2017 spring bear down

[Iron-Head]

Seeing as the season is creeping up on us I thought I would share my spring 2017 black bear adventure.

I started as per usual in early April, getting out to stretch the legs and take in the seasons first bits of green. One of the areas I hunt holds few bear but usually a good one shows up early in the season while the snow is still on the ground. On my third trip I cut a large track in the snow, this bear was on a mission and kept his pace without showing any interest in veering off his course... which was straight up into the bluffs above a large slide. We will call this day acquiring the seasons target...

The rest of April played out relatively the same as other years, very little sign from other bears and only the odd track around from the big boy. Being an area that's close to home I'm able to make trips most evenings and keep a pretty good Talley on what's happening. April 28th rolls around and I make a later than usual trip out which would give me maybe 20 mins of last light once we make it to the slide. I decide to go for it and bring the wife along. She's stoked on the quad ride so it's worth it regardless. We make it to the pull out I park the quad at and go for a short 20 min hike to the base of a big slide that the boar had passed through twice in the previous weeks. As we approach the edge of the timber there is a hanging suspense in the air.. I'm anticipating seeing the bear crossing the slide or feeding on the odd green shoot coming up. Something just felt right. Tbc...

[Iron-Head]

As we got to the edge of the slide I caught movement a few hundred yards away. It was a bear, but not the big one. We watched him for a few minutes as he made his way across the opening and disappeared into the old growth on the far side. Wife was stoked as she got to watch him through the spotter and take some photos. Maybe she is my good luck charm.

Fast forward 2 weeks after a crazy stint at work I'm able to get back out, wife wants to go again and we hit the hills at 2 pm. Arriving at the same slide just before 4 we nessle in to watch until last light. Immediately a small blonde sow is headed to the only green patch that is there now and I'm feeling good about seeing the big one tonight. We wait another hour and the sow is now bedded in the grass and sleeping like a curled up lab. Wife nods off and I wake her up with roughly 40 minutes of light left to show her a couple of deer that are feeding 50 or so yards away from the bear. She glasses them and asks me about the second bear... saying it's way bigger then the little one.

I grab my binos and look at the farthest corner of the slide, 800yards away and see "him" walking along the timber edge. Good spot missus! Let's go get him! She's half asleep and there is 500 yards of real estate with a bear and 2 does between us and the landing I can shoot from. That and a nasty bluff with prickles and shin tangle shrubs shes not stoked on the idea.

We make a quick run down the bluff and she's having a hard time keeping up and im worried about losing light. I tell her to keep up at a pace that is comfortable for her and I'll go ahead. As I get up to the sow the deer are now gone but she is standing there watching me, I'm praying she runs straight into the trees and not over the rise which would spook the boar. Thankfully she cooperates and bolts the right direction. Making ground as fast I can I get to the landing and can't find the boar, I'm glassing all over and look into a swampy section further to my left and catch him walking through some big dead cedar stumps. Quick range puts him at 358 yards, I throw the pack down and steady the cross hairs on his shoulder. In a situation like this I prefer to break bone if possible, especially with fading light and with a steep hillside close by.

First shot rings out and the bullet report sounds like a car crash, he dumps on his nose and jumps up to attack a cedar stump beside him. We can both hear him growling and thrashing. Finally he's broadside amidst the show and I let fly a second shot. Again with a solid hit he stops and is looking all around him, tries to make for the trees and I hit him one last time before he disappears into the tree line.

Wife is freaking out! She had been 100 yards behind me not able to see any of this go down. As she walks up to me I can tell she's rattled. I tell her we have a dead bear down there and that we will wait and go in after him in a few minutes. We made our way down the hill side and found point of impact. No blood, a bit of hair and the ground and stump is chewed up like crazy. I felt really confident on the shots and started glassing just inside the trees. There was a large dark shape about 15 yards into the trees, I approached slowly telling wife to stay well behind me. What I walked up to was better then I could have imagined. He was chocolate on his back with almost black legs and was a true giant. Blocky head, no neck and button ears, I was happy. Tbc...

If anyone can help with pics that would be great.

[Iron-Head]

https://ibb.co/cPbGAx
https://ibb.co/i5jsiH
https://ibb.co/djG53H
https://ibb.co/bOTPxc
Hopefully this works

[monasheemountainman]

Nice! looks like a big bear! nice coat and colours too! congrats

[bc_buckshot]

PIG BRUTE......great mature bear

[IronNoggin]

https://image.ibb.co/egmuxc/20170525_193807.jpg

https://preview.ibb.co/j6SZxc/20170525_193836.jpg

https://image.ibb.co/eHsdOH/20170525_193732.jpg

https://image.ibb.co/mAua3H/20170510_201554.jpg

[IronNoggin]

BRUISER For Sure!
That was worth the patience Man!!

What did that one score?
Has to be well up there methinks!

Appears you also have a Winner in The Lady!

Congrats All Round!
Nog

[RackStar]

Fantastic bear!!
Sounds like a great hunt!
good job!

[Iron-Head]

He went 20 and 1/8th. Nose to base of tail, hide off was 7ft 2". Very healthy one. A few inches of fat on his hinds and no rubs. I filled 2 dole banana boxes with fat for grease making. He was a good eater. And yes I believe she's good luck!

[RackStar]

What region did you tag him in?

i think my wife’s good luck too but I won’t tell her...

decided to to let her tag along this fall for some exploring/quading and 2 weekends in a row tagged a deer each weekend.

[Red_Mist]

nice big pumpkin head

[IronNoggin]

He went 20 and 1/8th. Nose to base of tail, hide off was 7ft 2". Very healthy one.

Nice! I actually guessed a tad larger on that blockhead!

Methinks you best keep dragging the Lucky Lady along Buddy!
Appears she is well earning her keep :wink:

Cheers,
Nog

[MichelD]

Cool story Iron-Head!

[bigredchev]

She's a beaut ! Great pics

[The_Bear_Man]

Great story and great bear! You are getting me excited for spring bear.

[Blainer]

Great bruin my friend. Equally as good of a story, great share.

[dodge456]

Nice bear! Also off topic but man you look like Mike Shinoda in that first pic haha

[caddisguy]

Awesome write-up and heck of a bear! Well done and congrats. Looking forward to your 2018 :)