2007 Spring Grizzly Hunt - No Grizz

[bigwhiteys]

Got back last Thursday from a week of hunting the Coastal region around Bella Coola... We had a 1 Grizz Tag in 5-09A. It was a 2nd choice draw and as it turns out one of the harder areas to get a bear from.

The trip to Bella Coola went fine, "The Hill" is sure something else on your way down into the valley... Wow... There is something about being in a vehicle on a sheer cliff that scares the shit out of me... On my feet there are no problems... But in a vehicle I don't like heights..

We have some friends who live in Bella Coola who are also hunters, and we received plenty of credible information on our area and where we should concentrate etc... We had borrowed an 18 foot boat from our friend, and then headed out the North Bentick arm and then North through Laboucher Channel and north into our area which was actually enormous. But very limited on where you can go to find good tidal flats.

As luck would have it, we were able to get sweet unexpected accommodations at a resort that is currently under contruction... What a piece of work that is in the absolute middle of nowhere. They even had satellite Internet... Not to mention first class accommodations.

To say we were really serious about finding a bear wasn't true.... We were there to have a good time, enjoy some new country, meet some new people and just relax... And hopefully we might come across a big boar. The weather was beautiful for the entire time we were there... Blue Sky and Calm Water. Couldn't have asked for more.

Our time was spent fishing, crabbing and we did throw enough bear hunting to have a really good chance on a decent 7 - 7 1/2' boar that we watched for 1/2 hour or so and decided to pass and wait for a bigger one... And you know how it goes sometimes, we didn't see another bear!

Oh Well... Got some nice video of him...

Coastal Spring Grizzly Boar Video (http://bchuntingblog.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=lastup&cat=0&pos=1)

We learned a lot for next year, and will definitely be putting in again! Not too sure if we'd pick the same area again... There were a lot of tourists boating in the area and the natives were also working along some of the rivers that had flats.

Here are a few pics to go along with the short bear clip...

http://www.bchuntingblog.com/mypics/mountains1.jpg

Driving into the Bella Coola Valley.

http://www.bchuntingblog.com/mypics/avalanche1.jpg

Just an avalanche slide that came right down to the water...

http://www.bchuntingblog.com/mypics/flats1.jpg

The flat we saw the bear on...

http://www.bchuntingblog.com/mypics/crab3.jpg

A feast ready for the cooler and long drive home!

Until Next Year...

Happy Hunting!
Carl

[Will]

Wow ! Some Great Scenery No doubt !
Man that's a Good Solid looking Boar... Kudos for the restraint on passing.......I doubt I'd have been able to, especially after 10 plus years of Grizz LEH with zippo:???:

Thanks for sharing your trip 8)
(btw: looks closer to 8' to me....:wink:)

[ARC]

Looks like beautiful country, thanks for the pics and video. Too bad you didn't hammer a monster, but it looks like you had a good time and also got some good scouting in for next year.

[bearheart]

Outstanding video and pics as always Carl!!!Have a great spring.

[mark]

Being a grizz virgin, I would of popped him! But I suppose youll never get a monster with thought! Very nice footage. How long were ya there for???

[MichelD]

Just curious, was that resort at the hot springs at Nascall Bay or Inlet or whatever they call it?

There was something started there 12 years ago.

[MB_Boy]

Love the coastal areas up there. Nice pics and footage Carl....that last pic just makes my mouth water. A good lookin' haul of crabs!!

[youngfellla]

Too bad you didn't connect, but nice pics & video. Sounds like a good time. Thanks for sharing.8-)

You must be really stressed out after a long and tough hunting trip like that one. Makes sheep hunting look easy eh! :mrgreen:

[bigwhiteys]

Thanks everyone, it was a great trip bear or no bear. The people in the area were all friendly and some of the locals were even friendly enough to empty one of our crabpots for us just before beaching their boat in the mud for 5 hours :)

Mark, we were in our hunting area for 6 days.

Michel, Yes this was Nascall Bay, They sure have put a lot of work into it... We were the only people staying there aside from the owner and his small crew who were all extremely friendly and helpful. It is really an awesome place... Very nice accommodations for a couple of bear hunters.

Happy Hunting!
Carl

[MichelD]

Funny thing about Nascall Bay.

I was working on a salmon packer in the summer of 2005 and between openings we went to the hotsprings there.

As we were tying up the boat, I glanced up to the head of the bay and saw the green grass and the estuary and I said to the crew and my wife who was along for the ride:

"Jeez, that looks like a perfect place for a grizzly bear."

Just then I noticed a brown spot in the grass. I darted into the wheelhouse for the binoculars and walked out onto the bow and glass the brown spot.

Guess what?

It was a grizzly grazing in the grass. Big bruiser too, as far as I could tell from that distance.

It was August and there were a few pink salmon running up there too, so he was getting his greens and his fish in one spot!