Post by: gramps on May 15, 2009, 10:19:07 AM
On 10May I went up to spend a week or so in an area I had not hunted before. I ran into Rufous and a friend and they had seen a bear feeding on a dead elk…sounded good to me. I was camped about 3 miles from where they had seen this bear.
On Monday the 11th I decided to just go for a walk from camp. I had went about a ¼ mile and was trying..unsuccessfully.. to get out of the wind and rain beside a tree with no limbs or needles from the fire when I spotted 3 cow elk below me feeding in a steep draw. Just above the elk I spotted two whitetail does also feeding. Wow..there is a bear feeding between the elk and deer. The wind was from the SW and I was walking NE…not a good deal, but it was all new terrain to me. After a few minutes the bear had his nose in the air and soon was off down the draw and out of sight. In the few minutes I watched them, it did not appear that the deer, elk or bear were aware of the each other.
By this time I was soaking wet and went back to camp to dry out.
The ground was white with snow Tuesday morning (3800 feet elev.). I decided to go out the same ridge some distance farther and come back sidehill about ½ way down toward the bottom. I approached a large draw about an hour later and there was two bears turning over rocks and feeding below me. Pretty exciting for a novice. They were the same size and similar color..could have been twins. Since they were moving up hill, I sat down and waited for a few minutes or so and since my only criteria for a bear was any color except black…didn’t care how big…when the bear that was closest to the top of the draw presented a good shot, I took it. Hunt Over. It rolled down the draw and wedged between some rocks and brush. I ended up tying the bear to trees and rocks with three ropes to keep everything from rolling downhill. Based on the weight of my packs, I think this bear (a sow) weighed about 160 pounds...there was zero fat. It’s front teeth are worn nearly to the gum line..will be interesting to learn how old it was for such a small bear.
Thanks for the tips from BobR, Rufous, Machias and others.
My only regret is that my hunting partner and brother could not have been along. His wife is very ill and he is staying with her 24/7.
Post by: jackelope on May 15, 2009, 10:22:37 AM
good pics and nice write up too.
Post by: Michelle_Nelson on May 15, 2009, 10:28:40 AM
Just curious are you going to do anything with the hide/skull?
Post by: GoldTip on May 15, 2009, 10:33:51 AM
Post by: Huntbear on May 15, 2009, 10:55:11 AM
Post by: coop2424 on May 15, 2009, 11:10:19 AM
Post by: bigdave on May 15, 2009, 11:11:32 AM
Congratulations!
Post by: Machias on May 15, 2009, 12:04:36 PM
Post by: Red Dawg on May 15, 2009, 12:11:56 PM
Post by: KillBilly on May 15, 2009, 12:14:40 PM
Post by: Huntboy on May 15, 2009, 12:43:41 PM
Post by: Ray on May 15, 2009, 12:55:52 PM
Post by: skybusterbo on May 15, 2009, 01:23:31 PM
Post by: bowhunterforever on May 15, 2009, 01:25:16 PM
Congrats on your first bear. Very nice color.:yeah: Awsome
Post by: Timberstalker on May 15, 2009, 01:57:08 PM
Post by: whacker1 on May 15, 2009, 02:28:55 PM
Post by: Houndhunter on May 15, 2009, 02:30:38 PM
Post by: arees on May 15, 2009, 02:32:14 PM
Post by: cohoho on May 15, 2009, 02:42:36 PM
Post by: bucklucky on May 15, 2009, 02:52:26 PM
Post by: X-Force on May 15, 2009, 02:55:02 PM
Post by: gramps on May 15, 2009, 04:53:34 PM
Here are a couple more pictures. These aren't very good pictures of the teeth and I am certainly no judge of bear teeth so someone with more experience can comment. The premolar was just 1/2 " long (and difficult to remove)..was a little distortion in the picture.
I am gonna tan the hide, but not make a rug per se. It won't have the head or paws.
Thanks again.
Post by: markts on May 15, 2009, 07:17:17 PM
Post by: Moose Eyes on May 15, 2009, 08:01:16 PM
Post by: BLKBEARKLR on May 15, 2009, 08:05:23 PM
Post by: rasbo on May 15, 2009, 08:11:50 PM
Post by: Jackjr on May 15, 2009, 08:13:26 PM
Post by: saylean on May 15, 2009, 09:07:39 PM
Post by: Pathfinder101 on May 15, 2009, 10:54:45 PM
Post by: robb92 on May 15, 2009, 11:32:22 PM
Post by: bearmanric on May 16, 2009, 08:25:45 AM