Lots o bears none to shoot

[Gutpile]

Friday may 20
Didn't work so I could leave as early as possible and get a good day of hunting in and take advantage of the awesome weather. Got to my sight at about 9:00 a.m. or so and discovered I forgot my ammo but still had ten rounds and my muzzy so no biggy, right? Wrong. Forgot my license and tags. SCREAM EXPLETIVE NOW>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>! Drove back to town then back to camp. There at 1:00 pm. This trip is starting off bad!

 So I got everything ready to go and went to see if anything was stirring in my honey hole. On the way up I saw this guy. I probably could have taken this bear. The range was 220-250 but it looked small and the area is very very steep and deep. If I hit it and it went off into the thick stuff I was scared I may lose him so beacuse of that and because of the size I passed. If it were a monster I would have tried to take out the fronts and or the spine but I figure he'll be a good one next year. I think he probably went 4', 4 1/2'.


Was seeing a lot of new sign so things are really picking up. I did a few sets and did some scouting to see if I can get into my other productive spots but no dice. The winter took down a lot of trees and the little creeks are raging looks like those spots are out this year. Off to another place I call Sow Mountain. Last year a friend ani saw a HUGE sow with her cubs on this mountain almost every time we checked, hence the name. I found some absolutely giant scat this time. I mean big, like a coke can. I want that bear. Did a couple sets with no luck but did see this sweetheart. Sorry for the bad pics it was getting dark. This bear was a really nice sow. Cinnamon and BIG. One black and one chocalate cub. Very cool to see. She was an aggressive and protective mama. Those cubs will make it.



Saturday May 21
Woke up bright and early and hiked sow Mountain. Nothing stirring. Off to Bear Basin. This is where I've got 2 of my three bears and the chances are good of seeing one here. This is where I stalked the sow last weekend. On the way up I see another enormous fesh pile in the road I round a corner and there is a really really nice bear piling off the road. This bear is mine. I know I'm gonna get this one, there is no where to go. Just a toot on the fawn call to get him to stop and the game is over. DAMN IT CUBS!!!! AGAIN?




That was exciting but I'm sick and tired of sows and cubs. I like watching mama and how she watches after them and the way they climb those trees is awesome but c'mon! Gimme a break!!! I finally make to to bear basin and not 15 minutes after I arrive I see a bear. He's sitting and scratching in a sunny grass patch. Then up he goes straight down the hill. I know this bear is small but I decide to make a stalk. He's about 500 yards away. I actually got close, real close to this bear. This little guy was clueless. He was walking away from me grazing so I was able to close to about 40-50 yards. Then he turned and walked pretty much right to me. The last picture is just before he winded me. He didn't run though. Just turned and ambled off into the brush. I think this had to be a yearling orphan. Very small for a yearling but way to big to be this years cub. I just enjoyed him for a little while and watched him take off. Fun but a little sad. He wont make it. He's obviously sickly and not real smart. This is why you shouldn't shoot sows with cubs. Oh! I was about 5 yards away from him when he winded me. It was epic.




This was the last bear I saw. It rained like hell saturday afternoon and although sunday was nice I saw nothing else. Ready to throw my calls in the river and forget hunting forever. Just cant seem to call anything in. It has been fun though. One more weekend, we'll see what happens.

[carpsniperg2]

Lot's of great pic's! At least you are getting to spend some time hunting and you are seeing some bears

[runamuk]

hey at least you are seeing bears and getting some cool pics and some time out in the woods.... beats work if you ask me

[seth30]

Wow, great pics!!

[saylean]

Those are great pics! Sounds like a really fun time to me. That last bear, I dont know,....he might make it..I mean winter is over with, the time of plenty is coming...if a hunter doesnt get him or another bear, he might have a chance....does look like a yearling cub though. If not, at least he'll feed something.

Better luck if you get the chance to go back out. I really liked those cub pics on the tree!

[Gutpile]

that cub got way up there didn't he? that was pretty cool to see.

[h20hunter]

Nice looking healthy bears. Cool pics, thanks for sharing.

[Houndhunter]

nice pics! i woulda grabbed that cub and put him in my pocket... well it would have been tempting lol

[Kain]

Those are great pics.  Thanks for sharing.

[carpsniperg2]

nice pics! i woulda grabbed that cub and put him in my pocket... well it would have been tempting lol

I would have paid good money to watch that!

[Craig]

cool pictures. I like the one with the two cubs spread eagle on the tree with mamma on the lookout.

[Machias]

Awesome photos!!!  That bottom one may not be orphaned, sometimes Ma can go off a ways, probably is but not a sure thing.  He may have just ambled off into the brush cause mamma was sleeping in there.  Thanks a bunch for sharing!!!

[Gutpile]

Those are great pics! Sounds like a really fun time to me. That last bear, I dont know,....he might make it..I mean winter is over with, the time of plenty is coming...if a hunter doesnt get him or another bear, he might have a chance....does look like a yearling cub though. If not, at least he'll feed something.

Better luck if you get the chance to go back out. I really liked those cub pics on the tree!

True but with all of the cats, coyotes, bears, people, not to mention he looks sick to me and the way he was acting was strange. I like to think he'll make it but he wont. He's real stunted and acted totally oblivious, I don't know. We'll probably never find out. Mother Nature is a cruel B**** aint she?

[saylean]

Ya, mother nature isnt much of a mother when the chips are down. I guess Im just an optimist.

Could have made a nice foot stool!

[Gutpile]

I told my wife I should have shot it and made one slipper then went and took another when I get drawn again for the other foot. She didn't think I was funny. He was a cute little feller.