Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Bear Hunting => Topic started by: Todd_ID on May 24, 2014, 07:04:18 AM

Title: Beautiful Blond Bear
Post by: Todd_ID on May 24, 2014, 07:04:18 AM: I was lucky enough to draw a spring tag close to home, and I was able to take a beautiful blond bear with my lever action .45-70. I'd spotted the bear from about 1/2 mile and 800' below me. I got onto the next ridge over and slid down to where I hoped he'd come out. After a couple minutes he did finally show. Being a bowhunter and not a rifle guy I had a good rest prone off my pack and gave him a warning shot just over his back and got him on the move to make it more sporting, but the follow up shot I took more seriously. It was straight down off the cliff and moving toward me, and the bullet entered between his shoulders and came out the bottom of his chest. I don't think I could have hit that bear any harder if I had fallen a tree on him. He tumbled and slid about 200 yards until hitting the bottom of the ravine.

The pack out was brutal since I was alone and had my camp with me. I had told myself that there was no way I was packing a hide out of that hole, but it was such a beautiful hide in perfect condition that I couldn't leave it behind. Thankfully it was a small bear (maybe 130#); otherwise it would have been 2 trips for sure, and that would have likely done me in. I packed my 105-110# pack down 800' in elevation and back up 1600' over the course of 4.5 miles, mostly on trails. I shot the bear at 7 am and had it to the truck at 7 pm thoroughly exhausted.

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi194.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fz213%2Ftoddr96%2FDSC01590a_zps60a0308c.jpg&hash=f190b7e12f9bba5912af23fcb101e0766fda236d) (http://s194.photobucket.com/user/toddr96/media/DSC01590a_zps60a0308c.jpg.html)

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi194.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fz213%2Ftoddr96%2FDSC01578a_zpscaebf587.jpg&hash=177d8675501d02741a86263a93d1cbe5277a6220) (http://s194.photobucket.com/user/toddr96/media/DSC01578a_zpscaebf587.jpg.html)
Title: Re: Beautiful Blond Bear
Post by: MtnMuley on May 24, 2014, 07:08:50 AM: :tup: Very jealous as that's the exact bear I've been looking for to rug. Perfect size and color. Congrats!
Title: Re: Beautiful Blond Bear
Post by: Turner89 on May 24, 2014, 07:16:03 AM: Nice job :tup: I have felt your pain :chuckle:
Title: Re: Beautiful Blond Bear
Post by: RadSav on May 24, 2014, 07:47:10 AM: Looks like the kind of country where you pray for a big one and thank the Lord for a little one :chuckle: I got tired just looking at the picture. Beautiful bear :tup:
Title: Re: Beautiful Blond Bear
Post by: B.G.hunter on May 24, 2014, 07:50:36 AM: What beautiful bear! Congratulations. :tup:
Title: Re: Beautiful Blond Bear
Post by: jackelope on May 24, 2014, 08:27:44 AM: Way to go Todd. Happy for you. Congrats.
Title: Re: Beautiful Blond Bear
Post by: Cascade on May 24, 2014, 08:32:28 AM: Awesome bear, congrats!

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Title: Re: Beautiful Blond Bear
Post by: autodink13 on May 24, 2014, 08:36:15 AM: Nice work and beautiful bear! I usually try to give them a warning shot too :chuckle:
Title: Re: Beautiful Blond Bear
Post by: Expedition Scout on May 24, 2014, 08:43:38 AM: As a fellow bow hunter, I feel your pain! Its funny how either up or down with the arc of an arrow we can keep it all straight, but you put a gun in our hands that should be flat shooting (relatively) and warning shots is what we get.

