markathome
11-17-2016, 10:04 PM
Hey guys - I've tagged out on deer and now I'm looking for a little help on connecting with a BB in the next two days. I live in Squamish, have a half day of hunting maybe tomorrow and one full day on Saturday.
I did have an opportunity this fall and lost it because of hesitation. Quick story: Snuck into my alpine blacktail buck spot and all systems were in the green (wind in my face, I was in the area before light, I was in the zone). Creeped through a rock patch and shimmied behind some trees and there he was chomping on grass out in a alpine bowl - big blackie. I've learned to make sure they're a size that is worth harvesting by guessing how many ears will fit between their ears. I could have easily fit 3-4 ears in between his ears. He was a Big Boar for sure.
I set the camera (left the cap on!), got into a prone position with the barrel sitting on branch and put him in my cross hairs... I watched him for 5-7 mins with an ok quartered shot. All the while thinking "Man I'm 6 k from the truck - he's huge, I have three deer tags in my kill kit... should I pull the trigger?" Then without any warning - the wind swirls and he had my scent! Stalk was over. He looked directly into my eyes for about two seconds, flicked his ears, wheeled up on his back legs, did a 180 and blasted to treeline like his ass was on fire.
There really is a mental shift from harvesting deer to pulling the trigger on a bear. Anyone else feel this way?
Ok second point: I know there are bears on the rivers chowing on salmon... and I can likely make that happen (got legal shooting spot sorted out and have see lots of bears there). So I am apprehensive about the old wives tale of avoiding river bears because of the fish taste - is this true? Anyone first hand have experience? My plan for the bear is to smoke the hams and sausage / salami everything else. And give the euro mount to my kids.
So my plan is to focus only on high probability success - river bears? Or ideally I'd rather connect with a mountain bear, where I would more or less truck hunt until I see tracks. Thoughts? Hold out for the mt bear or take the path of least resistance and go for the river bear?
I did have an opportunity this fall and lost it because of hesitation. Quick story: Snuck into my alpine blacktail buck spot and all systems were in the green (wind in my face, I was in the area before light, I was in the zone). Creeped through a rock patch and shimmied behind some trees and there he was chomping on grass out in a alpine bowl - big blackie. I've learned to make sure they're a size that is worth harvesting by guessing how many ears will fit between their ears. I could have easily fit 3-4 ears in between his ears. He was a Big Boar for sure.
I set the camera (left the cap on!), got into a prone position with the barrel sitting on branch and put him in my cross hairs... I watched him for 5-7 mins with an ok quartered shot. All the while thinking "Man I'm 6 k from the truck - he's huge, I have three deer tags in my kill kit... should I pull the trigger?" Then without any warning - the wind swirls and he had my scent! Stalk was over. He looked directly into my eyes for about two seconds, flicked his ears, wheeled up on his back legs, did a 180 and blasted to treeline like his ass was on fire.
There really is a mental shift from harvesting deer to pulling the trigger on a bear. Anyone else feel this way?
Ok second point: I know there are bears on the rivers chowing on salmon... and I can likely make that happen (got legal shooting spot sorted out and have see lots of bears there). So I am apprehensive about the old wives tale of avoiding river bears because of the fish taste - is this true? Anyone first hand have experience? My plan for the bear is to smoke the hams and sausage / salami everything else. And give the euro mount to my kids.
So my plan is to focus only on high probability success - river bears? Or ideally I'd rather connect with a mountain bear, where I would more or less truck hunt until I see tracks. Thoughts? Hold out for the mt bear or take the path of least resistance and go for the river bear?