First bear! Success!

[duckhunter1488]

What a day! Was successful today in taking down my first ever bear! After taking a tip from another member on this site (most definitely grateful for that!) I headed out around 10am and spent the day hiking and glassing every spot I could. After annoying almost every member possible on this site requesting tips and tricks to get myself my first bear, I knew I was on the right track! I got out to my camping spot under a set of power lines around 1:30 and got settled in. After seeing a ton of sign but no bears I gave up for the day and decided to go for a drive to check out a different area. Glassing green space upon green space and only seeing a sow and her cubs, I decided to head on out to a lake I saw a sign for. On my way back, right where I had been all day and had seen nothing but sh**, was my (soon-to-be) bear standing just off to the side. I jumped out of the truck (trying not to get too excited and mess things up!) and ducked into the bushes to come up behind him on the bank he was on about 150 yards out. He started looking at me a couple times but was more concerned about his feeding. Luckily, as I was on the south side of him with the wind coming towards me, he couldn't smell me coming at him. I got up on him at about 120 yards and watched him for what felt like forever until he turned to his side and I pulled the trigger and dropped him. What a rush! Will never forget today that's for sure. Though next time will take someone with me to share the rush with.
Now after taking the bear home, and excitedly taking down my camp after day 1, and watching COUNTLESS numbers for youtube videos on how to skin a bear prior to heading out, I skinned this boar and took him in to be sausaged out and have the hide tanned. I can't wait to get him back and proudly display my first bear hunt and re-introduction into hunting again as it is my first bear since I was about 12 years old.
http://websta.me/p/984409649109225024_6332002
http://websta.me/p/983797212576173605_6332002
http://websta.me/p/992014995877219448_6332002

[Sofa King]

congrats.
cant wait to see the pics.

[Liptugger]

Congrates on your first

[Wentrot]

Nice work, I still keep striking out so am rather jealous of you guys succeeding!

[monasheemountainman]

would like to see pics of your first bear congrats!

[Tīɡ]

Excellent! Well done, looking forward to pictures!

[andrewscag]

Congrats! .

[Doublelung]

Congrats!!

[kamloopshunter25]

congrats! I missed a nice one yesterday, but the season is still young!

[Caribou_lou]

congrats! I missed a nice one yesterday, but the season is still young!

Congrats on the bear! Let's see so e pics!

Missed one kamloopshunter? How do you miss??!

[duckhunter1488]

Haha no shame in missing....I sat there contemplating my shot for almost 10 minutes before I pulled the trigger.

[REMINGTON JIM]

Haha no shame in missing....I sat there contemplating my shot for almost 10 minutes before I pulled the trigger.

WTH ? :rolleyes: RJ

[ekul246]

Yeah let's see some pictures!

[monasheemountainman]

Yep picture time

[duckhunter1488]

http://instagram.com/p/2nJlo6n04l/
theres one photo for now until I can get them onto my computer!

[duckhunter1488]

http://instagram.com/p/2pU1w4n05A/ here's another!
Sent in now for sausage and pepperoni and to get the hide tanned!

[Fella]

Cool, congrats!

[vortex hunter]

very cool nice bear

[Papa Sasquatch]

Congrats to you... and me!
I got me a cinnamon bear this morning from Hurley/ Pemperton.
Delicious.

[duckhunter1488]

That's where I was going to go next! Ha! Congrats on your bear!

[HarryToolips]

very nice bush pig, congrats.....

[nicktrehearne]

Congrats :)

[Ranger95]

Nice work Darin, my dad showed me the pics that you texted to him - let's grab a beer when you get back

[duckhunter1488]

Sounds good to me! Shoot me a PM and we will make it happen this next week as I am home now and sent the bear to the butcher and the taxidermy!

[kamloopshunter25]

Congrats on the bear! Let's see so e pics!

Missed one kamloopshunter? How do you miss??!

Rushed my set up and shot high... rookie mistake

["No Choke"Lord Walsingham]

First Bear's are always something special. Cheers to you!

Here's to many more, for us all.

Kamloopshunter25, it's big of you to be able to acknowledge and learn from your mistakes. That's a great sign of much potential for future success! Best of luck and remember, there are many many more Black Bear opportunities available now and upcoming.

[duckhunter1488]

Like I said before...no shame in missing. Especially if you learn from it. I mean getting out there by myself and doing the whole process from start to finish including dressing and skinning the bear was a HUGE learning experience for me. Something that I will never forget and there are things next time that I will do differently. Where I placed my shot, where and how I set up for the shot, where I made my cuts to dress the bear, how I skinned it....all massive learning opportunities for me to know how to improve next time.
I also owe a HUGE thank you to the guy at the POCO gun range a couple weeks ago who sat with me for over an hour to help me sight my rifle in and techniques on how to shoot.