Great looking bear, an way to go with the pack-out job! Its hunts like that one you'll be telling the story about for the rest of your life.
Title: Re: Beautiful Blond Bear
Post by: boneaddict on May 24, 2014, 09:25:26 AM: A beautiful bear! Congratulations Todd.
Title: Re: Beautiful Blond Bear
Post by: redi on May 24, 2014, 09:40:07 AM: Like I always say " You gotta love blondes". That is a beautiful bear. Congratulatiuons
Title: Re: Beautiful Blond Bear
Post by: jrebel on May 24, 2014, 12:13:42 PM: Very beautiful bear and an equally beautiful rifle. That looks like a Marlin XLR 45-70....if so I have the same gun in stainless laminate and it put a hurt'n on my bear a few years ago. Put a scope on that baby and you have a 300 yard bowling ball launcher!!!! :chuckle: :chuckle:
Title: Re: Beautiful Blond Bear
Post by: Girl Gone Hunting on May 24, 2014, 12:27:22 PM: Congratulations, Todd!! Beautiful bear! We have seen several but all too far away or in the wrong unit so far. Saw a huge black one last weekend within rifle range of our unit, but alas, on the wrong side of the boundary. Go figure!
Title: Re: Beautiful Blond Bear
Post by: Lefty315 on May 24, 2014, 12:39:48 PM: I've taken a few black bears but would absolutely love to have a color phase as beautiful as yours! Nicely done and what a hunt, especially using open sights on a lever gun.
Title: Re: Beautiful Blond Bear
Post by: rasbo on May 24, 2014, 12:43:53 PM: beautiful bear,awesome memory for you I bet :tup:
Title: Re: Beautiful Blond Bear
Post by: Todd_ID on May 25, 2014, 06:55:14 AM: Thanks for the compliments folks! I still can't stand up straight or move much from the pack out. The rifle was a Marlin 1895 in .45-70.
Title: Re: Beautiful Blond Bear
Post by: CAMPMEAT on May 25, 2014, 07:46:16 AM: Nice..................as for the hike, yuck !
Title: Re: Beautiful Blond Bear
Post by: bear hunter on May 25, 2014, 06:43:22 PM: Nice blond one I passed on one last Sunday. Congrats
Title: Re: Beautiful Blond Bear
Post by: stew pidasso on May 25, 2014, 09:52:22 PM: Good job, great pictures.
Title: Re: Beautiful Blond Bear
Post by: carpsniperg2 on May 25, 2014, 10:02:13 PM: Grats todd!
Title: Re: Beautiful Blond Bear
Post by: go4steelhd on May 26, 2014, 07:38:10 AM: Nice color :tup: :tup: :tup:
Title: Re: Beautiful Blond Bear
Post by: Idahocougar on May 26, 2014, 08:33:07 AM: Nice bear and a great gun to take him with :tup:
Title: Re: Beautiful Blond Bear
Post by: kevinlisa06 on May 26, 2014, 09:24:09 AM: Congrats to ya great blonde color!

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Title: Re: Beautiful Blond Bear
Post by: pd on May 26, 2014, 11:41:32 AM: Quote from: RadSav on May 24, 2014, 07:47:10 AM
Looks like the kind of country where you pray for a big one and thank the Lord for a little one.

I have never that phrase before, but will use it from now. Copyright to RadSav.
Title: Re: Beautiful Blond Bear
Post by: idahohuntr on May 26, 2014, 04:54:26 PM: Nice Bear. I saw this guy this morning out checking cameras...looks a little like your bear.
Title: Re: Beautiful Blond Bear
Post by: Todd_ID on May 27, 2014, 07:00:16 AM: Quote from: pd on May 26, 2014, 11:41:32 AM

Quote from: RadSav on May 24, 2014, 07:47:10 AM
Looks like the kind of country where you pray for a big one and thank the Lord for a little one.

I have never that phrase before, but will use it from now. Copyright to RadSav.
The joke is on him, though, because he wants to draw the elk tag in that area. :chuckle:
Title: Re: Beautiful Blond Bear
Post by: Ripper on May 27, 2014, 10:48:40 AM: Beauty of a bear.
Title: Re: Beautiful Blond Bear
Post by: Huntboy on May 27, 2014, 11:12:14 AM: Nice bear, congrats.
Title: Re: Beautiful Blond Bear
Post by: Timberstalker on May 27, 2014, 12:22:02 PM: Great bear. Good job :tup:
Title: Re: Beautiful Blond Bear
Post by: elkoholic1 on May 27, 2014, 12:49:30 PM: :tup: congrats on a beautiful bear!!!!
Title: Re: Beautiful Blond Bear
Post by: bearpaw on May 27, 2014, 12:59:30 PM: Congrats Todd, that is a beauty. :tup:
Title: Re: Beautiful Blond Bear
Post by: Machias on May 27, 2014, 03:15:19 PM: Pretty bear, heck of a pack out! Thanks for sharing the story and the photo.
Title: Re: Beautiful Blond Bear
Post by: Wea300mag on May 27, 2014, 07:12:14 PM: Beautiful bruin, nice work Todd!
Title: Re: Beautiful Blond Bear
Post by: Mxracer532 on May 28, 2014, 07:17:16 AM: Nice work Todd. Did you go where we had talked?? PM if ya want.
Title: Re: Beautiful Blond Bear
Post by: klikboom on May 28, 2014, 07:48:30 AM: Ok, how did you manage to hold his head up like that on the rock?
Title: Re: Beautiful Blond Bear
Post by: bucklucky on May 28, 2014, 08:20:57 AM: That's a Beauty Todd, Nice job man!!
Title: Re: Beautiful Blond Bear
Post by: Todd_ID on May 29, 2014, 05:22:35 AM: Quote from: klikboom on May 28, 2014, 07:48:30 AM
Ok, how did you manage to hold his head up like that on the rock?
Rigor held him in that position. It took me an hour to get back up to my camp and bring it down to where the bear expired. Thus the easy pose for the photo.
Title: Re: Beautiful Blond Bear
Post by: 400out on May 29, 2014, 08:16:42 PM: Great bear buddy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! should invite a friend it makes the pack easier ;)
Title: Re: Beautiful Blond Bear
Post by: Decker on May 30, 2014, 12:41:24 PM: Congrats! Gorgeous bear!