eastern washington heart breaker

[littlebuf]

Well the weekend didn’t start out the best. I get camp set up early Friday and head to my “my spot” as I get in there I bump in to another guy with a rifle I ask . “bear hunting?” and he answers “elk hunting” apparently they opened up a limited area rifle cow hunt and the area happens to be “my” bear spot. So before I know it there are quads every where scaring all the game for 10 miles ( I hate quads) any way I have a plan B. I head in  to my other spot Saturday morning.  I approach the first out look and stand next to a little bush. About 1 minute later a beautiful color phase (chocolate brown) bear bursts out of the brush about 20 feet to my right and heads down the hill at about 100 mph. I shouldered my rifle and took the best shot I had, it was an impossible shot. If I had been three steps to my right I would have seen that bear before he saw me. I figure that spots busted but then I see what the bear was on, he had a mule deer kill. On the off chance that he would come back I left and waited till evening to check on that kill. Well he came back  in the middle of the day and drug that kill off. So I would be back in the morning. 5:30 a.m I head back in, im glassing a area a little past the kill. After about a hour and a half I look back over my shoulder and on the up hill side there he is. 160 yards up hill there is the same chocolate brown bear im looking for. Wind is good shot lane is clear but he’s on the tree line and heading back in. I rushed the shot, it was all me on that miss. I tell ya guys I almost cried. I looked around for a little while and then headed back to break camp. Fun weekend but a heartbreaker too. He will be bigger next year.

[KimberRich]

Sounds like a heart breaker.  You'll be replaying the situation in your head for a year..  It sucks.  I missed the biggest Whitetail I've ever seen a few years ago and it still haunts me!!

[Skyvalhunter]

sorry for your loss

[JackOfAllTrades]

What? There's no loss.

Didn't have it in the first place.

Yes, quads piss me off too. Sorry you missed the shot.

Any time I've been busted by a habbit forming critter, If I go back there, I try to approach that area from a different angle, as I've learned that that critter will remember for a short time that he busted something and will be weary for at least a few trips back into that spot.

-Steve

[runamuk]

Well it still sounds like a good time away...... and yeah that bear will just be bigger next year