Started the day early up at 3am, as I wanted to be at a certain spot for first light. When I went to this place last year to look for a BT area I noticed Bear sign was everywhere so I figured I have a good shot at seeing a Bear but my main intention was to find a good place to put a salt lick for BT. The wind was perfect going in and was going slow stayin hidden and glassing but nothing was in the cuts so I moved on to where I wanted to push up the mountain to look for a good spot to put the salt. But this place is pretty high up and I won't be able to do that for another month, after another route I tried to get up there I was beat up pretty bad and figured i'll just come back later in May when the snow has melted more, off to another area I went where I already had a perfect place to set up a lick and see what Deer show up in that area, much lower, no snow.
So I headed over that way and when I arrived and the time it took me to hike into there it was around 5:00PM. I actually hunted this place last November a little bit and though I didn't lay eyes on a Blacktail, I know there is a good amount of Deer there and rutting concurrently (found lots and good quality sign) so I have been wanting to put some cams up. On the way up to this one bench in particular where I know they are spending time and bedding and feeding close by, I notice the ground was kicked up and the trails were most likely being used daily and I found some fresh beds just like in November so I thought great this day is actually turning around and I will probably have Deer on the cam tonight.
So I put the lick down set the camera up and I walked over about 30 yards towards the end of the bench to the darker timber to look at a nice rub I found fresh last November. Not bringing my gun and of course that is when something always happens, I figured nothing was around after I just tore the ground up and made some noise. But I heard rustling up above me about 60-70 yards and immediately I looked up and on the next bench up I seen a Black Bear.
I sneeked back over and grabbed my rifle and binos and tried to confirm that it had no cubs around, but couldn't see well enough from the bench I was on to the bench above. But I had suspicions it was a lone Boar as I didn't hear anything else or see anything else. So I started making my way up there while thinking of the best plan of attack. My wind indicator was down below and I figured he was heading down the bench which slanted downhill slightly and away, so I decided to go straight up at him and I figured by the time I get up there, he will be about 20 yards away from me down the bench. Trying to remain as quiet as possible, was pretty quiet until about the half way point when the ground got really noisy with a bunch of leaves and blowdowns, it was impossible to keep really quiet, but now I am about 10 yards away from the bench and can tell it is alone and I thought at that moment, man this thing has got to have heard me by now..... right when I am thinking that he pops over the edge of the bench looking straight at me and with no hesitation he starts coming right for me full tilt starting to hop over logs, I yelled at him and aimed and fired 1 in his chest quickly with 300WM 180 grain accubond. It knocked him mid flight back on his butt and he started to bite his hind leg, then he fell over face first and landed 3 yards away from me. The shot I took was 8 yards after I rangefinded the spot he was in right after he started coming for me and I shot. The bullet went into his chest through the heart and cavity and into his hind leg, I recovered the bullet while I was skinning him, it is my first recovered bullet from an animal as well.
I have a new found respect for Bears and their true power when you get your hands on one! Man are the solid, heavy and strong! I would not want to have to scrap one of these things with a knife. I thought at first okay I will pull him up to this bench he came off since were only 10 yards away, nope haha (I was alone). I had to roll him down to the bench I was on when I first saw him, after working on him and getting him back to the truck 3km away (first 1/3 of that felt like 50km), it was 11:30. Just glad it wasn't raining. Man am I tired.
Hope to see some more stories and hope you guys fill your tags! If I get another opportunity I will take another one. Going to try to every year from here on out after finding out just how many fawns/calves these guys take out.
That's how he fell right beside me
26" barrel for size reference
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