Nice bear and pic. I wish I could get after them this spring, but it won't be happening this year. Bears skunked me 3yrs ago in MT and it's about time for a rematch; hopefully soon.
Nice bear and pic. I wish I could get after them this spring, but it won't be happening this year. Bears skunked me 3yrs ago in MT and it's about time for a rematch; hopefully soon.
It's all about timing...this spring might be a bit later than usual with heavy snowpack. Normal prime time for most of Montana seems to be from May 10th through the 20th.
That's a dandy bear. I killed my last black bear the last season it was legal to bait here in Colorado. That was voted out along with hunting them with dogs. We only have a fall season for bear now. I'd rather hunt turkeys in spring.
I can't wait....cabin fever is at an all time high!
Let's see some pics!
This is a Montana Blackie from 2011, spot and stalk.
It’s cool when the weather is shiitty up Glasgow, we get to see cool pics... grin
Ping pong balls for the win. Once you've wrestled everything else in life is easy. Dan Gable I keep my circle small, I’d rather have 4 quarters than 100 pennies.
Keep them coming Scenar, sure been enjoying all the pictures you have been posting. And yes cabin fever is brutal about now:) I'll be trying to find a bear late next month, depending on the weather, although I'm not much of a bear hunting expert
Last edited by Oregonmuley; 03/09/18.
"Rather hunt Mule deer than anything else" "Team 7MM-08"
Most of my bears were killed pre-digital days, so I really don't have too many pictures available to post on here. They're quite a drive from where I live now to hunt them, so I don't really chase them much anymore. I do have a hound hunter friend in Idaho I like going along with, but I haven't been interested in shooting one lately.
Here's a cub that wouldn't leave my mom's back pasture last Nov. He drug a dead deer to the base of the tree and would feed on it for a while, then climb back up. I have no idea where momma was, nor whether he went to bed for the winter or died.
Here's the last one I killed.....and was 100% convinced he was a really GOOD bear. Man was I surprised when I climbed down to him and saw he was a "grown" cub. It was rather embarrassing checking him in. I guess the shadows were playing tricks on me cause I watched him for several minutes making sure he was legal. I ended up giving the hide to a biology high school teacher.
I can't wait....cabin fever is at an all time high!
Let's see some pics!
This is a Montana Blackie from 2011, spot and stalk.
Nice bear, Scenarshtr.
I'm in for 3 BB hunts this year. May in the north Wyoming Bighorns, again. August on the Olympic Peninsula, again and December in North Carolina, deer/black bear combo (again for deer). I just need to live long enough to enjoy all of this stuff.
The degree of my privacy is no business of yours.
What we've learned from history is that we haven't learned from it.
Ping pong balls for the win. Once you've wrestled everything else in life is easy. Dan Gable I keep my circle small, I’d rather have 4 quarters than 100 pennies.
Dam thats a big Black Bear! Iv killed 3 up in Ca. I realy would like to take Color Phase Bear one day! saw a Big Blond up in Ska. but didnt get a shot! was useing a 44-77 Balard rifle!
My best one, taken in 2015 in Montana. Taken with my .260 with one shot to the chest at a little over 300 yards.
7'+ hide, with a 21 2/16" skull after the 60 day drying period. Gut buster stalk that I barley completed before he got into the timber. I got him to stop and look my way by giving a little voice howl. I didn't want to shoot while he was walking. No time to range, and out of breath, I had to wing it. When I fired, he was in the timber instantly. He didn't go far, and was wedged in some scrub sub alpine trees. My pal was on the other side of the canyon watching the whole thing with a spotting scope.
I miss hunting bears, hunted them every year I lived in AK. I never got to shoot a color phase bear though my wife killed a great cinnamon for her first one. Someday I’ll get back out after them, I’d for sure hunt them every year if we had them locally. Closest we have is eastern OK and it’s archery and then muzzleloader if there’s any left on the quota. I’m hoping and almost betting they’ll be back out here before I’m too old to hunt. My great Grandad killed the last recorded bear in SW Oklahoma back in 1919. Be pretty cool if I could shoot one out here someday, I probably won’t use a single shot shotgun though .
My best one, taken in 2015 in Montana. Taken with my .260 with one shot to the chest at a little over 300 yards.
