Bear down: Got one, but not "the one"

[caddisguy]

Tagged a smaller boar this morning.

About to hit the highway. Story and all that good stuff coming this evening.

[Kill-da-wabbit]

Good job! I like your stories, can't wait to read this one...

[walks with deer]

that aboy...

right on...

[Summit 512]

Right on looking for ward to the story and pictures.

[RyoTHC]

Tagged a smaller boar this morning.

About to hit the highway. Story and all that good stuff coming this evening.

Congrats sir! I got mine yesterday evening.. just posted my thread, can't wait to read about yours!

[gcreek]

Good show! Hope you all thin them down some.

[RyoTHC]

Good show! Hope you all thin them down some.

I wouldn't be surprised if the boar I stumbled across has fed on his fare share of calves.. I'll continue doing my part, sits well in my stomach :)

[caddisguy]

Not a great story but here it goes

We headed out on Friday around noon. Stopped along the way for a sight-in as I had my rifle go for a good thunk while I was unpacking the jeep when we got home last trip. Rifle was fine but good to know for sure.

Got to our camp around 4pm and did what was said we were going to do in the 2018 bear thread. We were going to dedicate Friday to going after the bear that has been bothering us and failing that, we would go for "any bear" on Saturday.

We know where he likes to hang out sometimes but the only way to get in there unnoticed is if the wind is just right you can hike up a little mossy old growth knob that overlooks where he looks like hang out. Well, we hiked all the way up there and down, the wind was perfect and everything felt perfect like something was going to happen, but it didn't despite waiting for a couple hours. We covered a little ground for last night but turned up nothing. No bear, no deer, no ticks, hardly even any grouse drumming. Well, you know from the title... we didn't get that guy.

Well, off to bed, tomorrow is any bear. We set up our jeep nest and caught some zzzz's. We slept pretty late until around 7am. The thought of doing a 4:30am-8:30pm shift seemed a little daunting.

Anyway, we stumbled out of the jeep and wipe the cobwebs off our faces, tied up my boots and we went for a little stroll. Not 5 minutes from being in a full on sleep I am looking at a bear about 20 yards away. It's a smaller boar, but I think of the saying "don't pass up anything you wouldn't pass on up the last day of the season", so I am leaning towards shooting and he busts me. Nose in the air sniffing right at me. I line him up for an easy standing shot and WHAM. Bang-flop, or not?!

Always be ready to fire a second round. I usually am but I have bang-flopped enough bears I didn't think he would be able to anywhere. He jumps up and books through the thickest nastiest devil club and stinging needle infested crap and into the this drainage where I found the rubber boa snake a couple years back. The crackling didn't stop sudden. It faded away. I know we are in for some work now.

Waited a few mins (not long enough I know) then off we went following the blood trail of a wounded bear into the timber. To think I was still asleep 20 minutes ago. It seemed like he sprung a good leak, but it was on again off again and later more off than on. I would find the odd spec here and there and then the trail seemed to stop. Now I have to circle. I saved up hill until last but because it is least probable but came up with nothing. Now I am starting to get nervous. I start to climb up the side of this knob and I'm back on it. This is bad... up hill? Seriously? I went to turn my head to check on caddisgirl who is busting through all the crap below and I catch the bear in my peripheral, not 5 yards away under a rock ledge.

I'm not really pleased with how it all went down. So what happened? I guess I got a little jumpy when he busted me. Hit a little low and too far back through, luckily through the liver and did not breach the stomach in anyway. It all worked out, but wow that was a close one and after a flawless streak of bang-flops, I feel bad it wasn't instant. The meat score wasn't as much as I hoped either. It makes me appreciate shooting larger boars. Smaller ones seem to have the same amount of fat, fur and bone but I have taken 3x that amount of meat off other bears that "look" similar in size.

The good news? Fawn eater down and now me and caddisgirl get to go fishing. I'm probably done with bears for this year and next. I want to switch up the routine a little.

I'll post up some pics in the next day or two. It's a bit tricky because we filmed everything but didn't take any still photos. I'll grab some frames and post them up. The video is probably going to take a bit as we probably have hours of footage since the season opened (everything from being waist deep in snow to following the blood trail all the way to the bear) I have to review it to find the real goods to turn several hours into a good 5-10 minute re-cap of the season.

[nature girl]

Hey Caddisguy glad you got a bear. And your a lucky man to have Caddisgirl to like to hunt to.
And especially nice that you didn't get any ticks on you this trip.
And good luck fishing oh so peacefull.

