collapse

Advertisement


Author Topic: An update on Wenaha - Take 3  (Read 6335 times)

Offline IBspoiled

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Longhunter
  • *****
  • Join Date: Dec 2008
  • Posts: 813
  • Location: Castle Rock
Re: An update on Wenaha - Take 3
« Reply #15 on: May 12, 2018, 03:03:36 PM »
This is so fun following along on your hunt, I feel like I was there.  Oh wait I was just there...thank you for sharing

Offline LittleKiller

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Tracker
  • **
  • Join Date: Nov 2009
  • Posts: 53
  • Location: Willapa Harbor
Re: An update on Wenaha - Take 3
« Reply #16 on: May 12, 2018, 03:57:19 PM »
Still sitting. We’re all sunburnt sitting under a juniper praying that the clouds in Idaho and Oregon would head a’ this way. Hahaha


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
"The struggle of man against man produces jealousy, deceit, frustration, bitterness, hate. The struggle of man against mountains is different. Man then bows before Something that is bigger than he. When he does that, he finds serenity and humility and dignity, too." - William O Douglas

Offline LittleKiller

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Tracker
  • **
  • Join Date: Nov 2009
  • Posts: 53
  • Location: Willapa Harbor
Re: An update on Wenaha - Take 3
« Reply #17 on: May 12, 2018, 04:16:51 PM »
This is so fun following along on your hunt, I feel like I was there.  Oh wait I was just there...thank you for sharing
I saw that! Congratulations. It’s hard work finding a bear, I am already imagining how much harder it is on the pack out!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
"The struggle of man against man produces jealousy, deceit, frustration, bitterness, hate. The struggle of man against mountains is different. Man then bows before Something that is bigger than he. When he does that, he finds serenity and humility and dignity, too." - William O Douglas

Offline CaNINE

  • Trade Count: (+5)
  • Sourdough
  • *****
  • Join Date: Jul 2015
  • Posts: 1362
  • Location: Gig Harbor
Re: An update on Wenaha - Take 3
« Reply #18 on: May 12, 2018, 07:06:57 PM »
Keep after it! 
The lazy do not roast any game, but the diligent feed on the riches of the hunt.

Proverbs 12:27

Offline SilkOnTheDrySide

  • Trade Count: (+3)
  • Sourdough
  • *****
  • Join Date: Jun 2011
  • Posts: 1532
  • Location: West Richland
Re: An update on Wenaha - Take 3
« Reply #19 on: May 13, 2018, 09:23:04 AM »
Day 1: We got in at 2:45, slept til 5:30, packed up and got to the camp Clearwater & my husband had set up from the day before by 11:30. Spotted a bear that first night across the river in the hillside at more than 700 yards. He looked like a grizzly in color, 250 lbs with a really wide head. He never moved more than 20 yards feeding on whatever these yellow flowers are up here. It was suuuper windy. Decided our best bet was to run down and try to cross, side hill, and see if there was a shot: nope. (Update: we have finally found a log to cross the river should we need to do so)

Day 2: Hiking back up the same ridge, I almost immediately spotted my bear from the day before. He was dead asleep on the end of a log. After looking at him for a while confirming it was the same guy I’m after we sidehilled to a nice rest. It’s REALLY hard to find a good rest to shoot across the canyon there when you’re a lefty. I shot twice and missed at about 600. He barreled down the hill, almost wondered if he was going to leap off the end into the river hundreds of feet below. I shot again at 530 yards and was about 1.5 feet too high. He quickly veered east and ran a couple ridges over. We waited and headed to where we could look back at him and eventually watched him flop down onto his side for a nice nap. It gave me plenty of time to build a GOOD rest and set up on him at about 526 yards. When I pulled the trigger I KNEW he was a goner... until the guy on the scope said it perfect... but was 10” high. Unfortunately we’ve been guessing the difference in yardage due to elevation and at the last minute took the scope up one more click. I can’t help but think “if only..” but he took off like a bat outta down down down and back west until there was no sign of him. We spent the rest of the afternoon sidehilling to see if the change in angle would give us a view of him, if he was still around at all.  On the way out my dad spotted a huuuuuge cinnamon bear and radioed me saying it was “unreachable.” It was a pretty good day despite the disappointing shots I made. My second ever miss.

Day 3: I’m sitting on top of the world. By some miracle I have cell service. It’s really hot and my socks are hanging out to dry as I type this. We have a pretty good view into large valleys/creeks on either side of us. Haven’t seen a bear today, but we’ll see what the evening brings. Will be sitting here glassing for another hour or so and will make a loop and try to hop onto another ridge that will drop us off a few miles off back at camp.