7'+ hide, with a 21 2/16" skull after the 60 day drying period. Gut buster stalk that I barley completed before he got into the timber. I got him to stop and look my way by giving a little voice howl. I didn't want to shoot while he was walking. No time to range, and out of breath, I had to wing it. When I fired, he was in the timber instantly. He didn't go far, and was wedged in some scrub sub alpine trees. My pal was on the other side of the canyon watching the whole thing with a spotting scope.
That's a damn nice bear...
Ping pong balls for the win. Once you've wrestled everything else in life is easy. Dan Gable I keep my circle small, I’d rather have 4 quarters than 100 pennies.
North of Gardner, Montana back in the day. There used to be a lot of black bears on the Upper Yellowstone. I haven't hunted that area in many years. There were no shortage of Grizzlies in most of it too. Probably more now...
My friend, Bill Beyl, pictured with me here,(his boy with the .222 bear)and a bear I killed with my bow back in 1983. It's the only bear I've ever killed with a bow, and one of the best, and luckiest stalks I've ever made. It was just before dark, and after I made the hit, I backed out of there and waited until morning to go find him. Bill was a really good tracker and was more that happy to help. It was a special day spent with a friend who was like a brother to me. Bill passed away a little over a year ago. There isn't a day goes by when I don't think of the time we shared.....
We hope to head up and do a little “spot-n-stalk” or maybe a little calling! Gonna be a busy spring though....so at this point, it’s only “hope”! memtb
You should not use a rifle that will kill an animal when everything goes right; you should use one that will do the job when everything goes wrong." -Bob Hagel
“I’d like to be a good rifleman…..but, I prefer to be a good hunter”! memtb 2024
Ping pong balls for the win. Once you've wrestled everything else in life is easy. Dan Gable I keep my circle small, I’d rather have 4 quarters than 100 pennies.
I can't wait....cabin fever is at an all time high!
Let's see some pics!
This is a Montana Blackie from 2011, spot and stalk.
It’s cool when the weather is shiitty up Glasgow, we get to see cool pics... grin
laffin' A guy can only reload so much ammo....spring can't get here soon enough.... meanwhile, more pics coming........;)
The boys and I just came in from shooting on a bright sunny day. No wind! Glad to see the weather breaking here finally. We are ready for spring. Bart.
Some great pics in this thread, thanks all for sharing.
Full on Spring down here though a bit cool for this time of year, Im not complaing however. Having lived in the nort country most of my life I can relate to spring fever, always hated March. Sick of winter by then, cant even get out after trout yet, ice fishing has usually list its flavor by now.
Here is an AK bear I posted on here before. My biggest, squares right at 7’
Another AK bear, around 6.5 sq, sorry for the poor iphone scan
Also hunt them a bit in my birthstate of PA in the fall. Have seen a few but for one reason or another never closed the deal. My buddy on the other hand is a bear hunter extradoraire. He’s taken several PA bears and usually passes on some every year. He’s also taken several bears in AK with me. Here is a good bear he took while he was helping me try to fill a doe tag. He’s already field dressed at this point, a fat bear!
Stuck in airports, Terrorized Sent to meetings, Hypnotized Over-exposed, Commercialized Handle me with Care... -Traveling Wilbury's
Bear hunting is a blast in my book. I had fun hunting bears last fall with some guys from our church, we got three bears. I'm thinking about going back to Montana this spring. Hunting bears up there is never wrong. The guys I hunted with last fall, are talking about doing another hunt for bears this coming fall.
Nice bear and pic. I wish I could get after them this spring, but it won't be happening this year. Bears skunked me 3yrs ago in MT and it's about time for a rematch; hopefully soon.
It's all about timing...this spring might be a bit later than usual with heavy snowpack. Normal prime time for most of Montana seems to be from May 10th through the 20th.
I was there in prime time, but the local that was giving me a hand said I was about week late. Green up was a bit early that year. Hard to plan for that 27 driving hours away. I do plan on giving them a go again though.
PS- I totally dig your pics, especially your hats. I've always wondered how you became a Tigers fan?
Nice bear and pic. I wish I could get after them this spring, but it won't be happening this year. Bears skunked me 3yrs ago in MT and it's about time for a rematch; hopefully soon.
It's all about timing...this spring might be a bit later than usual with heavy snowpack. Normal prime time for most of Montana seems to be from May 10th through the 20th.
I was there in prime time, but the local that was giving me a hand said I was about week late. Green up was a bit early that year. Hard to plan for that 27 driving hours away. I do plan on giving them a go again though.
