Well folks I finished out the spring bear hunt with my 4th tag from the SE raffle. This hunt was one like I never did before. I spent 8 1/2 days hunting with a bit of Springer fishing to break up the time. The last 4 days were the hardest with a little pressure put on by myself. As anyone with knowledge of the units you end up glassing 800 yards to 2 miles across canyons to locate then make a plan if they seem to want to hang out and feed. The last 3 days I was finding boars hooked up with sows so they weren't traveling like I had seen so I gave me more hope that I could make a stock, and they might still be in the neighborhood by the time I got into shooting distance. That thought was quicky put to rest after 2 blown stocks. I ended up just making a plan to get into the area I seen most of the bear and hope to see one on my side before they seen me. I was very very lucky the day before the closer and I had a sow pop out 30 yards from me and with a short glance I knew it was the sow that I put a stock on the boar that was with her. I figured I was busted as I was out in the wide open when I saw her. She seemed a bit nerves as most bear are, but I held tight as she didn't bust out of there. It was just seconds later the boar stepped out of the brush, and she started walking straight to me. I was able to get my gun up in short increments before he was visible, but when I pulled up, she was all I could see in my scope so I held knowing at some point she would bust out of there and he would be visible. She got to 10 yards and busted as I anticipated, and he instantly tuned broadside and bailed back into the brush but not before taking lead when he turned. He died almost immediately 15 yards from where he stood. I'm exhausted, but very proud of what I accomplished knowing I had a once in a lifetime tags. I saw 29 bears in that timeframe. I have green scored the skull and he was 20 5/8'' and he was 6'2'' from nose to base of tail. All I wanted was to get a good representative and I am ecstatic about him.
I want to thank any and all that gave me advice for this hunt and the ones that stuck with me through this. Anyone that is local or knows these mountains is a blessing to be in contact with and I doubt I could have done it without that guidance. I'll always say it; local knowledge is KING.
