Author Topic: Wife's CF Spring Bear. (Read 10825 times)

billythekidrock · « **on:** May 30, 2009, 10:42:20 AM »

We have been hunting pretty hard for 6 weeks without a bear sighting and the sign is drying up. Bears had been feeding pretty hard on grass in a couple spots, but we could never run into them and now their diets are changing to trees and grubs.

Most of our hunts were from 5 pm until 9 pm after work and then from about 7 am till noon on the weekends. And to top it off, it is pretty tough hunting with a 7 year old by your side. The hunts mostly consisted of us hiking in and getting her set up, then my son and I would hike out and either scout or play by some water where it was cool. The last few times out she was hiking back by herself, leaving us to do our thing.

Thursday after work my back was going out and I did not feel like going anywhere but when she got home I could tell she wanted to go hunting and by 6:30 pm we were leaving the house.

By 7 pm she was hiking to her spot and Billy and I were on our own. After hiking and playing we were back at the trailhead by about 8:30 listening to music with the motor off and the windows part way down to have a breeze but yet keep the bugs out.

We were listening to the 80’s at 8 when I thought I heard a shot and quickly turned off the radio. Now most of you know how it goes on state land…tons of shooting. Beth was hunting in a draw between two valleys and both hillsides tend to have target shooters. Normally I don’t think much of the shots, but this night I hadn’t heard a single shot so it definitely had my attention.

We got out of the truck to listen for more shots and after hearing none; we grabbed the camera, a tarp and a packboard. This is when I realized that I was not as prepared as I would have liked. Only one headlamp, only one knife, only one packboard (my crappy/broke one) and my good (stocked) daybag was at home.

We waited for about 5 minutes before hiking about halfway back and we only waited there for a couple minutes before I could see her coming out. She told me she had shot at a small bear and felt it was a good hit but that it ran into the timber.

We went back to where she shot and she showed me where it came out and where it went back in. She also pointed to where she heard some “noises” after the shot. It seemed that the bear went in the direction of the trail that we needed to take to get around the swamp.

Since it was getting dark I had her and Billy hang back as to not foul up any sign that may be needed for tracking. I found a spot where the bear had run, but no blood. A little backtracking and doubling around did no good either. After a couple minutes it was too dark to see in the timber so I started to head out for a light. As I neared the area that the “noises” came from I looked back into the swamp grass and saw a black spot…actually a black and red spot.

I called Beth and Billy over and we took a couple pics, gutted it, rolled it up in the tarp and tied it to the packboard. Luckily we weren’t too far from the truck. It was nearly pitch black in the timber but I only fell once.

Definitely not the one we were after, but it is a bear and she did most of it on her own.

She could hear him feeding when he first came out at 8:20 and then he fed for about 5 minutes in a little dip on the right side of the swamp without giving her a broadside shot. Then he headed into the timber. She is not comfortable with moving shots so she let him go. She was bummed and thought she missed her chance.

About ten minutes later she could hear him feeding on grass on the left but just out of sight. At first she thought it was the muskrat that had been feeding right in front of her. She tried to get a look and there was the bear. He was in a low spot and partially blocked by brush so she watched him feed for about 3 minutes before he fully came into view.

He was going from left to right as he came up out of the dip on the left side of the swamp and she shot him right behind his right shoulder. He ran into the timber and angled to the left and then headed back into the edge of the swamp where we found him.

I am very proud of her. She put a lot of time and energy into this hunt and at times had to practically drag me out of the house. She was willing to use both the ecall and a hand call as well as to sit quietly for hours. She also hiked into some real nasty spots and got bug bit pretty good. She passed up a couple shot opportunities on this bear that most of us would have taken, but she wanted only a broadside shot.

Huntbear · « **Reply #1 on:** May 30, 2009, 10:47:23 AM »

Congrats on the bear... Looks like your wife did a bang up job.

saylean · « **Reply #2 on:** May 30, 2009, 11:14:15 AM »

Congrats on sealing the deal, to your whole family. Nice write up/pics. I think I missed it...was this her first?

That swamp pic had been posted earlier in the season right? Looks familiar. (not like I had been there, but that I had seen it on here.)

joebear · « **Reply #3 on:** May 30, 2009, 11:39:58 AM »

great job. Its always nice to see families making it happen!!!

Machias · « **Reply #4 on:** May 30, 2009, 11:42:47 AM »

Awesome, I have been hoping you guys have good luck and harvest a ncie bear. Congrats!!!

Jeremy S · « **Reply #5 on:** May 30, 2009, 12:03:06 PM »

Awesome! I hope to have my first bear this year.

rasbo · « **Reply #6 on:** May 30, 2009, 12:04:23 PM »

great job,good pics to...whats she gonna do with it

KillBilly · « **Reply #7 on:** May 30, 2009, 12:05:30 PM »

Quote from: saylean on May 30, 2009, 11:14:15 AM

Congrats on sealing the deal, to your whole family. Nice write up/pics. I think I missed it...was this her first?

That swamp pic had been posted earlier in the season right? Looks familiar. (not like I had been there, but that I had seen it on here.)

Doug
It is more like her 4th or 5th bear, hard to remember but she is no novice at killing bear.

KillBilly · « **Reply #8 on:** May 30, 2009, 12:06:45 PM »

Quote from: rasbo on May 30, 2009, 12:04:23 PM

great job,good pics to...whats she gonna do with it

She is going to send a picture to you so you can add it to your spring bear tag soup...