PS- I totally dig your pics, especially your hats. I've always wondered how you became a Tigers fan?
You need to have alternate game plans. NW Montana always greens up in front of SW Montana. Sometimes by as much as two weeks. If you're too late there, go to the later greening areas, or the other way around.
My dad was a Tigers fan....kinda rubbed off on me...
Thanks for the info, I will keep that in mind for my next trip. Might just pick the week to hunt and wait to narrow down the area closer to time.
I'm a Cards fan for much of the same reason, but also grew up 2.5hrs from the stadium making it a bit easier to be a fan. I will say I'm a big fan of Miggy!
Thanks for the info, I will keep that in mind for my next trip. Might just pick the week to hunt and wait to narrow down the area closer to time.
I'm a Cards fan for much of the same reason, but also grew up 2.5hrs from the stadium making it a bit easier to be a fan. I will say I'm a big fan of Miggy!
You probably don't remember the 68' World Series, Tigers-Cards. Bob Gibson's heyday....pals and I listened to the games at school on transistor radios...
As much as I want to be in, I might be out for the first time in over 20 years. I had rotator-cuff repair 2 weeks ago, and hoping to be able to master my .223 left handed by late May. I usually spend 30+ evenings a spring hunting MT black bears so it will be a tough spring if I cannot get out.
As much as I want to be in, I might be out for the first time in over 20 years. I had rotator-cuff repair 2 weeks ago, and hoping to be able to master my .223 left handed by late May. I usually spend 30+ evenings a spring hunting MT black bears so it will be a tough spring if I cannot get out.
Ping pong balls for the win. Once you've wrestled everything else in life is easy. Dan Gable I keep my circle small, I’d rather have 4 quarters than 100 pennies.
As much as I want to be in, I might be out for the first time in over 20 years. I had rotator-cuff repair 2 weeks ago, and hoping to be able to master my .223 left handed by late May. I usually spend 30+ evenings a spring hunting MT black bears so it will be a tough spring if I cannot get out.
I hope you heal well. Just recovering from a total hip here.
As much as I want to be in, I might be out for the first time in over 20 years. I had rotator-cuff repair 2 weeks ago, and hoping to be able to master my .223 left handed by late May. I usually spend 30+ evenings a spring hunting MT black bears so it will be a tough spring if I cannot get out.
Sorry to hear that.
If you can learn to shoot left shouldered off a bipod, you should be okay.
A black bear is definitely on my bucket list. I've got a buddy in Pinedale,WY that's been begging me to come out and hunt one with him. I think next year I might head out for a week or two and give it a try!
Had a cool hunt in the Oregon Cascades a few years ago. I was following an elk track that I was sure was a bull. It was raining and I was cow calling my way through thick hemlock, alpine fir, and jack pine hoping to jump a bull from his bed and get a quick shot. I was carrying a Savage 99 in 375 WInchester. Saddlering John owns that same rifle now.
It was fairly dark in the woods that day and as I looked ahead I see light coming from a small opening coming up in the timber. It looked like a small meadow about 75 yards by 40 yards. I cow called my way to the edge of the 40' tall pines and poked my head into the open so I could scan the opening for a bull elk. As my eyes adjusted to the light I looked off to my right and see a good sized bear standing with his front feet up on a log, looking right at me from 75 yards, just inside the edge of the timber. He'd been tracking my sound coming toward him, assuming I was a cow elk of course! I had a bear tag so I put one in the front of his neck and dropped him in a pile.
I watched to make sure he wasn't getting up. As I stepped into the meadow and turned to go over there I was pondering my good fortune that I hadn't had an encounter at closer quarters, since he had heard me coming. When I got to the end of the meadow I just about tripped over an elk leg sticking out of the grass. Turns out I was a day behind the bull and the bear had beat me to him! He'd eaten half of him and buried the rest with grass and brush. He was probably sleeping it off when I came along.
They had had quite a struggle. The bear had a hole in his shoulder and another in his forehead. He was stuffed to the gills with elk meat too! He turned out to be a good bear for the Oregon Cascades, a little over 6'. A really beautiful hide and a fantastic memory of a great hunt.
_______________________________________________________ An 8 dollar driveway boy living in a T-111 shack
This was a 5 1/2' sow that was aged at 14. After watching this bear for over an hour, I was sure it was a boar. They can be very tough to judge.
Rifle is a Remington KS .280, with a 6X Leupold. 1991.
