Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Bear Hunting => Topic started by: shanevg on August 06, 2011, 10:06:34 AM

Title: Finally got her! First color phase (red) bear down!
Post by: shanevg on August 06, 2011, 10:06:34 AM: As many of you may recall, I've been hunting "Big Red" for 4 years now. We spotted him yet again this summer but unfortunately he disappeared about 3 weeks before season started. Luckily, he was courting a red sow early in the year and she decided to hang out a while longer than "Big Red." I scouted out the area three times the week before season, seeing bears every time only to get skunked on opening morning with no bear sighting. My buddy Brian made it in Wednesday night and spotted "Little Red" late in the evening way up high on the hill. We decided to give it another go after work last night. Immediately upon reaching our spot we spotted her in a tough spot to get to but figured we better put a stalk on. She had definitely been moving up hill and the usually they disappear a few days after they start moving up the hill. After thrashing through salmon berries and devils club we made it into some timber that allowed us to move a bit quieter. About an hour after first seeing her we spotted her again at 135 yards. One shot straight through the heart and she never twitched again. 9 days after admiring her flawless hide at 120 yards through my spotting scope she had completely rubbed both sides off of her hide, but she's still a great bear! We estimated her at 175-200 lbs. She had about 5 inches of hair along her spine and she was almost bald on both sides.

Below are some pictures of 3 weeks before season with "Big Red" - she is the smaller bear obviously. This picture was taken by Timber - so a big thanks to him for the great quality shot.
The second and third picture are from 9 days before season when she still had a flawless hide.
Then of course the kill shots!
Title: Re: Finally got her! First color phase (red) down!
Post by: outdoorstoreys on August 06, 2011, 10:11:34 AM: great job. good read :tup:
Title: Re: Finally got her! First color phase (red) down!
Post by: Michelle_Nelson on August 06, 2011, 10:18:05 AM: Good looking Bear!
Title: Re: Finally got her! First color phase (red) down!
Post by: D-Rock425 on August 06, 2011, 10:19:23 AM: Nice job. The bears are really starting to hit the ground now.
Title: Re: Finally got her! First color phase (red) down!
Post by: bucklucky on August 06, 2011, 11:10:14 AM: Nice looking bear , congrats!!
Title: Re: Finally got her! First color phase (red) down!
Post by: sebek556 on August 06, 2011, 11:13:02 AM: nice bear!
Title: Re: Finally got her! First color phase (red) down!
Post by: zackmioli on August 06, 2011, 11:21:13 AM: very nice! congrats.
Title: Re: Finally got her! First color phase (red) down!
Post by: carpsniperg2 on August 06, 2011, 11:31:32 AM: Congrats :tup:
Title: Re: Finally got her! First color phase (red) down!
Post by: skier2480 on August 06, 2011, 02:14:04 PM: Congrats on the bear! What elevation were you guys hunting?
Title: Re: Finally got her! First color phase (red) down!
Post by: wsucowboy on August 06, 2011, 02:20:12 PM: good job on getting the bear!
Title: Re: Finally got her! First color phase (red) down!
Post by: shanevg on August 06, 2011, 02:22:53 PM: Quote from: skier2480 on August 06, 2011, 02:14:04 PM
Congrats on the bear! What elevation were you guys hunting?

About 3800 feet.
Title: Re: Finally got her! First color phase (red) bear down!
Post by: teanawayslayer on August 06, 2011, 02:53:30 PM: great bear. To bad the hide got destroyed. Would have made a cool rug
Title: Re: Finally got her! First color phase (red) bear down!
Post by: hoyt5199 on August 06, 2011, 03:09:41 PM: Awesome job and nice bear :)
Title: Re: Finally got her! First color phase (red) bear down!
Post by: camp cook on August 06, 2011, 03:59:30 PM: Nice Bear Shane
Title: Re: Finally got her! First color phase (red) bear down!
Post by: beave on August 06, 2011, 06:17:23 PM: Good looking bear.
Title: Re: Finally got her! First color phase (red) bear down!
Post by: bearpaw on August 06, 2011, 06:27:25 PM: sweet.... :tup:
Title: Re: Finally got her! First color phase (red) bear down!
Post by: ratherhunt on August 06, 2011, 10:23:53 PM: Really nice bear great write up, congratulations well done !!!!
Title: Re: Finally got her! First color phase (red) bear down!
Post by: longashes on August 07, 2011, 04:13:10 PM: Incredible pictures! Glad you got your shot! :tup:
Title: Re: Finally got her! First color phase (red) bear down!
Post by: seth30 on August 07, 2011, 06:28:52 PM: Good job, and wow 5 years in the making :tup:
Title: Re: Finally got her! First color phase (red) bear down!
Post by: BOWHUNTER45 on August 07, 2011, 06:34:42 PM: Sweet .. cool pictures too !! :tup:
Title: Re: Finally got her! First color phase (red) bear down!
Post by: saylean on August 07, 2011, 07:53:20 PM: Looks like you earned her Shane. Pretty bear. Really long lookin hide! :tup:
Title: Re: Finally got her! First color phase (red) bear down!
Post by: TheHunt on August 07, 2011, 08:27:01 PM: YOu going to rug it out. The hide looks great. congrats on your bear
Title: Re: Finally got her! First color phase (red) bear down!
Post by: shanevg on August 07, 2011, 08:50:47 PM: Quote from: TheHunt on August 07, 2011, 08:27:01 PM
YOu going to rug it out. The hide looks great. congrats on your bear

No. The hide was completely rubbed out on both sides. In the 9 days between the live picture of her alone to the day we shot her she had completely rubbed out both sides of her hide. She still had a good 5 inches along her back. She would've been a beaut just a few days earlier.

Oh well, she'll still taste great!
Title: Re: Finally got her! First color phase (red) bear down!
Post by: Jellymon on August 07, 2011, 09:04:00 PM: That sixth pic looks like you got sasquatch!!! :chuckle:

Looks like a fun time! Congrats! :tup:
Title: Re: Finally got her! First color phase (red) bear down!
Post by: PacificNWhunter on August 07, 2011, 09:17:38 PM: Good work Shane!
Title: Re: Finally got her! First color phase (red) bear down!
Post by: Goomsba on August 07, 2011, 09:25:42 PM: Great Bear :tup:
Title: Re: Finally got her! First color phase (red) bear down!
Post by: Dave B on August 08, 2011, 09:11:53 AM: Was that up near glacier area
Title: Re: Finally got her! First color phase (red) bear down!
Post by: Ranger91298 on August 08, 2011, 09:15:16 AM: Great job, good looking bear...