Bearpaw Season 2009

[Machias]

Good luck!

[bearpaw]

Two more big mulie bucks spotted today and no shots fired, one of these bucks looked to be about 36 inches wide...

Just like the old saying goes, the big ones always get away....

On a more positive note, my wife reported to me they killed a 4x4 whitetail today in Colville.

[bearpaw]

Here's a young buck we got a few days ago....

[bearpaw]

Another nice Mulie taken last week. This buck is still laying in his bed where he was spotted.

[Pathfinder101]

That's a great buck Bearpaw.  What state?

[bearpaw]

Idaho...If we can kill one of the really big ones spotted this week, this one will look like a youngster. Fingers still crossed....three different big ones spotted this week, just couldn't get the shots yet. 4x5 bull spotted so far today but out of range and headed into a big timber area, we probably won't see him again.

[nw_bowhunter]

Nice bucks. Keep the pictures coming.

[PacificNWhunter]

nice job bearpaw! love the updates.

[bearpaw]

182 Down
Last evening we found a new buck on the block. We had not seen this buck before at all, did not know he was even there. We were doing a drive to find the really big 36" we saw the other day and up jumps this guy. First hunter (a driver) misses the trotting shot, (dang he must be saying to himself) this buck heads around the hill and runs right into one of the posted hunters who makes a deadon running shot.

This will probably create a discussion but I am saying it anyway, "You can't kill anything if there isn't lead in the air." My hunters (bless them) have been holding out for the perfect shots and it just doesn't happen that often with big smart bucks. Sometimes you have to do the best with what opportunity they give you. Whether you agree with the shot or not, you have to admit this is not a bad buck. I gross scored him at 182 even this morning, he has about 6 inches of deducts. The carcasse is already at the meat processor and the head will go to Cindy at Double Cut.

Fingers still crossed for #36, my nickname for the elusive bad boy we were looking for.....

[MtnMuley]

That's a pig!  Keep up the good work and stories Bearpaw!

[bearpaw]

Washington Whitetail
Last night my phone rang....I answer it "This is Dale", voice comes back at me "Big Buck Down", it was my daughter, she calls me every year when she kills her buck. Herself, her husband, and my 2 month granddaughter all went hunting yesterday evening after work. She says "He was at 338 yards bedded down, and I shot him once, right through the heart, he only ran 40 yards." Wow that girl has it going on right. I am not kidding you she kills her buck every year with one shot. (I will leave out her bear hunt when she was 13, that one wasn't so pretty, but she has been a natural born killer ever since.)

I asked "How big is he?" she says "He's not real big, but he has dark heavy horns, a 4x5, about 14" wide." I told her to take a picture with my granddaughter Brooke, she says "your kidding", I replied back "nope I want a picture with Brooke, we took pictures of you when you were just a baby on your first hunts". "OK" she said, so hopefully I will get a photo to post.

Idaho Elk
Yesterday we saw 4 different bulls, but all were out of range or moving too fast. No shots fired. One of the guys said that one was a real big bull, fingers crossed for that bull today and tommorrow. Only 2 days of season left in Idaho......

[bearpaw]

Yesterday we found #36 again in a drive we made, Ray who has been guiding with me for probably 15+ years and has been engineering the hunt for #36, had a good look at him, Ray said he is 8 to 10 inches outside his ears on both sides. That puts #36 most likely between 36 to 40 inches, anyway he jumped up in front of Ray and headed around the hill to the standers. One guy got a shot at him but missed clean. Folks it is extremely rare to find a buck of this caliber, it is even rarer to be lucky enough to see him 3 times in 1 week. What is common is that the big one got away again.....

Today brought hail; rain storms, and we could not find #36 or any of his offspring, worst day of the week. The season ended today, the biggest questions in my mind are if #36 will survive the winter, and if we will be able to locate him next year. Fingers crossed for a mild winter.....

Tommorrow I head for Montana for more antelope and deer hunts. Check back for some good antelope action....

[Pathfinder101]

Keep postin' Bearpaw!  Can't wait to see your granddaughter with that whitey! 

[bearpaw]

Thanks pathfinder.....I talked to my daughter again last night and she did take the picture with my granddaughter but hasn't got it developed yet. I'll post it when I get it.

UTAH UPDATE
Had two hunters arrive at our Utah ranch last night, this morning my son took them hunting and they both killed their deer, a 20" and a 25". Love those first day kills. 

Will post photos when I get them....

[bearpaw]

Haven't made it to Montana yet, got a call from my hunters, they lost a plane engine on their private plane and had to make an emergency landing somewhere in the midwest. No engines nearby, so they are stuck waiting for an engine to be shipped in. I guess they are lucky to be alive anyway that gives me a couple extra days to catch up on things and visit Hunting-WA....