Post by: 7mmfan on August 12, 2025, 04:48:31 PM
At about 6:10, I got my first view of the ridge I wanted to glass from about a mile away. I pulled my binos to my eyes and the first thing I saw was a bear. Glassed for 2.7 seconds and found one. I knew right where he was and that I could get right on him.
55 minutes, 2.5 trail miles and 1000' gained and lost later, I was in the chute above him. I couldn't see or hear him but knew that if he was still there he was close. I belly crawled up onto a rock outcropping to get a better view and immediately saw him below me exactly 100 yards away feeding carelessly on blueberries. It was a tough shot angle. Very steep, over 45 degrees, and no real rest. I managed to find one spot I could rest my rifle on a rock and get somewhat solid behind it. I waited patiently for him to turn broadside, aimed slightly low and behind the shoulder because of the angle, and squeezed it off. The 7mm Mag sent a Barnes 145 LRX at 3050 fps right through the boiler room. He wheeled and ran about 15 feet before tumbling and rolling 100' down the steep hill and coming to rest near the tree line.
I watched for a minute to make sure he was dead, then headed back up the trail to find my Dad who had held back and let me go. I found him about 400 yards up the trail coming in hot. We shared a hug and I replayed or for him as we walked up to the bear. This was the first bear Dad had ever seen up close, so it was a special moment.
It was now about 7:30. We had a good shady spot to work in and made quick work of him, boning everything out and stretching everything out in the shade to cool while we went and refilled water. We ate lunch and then loaded packs and got on the trail. We made it back to the truck roughly 3 hours later. The truck read 94 degrees. I had a cooler full of ice ready just in case and we stopped and got more as soon as we could.
The meat was in excellent condition the next day when I processed it. We packed out just over 80# of boned out meat, plus the head. The hide was pretty thin so I opted to leave it. There was not an ounce of fat on this bear. He was healthy, just lean with lots of scars on his head. I'm not good at aging or judging bears, but he seems like a decently old bear to me.
Post by: MADMAX on August 12, 2025, 04:52:33 PM
Good looking bear
Post by: Blacktail Sniper on August 12, 2025, 04:58:25 PM
Post by: brew on August 12, 2025, 05:17:58 PM
Post by: Mfowl on August 12, 2025, 06:35:54 PM
Post by: Bearhunter308 on August 12, 2025, 06:37:07 PM
Post by: JakeLand on August 12, 2025, 07:25:37 PM
Post by: Kingofthemountain83 on August 12, 2025, 07:50:58 PM
Post by: buglebuster on August 12, 2025, 08:14:09 PM
Post by: ganghis on August 12, 2025, 08:23:00 PM
Congrats again
Post by: redi on August 12, 2025, 08:23:26 PM
Post by: Stein on August 12, 2025, 08:42:16 PM
Post by: lewy on August 12, 2025, 08:48:54 PM
Post by: Dan-o on August 12, 2025, 08:55:19 PM
Congrats.
I bet his age confirms as really old.
Post by: pashok23 on August 12, 2025, 09:08:48 PM
Post by: 7mmfan on August 12, 2025, 09:30:13 PM
Is it just me or is that a really, really big bodies bear for not having any fat?
Congrats.
I bet his age confirms as really old.
I'm curious what those more familiar with bears have to say about his age and size. 80# of boned out meat seems like above average for a black bear. I can say this, the meat is tough. Trimming and packaging with sharp knives and it was obvious how tough the meat was. I see alot of summer sausage in my future.
Post by: lewy on August 12, 2025, 09:35:29 PM
Post by: tgomez on August 13, 2025, 05:17:52 AM
Post by: TitusFord on August 13, 2025, 09:38:37 AM
Is it just me or is that a really, really big bodies bear for not having any fat?
Congrats.
I bet his age confirms as really old.
I'm curious what those more familiar with bears have to say about his age and size. 80# of boned out meat seems like above average for a black bear. I can say this, the meat is tough. Trimming and packaging with sharp knives and it was obvious how tough the meat was. I see alot of summer sausage in my future.
Great job on the bear and having Dad with you!
The bear I shot last year field dressed at 245lbs and I put about 105lbs of trimmed meat in the freezer. He had very little fat on him I think I filled up a gallon ziplock.
From what I've been told bears are in 3rds. 1/3 hide, head and guts, 1/3 bones and 1/3 meat. Bear bones are super dense and heavy. That ratio seemed accurate on the only bear I've weighed on a scale but like everything in nature, nothing is exact.
Post by: 7mmfan on August 13, 2025, 06:02:47 PM
Post by: mountainman on August 13, 2025, 06:25:53 PM
Post by: Boss .300 winmag on August 13, 2025, 08:48:04 PM
Post by: hunter399 on August 14, 2025, 05:03:25 AM
Post by: MuleyTracksWA on August 15, 2025, 09:01:50 AM
Post by: Turner89 on August 16, 2025, 06:20:27 AM
Post by: ghosthunter on August 16, 2025, 09:03:30 AM