[Salty]

Good work caddises! (caddi ?) Glad you could finally get up there and barely by the sounds of it, I can't believe how much snow there still is in the hills of region 2. I've seen a similar shot on a bear back on the island, dangerously close to a gutter but took the liver on a quartering away angle. The liver bleeds like crazy its actually not all that bad of a shot they expire quickly. But agreed not the best having a choice. Anyways well done my friend enjoy those tasty meals 8)

[caddisguy]

Good work caddises! (caddi ?) Glad you could finally get up there and barely by the sounds of it, I can't believe how much snow there still is in the hills of region 2. I've seen a similar shot on a bear back on the island, dangerously close to a gutter but took the liver on a quartering away angle. The liver bleeds like crazy its actually not all that bad of a shot they expire quickly. But agreed not the best having a choice. Anyways well done my friend enjoy those tasty meals 8)

Oh I was up there 3 or 4 times this season but there was nothing going on until last week when we saw a lot of sign and mister jerk-face bear. I knew this weekend would be a gimme.

Was surprised how many people were in there lots of campers now. I hope the bear we didn't get doesn't cause any trouble but I did throw some lead at him. I was actually driving out and saw a guy make an abrupt u-turn ... I stopped to see if there was anything wrong. Saw him get out with his kid and a rifle. I couldn't figure out if they wanted to chatter or if they saw something so I watched my rear view for a minute then creeped on out of there. Sorry if that was someone from here. I wasn't sure what was going on... didn't want to disturb yet didn't want to be rude.

Anyway a little video sneak-peak video coming out in a half hour so. I think this will be it until I have a chance to do the full video which could be a few weeks.

[caddisguy]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ygho6XifgYA

[dmaxtech]

Congrats. Have fun fishing now.

[Ajsawden]

look froward to the video! Congrats on the bear. Happy Fishing!

[45freezer]

Congratulations brother, looking forward to the video as well. Gonna leave that pesky one to chance or put caddisgirl and your bro on the case now? Always good to fill up the freezer but that guys been your Moby dick for a while now...I know your spot has been blown up but me thinks you just might end up forgoing a day of fishing to go poking around up there again to settle some unfinished business before the seasons done ;)

Enjoy the fishing!

[whitespringer]

Great read, thanks for sharing!

[375shooter]

Congratulations! But why go fishing :sad:, when you can still go hunting :D? And you need more meat, anyway. And Caddisgirl never got her bear yet :smile:. And we like your bear stories. Lots of reasons, eh :wink:? But on the other hand, you could be eating fish and telling fish stories :cool:.

[bacon_overlord]

Congrats! Nice work tracking.
But that other bear will haunt your every waking moment. Better go get him.

[Ohwildwon]

Congratulations! But why go fishing :sad:, when you can still go hunting :D? And you need more meat, anyway. And Caddisgirl never got her bear yet :smile:. And we like your bear stories. Lots of reasons, eh :wink:? But on the other hand, you could be eating fish and telling fish stories :cool:.

Yea, what the heck? You guys have to finish your quest and get that bear!

[caddisguy]

I'm digging the encouragement. You guys are right. There are plenty of good reasons to get back out there. It's a long season and maybe after some rest I'll come around. My brother still wants me to take him out before the end of the season.

Good news too, update on the meat. I didn't realize until we start vacuum packing last night how much work I had cut out for me. There is more than I thought. I'd guess around half of what we normally get (rather than 1/4 or 1/3 as I estimated previously) and the cool part is that it smells perfect... in fact, it doesn't even really smell at all. This is going to be tasty.

I wished we had brought a trailcam. I was going to but forgot. I wanted to leave one on that carcass. I bet I just ended up feeding that trouble bear. Man that bugs me a little lol ... just another reason to venture back out in a few weeks.

[Wild one]

Congrats but was really hoping to hear you got the jerk bear

I will be waiting for that success story

[caddisguy]

Congrats but was really hoping to hear you got the jerk bear

I will be waiting for that success story

Going over video footage today (over 38GB... hours of footage) there's so much build-up about getting that guy. Just watching it is giving me the itch.

[HarryToolips]

Congrats Caddisguy, should make good sausage, and good luck with the ass bear lol...

[caddisguy]

Congrats Caddisguy, should make good sausage, and good luck with the ass bear lol...

Thanks HarryT!


Just finished cutting, trimming and vacuum packing. He made around 11 large vacuum bags (maybe 50-60lbs total after trimming) ... not a heck of a lot, the meat smells and feels so good. I'd bet (if someone paid me a significant amount of money lol) that I could just eat all that raw and it will be fine. It's going to be delicious.