Killed a Kodiak sow I was certain was a boar after watching it for the small parts of a week where you could see more than a hundred yards. Long story short the stiff-legged gait and slow movements were the result of severe domestic violence directed at her.
On leaving the valley we thought we spotted a big boar wearing a wife-beater headed over the ridge...
Mark Begich, Joaquin Jackson, and Heller resistance... Three huge reasons to worry about the NRA.
As much as I want to be in, I might be out for the first time in over 20 years. I had rotator-cuff repair 2 weeks ago, and hoping to be able to master my .223 left handed by late May. I usually spend 30+ evenings a spring hunting MT black bears so it will be a tough spring if I cannot get out.
December 14, 1996 I had major shoulder reconstruction for three complete tendon tears and "acromioplasty with Mumford" on my right shoulder... third surgery. On May 14, 1997 I shot a Kodiak brown bear with a 375 H&H and it was no issue. Last July 4 I threw a football for kids for over an hour steady and had zero issues beyond the expected from that kind of work-out.
I cannot throw a football like Uncle Rico any more, but for all the work on it, the results are quite fine for an old fat man...
Mark Begich, Joaquin Jackson, and Heller resistance... Three huge reasons to worry about the NRA.
Thanks for the info, I will keep that in mind for my next trip. Might just pick the week to hunt and wait to narrow down the area closer to time.
I'm a Cards fan for much of the same reason, but also grew up 2.5hrs from the stadium making it a bit easier to be a fan. I will say I'm a big fan of Miggy!
You probably don't remember the 68' World Series, Tigers-Cards. Bob Gibson's heyday....pals and I listened to the games at school on transistor radios...
My dad graduated HS in '68 and it was 10yrs before I was born, so no first hand recollection. Gibson's season that year changed baseball as it resulted in a lowering of the mound. Read a great interview with him a few years back, he was asked about the scowl he gave when getting the signs. He replied that he didn't pitch angry, just didn't have that good of eye sight... When he pitched, he owned the plate and wasn't shy about making sure the batter knew that as well. One thing I love about the internet is being able to access/find videos of those old games.
Ping pong balls for the win. Once you've wrestled everything else in life is easy. Dan Gable I keep my circle small, I’d rather have 4 quarters than 100 pennies.
Start hangin em!! No kelp fed cheater bears either..... grin
Ping pong balls for the win. Once you've wrestled everything else in life is easy. Dan Gable I keep my circle small, I’d rather have 4 quarters than 100 pennies.
Pard was huntin a big blacktail buck in late October last year. He was cougaring through some timber, heard something behind him, this bugger was 5’ behind him, turned, swung and fired at the same time hitting it in the face with a 300 win..... the texts started flying immediately, he was damn shaken up.... grin
Ping pong balls for the win. Once you've wrestled everything else in life is easy. Dan Gable I keep my circle small, I’d rather have 4 quarters than 100 pennies.
Ya he was fairly rattled, for quite a while. I was crying I was Laffin so hard
Ping pong balls for the win. Once you've wrestled everything else in life is easy. Dan Gable I keep my circle small, I’d rather have 4 quarters than 100 pennies.
Pard was huntin a big blacktail buck in late October last year. He was cougaring through some timber, heard something behind him, this bugger was 5’ behind him, turned, swung and fired at the same time hitting it in the face with a 300 win..... the texts started flying immediately, he was damn shaken up.... grin
I suspect he may have had to change his drawers after this episode. That is just too close for comfort.
Member: Clan of the Turdlike People.
Courage is Fear that has said its Prayers
�If we ever forget that we are one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under.� Ronald Reagan.
Fall bear 502 with a 6.5 ai 140 Berger, 1 and done
Ping pong balls for the win. Once you've wrestled everything else in life is easy. Dan Gable I keep my circle small, I’d rather have 4 quarters than 100 pennies.
CONGRATS to all youens. ( grin ). I haven’t been privileged to hunt or kill a bear. There is a huntable population not many miles from me. However it’s LEASED land I have no connections. YET.
I really liked the bear FACE SHOT at 5’. DANG. Glad he connected. The 300 WM sure worked.
Well... indirectly. 3 or 4 generations back came from Pa -- Ohio -- to the South.
