Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Bear Hunting => Topic started by: Decker on May 02, 2011, 12:57:11 AM

Title: Passed on this Springer with the bow.
Post by: Decker on May 02, 2011, 12:57:11 AM: Thought he would have made a decent rug, till he turned around. Not sure what happened here. Including all of the photos I took to get good reference. I would love to hear ideas of what's going on here, and possible weight ideas. Thanks, gang!

Oh yeah, threw one in for the Diamond crowd :IBCOOL:
Title: Re: Passed on this Springer with the bow.
Post by: Decker on May 02, 2011, 12:59:31 AM: Continued...
Title: Re: Passed on this Springer with the bow.
Post by: Decker on May 02, 2011, 01:01:44 AM: Last set...
Title: Re: Passed on this Springer with the bow.
Post by: LittleJohn on May 02, 2011, 01:18:21 AM: Nice bear!! Looks like he found a tree to rub on, pretty common this time of year. Looks like a 2 year old to me, 125# +- :dunno: I am no bear expert though. Way to get close, pretty exciting I bet. :) :)
Title: Re: Passed on this Springer with the bow.
Post by: Decker on May 02, 2011, 01:27:51 AM: Quote from: LittleJohn on May 02, 2011, 01:18:21 AM
Nice bear!! Looks like he found a tree to rub on, pretty common this time of year. Looks like a 2 year old to me, 125# +- :dunno: I am no bear expert though. Way to get close, pretty exciting I bet. :) :)

I figured it was male-pattern baldness. At least I know it wasn't a sow :P When I saw him go into his den, I waited about an hour and had myself a peeky-boo inside. THAT was pretty exciting.
Title: Re: Passed on this Springer with the bow.
Post by: Gutpile on May 02, 2011, 05:26:15 AM: Awesome Decker! I had a little report running on you last night on another thread. He's definately rubbing, thats a bummer. GOOD LUCK!!! Go get another!!!! :IBCOOL:
Title: Re: Passed on this Springer with the bow.
Post by: D-Rock425 on May 02, 2011, 05:39:23 AM: I couldn't have helped myself I would have let one fly.
Title: Re: Passed on this Springer with the bow.
Post by: addicted on May 02, 2011, 05:58:55 AM: Quote from: D-Rock425 on May 02, 2011, 05:39:23 AM
I couldn't have helped myself I would have let one fly.

looks like a muddybutt from the pics?
Title: Re: Passed on this Springer with the bow.
Post by: Gutpile on May 02, 2011, 06:47:56 AM: Quote from: addicted on May 02, 2011, 05:58:55 AM
Quote from: D-Rock425 on May 02, 2011, 05:39:23 AM
I couldn't have helped myself I would have let one fly.

looks like a muddybutt from the pics?

You may be right. Wonder if it's just dirty. :dunno:
Title: Re: Passed on this Springer with the bow.
Post by: bearmanric on May 02, 2011, 08:35:10 AM: to bad nice bear. that is were they rub sometimes. thank's for the great pictures. Rick
Title: Re: Passed on this Springer with the bow.
Post by: bearpaw on May 02, 2011, 08:46:26 AM: Quote from: addicted on May 02, 2011, 05:58:55 AM
Quote from: D-Rock425 on May 02, 2011, 05:39:23 AM
I couldn't have helped myself I would have let one fly.

looks like a muddybutt from the pics?

I agree, looks like hair might be matted with mud, I have never heard of a bear this early being rubbed. That happens more in June.
Title: Re: Passed on this Springer with the bow.
Post by: grundy53 on May 02, 2011, 08:47:38 AM: I would say it's rubbed look at the very bottom picture.
Title: Re: Passed on this Springer with the bow.
Post by: STIKNSTRINGBOW on May 02, 2011, 10:02:00 AM: I don't now about too early, look at this one I got last year, was told it was rub, and 05/15 :dunno:
I know the pic says may on bottom, that is just when I copied it to my 'puter though...
Title: Re: Passed on this Springer with the bow.
Post by: LittleJohn on May 02, 2011, 10:20:43 AM: Quote from: Decker on May 02, 2011, 01:27:51 AM
Quote from: LittleJohn on May 02, 2011, 01:18:21 AM
Nice bear!! Looks like he found a tree to rub on, pretty common this time of year. Looks like a 2 year old to me, 125# +- :dunno: I am no bear expert though. Way to get close, pretty exciting I bet. :) :)

I figured it was male-pattern baldness. At least I know it wasn't a sow :P When I saw him go into his den, I waited about an hour and had myself a peeky-boo inside. THAT was pretty exciting.