I'll go out at least one more weekend this season. Promise!! :D

Guess I should order the tag now.

[HarryToolips]

^^^^^cambodia tire should have the tags over the counter....

[caddisguy]

^^^^^cambodia tire should have the tags over the counter....

I called up the Langley one just before April and they told me they aren't going to be selling tags anymore.

Army & Navy said they planned to but no ETA, though they might have them now. Will try them tomorrow and failing that I'll order one.

[guest]

Congrats Cassidy's ......
land thanks for helping on the Pred control .......
some fine eatin bear there.

[BStrachan]

Congrats on a successful hunt!

[walks with deer]

That's the attitude Caddisguy...

You can not have a bang flop every time..

Bears take a beating I have had them run a couple hundred yards with a good hit..

Now go shoot that Devil bear.!!!!

I think you where just feeling a little remorse that is normal many times after a harvest I say to my self never again and feel guilty.

but when I cook up that steak I am like LETS GO GET ONE!

[RyoTHC]

That's the attitude Caddisguy...

You can not have a bang flop every time..

Bears take a beating I have had them run a couple hundred yards with a good hit..

Now go shoot that Devil bear.!!!!

I think you where just feeling a little remorse that is normal many times after a harvest I say to my self never again and feel guilty.

but when I cook up that steak I am like LETS GO GET ONE!

I agree strongly. So far hunting bear is the only animal that makes me feel remorseful but then I remember I utilize the entire thing from pelt to fat to meat and claws! Nothing goes to waste and it sustains me for a season, so all's fair !

[caddisguy]

My decision to dial it down for the rest of the season and next spring is mostly just the need to slow down and relax a little more... work and commute 12 hours a day (run off average 5 hours sleep all week) Friday get home, drive a couple hours, sleep in the jeep for a couple nights, pounding my bear pockets all day, temp changes from freezing to 30C in a few hours, picking up ticks. Even when I'm not hunting, my mind is constantly thinking about hunting... plotting/planning/analyzing/etc. My dreams are no different. I hunt in my sleep too lol ... somehow I managed to turn something pure and wholesome into obsessive "work". This kind of mindset should be for blacktails... not bears. I often start too early and burn myself out. This season I started in two feet of snow. It seems innocent "probably too early, but lets just go camping with a rifle and maybe we will fluke out" ... next thing I know I find a little grass and some tracks and now it's a mission and I'm already burning the candle from both ends... it's silly. Heck even now my neck and shoulder is all messed up... not sure if it's related but I tweaked something.

There's a happy medium here.I just have to get back to that. No need to burn myself out mentally and physically. I think that problem bear really got under my skin just like the ticks. It's hard to describe. If it was just a simple charge, mistaken identity or whatever fine... but to wake up a week later with his face up against mine... I really don't have the words. It's just so creepy. I think of him like a cross between a giant spider and a cougar because that is how he acts, how he moves and that's what made me go all blacktail-hunter on him. He's probably hitting the carcass from our bear right now. I think there's some irony to that. Wish I left a trailcam there. I meant to bring one but forgot. And in hindsight I realized I had a trailcam I left over the winter not too far away. I could have just relocated that. Anyway... here I go all thinking too much again. It's what I do.

Definitely remorse for anything less-than-instant (and sometimes even instant) ... I left this part out but will finish the story I guess... I left it at "we found him" ... well as mentioned we didn't wait long before going after him in the timber. I don't recommend chasing down bears in the timber but in this case it was the right call. Reason is the amount of initial blood and we pound this timber probably 50-60 days out of the year. And reviewing the camera footage of the intial shot, we knew the odds were better running him down. We caught up to him fast. He was sitting there up a hill under a rock ledge. Somewhat dazed he looked over at me. It was then I recognized him. This is not the first time we have stared at each other from a few yards away. It happened last year as well but I passed on him then. Well, then he looked down at caddisgirl, glanced back at over me then down at caddisgirl again while she looked back at him... he's totally calm, obviously dazed/faint. I put him down... 3 yard shot. Being right up against the cliff, the shot blew my right ear out pretty good.

So remorse yes big time. No "regret" though and that doesn't deter me. I had already made the decision to dial things back. Lots of talk about taking next year off or maybe just doing a casual trip or two at the most.

I want to go fishing. I will still take my brother up for a bear trip. Maybe we see the trouble bear, or maybe he will get his first animal. I might go for a little stroll with my bow. Maybe I'll take a poke at something if I feel like it or maybe I'll just film stuff. Next year I'll probably go out a few times to help other people get their bears. Aside from fishing me and caddisgirl are going to be making videos of random stuff. We're going to do another underwater crayfishing video... making a bow drill fire from raw materials, foraging, some gear reviews and stuff like that (she made a whole list lol) ... Also have a lot of video editing to do. The footage we have this year is insane. Should be helpful to up and coming hunters and a good watch for others.

