Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Bear Hunting => Topic started by: the509hunter on September 21, 2011, 12:04:59 AM

Title: range
Post by: the509hunter on September 21, 2011, 12:04:59 AM: i was wondering.... i have saw a bear everyday for the last 4 days and everytime i try and get close they get my scent cause the wind is blowing towards them... i hunt with a savage model 11 300wsm. when i first see the bear they are usually 500 or so yards away i know i can make the shot but will it knock it down i am using a 180gr fusion or i have a 150gr ballistic silver tip.. and where is the best shot placement? JJ
Title: Re: range
Post by: billythekidrock on September 21, 2011, 05:39:16 AM: Can you try to make it to 300?
Title: Re: range
Post by: aer212 on September 21, 2011, 05:45:03 AM: Maybe try coming in from behind him??? So your scent isn't blowing to him.
Title: Re: range
Post by: the509hunter on September 21, 2011, 09:20:19 AM: it is across a pear orchard and up the other side of a hill with alot of thick tree growth but went up this morning and sure enough just my luck the bear walked 10 feet infront of my truck on the road right before day light... i think this bear is just teasing me but hey maybe that is y all the bear up there get so big cause they are smart lol
Title: Re: range
Post by: 87Ford on September 21, 2011, 11:14:32 AM: That bear sounds like "easy pickins" to me. Maybe set up and watch from a different position. Only a matter of time. You'll get him. Good luck!
Title: Re: range
Post by: sirmissalot on September 21, 2011, 02:37:04 PM: I would use the 180 grain and shot placement would be right through the front shoulders. Bears are tough but they die like anything else if hit well, try and take out a shoulder or 2. If your hunting a pear orchard dropping the bear in its tracks shouldn't be as much of an issue, since it should be open and easy tracking. Good luck I hope this ends with a picture of you with a big ol dead bear.
Title: Re: range
Post by: the509hunter on September 21, 2011, 03:46:00 PM: well i cant seem to catch him in the orchard its always in the hill i was wondering since the bear is tearing up the land owners pears and he gave me permission to hunt at night with a spot light is it legal?
Title: Re: range
Post by: h20hunter on September 21, 2011, 03:50:27 PM: Absolutely! All you need to do is get permission in writing from your local gamie. Contact him and let him know when and where and you are good to go!

Uh, no. I would try and get the jump on the bear. You may have to sit in the dark for a bit but keep at it.
Title: Re: range
Post by: the509hunter on September 21, 2011, 08:28:54 PM: ok will do i got permission from my gamie and i asked if i could bait him and he said all i can use is the pears and used cooking oil anything else and he would get me ps this is gonna be my first bear if i get him i have been hunting bear for three years now my goal is to get one b4 im 18
Title: Re: range
Post by: ydeardorff on September 22, 2011, 12:22:01 AM: This might be of help on the ballistics of your rifle at that range.

http://www.chuckhawks.com/rifle_trajectory_table.htm (http://www.chuckhawks.com/rifle_trajectory_table.htm)

or the killing power of that caliber

http://www.chuckhawks.com/rifle_killing_power_list.htm (http://www.chuckhawks.com/rifle_killing_power_list.htm)
Title: Re: range
Post by: h20hunter on September 22, 2011, 02:04:16 PM: Dear 509'r,

