Lets Hear Your Opening Day Stories

[NataSS]

Last weeks scouting found 7 different bears in this area.

Fast forward to today.  NONE, ZIP, ZERO, NADA.

donated roughly 10 gallons of blood to the local mosquito population.  Probably contracted dangue fever with my luck.  got 3 bites in the exact same spot on my right wrist and it swelled up like a balloon.  I didnt even see this many mosquitos when i was in Thailand with the Marines.

Finally thought i was onto something only to have 3 ass hats on dirt bikes go screaming by at 50mph waving at me.  I just stared at them and shook my head.  Was it the fact i was crouching and in the low ready position that might lead you to think i was onto an animal.  Nevermind the fact I was holding a large rifle, a pistol in a serpa holster with 2 secondary mags and a large Kukri blade on a tactical tailor split mav harness and X brace.  I guess they thought i wouldnt do anything.....they were right, I just shook my head.

Then moving into a HUGE meadow, I was coming over a rise and it sounded like the mother ship of all black bears was coming over the rise in front of me.  At the ready with my thumb on the hammer of my trusty .30-30 waiting for this monster to show itself, my heart was racing a million MPH.  NOPE!  3 people all on horse back and thier 3 fricken dogs.  Short conversation later they leave and say "good luck".

2 hours later i moved to the large tree in the middle of the meadow where I could survey the entire area.  Sat for about an hour and out of no where one of the ladies with the horse group rides right up to me and wants to chat for a half hour. 

I gave up and came home.

[carpsniperg2]

sounds like a blast

i shot 5 bears today they were all foam at the local 3d shoot we went to today since it was the last one untill nov. will hit it next weekend and see what i can find

[bowman]

Got rained on last night, went out this morning and got rained on some more, and I fed the Mosquitos.  Fun hunt though.

3 piles of scat. Berries wern't quite ripe where I was hunting

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

I got up and headed to my creek-bottom, but upon arriving at the gate WH had closed & locked it, I checked the other gates in the area and found they were all locked.
The one road without a gate had a sign saying "Walk in hunting only, no motorized access"
I though "oh well" , parked and walked in, but due to not knowing the gate was locked, I was not prepared to walk all the way to my spot, due to time/distance.
I saw some old peels, a few Cascara trees w/o any berries, and very few Hucklebeeries,  salmon berries, or Blackberries, so decided to go to a different spot later in the evening.
After checking all the gates, I found one near Rainbow Falls. that was open, with a yellow dot (and seeing as to it is/was Sunday) and drove in on the 550.
I went to one of my good looking areas near there, parked and walked to end of logging spur, checking edge of cut every once in a while through Bino's.
Not hearing any sounds of feeding, I started calling.
Tried that for about an hour, nothing showed (That I knew about), walked out close to dark.
on the way to my truck, I saw a Porcupine waddling across road, so I grabbed a good sized stick and flipped it over on its back, grabbed a rear paw, and carried it to truck.
I grabbed a spare set of socks and whapped it (porci) a few times to collect some quills (for a project to be determined later), and let him continue on his way.
Opening day, no bears, or sign........

[Little Dave]

Guided two float trips on Saturday, second one in the lightning and hail was kind of interesting.  Got home about 10, just in time to get ready to head out for the ridge Sunday morning.  Saw a few does on the way in, no bear though.  Hiked back into a meadow above a lake and found a nice bluff there.  Needed a nap, but the ants helped to keep me awake.  No bears, nice young two point buck on the way out.  Kind of alarming how many people were coming up the hill midday.

[buckhorn2]

Saw 2 bears this morning and tried to get set up on a decent one tonight but someone shot down the hill and he moved into the timber, We saw 5 bear today and some elk hope to get closer tomorrow we are in a restricted area and using muzzle loaders. Needed Rick or Rasbo to call them in a little closer. Thought about trying to call but did;nt want to scare them off if it does;nt work.

[BrandonWatts]

Bear down for the willapa hills. went out at 5:45 this morning checked a couple of berry patches herd on bear down in the bottom but never could get a look at him. came back in had some lunch, screwed around for a while. me and a buddy headed back out at 5:00pm to check the same areas the last clear cut we check we saw a bear all the way a crossed the canyon on the road i fired the first shot and missed ranged at 303 yds the bear ran down the clear cut my buddy shot and hit him done deal. went down after the bear turned out to be a small bear only about 100lbs be his first bear. i just got him in the cooler about 10mins ago it was a long drive out and a hell hole to get him out of. so for a first day not too bad.

[bowhunt03]

Pretty much the same story for me.. Lots of brush pickers, yuppies ect. No bears. Saw a few deer and one coyote.

[seth30]

Bear down for the willapa hills. went out at 5:45 this morning checked a couple of berry patches herd on bear down in the bottom but never could get a look at him. came back in had some lunch, screwed around for a while. me and a buddy headed back out at 5:00pm to check the same areas the last clear cut we check we saw a bear all the way a crossed the canyon on the road i fired the first shot and missed ranged at 303 yds the bear ran down the clear cut my buddy shot and hit him done deal. went down after the bear turned out to be a small bear only about 100lbs be his first bear. i just got him in the cooler about 10mins ago it was a long drive out and a hell hole to get him out of. so for a first day not too bad.

Congrats!!

[turkey buster]

 

[kbdavear]

Disapointed?

That is more action then most will have, including myself. At least you didn't get hosed by brushpickers. 

I guess disapointed may not be completely accurate. I believe that any day in the woods is better than a day not in the woods. Just being out there was great, however I am really hoping on filling my tag this year and I am only going to get a couple of chances to go out.

[kbdavear]

Saw 2 bears this morning and tried to get set up on a decent one tonight but someone shot down the hill and he moved into the timber, We saw 5 bear today and some elk hope to get closer tomorrow we are in a restricted area and using muzzle loaders. Needed Rick or Rasbo to call them in a little closer. Thought about trying to call but did;nt want to scare them off if it does;nt work.

Sounds like a good spot you got. Good luck.

[kbdavear]

too ashamed to post on this one

I saw you other post. dont be ashamed man. it happens!!! Did yall get back out there?

[kbdavear]

If I didn't have scope covers, or shanevg had a round in the chamber, we would have a bear down... at 5 yards.      Oh well, got the rest of season, had a great day out.

I would like to hear more on this one too. I think at 5 yards, that bear would have about 15 rounds of .40 in it, then I would change my britches.

[seth30]

too ashamed to post on this one

I saw you other post. dont be ashamed man. it happens!!! Did yall get back out there?

Yeah but I did a lazy 1 1/2 of looking, my legs are still on fire.  I am planning on going out tommorow after work, I cant today due to having duty.