I hate having standards when it comes to shooting animals sometimes! LOL

[rebal69972]

good luck getting back on him/ her. better to not have shot then to take the shot and have a wounded animal. every encounter with an animal you learn something now next time he decides to moon you  you know what to do 

[ydeardorff]

When I saw him the only thought I could muster was "Junk in the trunk"

This bear has a seriously large back side.
Then came the thought how am I gonna get this thing back to the car. 

[boneaddict]

also....normal bear behavior would have been for him to run away straight ahead, then turn and stand.  In the thick stuff that is a killer.  No need to kick yourself. You just got yourself another hunt out of it.

[Alan K]

You were the only one there, so only you know what the right decision was. 

At just 50 yards though if you had a tree near you to get a rest against I'd have felt very comfortable opening up the back of his skull!

Good luck getting on him again, sounds like he was a whopper!

[ydeardorff]

Sunday madness led to no animals at all today.
I went back out again to check the spot, and every kid with a gun within 10 miles it seems was shooting stuff, up. So everything was gone today. Ill try again in the middle of the week after things calm down.
This is where being a full time student helps. I can get up early in the AM on weekdays and go hunt, rather than work

[PolarBear]

Thanks for not forcing a shot.

[CplRaines]

Had a similar shot on a 6 by 6 bull on Mt St Helens last year during the modern season. The bull was trotting downhill away from me at about 30 yards and all I could see in my scope was ass and horns.

I won't take an up the chute shot on an animal. The horns/trophy are not important enough for me to risk ruining any meat with a round through the stomach.

Never got another opportunity last year, but don't regret my decision one bit.

Oh, and it would have been my biggest bull to date.
Such is life.... such is hunting.

[Helix]

In all my bear encounters hollering "hey bear!!!" has made them look at me for long enough that I could have taken a shot.  It's just too bad that all those encounters to date have taken place out of season so no shooting.  Usually after they determin you are not food they haul a$$ for the next county.  had one big boy so close I could have spit on him this spring and had my .45 in hand if he decided I looked like food but he sauntered off into the woods after me and my buddy hollered at him for a few hair raising seconds.  a minute later we saw his little brother same story.  hollered and he booked it.  good call on not taking a butt shot.  you have to go through a lot of bear to get vitals at that angle.  I think you would have probably had a pissed off bruin in those woods for some time if you had pulled the trigger. 

[buschcrawler]

eeeew 

It not that I didn't take the shot thats killing me, its that I could have made a noise, and he/she would have turned and Id ev had em.

I got so caught up in the moment, not shakes or jitters, just captivated on how close I was, and he didn't even know it. I didn't even think, about making a noise to get his attention.
How often does that happen? 

I've done the same thing with a few deer! kick myself in the @$$ everytime i do it. oh well it's still awsome getting that close.

[ydeardorff]

Well I went back out today,... again nothing...
No tracks, no sign, its like they got up and moved out.
Its very hard to access this place; where the bear is located. Thick brush and every conceivable trig to step on making a nice solid "SNAP" with ever step. So after sitting in this spot hidden behind some logs for an hour I decided to look for an alternate route into the area that would be downwind in the AM.
i found a long grass laden way in, but the biggest problem with this area is the wind. It changes with every passing minute. Mild air movements to be sure, but constantly switching N, S, E, and west. This may be a necessity for a stand hunt for any success, provided the bear are even there any more.

Seems after this last weekend,  all activity stopped. Not even a deer foot print can be found.

Perhaps it might be time to look higher?