Need dogs to find bear!!!!!!

[mtnmax]

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So there I was on my first day of bear hunting ever when I saw him broad side on a road 300yrs. I had just diled in my gun yesterday, 2" high @100yrds so I new this wasn't a problem. Me and my old trusty enfield 30-06 with 165gr soft points. I put the cross hairs at the top of his shoulder. BANG. I saw him lean back on his back legs, front feet came off the ground, he spun 180 deg and took off into the thickest crap I think I have ever seen. It was quite easy to find the spot he entered the bush do to ripped up dirt from his claws. I went in there, ( I will admit a bit unnerving as this is my first bear ) and started to search for him. Was doing a grid pattern the best I could do as I forgot my marking tape. There is tons of old wood and stuff for him to be under. I came out with nothing. I am going back tomorrow and was hopiing there might be some local dogs that could lend a hand. Then again it started to rain, can the dogs still track after some rain?

I have learnt one thing today,Bear fever is way worse than Buck fever!!!
PM me with any help.
thanks
mtnmax

[ratherbefishin]

bin der dun dat.The euphoria wears off pretty quick when you know you've hit him and you can't find him.They always seem to head for the thickest christmas trees or patch of salal they can find too-stuff you can't see 3' in front of you.Now I get as close as I can, and only shoot if I get a broadside shoulder shot.They aren;t going anywhere with a solid hit right on the point of the shoulder,but you've got to get a broadside shot for both shoulders- a bear can and will run if you only hit one.They're a lot tougher than you thinkand besides,I'm not into giving my friendly dry cleaner business resulting from tracking wounded bears anymore.
Actually,from your description ,you might not have hit him, a knockdown would be a sign of a solid hit,even if he got up and ran.

[youngfellla]

Sounds like you hit him pretty good, usually when they stand on their hind legs like that, they're messed up pretty good in the front.:wink:

Good luck with your search, hopefully you find him!

[Onesock]

Don't shoot 300 yds. Get within a 100 and be sure of your shot. Too bad about loosing the bear.

[todbartell]

good luck, I hope you find your bear asap

[Iron-Head]

Cmon guys lets start shootin them DEAD or else Elkhound Is going to win his own merchandise.:lol:
Sorry to hear about your bear,and best of luck with the recovery.!
Symon

[Dayto]

The bears will burry them selves under a log,stumps look hard and carefully , bring a buddy both pick a grid and work it good , did you finde any blood were the animal was shot? Look for chunks of lung/heart/bone to determine how hard hit the animal was ,and last of all did you hear the death groan? , bears are f*ckin tuff and will run a fair distance even with a good hit .

.

Good luck , and watch you'r back in the thick stuff .

[troutseeker]

Bummer on that one, if I wasn't working tomorrow I'd give you a hand looking. Seriously if you are confident you made a solid hit the bear is dead... A dog is a good idea to find the beast.

Best of luck finding it!

Troutseeker

[Jagermeister]

A long time ago, our old neighbour, a WWI vet and a fine woodman told me that if you wound a bear, they will try to make it to some water. The reason the subject came up was Art had just popped this old bear out of one of those large pine trees that adorn Campbell Mountain. We couldn't see the bottom of the tree to determine the state of said bruin, but we had a clear view of the area around his last known location. Art wasn't sure of his shot placement as the bear started to move just a he pulled the trigger. The bear went around the trunk of the tree and did a dive. There we waited for the bear to appear. After a short wait, we ventured forward and there was the bear, laying on his back up against this pointed rock which protruded about 2 feet out of the ground. His back was broken. However, when we dressed him out, we found the the bullet passed through the lungs and lodged in the heart. He was dead before he hit the ground. We dragged the bear down the hill to McIntyres orchard and loaded him into the old Dodge car and it was off to skin him at Art's place at Skaha Lake. I have a picture, but it's packed away in storage at the moment, but I will post it at a later date.

So, check your nearest water sources. I don't think the bear will be of much value by tomorrow. If it's cool where you shot him, his hide might be okay, but I think the meat might be toast.

[GoatGuy]

PM sent.
....

[mark]

hey mtn. max. if you need help, i got the time. I dont have dogs but do have alot of exp. bloodtrailing, and bear hunting! let me know!

[J_T]

Talk to Mooseman, he's setting up a dog tracking service.

I guess tracer bullets would give you a better idea (and confidence) about what kind of a shot you made, or where you hit him.

JT

[Fred]

Except that they never got to the same poi as a standard round. :? Fred

[Kirby]

And they are FMJ, and thereby illegal.

Kirby

[Elkhound]

Hope you find your bear. I want to see more pics in another thread besides mine.

[mtnmax]

Ok guys her is the story of Friday,

Got up to discover it was pouring rain here ( Chwk ) and realized how much I love living in Kelowna!!! Anyway, off I went to try and find that darn bear. I walked in a grid pattern using marking tape all over so I wouldn't cross my tracks. I searched that patch of bush for two hours. Didn't find blood or hair or smell anything. That was a long shot I made and shouln't have done. Easy to say now but wow was it exciting seeing that bear.
As the day went on into afternoon I decided to start working my way towards Harrison. I took a drive up to Jones Lake to check it out. Curious do to I just talk with 270win last night and he said he was going fishing. So there I was driving through the camp site when I see a truck baried in the mud and 4 guys in there early 20's standing there. Over I drove to get a closer look and to laugh because I have been stuck more than once. Yes I did take pictures of my little tracker pulling out a full size ford f150. Will post them later. After chatten with them I ventured down the mountain. Did not make it far as I found myself leaping out of the truck to shoot yes another bear. This time I punched him right in the heart and he came to rest 30ft down a clliff. Don't get too excited it is a little one. 4 1/2ft tail to nose. Happy I got my first ever bear, sad it's not bigger than elkhounds,but happy I could get it up the cliff. Will post all the pics when I get home.
Oh ya, I also got pics of a lynks.
This is the most shortest but jam packed trip I have ever done.
ttyl

[cowboy-up69]

Good job mtn max!!!! It doesnt matter how big my first bear is so dont worry bout it man! A dead bear is a good bear! :D

[Iron-Head]

Congrats on the bear man!!.........cant wait to see pics.
Symon

[Offroad]

Good on ya.

[000buck]

hey welcome to the club. 41/2 foot isn't bad for a first one hell

congrats

[Foxer]

Them little ones is good eating :)

Nothing wrong with a suitcase bear in a pinch. Sorry you lost your first one.

[Fred]

Where roughly were you Max, if it isn't a secret? Fred

[mtnmax]

I was up in the Skaggit Valley the first time and the second bear was Jones lake. My parents live in Chilliwack so it was a close place to hunt while visiting them.

[Elkhound]

Nice job Mtnmax.......any bear you can drag up hill is a good bear.:wink:

[CanAm500]

Good job on the bear, cant wait to see some of those pics:grin:

[Elkhound]

still waiting for pics Mntmax......post them up

[mtnmax]

the pics are in the gallery and on the other thread " my first bear "