Keeping it real.... here's my story.

[Jeremy S]

I've been out about 20 times for my first bear this season. I had one come in below me in some brush about a month ago making lots of noise but it winded me and ran for the drainage so I couldn't get a shot.

Opening day for deer I walk into my dad's old honey hole. It hasn't produced a buck for years but last years hunt and summer scouting made it seem that thing would be lined up again for the deer. I see one lonely doe all morning. We jump in the truck and drive to another place we've been meaning to hike in for awhile. Three hours later and nothing. I suggest we head back to his old spot and we only have about and hour of light left. My dad wants to go chat with some buds so my friend tags along instead. We get to the road we are going to walk with only 30 minutes of light left. My buddy notices his scope got knocked loose so he leaves his rifle in the trunk and grabs his .357. As we walk into the cleared area, I look up and see a truck at the top of the ridge driving slowly (on a no-motorized vehicle road) so I'm pissed. We stop and wait for a few minutes for him to pass as we glass the hillside. As we start to walk again, I notice a black spot coming up from below and cross the road in front of me. I whisper "stop, it's a bear!" My buddy whispers back "shoot it." I start to shake apparently, which I was completely unaware of. I'm watching the bear and judge it to be small at around 150 lbs. The light is fading and my friend is looking at a big burned out stump, thinking that it's the bear. I kneel down on the closest stump to me to stabilize my rifle and as I look through the scope, all I can see is the ridge! So I stand, put the bear in the cross hairs and fire. I overshoot and the bear jumps in a tree immediately, and my buddy says "another one!" I spit out a few four letter words, feeling as if I had missed seeing a cub somewhere. I reevaluate the situation and confirm there's only one bear and that my buddy was looking at the stump. As the young bear runs down the hill I take one more shot as he disappears into the brush. We search for any sign of blood or hair and nothing turns up as light turns to dark. I return in the morning and check again and nothing. I range my first shot with GPS and it came up 122.  

After all that I'm pretty frustrated with myself. I'm sighted in at 200 yards and can get a consistent group. I need to go to the range more often. Also, I've been out hunting for deer on opening weekend in a pretty crappy area for 15 years without seeing a shooter and taking a shot. This was my second year of serious bear hunting and deer hunting. All that time in the woods just seemed to manifest itself in bear/deer fever. I guess all I can do is learn from my mistakes, and put myself in a position again, to get my first bear.

[Kain]

We can all shoot well from the bench.  It is a whole other story when there is actually an animals in front of you.  Nerves, adrenalin, unknown distances it all makes a HUGE difference.  I started predator calling three years ago and that has really helped me.  I missed my first bobcat at 30 yards with a shotgun.    Every encounter is a learning experience though and the last coyote I shot I didnt get the jitters until after the shot instead of when I first saw it.   Most hunters will only get one or two shots ops every year and that makes it very hard to learn how to control yourself when it counts.

You ever go hunting with an old timer?  He is always cool as ice and seems to never miss.  I wonder how many years he had stories just like ours.    

[Machias]

Well this won't make you feel much better, but maybe a little better.    I have killed 8 bears so far, 5 with my bow.  I've been around alot of other bears, I don't get overly excited.  Two years ago I hike into an area to deer scout and find fresh bear poop everywhere, so I plop down and start calling.  5 minutes into it I noticed movement on the next ridge and there is a nice chocolate bear at about 75 yards and coming towards me.  SWEET.  He's coming like his on a string, down a small draw and right up in front of me to 25 yards.  Facing me, chest fully exposed.  Nice bear, about 175ish.  I had to lean just a little to my left, put the SCOPE'S crosshairs on his chest and squeezed off the 30.06.  He spun and ran off.  I waited to hear him crash.......nothing....WTH???  Walked over, no blood, no hair......nothing.  There is no way in HE double hockey sticks I missed this bear at 25 yards.  I searched for the next 6 hours, nothing, came back the next day....nothing.  I never touched a hair on that bears body.  Went home and checked my rifle, 11 inches high and 4 inches to the left.    The only thing I can think of is the ride in to this place is very rough and the rifle was laying in the back floor board of the truck and took a beating coming in.  The rifle does not ride there any more!  So it can happen to someone who's killed alot of bear and who doesn't get too excited....so don't beat yourself up, you'll connect next time, I'd bet on it!  You still got time this year, keep after em.

[Jeremy S]

I'm a firm believer that I'm on my way to success and that everyone can learn from their mistakes. In the last two years that I've been scouting and hunting hard, I've learned a lot from the folks on here and I've seen more game than ever before. I think it's only a matter of time.

[shedcrazy]

Opening day 2 years ago, I hiked into my spot at daylight. Right off the bat I glass one below me and to the right. It was on a mission and heading up my side of the drainage. I snuck along the ridgeline, and sure enough as I peeked over i could see it coming up. I took a knee and waited. The bear(a nice chocolate phase) hit the ridgeline 30 yards in front of me, feeding and had no clue I was there. I was calm and aimed on the shoulder and fired. Dirt flew behind it, I shot high. I couldnt figure how the hell I missed. Hiked out and went to check the zero. I was 8 inches high at 100. Re-sited in and the next day was back. As soon as I hit my spot a nice Black one was feeding across from me. Stalked and nailed that one. 18 8/16ths. You never know!!!

[BIGMIKE]

keep trying thats what's making hunting fun.