I'll be going hard in the fall. I found out where my blacktails go after bow season. Fall GOS is going to be wicked.

[Dash]

Congratulations Caddis! Always look forward to your stories. I really hope you go back out and get that ahole bear... :)

[walks with deer]

LOL Caddissguy I hunt or plan hunt a lot two for a businessman and family man..

Nothing wrong with having a compulsive nature if you can focus it your normally really successful.

I remember when I was 15 someone asked a older friend of mine why I always caught the most salmon..

He said well look at him he is lucky and knows what he`s doing... but that's not why he catches the most.

its because he will not stop untell he gets... I will bet your a machine at work too.

come on kill the bear

[caddisguy]

LOL Caddissguy I hunt or plan hunt a lot two for a businessman and family man..

Nothing wrong with having a compulsive nature if you can focus it your normally really successful.

I remember when I was 15 someone asked a older friend of mine why I always caught the most salmon..

He said well look at him he is lucky and knows what he`s doing... but that's not why he catches the most.

its because he will not stop untell he gets... I will bet your a machine at work too.

come on kill the bear

You guys might know me better than I know me. I'm already obsessing and it's only been a couple days.

Ordering the tag now. Stay tuned for part 2. Still taking a fishing break this weekend but this isn't over.

I'm not shooting any other bear. Doesn't matter if its some 7 ft belly dragging cranker, I won't even be tempted. Maybe my brother will but I'll be saving this tag.

Will report back in a couple weeks. Wish me luck because I'll need a little.

[walks with deer]

ya ya get him..

let me know if ypu want to borrow the brush buster bear breaking 458 with 400 grainers i will be on the coast friday...that bear has to die..

["No Choke"Lord Walsingham]

Right on and even more congrats to ya Caddis!

I sincerely do hope you get Bear #2. Lots'O'Luck Sir.

[albravo2]

Good story Caddis. I must have missed the story on the other bear but I can glean enough to understand why you'd be keen to go back out there this spring.

Always like your stories.

[caddisguy]

Good story Caddis. I must have missed the story on the other bear but I can glean enough to understand why you'd be keen to go back out there this spring.

Always like your stories.

He charged me in August while I was looking for an arrow. He tried to get at me while I was sleeping a week later. Face right up against mine through a thin layer of plastic.

He walked through my camp was I was getting changed in Spring 2017 too.

Seems he enjoys the carcasses I leave him in the spring and sizes us up the rest of the year.

I think he knows what we are all about. Very strategic. I'm starting to figure him out. I know one place he likes to hold up in the early evening between a knob and some old growth and the end of a drainage. I busted him the weekend prior watching us from up the little knob. I threw a quick hopeful chunk of lead (wouldn't do this on any other animal) but no dice. It overlooks where the drainage terminates this time of year and his poops are always all over the place down there. Best approach seems to be to head up the mossy knob through the timber that overlooks the drainage termination (yes this is also a message to a couple other guys on here. I'd be just as happy seeing him whacked via proxy) He's a wind player, 100% ... it's a tough game ... he moves funny, darts and bounces around really fast and seems to have a 6th sense for the second you are not paying attention.

This is him August 2017. Huge balls as you can see but this bear ain't right.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhyWh74w7WU&feature=youtu.be

[45freezer]

Glad to hear you're back on the trail! Going to take a poke around myself this weekend, if the bears aren't around at least I can burn some logs and hit the old mental refresh button

[RyoTHC]

Yea IMO he's worth dedicating a season to, I would... Deer hunting isn't half as exciting or rewarding! Forget horns, claws and teeth are where it's at, and delicious table fare...

[Hugh Mann]

Congrats man, I just got my first bear yesterday, no record breaker, but I'm happy.

Yep. Spotted about 750m away, across a flooded field. Walked up to 180 metres, wind at our backs but the bears (there were two) did not give a damn about us. Picked the bigger of the two and waited for him to come broadside and fired, bang-flop, not a twitch. We waited around for 15 minutes while we watched to make sure he was dead. The other bear hung around for a good while before leaving itself.