Thank you for having a sense of humor.
Title: Re: range
Post by: h20hunter on September 23, 2011, 12:23:46 PM: Did ya bag him yet?
Title: Re: range
Post by: jackmaster on September 23, 2011, 12:34:39 PM: i dont think i would be shootn a bear at 500, i have killed a few bear in my time and people dont give them credit for how tough they are and they are one of the hardest critters to track, now if you are 100 % comfortable shootn at that distance then by all means, i have shot mant targets out to 1000yds and beyond but i still wouldnt shoot at a bear at 500, there is a way to get closer ya just gotta find it. if i was you i would leave my clothes in the orchard and sneak in there the next day and slip those clothes on and that should cover your scent, maybe smash some pears on them as well, and remember bears sight isnt the best... good luck to ya hope ya gettem
Title: Re: range
Post by: the509hunter on September 24, 2011, 12:14:48 PM: havent got him yet.. went up to spot light lastnight and the guys son came out and told me he was taking my spot and to go find a new one or leave :bash: pissed me off
Title: Re: range
Post by: ydeardorff on September 24, 2011, 12:19:11 PM: yeah its a definite first come first served issue out there. On my drive last night I came across a hunters truck parked at a trail head. It was where I wanted to walk into, but I left so I wouldn't disturb him, or his quarry. Maybe Ill catch him next time.
Title: Re: range
Post by: the509hunter on September 24, 2011, 12:46:37 PM: well i got there first the son had came to visit and his parents wernt home and he was in the house he wasnt even at the spot after he said that he went back in the house. i dont like the guy i have had a few bad encounters in town with him one being at my work when he came in and started talking crap and almost got me fired
Title: Re: range
Post by: ydeardorff on September 24, 2011, 01:26:35 PM: yeah those are the type of people you see with a flat tire in the snow, you just drive by honk, and wave at them. :tup:
Title: Re: range
Post by: the509hunter on September 24, 2011, 02:54:39 PM: yea deffinantly :chuckle:
Title: Re: range
Post by: the509hunter on September 24, 2011, 07:04:25 PM: well i shot the bear but i cant find him he is in the thicket i need some help andyone from the chelan area free tomorrow if so do u think u could help?
Title: Re: range
Post by: h20hunter on September 24, 2011, 07:20:46 PM: Go in there and flush 'em out.
Title: Re: range
Post by: the509hunter on September 24, 2011, 07:31:04 PM: i heard im running down in there then he just stopped so i know he is down
Title: Re: range
Post by: h20hunter on September 24, 2011, 07:37:19 PM: If you now he is down how come you aren't in there pulling him out?
Title: Re: range
Post by: the509hunter on September 24, 2011, 07:44:25 PM: cant find him it is so thick u can only see a foot in front of u now i have about 6 friends who are gonna help me look tomorrow morning it gets so cold up there that the meat should still be good
Title: Re: range
Post by: h20hunter on September 25, 2011, 08:24:53 AM: Have you gotten out? Still drinking coffee?
Title: Re: range
Post by: the509hunter on September 25, 2011, 08:45:50 AM: still drinking coffe and waiting for my friends to wake up at 11 now im just going after the hide if the meat aint good
Title: Re: range
Post by: billythekidrock on September 25, 2011, 09:19:11 AM: Quote from: the509hunter on September 25, 2011, 08:45:50 AM
still drinking coffe and waiting for my friends to wake up at 11 now im just going after the hide if the meat aint good

WTF?
Why did you shoot it then? If you knew it was down it was your responsibility to take care of it as soon as possible.
Waiting on 6 friends that get up at 11?
You should have never shot it if you were gonna chicken out on the retrieval.

I hope you are kidding; otherwise you are purposefully wasting game. :bash:
Title: Re: range
Post by: the509hunter on September 25, 2011, 09:26:51 AM: i searched for 6 hours yesterday after i shot it it got dark and where i hunt it is impossable to get thru at night and i lost my lisence 5 months ago so my mom has to drive me and she isnt gonna wake up till eleven either i am not purposely waisting game and i dont like to be told i am it is just to much area to look by myself with out a gps it is roughly 1 1/2 sq miles of dense trees and brush there are alot of down trees it could have went under and died... it is very cold at night so i am really hoping the meat is still good but it is most likely not..
Title: Re: range
Post by: billythekidrock on September 25, 2011, 09:32:48 AM: Quote from: the509hunter on September 25, 2011, 09:26:51 AM
i searched for 6 hours yesterday after i shot it it got dark and where i hunt it is impossable to get thru at night and i lost my lisence 5 months ago so my mom has to drive me and she isnt gonna wake up till eleven either i am not purposely waisting game and i dont like to be told i am it is just to much area to look by myself with out a gps it is roughly 1 1/2 sq miles of dense trees and brush there are alot of down trees it could have went under and died... it is very cold at night so i am really hoping the meat is still good but it is most likely not..

In my opinion you should have never been hunting if you weren't prepared to do what it takes to retrieve an animal....dark or not.

You were already told by others in this thread that bears can be hard to put down and now you know first hand.

