2009 Vancouver Island Black Bear

[littlemac]

My hunting buddy and I went to Vancouver Island for a six day hunt in April of 2009.  we went with Sean Lingl out of Port Alberni and had a great time.

We saw bears everyday and most of the time they numbered in the double digits.  There were slow days when one of us would see only a handful.  We were guided one on one and would only meet up back in camp at night.

I spent the first few days glassing.

[littlemac]

The third day we set up late on a huge boar that was at about 300 yards if he came to the near end of a clearing below us.  This bear had been hunted for the past three years and was very smart, holding up in and area without any good access without him busting us.

The guides had actually named him "Goliath".

We set up on him the fourth day as well.  He was rubbed off on his hind quarters but so big it would have been great to take him.

Here's the set up.  The clearing in the lower right is the place he hold up.

[littlemac]

Late on the fourth day he busted out without us seeing him until he was all the way to the valley floor.

Totally bummed us out, but taught us how smart he was.

On the way up to our set up we jumped a cougar on the road.  We called in and let the camp know that we had spotted a cat and there was a hunter there with a tag. 

A couple of hours later, it was hunter one kitty zero. 

Not a big cat, around 100-110 lbs.

[littlemac]

When we returned to camp my buddy Ken was still out and word got back the he had taken a big boar.

When he got into camp it was confirmed, one big bear and as it turned out the biggest of the entire season.  Squared at seven feet and it was a load in the truck bed.  Scored at 21"

Here's a two shots Ken's bear.  The first is in the field and then one in the truck.

[D-Rock425]

those are great pics

[littlemac]

The next day we went back to our set up and took a look for Goliath, never to see him, saw a bunch of other bears and decided to take a look around the corner from where we had been the last two days.

Within a few minutes a bear rounded the corner about 500 yards across the hill side.  We were on a plateau that really was the only unwooded are on the hillside.

We got set up and he fed his way to within 100 yards of our position.  Wehn he got to around 75 yards I made the shot with my .340 Wthrby mag.  It stood him up and he bolted over the edge.  Not a lot of help, as it was nearly straight down.

We lucked out when he hung up on some slash.  The Canadians don't clean up slash like we do down here.

The first pic may give an idea of how steep it was, as well as the angle of the slash in the second pic.

The last shot is dressed out and over a log.  He was an ok bear, 6'6" and a long face that scored not bad at 19"

[MuleySniper]

Those are great bears! Sounds like you guys had a blast.
MS

[ribka]

Thanks for sharing. The first bear is a whopper
How much do they charge for that type of hunt?

[cohoho]

Right on, nice bears for sure...

[SkookumHntr]

Great pics and story! Looked like you guys had a Hoot!!

[rasbo]

cool pics and story..love that country

[GoldTip]

Great story and great bears, gotta love that forehead cleavage on your buddies bear, very nice.

[Alaska316]

Very nice. Thanks for sharing.

[Ray]

Nice work littlemac. Both great bears. Ken's bear was a damn hog if I ever seen one!

It sounds like a great trip to me.

[Rufous]

What a hunt. Those are both great bears.