting,just happened to see one,opportunity was there. So I took it.
I can always be more selective on my 2nd tag.
243 truck rifle I throw in sometimes,103 grain eldx.
Was very impressed with the eldx.

[Platensek-po]

I did notch my first tag the other day.
Kinda a small guy .
But I wasn't really bear hunting,just happened to see one,opportunity was there. So I took it.
I can always be more selective on my 2nd tag.
243 truck rifle I throw in sometimes,103 grain eldx.
Was very impressed with the eldx.

That’s an awesome pic!

[jasnt]

I did notch my first tag the other day.
Kinda a small guy .
But I wasn't really bear hunting,just happened to see one,opportunity was there. So I took it.
I can always be more selective on my 2nd tag.
243 truck rifle I throw in sometimes,103 grain eldx.
Was very impressed with the eldx.

That is an awesome pic.  Pretty sure I’ve seen that truck a few times up in one of my favorite spots.  Congrats

[mcrawfordaf]

I did notch my first tag the other day.
Kinda a small guy .
But I wasn't really bear hunting,just happened to see one,opportunity was there. So I took it.
I can always be more selective on my 2nd tag.
243 truck rifle I throw in sometimes,103 grain eldx.
Was very impressed with the eldx.

love to see it! Grats 399

[Machias]

Awesome bears guys!!

[Pacific Ghost]

But I wasn't really bear hunting,just happened to see one,opportunity was there. So I took it."

That is cool. All of the harvested-while-wood-cutting stories I've heard of over the years have only involved deer. I'd mix all that firewood with my other stock in order to re-live the memories every time a blood-soaked stick gets tossed into the woodstove.