I should note that we’ve hiked up south facing slopes as our research indicated... the bears we’ve seen on both trips are on north facing slopes. Elevation: the bears are at several different elevations, unlike what we expected.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Guessing the yardage?

Are you not running a range finder? Kestrel?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Offline LittleKiller

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Tracker
  • **
  • Join Date: Nov 2009
  • Posts: 53
  • Location: Willapa Harbor
Re: An update on Wenaha - Take 3
« Reply #20 on: May 13, 2018, 06:15:46 PM »

Guessing the yardage?

Are you not running a range finder? Kestrel?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Not guessing the yardage. Using a rangefinder that doesn’t have that “true ballistic range” setting and at that yardage it probably counts for a lot more than you’d expect. So doing the math between my elevation and the elevation of the bear was tricky. Clearly too tricky. At least I’d rather think that’s the case instead of admit I was shooting high. Ha.
"The struggle of man against man produces jealousy, deceit, frustration, bitterness, hate. The struggle of man against mountains is different. Man then bows before Something that is bigger than he. When he does that, he finds serenity and humility and dignity, too." - William O Douglas

Offline LittleKiller

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Tracker
  • **
  • Join Date: Nov 2009
  • Posts: 53
  • Location: Willapa Harbor
Re: An update on Wenaha - Take 3
« Reply #21 on: May 13, 2018, 07:07:57 PM »
Day 3 (Part 2): Too hot. I have a hard time believing the bear were that laid up that they didn’t get active as soon as the temp started dropping. So, the consensus was that there were no bear where we were. Hiked down the next ridge and headed back to camp

Day 4: Did an AM hunt as long as possible, but by 8:30 the sun had risen high enough to roast this wet-sider enough to run back to camp. With the temperature reaching as high as it did we didn’t expect to see much. We packed up camp and made the miserable trek back to the Sub. Took a bath in the Grande Ronde and looked for more sheep on the way out. Stopped for Lucy Tacos in Asotin. Talked about the wildflowers, the bluebirds, hummingbirds, goats, and sheep. Looked up how and why elk were reintroduced into the Blues, googled how the Blues came to be. I’m really happy with my experience so far. The only things  that I would change are my wet leaky boots, and make sure that we have one range finder that can range far enough AND calculate the tbr, because we had one with each and that just won’t do.

I’m not positive if/when I’ll be back. I’ve been really determined to get this bear, but I am not available to head back until Memorial Day weekend, which is when I expect other weekend warriors to arrive. I don’t have much vacation time to take as I’ve only been at my current job a year. My pack mules (family, friends) are running thin, too. I’m so appreciative of the people that have come alongside me that have been so willing to help pack out a bear.

I’ve never felt so fulfilled by an experience where I very well may eat tag soup for dinner. I’ll update again if I get a chance to head over again. :)
"The struggle of man against man produces jealousy, deceit, frustration, bitterness, hate. The struggle of man against mountains is different. Man then bows before Something that is bigger than he. When he does that, he finds serenity and humility and dignity, too." - William O Douglas

Offline Timberstalker

  • Non-Hunting Topics
  • Trade Count: (+3)
  • Old Salt
  • ******
  • Join Date: Apr 2008
  • Posts: 9163
  • Location: Tri-Cities
  • Just one more ridge
Re: An update on Wenaha - Take 3
« Reply #22 on: May 13, 2018, 07:47:00 PM »
You’ve got to go back and give it one more go. There’s a bear waiting for you.

 :tup:
If you aint hunting, you aint livin'

Offline LittleKiller

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Tracker
  • **
  • Join Date: Nov 2009
  • Posts: 53
  • Location: Willapa Harbor
Re: An update on Wenaha - Take 3
« Reply #23 on: May 13, 2018, 09:51:05 PM »
Edit: the bear I said was spotted by my dad was spotted by Cimmaron. Additionally, he got this sweet pic just through his sorting scope without an attachment...
"The struggle of man against man produces jealousy, deceit, frustration, bitterness, hate. The struggle of man against mountains is different. Man then bows before Something that is bigger than he. When he does that, he finds serenity and humility and dignity, too." - William O Douglas

Offline jackelope

  • Administrator
  • Trade Count: (+27)
  • Legend
  • *****
  • Join Date: Mar 2007
  • Posts: 49015
  • Location: Duvall, WA
  • Groups: jackelope
Re: An update on Wenaha - Take 3
« Reply #24 on: May 13, 2018, 10:02:56 PM »
You’re going back.

