Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Bear Hunting => Topic started by: skagitsteel on May 21, 2014, 12:36:27 AM

Title: 2014 Spring bear hunt
Post by: skagitsteel on May 21, 2014, 12:36:27 AM: Pretty excited to draw spring bear this year for the 1st time with only 2 points. I wasn't expecting a whole lot early with the weather and early start date. On the opener I had my older two kids out with me after work, we were mainly just exploring the unit. We were driving along one of the main grades, came around the corner and there is a decent boar 40 yards away looking at us. I quickly realized the stocky body wide shoulders and square head so I grabbed my gun. Unfortunately he bailed before I could shoot. :bash: I got my kids out of the truck and we doubled back on another grade to cut him off, but we didn’t get there quick enough, he was long gone. I went back on foot after him a few days later but didn’t see any sign of him. The weather was crappy but I was onto fresh bear sign in 3 different places the 1st week and a half. Ended up seeing two bears in April and one in the 1st week of May.
Title: Re: 2014 Spring bear hunt
Post by: skagitsteel on May 21, 2014, 12:41:47 AM: a few more pics and a bear that definitely found a deer
Title: Re: 2014 Spring bear hunt
Post by: skagitsteel on May 21, 2014, 12:44:57 AM: Work got a little crazy and had to take 1 week and a half with no hunting but was back it hard in mid may. Had a quick trip before work to an area I had previously seen a bear and found a crazy amount of bigger bear sign. About 30 piles in the last week in an area about the size of a small backyard.
Title: Re: 2014 Spring bear hunt
Post by: skagitsteel on May 21, 2014, 12:49:31 AM: I came back later in the week with a friend around midday we came by ‘the spot’ to find three steaming piles. We looked around for Him and could not find Him out on any of the grades. It was about 3:30 in the afternoon and about 85 degrees when we were leaving, I walked by the spot one last time just to see if he was there. At about 60 yards I could see about 90% of the clearing and no bear, I walked around a tree and 12 yards away was the larger boar (same bear I had jumped on opening day) laying down sprawled out munching on grass. He had no clue I was even there. I pulled up settled my crosshairs right between his eyes and squeezed……………

will finish up the story tomorrow :chuckle:
Title: Re: 2014 Spring bear hunt
Post by: RadSav on May 21, 2014, 01:37:23 AM: Between the eyes :yike: :chuckle:
Title: Re: 2014 Spring bear hunt
Post by: X-Force on May 21, 2014, 04:08:30 AM: 8)
Title: Re: 2014 Spring bear hunt
Post by: skagitsteel on May 21, 2014, 12:50:00 PM: At that point I realized I HAD FORGOTTEN TO CHAMBER A ROUND. :bdid: I leaned behind a tree and slooowly worked the bolt, but wind shifted slightly and bear took off real fast. :bash: I was kicking myself pretty good but nonetheless was still fun to be 12 yards from an undisturbed bear.

Came back next morning before work and no evidence that he had been back. I hiked around and decided to climb up to a glassing point. I spotted another bear about 700 yards away across a ravine eating grass right along the edge of the timber. He looked like an average bear and I had to head for work so I didn't have enough time to get over to him, I watched him for a bit and then took off.
Title: Re: 2014 Spring bear hunt
Post by: skagitsteel on May 21, 2014, 12:58:04 PM: Sunday 5/18 was my birthday and I told my wife previously that I wanted to hunt on my birthday. I got an early start and headed into an area I actually haven’t hunted before but would end up where I saw a bear previously. At about 6 am I found a good spot where I good glass a few small clearings and grades. I immediately spotted a chocolate bear (not one that I had previously seen) about 400 yards away. The wind was right so I planned my approach. I stopped at about 260 to further investigate the bear. It was chocolate colored, squared snout and walked like a boar. I knew it was no monster but a definite shooter for me. The bear was still undisturbed and wind was right so I was planning to get even closer, when I got up I dropped my shooting sticks and the bear looked up, I froze but was skylined. The bear was about one step from the timber and went back to eating grass, I decided to shoot from there……..
1st shot I put right through the shoulder and he buckled and rolled over, struggling but got up, I hit him again, down but thrashing so I shoot again and watched it hit, To my amazement he is still thrashing in this bush. He comes out the other side and I put one through the neck even after the neck shot still alive for about 15 seconds before he rolls down where I can’t see him. He only made it about 30 ft from where I first shot but one crazy tough bear. What I found was bullet placement was good, and the 180 grain accubonds did plenty of damage. 1st shot destroyed the shoulder and took out both lungs, never exiting, the next two hit the lung and gut, the neck shot missed the spine but severed his airway. Of the six bear kills I've been on since 2012 this was far and away the toughest one to put down. I was shooting 300 win mag, the bear measured 5’10” Sorry for the poor pic quality had to use the self-timer for solo pic.

