Bear hunting with a bow

[The Hermit]

Several years ago I stalked into about 25 yards of had a VERY large vancouver island black bear. As I waited for a shot opportunity, he closed the distance to about at about 12 yards when he finally tuned broadside. I was at full draw and just about to shoot when he winded me. He turned, took a couple steps toward me and started jaw popping and huffing as he emptied his bowels. Did this for about 7-10 seconds. He then turned back broadside and paused for a second before running down into the cut. I was at full draw for all of it.

To this day, I think if I'd loosed that arrow, he would have been on me.

You truly are a predator magnet Ron! I still think about the black bear that ran up the hill at us and jumped onto the road about 5 yards from you, at full draw and you let him walk! What I remember most though was the size of the shit eating smile on your face!! LOL. That was suck an awesome mountain, too bad they logged it all.

[Ron.C]

You truly are a predator magnet Ron! I still think about the black bear that ran up the hill at us and jumped onto the road about 5 yards from you, at full draw and you let him walk! What I remember most though was the size of the shit eating smile on your face!! LOL. That was suck an awesome mountain, too bad they logged it all.

hahah, yep. Had some close calls with bears and cats for sure and been quite lucky.

I remember that hunt quite vividly. We saw the bear dropping into a large bowl that was several hundred yards across and quite deep and at the pace it was going figured he was going somewhere with a purpose. We quickly relocated to the far side and set up where we though he may come up out of it. In hind sight, quite amazing give the hundreds of yards he could of re-appeared , but we nailed it. To this day not enrirely sure why I didn't shoot but I think I was waiting for a little bigger bear.

I've replayed that hunt a pile of times and to this day, was about as close as you can get to one without touching it.

Like most of my hunting, the most memorable moments were ones that I let the animal walk.

[Stéphane]

This was a great thread. Great advice all around. Best of luck!