First Bear Hunt

[trapperRick]

Never hunted bear's before as I was not sure I would like the meat and I don't anyone that hunts bears so I could try some. Anyway my oldest son wanted to get a bear so as he is new to hunting, dad went with him (I did not need much concvincing). Went up Island for four days and saw about 7 to 8 bears every day but many were small 200 to 300 lbs but did see 2 that were 400 plus. We pulled a sneaky on one and after a 300 yd very slow walk/crawl we were about 70 to 100 yds out and my son let one go and hit him in the front shoulder. The bush is scary thick up there and the the shot hit no vitals and the bear went in the bush. We waited about 1/2 hour to 45 min and then my son bird dogged the blood trail and I went about 200 yds up ahead on a old road and then cut in front in an attempt to flank and try to cut across the blood trail. After about 2 hours and in the dark we called it a day and tried the next morn and looked for that bear for another 4 to 5 hours without any luck, the blood trail just stopped. This was the third day and we felt so bad we did not hunt the last day but went fishing instead. But outside of that we had a good time just being there and with my son, better luck next time.

[835]

Some times shit happens, You have to do your best to locate the animal and do your best not to have this happen. It is all a learning curve. I have hunted for 20 years, never loosing an animal. I lost a deer last season.
searched with 5 veteran hunters for hours and no luck.

Learn from ones mistakes and try not to do them again, But dont let it stop you from hunting.

[Phil]

Bears are tough as nails and often twice as sneaky......at least you had a good time.

[Steeleco]

It's a lousy feeling to have a animal get away, but it will get better. I've met guys that have shot bears one week, only to find and shoot the same bear a week later. One buddy even recovered his 54cal ball a week after his first try.
The bullet was encased in fat with the hole well on its way to being healed.
You may only winged him, you've got 12 more days to see if you can still find him.

[BiG Boar]

Too bad on the no find. Break the shoulder down on bears so they don't move. Because they just soak up the blood. Get back out there and fill the tag.

[hunter1947]

Don't loose any sleep over it my friend things like this can happen to best of us ,I know because it has happend to me before .

The next bear you see will be yours to tag http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/images/icons/icon7.gif..