It was a fun hunt got to see six bears, bunch of elk and some blacktail. I am glad I made the decision to hold out for the bear I tagged.
Title: Re: 2014 Spring bear hunt
Post by: 92xj on May 21, 2014, 01:01:14 PM: Awesome story and hunt. Congrats!
Title: Re: 2014 Spring bear hunt
Post by: klikboom on May 21, 2014, 02:26:18 PM: Wow you've seen a lot more bears in skagit than it feels like we did in Monroe. That's a really nice bear, way to keep on it until it was down. Sounds like he was a tough SOB. I love the coat. You must have a horseshoe stashed somewhere dark, you got a whole bunch of second chances!
Title: Re: 2014 Spring bear hunt
Post by: andersonjk4 on May 21, 2014, 02:43:08 PM: Great bear and great story! :tup: Thanks for sharing.
Title: Re: 2014 Spring bear hunt
Post by: skagitsteel on May 21, 2014, 05:39:16 PM: Quote from: klikboom on May 21, 2014, 02:26:18 PM
Wow you've seen a lot more bears in skagit than it feels like we did in Monroe. That's a really nice bear, way to keep on it until it was down. Sounds like he was a tough SOB. I love the coat. You must have a horseshoe stashed somewhere dark, you got a whole bunch of second chances!
Quote from: klikboom on May 21, 2014, 02:26:18 PM
Wow you've seen a lot more bears in skagit than it feels like we did in Monroe. That's a really nice bear, way to keep on it until it was down. Sounds like he was a tough SOB. I love the coat. You must have a horseshoe stashed somewhere dark, you got a whole bunch of second chances!

I don't know that there are any more bears in skagit talke to the warden Friday and he said no bears down yet. I have heard of a few from Monroe. I for sure had some second chances, but I felt part of my success was being close to home being able to hit the areas with sign on a regular basis
Title: Re: 2014 Spring bear hunt
Post by: sled on May 21, 2014, 05:49:30 PM: Heck Of A snout, And Beautiful Coat! :tup:
Title: Re: 2014 Spring bear hunt
Post by: RadSav on May 21, 2014, 06:27:23 PM: Happy birthday. Nice bear!
Title: Re: 2014 Spring bear hunt
Post by: Shane54 on May 21, 2014, 07:34:42 PM: Awesome! Congrats!
Title: Re: 2014 Spring bear hunt
Post by: kevinlisa06 on May 21, 2014, 10:13:13 PM: Congratulations! Good looking bear!

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Title: Re: 2014 Spring bear hunt
Post by: gs98 on May 22, 2014, 07:00:10 AM: Nice job. :tup: Happy birthday buddy!
Title: Re: 2014 Spring bear hunt
Post by: RadSav on May 22, 2014, 07:17:43 AM: That is a crazy snout on that guy! Do you have any pictures of his teeth? I'm curious if they show significant wear or signs of age.
Title: Re: 2014 Spring bear hunt
Post by: 180-GRAIN on May 22, 2014, 08:32:29 AM: Nicely done!
Title: Re: 2014 Spring bear hunt
Post by: skagitsteel on May 22, 2014, 10:57:26 AM: Quote from: RadSav on May 22, 2014, 07:17:43 AM
That is a crazy snout on that guy! Do you have any pictures of his teeth? I'm curious if they show significant wear or signs of age.

had a ridiculously long snout was like 14" from nose to back of head, I might actually get the skull scored just to see, due to how the long snout was. I will see if I can find some more pics later today. Teeth were definitely worn, a few missing but not an ancient bear.
Title: Re: 2014 Spring bear hunt
Post by: RadSav on May 22, 2014, 11:04:59 AM: Quote from: skagitsteel on May 22, 2014, 10:57:26 AM
Quote from: RadSav on May 22, 2014, 07:17:43 AM
That is a crazy snout on that guy! Do you have any pictures of his teeth? I'm curious if they show significant wear or signs of age.

had a ridiculously long snout was like 14" from nose to back of head, I might actually get the skull scored just to see, due to how the long snout was. I will see if I can find some more pics later today. Teeth were definitely worn, a few missing but not an ancient bear.

I was thinking 10 maybe even 15 years old. I've looked at that picture a bunch trying to figure out of the head is narrow or if the long snout just makes it look narrow. I think the taxi will have to modify a wolf snout to go on the bear form :chuckle: What a cool, cool bear and awesome birthday present!
Title: Re: 2014 Spring bear hunt
Post by: skagitsteel on May 22, 2014, 11:13:43 AM: here is another pic of it. The way the other pic is prob makes it look a little narrower than it is
Title: Re: 2014 Spring bear hunt
Post by: 50CalJim on May 22, 2014, 11:18:56 AM: Congrats on notching your Tag. :tup: I just about T-Boned a Chocolate Bear up by Baker lake Sunday eve.
Title: Re: 2014 Spring bear hunt
Post by: teegansdad on May 22, 2014, 12:38:37 PM: Nice bear and congrats! Happy b day
Title: Re: 2014 Spring bear hunt
Post by: Pygmy on May 23, 2014, 04:38:27 AM: Nice work!
Title: Re: 2014 Spring bear hunt
Post by: Ripper on May 23, 2014, 08:05:17 AM: Good story and a great looking bear. Congrats :tup:
Title: Re: 2014 Spring bear hunt
Post by: hirshey on May 24, 2014, 02:34:19 PM: :tup: :tup: congrats on a great adventure!!
Title: Re: 2014 Spring bear hunt
Post by: Mxracer532 on May 25, 2014, 08:29:23 AM: Nice work!!!