View Full Version : Bella Coola Grizzly success 2010
During the end of our second attempt in the Bella Coola area, my father and I awoke on the 12th day to rain.The temperature had been in the mid 20's with sun. I had seen nine grizzlies during our stay, but was never able to get a shot off, because they were always in the thick timber.
On this particular morning, I slept in til 6:00, downed some coffee, and walked to the John.
Heading back to the tent, there were 2 small grizzlies on the forest service road. I ran and grabbed my gun, and walked down a very over-grown bear trail.
I heard a couple of blue jays skwaking in distress, and knew there had to be a bear close by.
Thirty seconds later, a big boar stepped out, not thirty yards away, broadside!
I raised my 300 Weatherby, which was loaded with 220 grain shells, and put the crosshairs on his front shoulder. The bear was staring at me, and I squeezed one off.
He circled twice, he was growling in short, low grunts, and then ran into the bush.
I knew he was hit hard, and it was just a matter of time, so I ran back to get my Dad.
We gave the bear about an hour, and set out to track him down.
There was a good blood trail to follow, and he only went about 200 yards.
When we approached him, we realized we had a good sized bear. The hide from nose to tail measured 7'11", from paw to paw, 8'10". The skull measured 24 1/2" at the compulsory inspection.
I would like to give a special thank you to Ike, and Srupp, for their tireless advice and hospitality, they obviously pointed us in the right direction. This was an adventure of a lifetime for myself and my Dad.
peashooter
06-07-2010, 06:47 PM
Beauty. Nice job.
sheep.elk.moose fanatic
06-07-2010, 06:50 PM
cant read it too small make it bigger!!!!!!!!!!
TheDuckinator
06-07-2010, 06:55 PM
Please make the photo bigger, im practically droolin over an almost 9ft and I cant see it. Torture i tell you torture :p
yukon john
06-07-2010, 07:20 PM
nice bear!!!!!!!..... I think, can you make the pic bigger?
Rattler
06-07-2010, 07:27 PM
Great work, congrats...
Darksith
06-07-2010, 07:43 PM
resize please
Bow Walker
06-07-2010, 07:57 PM
Good for you......but - God I hate thumbnails!
Way to go !! up with the pics now please.
Merc,send your pictures to someone to re-post for you,you are torturing them
ydouask
06-07-2010, 08:39 PM
Congrats, that's a lot of G. Bear !
Caveman
06-07-2010, 08:54 PM
Great Job, sounds like a great bear! Picture doesn't do it justice
srupp
06-07-2010, 09:32 PM
great job guys....was my pleasure to meet you and your Dad...glad to be of some assistance...some great bears harvested this year....
You guys did good coming back for a second go....well done...
cheers
Steven
srupp
06-07-2010, 10:16 PM
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d47/srupp/grizzly008.jpg
does this work?
Srr
srupp
06-07-2010, 10:21 PM
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d47/srupp/grizzly016.jpg
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d47/srupp/grizzly009.jpg
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d47/srupp/grizzly020.jpg
does this help Jeff?
cheers
Steven
srupp
06-07-2010, 10:25 PM
Jeff I admire your "stick to it ness " if that makes sense ??:confused: makes the meeting talking chatting sharing all worth while to see folks come back SAFE and wiith a gret bear....well done..
Steven Rupp:mrgreen:
Sorry guys for the thumbnail, thanks again to Srupp for saving the day and posting these pictures for me. I owe ya big time, Steve !
peashooter
06-07-2010, 10:45 PM
Awesome pics. That is one large dead bear.
BigBanger
06-08-2010, 12:13 AM
Good job nice big bear.
Wild Images
06-08-2010, 04:19 AM
WOW, nice bear
Blainer
06-08-2010, 06:10 AM
That is one beautiful bear.
Good on ya!
sheep.elk.moose fanatic
06-08-2010, 07:15 AM
that,s better nice bear congrats
Dadawa70
06-08-2010, 08:17 AM
Very nice. Congratulations. That's a fine G-Bear!
Caribou_lou
06-08-2010, 08:53 AM
Nice looking bear. Only went 200 yards? That is a long way for a bear to go. Good thing you gave him an hour!
fester
06-08-2010, 10:08 AM
great bear!!!
Great Bear, looks like some great country up there! Congrats to both you n your dad.
Rock Doctor
06-08-2010, 10:47 AM
Nice one :-)
luckynuts
06-08-2010, 10:56 AM
Congrats Merc!
Big bear betcha your glad you came back for round 2. I have a saying stick stay make it pay. Your efforts definately paid off Good work. Even better that your father was with you. Hunt to remember for ever.
