Author Topic: Found my spring bear this morning. (Read 11185 times)

ToddD · « **on:** May 02, 2008, 11:27:02 PM »

Yesterday afternoon I caught a brief glimpse of a bear but couldn't call him back out. After reading the recommendations on this board, we went back to the same area this morning.

We sat on a point overlooking the area where yesterday's bear had gone. We ran the call with fawn distress for quite some time. After a while the wind really picked up and we both started to worry about our way out of the area considering the chainsaw was tucked away nicely in the garage. Oops.

As we rounded a corner on the way out, we saw a bear walking away from us through a clearcut. He was almost in the middle of the cut and grazing slowly along. He didn't hear the pickup, mostly I think due to the wind.

I jumped out of the truck and moved up on him until found a place to sit down with a clear shot.
185 yds and 1 shot with the .300 WSM he tumbled about 10 feet down the hill.

This was much a bigger boar than I expected when I first applied for the spring Monroe hunt. Without a scale on the side of the hill, we figure he was around 275 lbs.

We figure the calling last night must not have affected him and he had continued to graze all night. He was about 1 mile from where I saw him last night and had just followed the base of the hillside around the knob.

Thank you all for your help and recommendations. This is both my first spring bear, and my first Washington state bear. Here are a few pictures.

mkcj · « **Reply #1 on:** May 03, 2008, 12:28:25 AM »

Great looking bear!

zackmioli · « **Reply #2 on:** May 03, 2008, 12:29:54 AM »

Congrats! thats a great looking bear!

billythekidrock · « **Reply #3 on:** May 03, 2008, 04:56:29 AM »

Congrats!

I am glad the board could be of some help. Looks like it has a good hide on it.
How much/little fat did it have?
Do you have any pics of it's teeth?
Did you happen to cut open it's stomach?

boneaddict · « **Reply #4 on:** May 03, 2008, 06:49:41 AM »

pretty hide on him. Nicely done!

archery288 · « **Reply #5 on:** May 03, 2008, 06:54:37 AM »

Congrats!! thats a good lookin bear!

Hunting Cowboy · « **Reply #6 on:** May 03, 2008, 06:55:13 AM »

Congratulations on a nice looking bear. Love the jet black hide on that guy.

catwithboost · « **Reply #7 on:** May 03, 2008, 07:03:28 AM »

Congrats. Looks like a very nice bear.

Rhinoron247 · « **Reply #8 on:** May 03, 2008, 07:25:39 AM »

Great Bear, love the Jet Black Coat. We are leaving to night to head back to the Blues for ours. Let's hope you broke seal and the rest of us will now score.

Congrats

bobcat · « **Reply #9 on:** May 03, 2008, 07:29:36 AM »

Beautiful bear. Thanks for posting the pictures.

Ridgerunner · « **Reply #10 on:** May 03, 2008, 07:40:58 AM »

Great job, glad to see someone got a spring bear.

SuperDave · « **Reply #11 on:** May 03, 2008, 07:43:30 AM »

Nice looking bear! Are you gonna rug him? Lifesize? Congratulations

Ghost Hunter · « **Reply #12 on:** May 03, 2008, 07:48:21 AM »

Very nice! Hope to match it.

Red Dawg · « **Reply #13 on:** May 03, 2008, 08:42:32 AM »

That is a great bear. I really like those jet black rugs.

PolarBear · « **Reply #14 on:** May 03, 2008, 08:44:55 AM »

Mighty purdy! Conflatulations!

Bobm · « **Reply #15 on:** May 03, 2008, 11:41:24 AM »

Way to go!

Bout time somebody posted their bear.

Wea300mag · « **Reply #16 on:** May 03, 2008, 12:58:30 PM »

Very cool Todd.

That is a great looking bear. Great to finally see some success. Glad it was close to road too.

Michelle_Nelson · « **Reply #17 on:** May 03, 2008, 02:05:56 PM »

That's a Great looking bear. Looks like it has a really nice coat on him as well! Glad to see some one was finally able to score. Hopefully those going out this weekend will be able to connect and fill their tags.

Muleyslyr · « **Reply #18 on:** May 03, 2008, 02:28:37 PM »

Right on!! Nice Bear!! Congrats on the first WA. one too.....

