BEAR DOWN - First Color Phase Chocolate

[stickbuck]

Well, I headed to one of my favorite clearcuts around 2:00pm only to find multiple other rigs already taking up the parking spots. Now it was on to plan B. I arrived at my next spot and had about a 30 minute walk in to the log landing where I would be sitting. It was apparent that nobody had driven the road yet today since it was absolutely littered with deer tracks everywhere. When I arrived at the log landing, it felt good to be back in the spot after almost a year. As I sat down and started to glass, I became aware of a nearby ant problem that had migrated exactly to where I was sitting. Trying to tough it out was not going to work so I attempted to walk to another landing further up the road. I found a nice log to sit down on and started to glass. About five minutes went by and I swear I could hear a bear or deer moving through the brush, but every time I started to hear it, the wind would pick up or the mosquitoes would start buzzing in the ear. Just as I started to hear it again, I noticed movement about 250 yards out. I had just enough time to throw the binoculars up and notice it was a bear before it quickly fed out of sight. After a couple minutes went by, I thought for sure that I was never going to see it again since it heading down onto a flat where it would be almost impossible to see anything. It continued to head down towards a little flat before I suddenly realized that I could hear the sounds of something moving in the brush and steadily approaching. At 40 yards, I could tell it was an awesome color phase chocolate with gold tipped ears. The problem is that I had no shot since all I could see was the top of its head and back. It kept coming with its head down and feeding when it left my line of vision again. I was not worried because by the sounds of it, I would almost definitely get a shot unless this bear was able to wind me. I almost instantly felt the wind on the back of my neck and figured that this bear would spook but it just kept coming. Thank God for ScentLok suits and Dead Down Wind!! I dialed my scope down to three power just as the young bear entered my shooting lane at 15 yards. Yeah, 15 yards! I never imagined that bear would cover such a huge distance in less than five minutes. I gently squeezed the trigger and BOOM!, the bear was visibly hit as it cart wheeled down the hill six or seven times. I heard the death moan and knew it was just a matter of seconds before this bear was dead. I waited my thirty minutes and began to investigate. I knew that he did not go far but I was shocked that he only went 20 yards after the shot. When I walked him, I could not believe that I had shot my first color phase bear. It may not be big in most people's eyes, but it is a true trophy in my book and only the second bear that I have taken in my lifetime. It measured out nose to tail at 4'10". A huge thanks goes out to my Dad for all of his help in the skinning process. He couldn't make it out to hunt with me but when I called and gave him the news, he was out the door, making the drive to come help me carry it out.

[sebek556]

not a monster but still a nice bear! 

[flinger]

Saweeeet
Nice looking bear
cool story

[zackmioli]

congrats on a great bear! very cool color! great write up as well. 

[ORCA_SIX]

Looks great. Congratulations.

[Boss .300 winmag]

nice job dude

[rasbo]

big bear,small bear who cares..Its the hunt and the memories..A successful experience that will be remembered for life congrats on a choco...

[Exploding Rock Chuck]

Great looking bear stickbuck, congrats to you. Thanks for the nice story, it was fun to read.

[Jason]

Good looking Bear, nice job!

[BOWHUNTER45]

Awesome.. nice lookin bear and thanks for the story ...Seems these bear have pretty nice hides for August thats cool ...

[skier2480]

Nice bear! Congrats!

[D-Rock425]

Nice looking bear.

[buglebuster]

Congrats man that's awesome! Beautiful bear!

[CAMPMEAT]

Nice, I'd be sportin' a chubby myself, killin' one that close.

[Huntbear]

Nice bear.. way to get it in close....   I want one that way, with my handgun...