Hopefully you, and others, will learn from this.
Title: Re: range
Post by: the509hunter on September 25, 2011, 09:38:34 AM: i got told on a different site not to search at night because if the bear is not dead sometimes they play dead and attack when u get close and they attack anything when they are injured so im sorry it really isnt my fault. knew what i was getting into but with no blood trail i could not track it
Title: Re: range
Post by: runamuk on September 25, 2011, 09:41:18 AM: some of us would give anything for a chance at a nice bear to fill the freezer....I agree with BTKR I hope you are just being a wise ass....
Title: Re: range
Post by: the509hunter on September 25, 2011, 09:45:54 AM: im not being a wise ass i relly wanted the bear for meat so my mom didnt have to spend so mush money over the winter for meat. now u guys need to stop bashing on me im doing the best i can do to find it. if i dont get it i am saying that is my bear for the year and not hunting bear again till next year
Title: Re: range
Post by: billythekidrock on September 25, 2011, 09:47:46 AM: Quote from: the509hunter on September 25, 2011, 09:38:34 AM
i got told on a different site not to search at night because if the bear is not dead sometimes they play dead and attack when u get close and they attack anything when they are injured so im sorry it really isnt my fault. knew what i was getting into but with no blood trail i could not track it

But you said you knew he was down.

Quote from: the509hunter on September 24, 2011, 07:31:04 PM
i heard im running down in there then he just stopped so i know he is down

Look, I am not gonna debate with you. I am just going to hope that you learn from this.
If you can't make it back first thing in the morning then you shouldn't take a shot at dark. I don't care if you have to go to work or don't have a ride. Don't shoot if you can't finish the job.
Title: Re: range
Post by: the509hunter on September 25, 2011, 09:52:48 AM: if it was up to me i would have already been back but i dont wanna get caught driveing illegaly
Title: Re: range
Post by: high country on September 25, 2011, 09:54:46 AM: I will echo btkr. That bear deserves a 100% effort. Things can go sour and bears are tough, but this is what defines your character. Finish the job.
Title: Re: range
Post by: bearpaw on September 25, 2011, 10:13:59 AM: Quote from: the509hunter on September 25, 2011, 09:45:54 AM
im not being a wise ass i relly wanted the bear for meat so my mom didnt have to spend so mush money over the winter for meat. now u guys need to stop bashing on me im doing the best i can do to find it. if i dont get it i am saying that is my bear for the year and not hunting bear again till next year

Here's a little advice to try and help: Go back up as soon as you can and go to where the bear was at when you shot, look for blood or tracks, look for blades of grass or leaves on brush turned from an animal passing. Watch for the tiniest drips of dried blood on grass, leaves, etc. If you can't find a blood trail and the brush is super thick like it sounds, form a line with your friends 5 yards apart and walk through keeping track that none of you miss anything. The guy on the outside edge should mark his path with trail ribbon if possible. When you get to the other side of the brush patch move down the appropriate distance, line up, and make another pass, with each person 5 yards apart, the guy on the end should again mark his trail so you have a guideline for the next pass. Keep doing this until you cover all the brush. If you do this in an organized fashion, you will have covered all the area adequately and will be able to know the bear is not laying there dead somewhere.
GOOD LUCK

In the future I would not recommend shooting bear at long distances, unless you have a lot of gun and a lot of long range shooting experience, it will be hard to kill a bear at long range. In my experience most bear wounded at long range are never recovered.
Title: Re: range
Post by: the509hunter on September 25, 2011, 10:17:19 AM: it raind lasnight so the blood would be gone and it was less than 50 yrds it ran out behind me and my mom
Title: Re: range
Post by: the509hunter on September 25, 2011, 02:57:02 PM: ok so i found the bear and i did hit it but it is still alive and doing fine i am gonna go back later and get him cause i spooked him this morning
Title: Re: range
Post by: h20hunter on September 25, 2011, 03:20:36 PM: Alive and doing fine?

Really?? I stub my toe and would not say I'm doing fine.

I really do hope you find and finish this bear off. Walking wounded is not humane for animal nor is it safe for others. You have some good advice and folks are being pretty kind by encouraging advice.