I'm familiar with that expression from my Grandparents. More than from a particular area, I've heard those type of expressions from UNeducated folks. I've smiled several times over the years while watching OLD movies. Some of those expressions were very common.
aalf, what am I seeing in your pic? A large contingency of bears waiting for a truckload of tourist to drive by on that road? Maybe a bears version of “Speed Dating”. 😎
Curiosity Killed the Cat & The Prairie Dog “Molon Labe”
Headed out next weekend in Idaho where I shot this bear last year. My boys 16 & 12 drew WA spring bear tags too. Plus I have a week planned in the Selway wilderness the first of May. Gonna be a busy spring!
Never had an opportunity. Bears are around, but kinda catch-as-catch-can. One made off with a rabbit pen (and rabbit) from my neighbor's yard some years back, and others have been spotted crossing the fields across the road. Never seen one in the woods except on Skyline Drive.
Used to buy a Damage Stamp every year, our version of a tag, just in case, but now on my Geezer License it's not needed. If I ever get one, I hope I can get one of my sons on the phone! (We can cut-up and pack out, but still!).
Great bear pics! Makes me want to get after them. More pics to whet our appetites.
I love to hunt bears but am at an age when I enjoy taking younger men who are hungry to get a bear. I've taken three grandsons after bears and loved every minute. We are two for three. The oldest grandson was determined to get a bear with his bow, and though he stalked 8 bears, all within easy rifle range during general open season, he never got one with his bow. He has no regrets.
Below is second grandson's bear taken with my 06 at 57 yards, a little over 7 foot hide.
The bear below came to a call till it hung up and hid behind a bush.
Badly rubbed spring bear wading and swimming a few strokes across a tidal creek.
Okanagan, what kind of critters are you imitating when you're calling? We've got a high number of Mtn Lions in my area so I've been a little hesitant on doing much calling for bears.
Turn me loose, set me free, somewhere in the middle of Montana!
Okanagan, what kind of critters are you imitating when you're calling? We've got a high number of Mtn Lions in my area so I've been a little hesitant on doing much calling for bears.
tipmover, I'm no expert but have called quite a few black bears. A guy from Montana, Dober I think is his handle, has called a lot of them. Best of luck if you go for it!
My most used call is jack rabbit distress. Virtually the same sound is marketed as fawn distress and bear cub distress, so close to the same that I can't tell the difference and I don't think predators do either. They just know it sounds edible and in trouble, and if they are not sure they come out of curiosity. I vary the cadence, tune etc. with hand calls to imitate fawn vs rabbit, etc. I have used recorded fawn distress, recorded black bear cub distress, and the closest I've called a black bear was with lip squeaks.
The called bear in the previous post came to a Rainshdow custom closed reed call that sounds jack rabbitish, and I was whimpering on it. The bear was within 100 yards when I started calling so I called softly and watched it come in to 25 yards. We had decided not to shoot it so experimented with calling.
We have lots of lions as well. I set up differently when calling cats, and rarely get a non-targeted animal coming to my call, other than the usual crows, magpies, doe deer. A big exception was in northern BC where my biggest problem when trying to call a moose or wolf during early Fall was grizzlies coming to the call. I quit calling. Adding Rainshadow cougar vocals will up the odds of calling in a lion, may decrease odds of a bear coming in, not sure.
For lions and bears when calling alone, I set up so that nothing can get to my back, even if it degrades the ambush a bit. One time at an ideal spot I took a few minutes to build a lean to of poles behind me so no lion could get to my back.
Bears have a reputation for responding to calls inconsistently. IMO that means we haven’t figured them out as well as we have coyotes. Some run in, some sneak in, most move downwind of the call sound as they get close, some pretend to ignore while moseying closer, some look longingly and don’t come any closer, and I had one run away as soon as I blew the call. The young bear below was leaving so I called with a jackrabbit hand call to get him to hang around and let us look him over.
The one below, in rain, was close enough to have the auto flash reflect in his eyes.
Last edited by Okanagan; 04/02/18. Reason: clarity
Okanagan, great info in those posts and your pics are over the top good. Much appreciate the insight and experience that you've shared. Out of all the calling you've done, do you think the Rainshadow was the most effective no matter the locale?
The degree of my privacy is no business of yours.
What we've learned from history is that we haven't learned from it.