Kain · « **Reply #9 on:** May 30, 2009, 12:12:39 PM »

Very cool. Thanks for the story. You are very lucky to have a family that hunts together.

Huntbear · « **Reply #10 on:** May 30, 2009, 12:30:00 PM »

Quote from: KillBilly on May 30, 2009, 12:06:45 PM

Quote from: rasbo on May 30, 2009, 12:04:23 PM
great job,good pics to...whats she gonna do with it

She is going to send a picture to you so you can add it to your spring bear tag soup...

Wow, that is hard core harsh!!!! I Like IT!!!

bucklucky · « **Reply #11 on:** May 30, 2009, 01:08:43 PM »

SWEET! I have been wondering how the hunting was going . Congrats to your woman Willie!

rougheye · « **Reply #12 on:** May 30, 2009, 01:14:19 PM »

That great

Tell her CONGRATS

billythekidrock · « **Reply #13 on:** May 30, 2009, 01:29:14 PM »

Thanks guys. I will try to answer all in one post.

Yes, I am lucky to have a wife that not only tolerates all my hunting, but one that hunts as well. Though we may have broke my boy. He said he is tired of the forest.

This is her 1st bear in about ten years, but her 4th bear overall.

The hide wasn't really rubbed, but he didn't have any under fur so we are not going to do anything with it.

The original swamp pic was posted earlier. We found a lot of sign there in the begining and it was close to home.

bearmanric · « **Reply #14 on:** May 30, 2009, 02:06:59 PM »

Awsome misse's billy the kid Rock. her and billy been at it a while. i remember storie's at bear camp in the mid 90's. were billy was calling and she would say there is one standing there. i remember those thing's. your lucky billy. Rick

billythekidrock · « **Reply #15 on:** May 30, 2009, 02:11:35 PM »

Quote from: bearmanric on May 30, 2009, 02:06:59 PM

Awsome misse's billy the kid Rock. her and billy been at it a while. i remember storie's at bear camp in the mid 90's. were billy was calling and she would say there is one standing there. i remember those thing's. your lucky billy. Rick

Thanks Rick.
I remember that too.

saylean · « **Reply #16 on:** May 30, 2009, 02:23:57 PM »

right on.

strutnrut1984 · « **Reply #17 on:** May 30, 2009, 04:53:24 PM »

way to go , congrats to mrs. rock

TheHunt · « **Reply #18 on:** May 30, 2009, 07:50:02 PM »

very nice... Congrats, you sure put in the time and great team work.

Bearhunter · « **Reply #19 on:** May 30, 2009, 08:11:58 PM »

Congrats to your wife for sticking in there, persistance is the key when hunting bears!

stumprat · « **Reply #20 on:** May 30, 2009, 08:32:13 PM »

Congrats. Glad all the hard work payed off.

markts · « **Reply #21 on:** May 30, 2009, 08:34:48 PM »

Great job congrats to the Mrs Mark

runamuk · « **Reply #22 on:** May 30, 2009, 08:49:42 PM »

Congrats ... nice write up glad she got her bear....

Jackjr · « **Reply #23 on:** May 30, 2009, 09:11:46 PM »

Nice Job

Michelle_Nelson · « **Reply #24 on:** May 30, 2009, 11:42:40 PM »

Awsome! Congrats to Mrs. BTKR!

billythekidrock · « **Reply #25 on:** May 31, 2009, 01:02:26 PM »

Went by to see if anything touched the guts...but nothing has.

Here is a pic of some surveyors ribbon mixed in with the grass he was eating.

And a little cambium.

Wea300mag · « **Reply #26 on:** May 31, 2009, 02:47:36 PM »

Well done, congrats!!!

Ghost Hunter · « **Reply #27 on:** May 31, 2009, 07:31:27 PM »

Way to do the job on damage control

snipekillr · « **Reply #28 on:** May 31, 2009, 07:34:28 PM »

Nice bear

boneaddict · « **Reply #29 on:** May 31, 2009, 07:45:03 PM »

good for her!

murphyranch · « **Reply #30 on:** May 31, 2009, 08:12:40 PM »

Good deal Congrads to her and thanks for sharing the story with us.

Ray · « **Reply #31 on:** May 31, 2009, 08:22:39 PM »

Congratulations to your wife. Nice bear and it sounds like she earned it.

ICEMAN · « **Reply #32 on:** May 31, 2009, 08:24:03 PM »

Great Job, congrats!

Slider · « **Reply #33 on:** May 31, 2009, 08:32:03 PM »

Very Nice!!! Congrats

robb92 · « **Reply #34 on:** June 01, 2009, 01:46:40 AM »

Congrats to her on a nice bear!!

Huntboy · « **Reply #35 on:** June 01, 2009, 04:00:19 AM »

Congratulations, nice Bear.

Sideswipe · « **Reply #36 on:** June 01, 2009, 05:53:48 PM »

WTG! Already posted a reply on the other forum.

X-Force · « **Reply #37 on:** June 02, 2009, 08:33:01 AM »

Congrats way to stick it out.

Caretaker · « **Reply #38 on:** June 02, 2009, 08:40:35 AM »

Congratulations! Nice bear.

Wanttohuntmore · « **Reply #39 on:** June 02, 2009, 09:15:08 PM »

Congrats! You and your family have that area dialed in!

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Author Topic: Wife's CF Spring Bear. (Read 10825 times)

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