Lets hear some more about looking in the den!! DId he see you??
Title: Re: Passed on this Springer with the bow.
Post by: Alan K on May 02, 2011, 10:22:49 AM: I'd have let him have it, that's for sure! Especially in bow range! Neat pictures anyways.
Title: Re: Passed on this Springer with the bow.
Post by: fair-chase on May 02, 2011, 10:33:10 AM: Well, if that's not the bear you were looking for you shouldn't have any regrets about letting him walk. Keep after them and you'll find one that you're happy with.

Great pictures by the way. Any more info/pics about walking up on the den?
Title: Re: Passed on this Springer with the bow.
Post by: wsucowboy on May 02, 2011, 10:37:13 AM: Quote from: Alan K on May 02, 2011, 10:22:49 AM
I'd have let him have it, that's for sure! Especially in bow range! Neat pictures anyways.
:yeah:
Title: Re: Passed on this Springer with the bow.
Post by: saylean on May 02, 2011, 01:30:52 PM: Lil black spray paint would have fixed that right up. ;)

Pretty pics.
Title: Re: Passed on this Springer with the bow.
Post by: carpsniperg2 on May 02, 2011, 01:36:53 PM: Lots of nice pic's :IBCOOL:
Title: Re: Passed on this Springer with the bow.
Post by: Decker on May 02, 2011, 02:11:49 PM: I wasn't brave enough to flash my camera in the den; I went in with my side arm. It was actually quite deep extending back 5-6 feet and then rounding a corner to the right. I only stayed at the entrance (obviously) but had to throw that out there to the folks wondering if I actually went in. It was poor light, but I believe I could seen the shine on his beady little eyes looking around the corner at me. It DEFINITELY smelled of bear. I mainly just took a peek to make sure this was the spot and got out, didn't want to alarm him any more than he already has been. I'm taking today off, just to let the area settle back down and I'll be out tomorrow and Wednesday (my birthday) ...Happy birthday to ME! Wife asked what else I wanted (she already bought me a sweet carbon-fiber bent-shaft whitewater kayak paddle) and I told her I wanted my bear on my birthday so I'm huntin'.

After further review, the call on the field has been over-turned. It appears this bear has a case of muddy butt and I'm going to crawl back into position tomorrow for further inspection. If it is only Dirty Diapers, as I had originally named him, I'll most likely put the smack down. Now...I'm used to judging bears in the fall with more fat and less hair. I think this bear would go 200lbs. What do you all think? Some of the photos make him look leggy, but the one where he's stretched out there's some definite bulk. Dale, I know you're the master at this, what do you say?
Title: Re: Passed on this Springer with the bow.
Post by: Gutpile on May 02, 2011, 02:31:03 PM: I think it's an average 5 footer. 200+ lbs this fall, much lighter right now. Thats my take but I have a very hard time judging bears.
Title: Re: Passed on this Springer with the bow.
Post by: carpsniperg2 on May 02, 2011, 02:43:51 PM: I would guess that bear around 150lbs. He looks a lot like my first bear that was at 140lbs.
Title: Re: Passed on this Springer with the bow.
Post by: Machias on May 02, 2011, 03:29:55 PM: I think he's smaller then that, just an opinion, I'd say he's around 130, but I'd like to see something close by for a good comparison. He looks pretty lean. I'd give him two or three more years and he'll be a real nice bear. Just a thought.
Title: Re: Passed on this Springer with the bow.
Post by: Decker on May 02, 2011, 08:22:57 PM: Yeah, I'm not the greatest at judging em when they're smaller. When it's a toad, you KNOW it's a toad. I know there's bigger bear in there though, as I've found 3" diameter scat this spring, so I may wait for a bigger one. Plus from what I've heard, things really pick up in the last few weeks of May...that's IF winter is over by then.
Title: Re: Passed on this Springer with the bow.
Post by: Machias on May 03, 2011, 08:28:27 AM: Yea, is it EVER going to end this year!! :DOH:
Title: Re: Passed on this Springer with the bow.
Post by: dirty24d on May 03, 2011, 09:03:09 AM: Quote from: saylean on May 02, 2011, 01:30:52 PM
Lil black spray paint would have fixed that right up. ;)

Pretty pics.

:chuckle: My thoughts exactly! :chuckle:

Nice bear, and thanks for the really cool pics!
Title: Re: Passed on this Springer with the bow.
Post by: Wea300mag on May 03, 2011, 06:05:37 PM: Great bunch of pics, I would have passed on it too.