ToddD · « **Reply #19 on:** May 03, 2008, 04:24:08 PM »

Thanks everyone.

I didn't think to get pictures of the teeth, but once I get the skull back I can post them. It is frozen solid right now.

We were both really surprised at the amount of fat he had on him. I think my last fall bear had less fat than this. With the mild fall and late winter, I wonder if he hibernated at all.

This bear had a really thick coat and would have made a beautiful rug. However I already have a black rug and I've got the last 2 wall spaces reserved for a cinnamon and a blonde. There were already concerns voiced about another rug.

I didn't get into the stomach, but I did take the picture below when we walked up to him. I had planned to post this in the Bear Sign topic. That is really fresh spring bear sign.

MountainWalk · « **Reply #20 on:** May 03, 2008, 04:34:14 PM »

good looking bruin. say, is that a schnabbel fore end on that rifle?

Bearhunter · « **Reply #21 on:** May 03, 2008, 04:42:56 PM »

Congratualtions, nice bear. No luck for me today, but I did find some sign. Was this the Monroe tag? I have the skagit and its been tough to say the least. Congrats.

edmondshunter · « **Reply #22 on:** May 03, 2008, 05:27:43 PM »

Nice work, that's a hefty one

M_ray · « **Reply #23 on:** May 03, 2008, 05:31:26 PM »

Nice job, he looks great!

Sideswipe · « **Reply #24 on:** May 03, 2008, 08:33:40 PM »

Nice!!!!!!Can't wait 'til I can go out again. Good job! Sausage time.

cohoho · « **Reply #25 on:** May 03, 2008, 08:40:31 PM »

Excellent, great animal and a good looking hide for sure... Good job!

mossback91 · « **Reply #26 on:** May 03, 2008, 10:11:09 PM »

Quote from: MountainWalk338 on May 03, 2008, 04:34:14 PM

good looking bruin. say, is that a schnabbel fore end on that rifle?

Looks like a winchester featherweight to me.which has a schnabbel

Sure is furry!! make a COAT!!

Jackjr · « **Reply #27 on:** May 04, 2008, 12:06:19 PM »

Nice work. Finnally seeing the bear pics.

billythekidrock · « **Reply #28 on:** May 04, 2008, 12:30:44 PM »

Quote

Looks like a winchester featherweight to me.

I was also thinking Win Featherweight, maybe the XTR?

washingtonmuley · « **Reply #29 on:** May 04, 2008, 12:35:50 PM »

Congrats on a solid Bear.

WDFW-SUX · « **Reply #30 on:** May 04, 2008, 12:52:49 PM »

Nice bear love the coat.

ToddD · « **Reply #31 on:** May 04, 2008, 06:19:24 PM »

You are right, it is a Winchester Model 70 Featherweight.

muledude · « **Reply #32 on:** May 04, 2008, 09:07:56 PM »

Nice Bruin,Any Idea on a weight? Or a Length?

Rufous · « **Reply #33 on:** May 04, 2008, 09:39:51 PM »

Way to go Todd. Spring bear hunting is the best as far as I am concerned (though I have not hunted sheep or billy goats and suspect I would like that even better). Even so hunting bears in the spring is a mighty fine hunting experience. I was out again this evening and saw two bears. We put a stalk on one but it gave us the slip. It took an hour to get into the area where it was but it was gone by then. Then we saw another one but it was pretty small so we did not go after it. Rufous.

MasterTracker · « **Reply #34 on:** May 05, 2008, 02:53:43 AM »

Good lookn bear!!

Timber · « **Reply #35 on:** May 05, 2008, 06:01:18 AM »

Wow, great looking bear! Looks like he has some size to him. Congratulations.

Head-shot · « **Reply #36 on:** May 05, 2008, 10:13:13 AM »

Nice job, good lookin bear

Coasthunterjay · « **Reply #37 on:** May 05, 2008, 12:54:48 PM »

looks like a mounter to me.......

got any plans on getting it done, rug or shoulder?

very nice, a full solid black........

saylean · « **Reply #38 on:** May 05, 2008, 02:50:02 PM »

Nice bear, grats! Glad to hear you filled your tag!

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Author Topic: Found my spring bear this morning. (Read 11185 times)

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