Rainshadow cougar vocals are the best lion call I've used. I combine them with jack rabbit distress or fawn bleats. I'd like to say that Rainshadow hand calls are the most effective I've used for bears and other predators, because Steve at Rainshadow is a friend and he let me try out some prototype calls, such as the one that called the bear in my first post above. But since 1968 I have used a Weems Wild Call more than any other call, so much that I haven't used any other call enough to compare it fairly. You won't go wrong with Rainshadow. (This has turned into my opus on calls! )
I've used enough calls (25 or so, Mexico to northern Canada) that I am skeptical about any claim that one hand call is way more effective than others. I like some better. Closed reed calls are easier to master. Open reed calls make a variety of sounds with one call. Diaphragm calls have good sound, short life. Some thick walled plastic calls are harder to break than finely crafted wood calls of similar design. That is a factor in hard hunting, crawling over big coastal logs, rolling on a call when sleeping on the ground...
On the first bear above, first we tried a Psycho Tweety double reed call blown very loud. The bear jerked up his head and ran off a ways, then paused and eventually went back to grazing. We did that twice. We gave him several minutes, then I tried a Rainshadow closed reed call with an experimental shape, and I blew it as soft whimpers, like a small injured animal. The bear came right to it.
My personal preference is that a hand call start a soft sound with minimal air flow, no blast required to start it, and that it go to loud and back to whimper without pause nor “cracking.” I thin the edges of reeds on open reed calls to achieve this if they don't work that way when new. I do that also on some closed reed calls but there is great risk of ruining closed reed calls
Another friend gave me a closed reed hand call to try and the first bear I used it on ran off at top speed. The next day a second bear stopped running away and looked back at us. Same song, different bear. May you find the second kind of bear when you call, whatever call you use!
I have my best luck calling bears the last two weeks in May while fawns and calves are dropping...Mostly because it gives me confidence calling then..Confidence is everything.
Bear I called a couple years back..Nothing I wanted to shoot,but I scared the Hell out of him.
On thinking more about calling bears, a problem is that in heavy cover it is often hard to tell the size of a sneaky bear that comes to a call. We've had that problem in brushy Saskatchewan forest and in Vancouver Island brush. Also, it is hard to see a small cub if a sow with a young cub comes to the call.
For these reasons most of my bear hunting is by spot and stalk. I always have a call along and use it more to position a bear for a shot, get one to stop moving and stand still for a good shot, or call one that we have chosen to shoot close enough for a shot. I don't do much cold calling for bears, though have done it and called in bears. I prefer to call a specific bear if possible, either one we can see, have seen, one working on a specific food plot or carcass, or at least one that has left multiple BIG fresh sign in a small area.
One more pic: a friend and I who came along to fish were camped with some bear hunting buddies. The two of us codger fishermen kept camp, cooked, fished, and decided to go to town one noon. The bear below was 350 yards off of the logging road. My friend has killed big bears, some over 7 feet. We watched this bear for awhile and decided it was a HOG. It was stalkable with a little thigh deep wading. Then we drove on to town.
Y'all are a bad influence. I over focus and you have me thinking about bears instead of prepping for a business appointment today.
Last edited by Okanagan; 04/03/18. Reason: pic added
Experience hath shewn, that even under the best forms of government those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny.
A local hunter killed the first Griz of the season up here about a week ago. Looked from the pic to be about 6' small. Dark chocolate.
If I ever take a blackie for hide rather than meat, it will be a dark auburn. Nothing else is worth the mount-money to me. They look better alive than dead anyway.
Made it out today for a few hours. Still too much snow to get to the top, but watched one boss old bear for a while at 1126 yards. Too late in the day to cross the river and climb the 1000' or so to get to him. I'll be back. Couple flip phone photos of the snow and alder thickets. There were some tracks around, but none fresh in the snow.
Last edited by Fireball2; 04/29/18.
_______________________________________________________ An 8 dollar driveway boy living in a T-111 shack
What rifle are you useing this year Roy? we lost our snow this last week here!
I've been carrying the 26" barreled 38-55 that I put together a few weeks ago. Today I took the 358 carbine because it has sling studs and I anticipated crossing that stream and needing my hands free. Trying to get over the top from the north side to the south by three different routes. Chained up all 4 and buried the Jeep. Saw two fresh sets of bear tracks but could not call anything in today.
Last edited by Fireball2; 05/03/18.
_______________________________________________________ An 8 dollar driveway boy living in a T-111 shack
What rifle are you useing this year Roy? we lost our snow this last week here!
I've been carrying the 26" barreled 38-55 that I put together a few weeks ago. Today I took the 358 carbine because it has sling studs and I anticipated crossing that stream and needing my hands free. Trying to get over the top from the north side to the south by three different routes. Chained up all 4 and buried the Jeep. Saw two fresh sets of bear tracks but could not call anything in today.