You need to man up and get the job done.
Title: Re: range
Post by: the509hunter on September 25, 2011, 03:43:18 PM: im gonna im heading back out right now we have 8 hunters with tags so we are gonna get him we know right where he layed down now that we have everyone we can circle him and take him and hopefully my grandpa can fill his tag
Title: Re: range
Post by: bearpaw on September 25, 2011, 04:02:22 PM: To help guide you in the right direction, whomever kills the bear needs to tag it.

Please be careful about surrounding an animal and then shooting at each other, do not want you to become a statistic.
Title: Re: range
Post by: h20hunter on September 25, 2011, 04:31:13 PM: Good luck and be safe...
Title: Re: range
Post by: dscubame on September 25, 2011, 06:57:58 PM: PICS, PICS, PICS
Title: Re: range
Post by: the509hunter on September 25, 2011, 11:53:20 PM: well i got the bear i will post pics when my grandma sends them it is a pretty good first bear and got some great pics took me forever to skin cause i had to do it for a rug
Title: Re: range
Post by: jackmaster on September 26, 2011, 07:00:16 AM: glad to hear you got him kid, i hope you have learned some good lessons from this, i hope you understand how tuff bears are, if i was you i would hit the range and practice, practice, practice, and study that bear that you killed, notice the massive muscle on the critters, one of the best shots you can take on a bear is a slight quarting away about 4 to 5 ribs back in perfect line with the shoulder socket on the other side, it breaks them down pretty good.. you can have the biggest gun they make and if you cant hit them right then there is a good chance you could lose them... another good shot, is a high shoulder shot it breaks the spine and puts them right on the deck, but it is not a shot i would recomend for a novice hunter, but could be your shot if practiced alot.. well congrats and way to stick with it, i will be honest from the sound of it .. i didnt think you were gonna recover it, i am glad you proved me wrong :)
Title: Re: range
Post by: high country on September 26, 2011, 07:23:31 AM: Skinning and butchering can wear a knife out! Good job, let's see some pics.
Title: Re: range
Post by: h20hunter on September 26, 2011, 08:13:35 AM: I'm glad this worked out and you came away with the bear. I'd like to see a few pics as well and hear the story of how it all came together.
Title: Re: range
Post by: the509hunter on September 26, 2011, 10:17:22 AM: well there really isnt any story except the bear came out of the trees right before dark and my grandpa nudged me and as i turn a round there he was the bear i had been chaseing.. well since it was my first bear i got excited and when i pulled the trigger i noticed it hit high but it was still a good shot cause it blew thru both fromt shoulders and droped it.. after one more shot he was down for good. when i started to walk over to him i started to doubt he was the one i had been chasing cause there was no blood on the ass where i shot him last.. needless to say im never using winchester ballistic silver tips on a bear ever again.. it lodged in the back leg and did minimal damage that is y he was still looking ok whe i had saw him that morning.. i will get some pics up in a few hours becausei have to run the hide down to the taxi right now. btw how do u post pics do u have to go to a image hosting site?
Title: Re: range
Post by: h20hunter on September 26, 2011, 11:45:16 AM: Just plug your camera or card into your pc and post them direct from there.
Title: Re: range
Post by: whacker1 on September 26, 2011, 11:59:55 AM: What caliber were you shooting? Congratulations, and glad you stuck with this one. I was just curious what you used based on your comment that the bullet lodged in the back leg doing minimal damage.
Title: Re: range
Post by: high country on September 26, 2011, 01:33:04 PM: It is tough to blame the bullet if the pilot sent it to a leg.....I am glad you finished the deal. This should be a good stimulant to get some real world range time in before deer season.
Title: Re: range
Post by: BOWHUNTER45 on September 26, 2011, 01:43:48 PM: Quote from: sirmissalot on September 21, 2011, 02:37:04 PM
I would use the 180 grain and shot placement would be right through the front shoulders. Bears are tough but they die like anything else if hit well, try and take out a shoulder or 2. If your hunting a pear orchard dropping the bear in its tracks shouldn't be as much of an issue, since it should be open and easy tracking. Good luck I hope this ends with a picture of you with a big ol dead bear.
YEP I agree...I have a 300 WSM and I know the 180 gr will do a super job !!! if your zeroed in dead on at 100 just put the crosshairs level with his back with a little hair showing and SQUEEZE THE TRIGGER ...Should be nap time for that bear !!! :tup:
Title: Re: range
Post by: the509hunter on September 26, 2011, 03:24:18 PM: h20hunter i am downloading them from my computer but for some reason it wont let me
Title: Re: range
Post by: h20hunter on September 26, 2011, 03:29:43 PM: weird. once they are on your desktop or harddrive it should be easy. are they to large? if so it is pretty easy to resize.
Title: Re: range
Post by: the509hunter on September 26, 2011, 03:34:06 PM: well it says i need to put a location in where the pics are and it has a http but i dont know what to do
Title: Re: range
Post by: h20hunter on September 26, 2011, 03:45:39 PM: pm sent
Title: Re: range
Post by: h20hunter on September 26, 2011, 03:49:29 PM: Here is the bear.
Title: Re: range
Post by: the509hunter on September 26, 2011, 04:04:09 PM: ty h20hunter i was doing quick reply not just reply
Title: Re: range
Post by: Bob Williams on September 26, 2011, 04:21:58 PM: With a rebel yell she cried more more more.. Dude...With the build up of this story you would have thought you would have put together a photo album of this thing...Is that really it?

