plumberjustin
09-05-2015, 10:17 AM
While I've done a lot of small game hunting and managed to get a region 3 doe draw last year, I haven't really had the opportunity to locate and put a stalk on any big game animal so far in my hunting career. Yesterday was by far the most exhilarating day of hunting for me.
A buddy and I are out for a day trip, and find ourselves up the Coquihalla in search of hares. We did a huge loop from Brookemere, down Coalmont to Tulameen and back around to the highway again. We walked or drove pretty much every side trail and overgrown road that we came across. Total bust, not one rabbit to be seen, and worse yet...no bears. By lunchtime we're thinkin of pulling the pin and heading to Merritt for the rest of the day.
On the way out, we decide to head up Lawless and check out the area. Not more than a minute up the road, I see a huge black bear about 400 yards ahead, slowly heading down the ravine towards the creek. We stop the truck and I get the binos on him. He's huge!! Just chillin on a log in the sun, not really doing too much. Already I'm thinkin about how to make a play on this bear.
The stalk is on, wind in my face, I start crawling along the edge of the road to stay out of sight. Get to within 200yds of him, and the wind starts to swirl a bit, so I hold up to wait it out. I can see he's starting to wave his nose in the air, he knows something's up. Wind back in my face, I crawl to within 100yds of him, and get him in my sights. Suddenly, the wind starts to gust from behind me. Just as I'm steadying to squeeze the trigger, he catches my wind and bails down the hill. F**K!!!!! So close I could taste it, did everything right, but Mother Nature was just not on my side.
At this point I was flying high on adrenaline, and did not want to give up so easily. Doubled back down the road and made a slow descent down the steep ravine to the creek bed below. I could only catch a glimpse of the bear a couple times on my way down. He was a big, smart, mature boar and obviously wanted no part of my plan #2. Once at the bottom I could hear him crashing through the brush, away up the other side of the canyon. Game over. A big storm was rolling in fast, so we hiked back up to the truck and called it a day.
This is truly what the hunting experience is all about. No meat in the cooler, but a major success in my book. Hiking the wilderness while trying to outsmart an animal in their element, there's nothing more difficult or rewarding.
A buddy and I are out for a day trip, and find ourselves up the Coquihalla in search of hares. We did a huge loop from Brookemere, down Coalmont to Tulameen and back around to the highway again. We walked or drove pretty much every side trail and overgrown road that we came across. Total bust, not one rabbit to be seen, and worse yet...no bears. By lunchtime we're thinkin of pulling the pin and heading to Merritt for the rest of the day.
On the way out, we decide to head up Lawless and check out the area. Not more than a minute up the road, I see a huge black bear about 400 yards ahead, slowly heading down the ravine towards the creek. We stop the truck and I get the binos on him. He's huge!! Just chillin on a log in the sun, not really doing too much. Already I'm thinkin about how to make a play on this bear.
The stalk is on, wind in my face, I start crawling along the edge of the road to stay out of sight. Get to within 200yds of him, and the wind starts to swirl a bit, so I hold up to wait it out. I can see he's starting to wave his nose in the air, he knows something's up. Wind back in my face, I crawl to within 100yds of him, and get him in my sights. Suddenly, the wind starts to gust from behind me. Just as I'm steadying to squeeze the trigger, he catches my wind and bails down the hill. F**K!!!!! So close I could taste it, did everything right, but Mother Nature was just not on my side.
At this point I was flying high on adrenaline, and did not want to give up so easily. Doubled back down the road and made a slow descent down the steep ravine to the creek bed below. I could only catch a glimpse of the bear a couple times on my way down. He was a big, smart, mature boar and obviously wanted no part of my plan #2. Once at the bottom I could hear him crashing through the brush, away up the other side of the canyon. Game over. A big storm was rolling in fast, so we hiked back up to the truck and called it a day.
This is truly what the hunting experience is all about. No meat in the cooler, but a major success in my book. Hiking the wilderness while trying to outsmart an animal in their element, there's nothing more difficult or rewarding.