That Jeep looks like a dandy
Ping pong balls for the win. Once you've wrestled everything else in life is easy. Dan Gable I keep my circle small, I’d rather have 4 quarters than 100 pennies.
Daughters BC black bear. 115gr partitions from her .257 Roberts worked well. Saw 30+ bears and could have shot many more. Was looking for a brown one for her second bear. Saw one really big old sow that might have got shot if she didn't have cubs with her.
Ping pong balls for the win. Once you've wrestled everything else in life is easy. Dan Gable I keep my circle small, I’d rather have 4 quarters than 100 pennies.
Daughters BC black bear. 115gr partitions from her .257 Roberts worked well. Saw 30+ bears and could have shot many more. Was looking for a brown one for her second bear. Saw one really big old sow that might have got shot if she didn't have cubs with her.
No bears spotted for me yet, but I honestly haven't put a lot of effort into it. I'll put on 5 or so miles each time I am out, but it is more to burn calories than anything else. Bears are not my favorite thing to skin or eat
Lots of elk and deer made it through the winter though, which is always good to see.
I agree with ya on the eatin and skinnin part T. You finding any sheds yet?
Ping pong balls for the win. Once you've wrestled everything else in life is easy. Dan Gable I keep my circle small, I’d rather have 4 quarters than 100 pennies.
Nope, no sheds, but I am not much into them either. I may walk 5 feet out of my way for one, if it is an easy 5 feet.
I know they're worth money so if it is convenient I will grab one but other than that---if I didn't shoot it, I don't want it. I've left hundreds laying in the brush over the years.
I don't know why but I just can't get interested in shed hunting, other than using it as an excuse to get out and hike around. The few times I got motivated and set out in search of sheds, I easily got distracted and ended up blasting prairie dogs and rabbits anyhow.
Was just telling the wife that I think I’m gonna do a spring bear hunt in either WY or MT next spring. Sucks that Colorado doesn’t have a spring season.
Nope, no sheds, but I am not much into them either. I may walk 5 feet out of my way for one, if it is an easy 5 feet.
I know they're worth money so if it is convenient I will grab one but other than that---if I didn't shoot it, I don't want it. I've left hundreds laying in the brush over the years.
I don't know why but I just can't get interested in shed hunting, other than using it as an excuse to get out and hike around. The few times I got motivated and set out in search of sheds, I easily got distracted and ended up blasting prairie dogs and rabbits anyhow.
Copy that T. I’m no hard core “shed hunter” by any stretch, but I like stocking my flower beds with bone. Made a lamp or 2 out of em as well... good luck on the fawn killers.
Ping pong balls for the win. Once you've wrestled everything else in life is easy. Dan Gable I keep my circle small, I’d rather have 4 quarters than 100 pennies.
I wasn't able to go this year due to other obligations, but my buddies just got back from Idaho and went three for three on spot and stalk bears (saw 14 bears in 7 days between them).
Daughters BC black bear. 115gr partitions from her .257 Roberts worked well. Saw 30+ bears and could have shot many more. Was looking for a brown one for her second bear. Saw one really big old sow that might have got shot if she didn't have cubs with her.
Great stuff! Congrats!
"The trouble ain't that there is too many fools, but that lightening ain't distributed right." - Mark Twain
Season closed here yesterday. I was only able to hunt 2 days. Had good action and called in a sow and cub plus one other bear that busted me. Saw one I didn't have time to stalk. Had one come thru camp that made a pest of himself. Sow and cub called in with a fawn bleat. She didn't want to leave-
Wish I'd had more time to hunt, things really heated up the last trip out.
_______________________________________________________ An 8 dollar driveway boy living in a T-111 shack
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. Man was I surprised when I climbed down to him and saw he was a "grown" cub. It was rather embarrassing checking him in. I guess the shadows were playing tricks on me cause I watched him for several minutes making sure he was legal. I ended up giving the hide to a biology high school teacher.![[Linked Image]](https://i.imgur.com/Wyo5ayN.jpg)
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When he pitched, he owned the plate and wasn't shy about making sure the batter knew that as well. One thing I love about the internet is being able to access/find videos of those old games. ![[Linked Image]](https://s9.postimg.org/evgdbxc2n/2009-2010_651.jpg)
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