Back at the truck I see movement and take a look back through my binos. This thing was trying to climb its ass up the hill behind it! Stumbling like a drunk, so I knew he was hit good. Mark it on the gps and drive down to a bridge to cross the river. Still have to pack the gear and wade across nut deep, glacial cold water, hike 20 minutes or so to the site. Get organized, and we head up the hill, looking through the deadfall and brush for tracks or a body. Found him laying across a fallen log about 100m up the hill, staring right at me. I was so close I could hear his very laboured breathing. Between him not running away and the shape of the head I knew it was the one, unfortunately I had to put a second round into him, he rolled off the log and died.

Field dressing while my buddy scouted for an access road via gps so we wouldn't have to drag him across the aforementioned nut deep glacial water. He found one 1.6km away that led 4.4km to the truck, so he takes most of the equipment, and takes the short way back through the nut deep, glacial water(which was now chest deep as he found out to his misfortune), while I, with half the bear stuffed into a backpack, the other half strapped over top proceeded to pack the 130+lb carcass 1.6km to the road.

Worth. Every. Minute.

[caddisguy]

Congrats man, I just got my first bear yesterday, no record breaker, but I'm happy.

Yep. Spotted about 750m away, across a flooded field. Walked up to 180 metres, wind at our backs but the bears (there were two) did not give a damn about us. Picked the bigger of the two and waited for him to come broadside and fired, bang-flop, not a twitch. We waited around for 15 minutes while we watched to make sure he was dead. The other bear hung around for a good while before leaving itself.

Back at the truck I see movement and take a look back through my binos. This thing was trying to climb its ass up the hill behind it! Stumbling like a drunk, so I knew he was hit good. Mark it on the gps and drive down to a bridge to cross the river. Still have to pack the gear and wade across nut deep, glacial cold water, hike 20 minutes or so to the site. Get organized, and we head up the hill, looking through the deadfall and brush for tracks or a body. Found him laying across a fallen log about 100m up the hill, staring right at me. I was so close I could hear his very laboured breathing. Between him not running away and the shape of the head I knew it was the one, unfortunately I had to put a second round into him, he rolled off the log and died.

Field dressing while my buddy scouted for an access road via gps so we wouldn't have to drag him across the aforementioned nut deep glacial water. He found one 1.6km away that led 4.4km to the truck, so he takes most of the equipment, and takes the short way back through the nut deep, glacial water(which was now chest deep as he found out to his misfortune), while I, with half the bear stuffed into a backpack, the other half strapped over top proceeded to pack the 130+lb carcass 1.6km to the road.

Worth. Every. Minute.

Holy crap that is an amazing story. I feel what you mean about having to put a bear down later with a second shot. This was the first year I had to do that in my hunting career. At the time it was instinct but the image stuck pretty good. It was up close. My wife says 3 yards but I felt like 5 yards... anyway, thinking about it a day or two later my eyes felt a little misty.

Crazy about the water chest deep. We just had a little drainage about a foot or so to walk across.... kind of refreshing lol.

You should post up a thread with this story. It's a gooder. Did you get any pics along the way? We can help you get those posted up on a thread if you need.

[caddisguy]

And thanks guys. Yes I will be back on the trail just taking a little fishing breather this weekend and maybe a good nights sleep next weekend at some point. Working and commuting 60-70 hours a week, averaging 4-5 hours sleep a night. I haven't really had a "day off" or even a 6-7 hour sleep in almost 6 weeks and I'm paying for it.

I'm sure that bear that I'm after sleeps 3x as much as I do and feeds of the carcasses of bears that I shoot. It's just not fair lol. Anyway, I'll update this thread when there are updates. caddisguy out.

[Hugh Mann]

Holy crap that is an amazing story. I feel what you mean about having to put a bear down later with a second shot. This was the first year I had to do that in my hunting career. At the time it was instinct but the image stuck pretty good. It was up close. My wife says 3 yards but I felt like 5 yards... anyway, thinking about it a day or two later my eyes felt a little misty.

Crazy about the water chest deep. We just had a little drainage about a foot or so to walk across.... kind of refreshing lol.

You should post up a thread with this story. It's a gooder. Did you get any pics along the way? We can help you get those posted up on a thread if you need.

Thank you, it was an amazing experience, far more rewarding than any of my fall deer hunts. It was honestly a little frightening seeing that bear eyeballing me from 30m away, but a still live one within spitting distance? That's not something to forget anytime soon I don't think.

Yeah, that water was cold, I heard him yelp from what must have been close to a kilometre away, I thought it was just from hitting the ol' dangly bits, as that was my reaction when crossing it. I'm glad he made it across safely. It's flooding like mad in our area, would've been home in time for dinner otherwise.

I did, but they're all on my partner's phone as his camera is far better than mine, I'm still waiting on getting them, and then I'll make a thread, thank you.