I guess I know how my wife feels now... :chuckle:

Congrats on bustin some bootie to go back and get it. I think you've learned a lot through this adventure as did many of the other readers and it was very apparent early on that most on here take this shhh...stuff very seriously as we should. But do yourself a huge favor and re-wind the series of events and see where it began to fall off the tracks... Your original shot selection was likely a huge contributing factor.. We were not there at the moment, and certainly don't want to try and sling pooh on you in a moment that you should be proud of. These types of events are what you can learn most from, patience and some good range time will be a big step in helping you down the road.

Enjoy your success my friend...
Congratulations and lets see some more pics!!
Title: Re: range
Post by: the509hunter on September 26, 2011, 04:37:14 PM: there are the rest :)
Title: Re: range
Post by: bearpaw on September 26, 2011, 04:59:23 PM: I'm glad you stayed after him and thanks for posting the pics. I can't remember how far you said you shot, but with such minimal damage on the leg, I would guess you were sjhooting from too far away. Try to get closer the next time and good luck in deer season.
Title: Re: range
Post by: Bob Williams on September 26, 2011, 05:18:35 PM: Niiice...We males need that 'visual stimulation' very cool good job :tup:

Thanks Brother
Title: Re: range
Post by: the509hunter on September 26, 2011, 05:47:55 PM: thank bearpaw and it was only 50 yrds on the first shot then when i got my second shot it wa 40 yrds with a 180 gr fusion
Title: Re: range
Post by: billythekidrock on September 26, 2011, 06:03:03 PM: Congrats on getting it done.

Like some have already said, spend some time at the range. Learn your weapon and choose your shots carefully. Those Win Silvertips are just fine. I have killed a few bears with that round in .270. It is all about shot placement.

Did you take any pics of the first shot or where the bullet ende up? How did the wound look and smell?
Title: Re: range
Post by: the509hunter on September 26, 2011, 06:08:41 PM: lastnights first shot was thru both front sholders didnt do to much damage but enough to knock it down then second shot was thru the spine and came out the chest. didnt get any pics and what do u mean by smell?
Title: Re: range
Post by: billythekidrock on September 26, 2011, 06:25:07 PM: Isn't this the bear you hit before? I was wondering if you had any pics (or can describe the damage) of the first shot before you came back and killed it.

Often times a wound will smell or puss up.
Title: Re: range
Post by: the509hunter on September 26, 2011, 07:02:55 PM: yes its the same bear and no it didnt smell or puss up my grandma was wondering y it didnt.
Title: Re: range
Post by: jackmaster on September 27, 2011, 12:15:28 PM: it probably didnt have time to puss up or it was able to keep the wound open and lick it before you finished him off, but just out of curiousity where did you hit him the very first time you shot him, was he on the move going straight away or how did it play out just curious and wondering why the first round did so little
Title: Re: range
Post by: the509hunter on September 27, 2011, 12:18:17 PM: was just standing there then took off after he was hit