Dayton Spring Bear - Updated Story and Photos

[ShaneTyTrey]

So my cousin and I headed up to our vantage point about 3 pm on Friday afternoon.  While we were sitting there glassing with the sun beaming down on us it was hard to stay awake.  At about 5 pm my cousin spots a sow and cub about 3/4 mile away, we watch them feed for about a 1/2 hour and the excitement of the event gets us a rush of adrenaline.  About 20 minutes later and about 1/2 mile away I spot a large sow with 3 larger cubs.  As they move in an out of the timber for the next 20 minutes we keep watching them and get more excited as we imagine spotting one we can go after.  Over the next couple of hours we have a mature Tom come strutting up on us at a couple of hundred yards, have 2 grouse nearly fly into us, see about 100 deer and probably 40-50 elk, and even see a cow moose.  It is just turning into an awesome evening.  About 8:15 we spot 2 more bears about a mile away, it appears to be a large boar and a sow.  We watch them feed in the meadow until dark and decided that is where we want to be come the morning.

At dark we head back to town to meet my buddy who had driven up at the local watering hole for dinner and a couple of beers.  By the time we get back to the hotel for some shut eye it is just after 11 pm.  Needless to say when the alarm went off at 3:30 am it was difficult to hop right out of bed but we made do.  We quickly dressed and stopped at the local gas station for a 5 hour energy and a cup of joe and off to the mountains we headed. 

Upon arrival we quickly spotted a nice sized boar up in the same general area we had seen the two bears right before dark the previous evening and decided we were going to make a move on him.  As we started putting on the stalk, we ran into this guy at about 160 yards, and being a virgin to killing bears I couldn't pass him up, as you can see he is a medium size bear at best, but he does have beautiful color.  Due to the location of the kill relative to the truck, we decided to skin and bone him out in the field so I don't have an actual hanging weight.  However, based on moving him around for pictures and then talking with the taxidermist later in the day we are guessing he weighed about 160-170 lbs.

It was an awesome trip to say the least and I had a great time with good friends.

[h20hunter]

Real nice bear. I'm a bear virgin as well and would be just fine with one like that. Nice little write up. Looks like a perfect setting and tagged bear. Can't argue with that at all!

[Ripper]

beautiful bear, congrats

[Huntbear]

Real nice bear. I'm a bear virgin as well and would be just fine with one like that. Nice little write up. Looks like a perfect setting and tagged bear. Can't argue with that at all!

 

Congrats on a beautiful bear...

[silverdalesauer]

I too, am a bear virgin, and can't wait for that first kill. Congrats!

[DOUBLELUNG]

Gorgeous bear, congrats.

[Rufous]

Very pretty coat. Mainly cinammon?

[ShaneTyTrey]

Yes, mainly cinammon, but a tad bit of blonde.

[Pathfinder101]

Nice

[Bigluke1981]

Very nice bear, I love the color. Congrats 

[carpsniperg2]

Nice color, congrats.

[bowhunterty]

Whats the snow level like.? Going this weekend to try and get into the Wenaha.

[400out]

very cool coloring on your bear! 

[Machias]

Another pretty bear, congrats!!!

[h2ofowlr]

Nice looking terrain to hunt in.  Beats this thick stuff on the wet side.  Nice look bear as well.