I had a helllll of a tag last fall that I seriously thought was going to end up not getting filled. I went back. We found a way and filled the tag. Go back.
:fire.:

" In today's instant gratification society, more and more pressure revolves around success and the measurement of one's prowess as a hunter by inches on a score chart or field photos produced on social media. Don't fall into the trap. Hunting is-and always will be- about the hunt, the adventure, the views, and time spent with close friends and family. " Ryan Hatfield

My posts, opinions and statements do not represent those of this forum

Offline SilkOnTheDrySide

  • Trade Count: (+3)
  • Sourdough
  • *****
  • Join Date: Jun 2011
  • Posts: 1532
  • Location: West Richland
Re: An update on Wenaha - Take 3
« Reply #25 on: May 14, 2018, 12:12:07 AM »

Guessing the yardage?

Are you not running a range finder? Kestrel?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Not guessing the yardage. Using a rangefinder that doesn’t have that “true ballistic range” setting and at that yardage it probably counts for a lot more than you’d expect. So doing the math between my elevation and the elevation of the bear was tricky. Clearly too tricky. At least I’d rather think that’s the case instead of admit I was shooting high. Ha.

I’d definitely find someone with a rangefinder that gives true ballistic range. Otherwise you’d have to do trigonometry on the side of the mountain 😂😂

At those ranges your margin for error is small anyways.

Also, did you account for the elevation difference compared to where you sighted in your gun at?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Offline toyman2

  • Non-Hunting Topics
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Longhunter
  • *****
  • Join Date: Dec 2008
  • Posts: 685
  • Location: Dayton, WA
Re: An update on Wenaha - Take 3
« Reply #26 on: May 14, 2018, 05:40:11 AM »
That was the bear you shot at!.
 If I get a chance ill put up the other bear.

Offline trophyhunt

  • Forum Sponsor
  • Trade Count: (+11)
  • Explorer
  • *****
  • Join Date: Nov 2008
  • Posts: 18678
  • Location: Wetside
  • Groups: Wa Wild Sheep Life Member
Re: An update on Wenaha - Take 3
« Reply #27 on: May 14, 2018, 05:58:06 AM »
If you can, go back memorial day weekend, that is the time I always go when I draw.  Sometimes I see one or two people, sometimes I don't see anyone, you never know.  But I have had success on that weekend.  Good luck
“In common with”..... not so much!!

Offline Yakirack

  • Non-Hunting Topics
  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • Hunter
  • ***
  • Join Date: Sep 2013
  • Posts: 219
  • Location: Moxee
Re: An update on Wenaha - Take 3
« Reply #28 on: May 14, 2018, 08:33:44 AM »
At least you saw some!
We saw zero bear, 1 rattlesnake, and 1 tick burrowed in my leg.




Offline LittleKiller

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Tracker
  • **
  • Join Date: Nov 2009
  • Posts: 53
  • Location: Willapa Harbor
Re: An update on Wenaha - Take 3
« Reply #29 on: May 14, 2018, 09:42:33 AM »
I do have some time Memorial Day weekend, but not enough to hike into the Three Forks by myself. That’d be a long pack for such a little girl. Hopefully I’ll be able to access from the top by then. In the meantime, it sounds like it’s my husbands personal goal to sight in the 7mm again. Lessons learned on  the east side. 😂

The photo is of the bear where I spotted him, hung out to dry on a log for the better part of an hour. It was around 8 AM on that north facing slope.
"The struggle of man against man produces jealousy, deceit, frustration, bitterness, hate. The struggle of man against mountains is different. Man then bows before Something that is bigger than he. When he does that, he finds serenity and humility and dignity, too." - William O Douglas

 


* Advertisement

* Recent Topics

Let’s see your best Washington buck by abhold87
[Today at 12:03:27 PM]


Springer Fishing Opportunity 3/29 & 3/30 by xXLojackXx
[Today at 11:47:13 AM]


Bearpaw Season - Spring 2024 by bearpaw
[Today at 11:45:41 AM]


Walked a cougar down by Rainier10
[Today at 11:17:49 AM]


SB 5444 signed by Inslee on 03/26 Takes Effect on 06/06/24 by hughjorgan
[Today at 09:03:26 AM]


Springer 2024 Columbia River by WSU
[Today at 08:31:10 AM]


Average by lhrbull
[Today at 07:31:56 AM]


CVA optima V2 LR tapped hole for front sight by Remdawg
[Today at 07:09:22 AM]


Which 12” boat trailer tires? by timberhunter
[Yesterday at 08:22:18 PM]

SimplePortal 2.3.7 © 2008-2024, SimplePortal