W.
srupp
06-08-2010, 11:03 AM
When Jeff showed up at our home to fianally meet after chatting bear details for a while , he introduces his "main back up man " his DAD..my first thoughts were..I hope this works out well , as his DAD is over 50 :wink:....
Later I was embarrassed and upset with myself and well..ashamed..here was a guy and his DAD going out hunting together ..what a marvelous memory..
Jeff and his Dad missed a oportunity the firts trip..however bit the bullet and came back and got er done...very well done.
If one looks at the thick forest ..and the BIG claws on that BIG bear that is good enough reason to as Robert Rurak put it "use enough gun" and also break down those shoulders ..these guys did awesome..
cheers
Srupp
tufferthandug
06-08-2010, 11:49 AM
Whoa! Huge mits on that monster! Good going!!
Great story perhaps a little info on bullet performance please.I shoot a 300 weatherby as well.
Hey Buck, I am shooting factory Weatherby ammunition, 220 grain, round nose.
The energy at muzzle is 3954. At 100 yds., is 3158.
Trajectory at 100 yds. is 4.9, 200 yds. 5.9, 300 yds., 0.0, and at 400 yds., is -14.6
Normally for moose I use 180 grain, but thought I better go 220 for the griz.
Great calibre!
Jeff
BromBones
06-08-2010, 09:35 PM
Good work!
Some nice old grizzlies hitting the ground this year. We should send David Suzuki links to all the dead grizzly threads posted here;)
fine example of a mid-coast girzzly. sure wouldn't want to see him with out a gun! I like the forests thickness were you nailed him. very BC coastal jungle brush
Schutzen
06-08-2010, 11:23 PM
merc
Good for u guys thats a fine lookin Bruin.
hunter1947
06-09-2010, 06:06 AM
Very nice Griz you got there will look very nice when you get it back from the Taxidermy ,congrats to you and your partner http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/images/icons/icon14.gif..
BiG Boar
06-09-2010, 07:10 AM
Man, good on you guys for having another go at er! Not easy to do. I wish I could have gotten back out and re done my trip but it wasnt to be. Hopfully I will get another draw some day. Beauty bear! Way to put er down! I am also interested in the 200 yards that he went. Is this right or is it 20 yards. 200 yards tracking a bear in thick stuff isnt fun stuff. I am trying to imagine how it went 200 yards with a broken front shoulder. Makes me think a bigger gun might be on order?
Hey Merc,
That bear is a beast. Well done. Just wondering for interest sake, how much would you estimate the hide and skull weighed on your pack out?
Hello Bigbore14,
Thanks for the interesting question.
I'm sure it was approx. 200 yds., he was climbing over logs that were so big, we had problems getting over them ourselves. For the last 50 yds., he was pushing himself with his hind legs. You could see the drag marks. They are one tough animal.
Where I was at, you are lucky to get one shot off, let alone 2 or 3.
Hello TSW,
I would have to guess the hide and the skull weighed close to 250 lbs. It was wet, and heavy. Thanks.
Jeff
BiG Boar
06-09-2010, 06:05 PM
Wow, 200 yards, and with a fully broken shoulder? Maybe they can run on three! Crazy! Good thing you found him, I know how little a bear can bleed and how thick that forest you were in.
srupp
06-09-2010, 08:47 PM
Jeff did you check to see that the leg was actually broken?? Or maybe the bullett just hit muscle and hit the boiler room??
Steven
Hi Steve,
Ya, it was broken, his leg was just flopping around. I didn't check inside to see what the bullett took out, but the chest cavity was full of blood.
Wow that is a tough bear.Might be time for the 378 weatherby.
pupper
06-10-2010, 08:35 PM
Nice Bear guys. The skunk cabbage looks real nice there too!
troutseeker
06-10-2010, 11:48 PM
I'm not surprised that a nearly 9ft grizzly bear went 200 yards with a broken shoulder and jellyfied innards. They are tough beasts!
Good job on getting the bear, he certainly is a beauty!
srupp
06-10-2010, 11:57 PM
Bears are a lot like people , some give up easily others are stubborn and go down only as a last resort...
This must have been a very tough G bear...it is very unusual for even a nearly 9 foot coastal grizzly to go 200 yards with a completely busted shoulder, I would have maybe expected a mountain interior bear, even while being smaller seem to have tougher dispositions.
So this again shows the need for larger bullets in the premium constructed styles..ie Nosler, Barnes etc....and while most of the bears hit properly at reasonable distances have not gone far this one is the rare exception.
I would also like to point out also the thick underbrush on the Wet Coast..not a place to shoot abear but once shot you need to complete th job and collect the bear..and thats where 200 yards in this stuff = the longest mile(or so it must have seemed..)
Well done agin Jeff and DAD..
srr
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