Lost Bear

[The Silent Stalker]

Ok, last friday we were out looking for a big 6.5' black bear that had been seen a few times earlier that week. Twice my buddies saw him earlier in the week and had no shot, Wed, we saw him and a rookie buddy had the only shot and froze as we watched him for 2 minutes then he walked away. Friday night, in the same area I walked into a small beaver pond area tailing a swamp and came around a bush and there he was! Huge and black as can be, he was beautiful. I shot a 6'+ bear last year, and he was bigger for sure! I calmed down, hid behind a bush and ranged him at 39yrds. I had a perfect shot, broadside as he eating grass at the waters edge with the water behind him. I focussed on my breath, drew my bow and took one step to side to clear the bush. I swear I was thinking about everything I have read and been told about bow hunting, as I am new to it. My 1st shot cleared his belly by an inch. I heard my arrow ricochet off a rock. He jumped about 5' and froze, he had no idea what it was or where it came from. I drew again, and bang, what I thought was a perfect shot. He turned and ran, and I could see my arrow sticking from his side as he ran around the pond, into the thick swamp! I wanted to run, but my buddy calmed me down. I was absolutely thrilled!
After 10 min, we went in. We saw his tracks, found blood almost right away, and followed easily at first. Then about 150 - 200yrds into the swamp we found my arrow with meat all over the braodhead(G5 Montec). The trail was easier after that for awhile. Then we tracked him to the back of the swamp where we found a massive 100-200' rock wall at least 400yrds wide. I got about 40' up a ledge, with foot tracks and blood on the moss. Then he either bolted up a steep section in the moss to a ledge or den, that I could not climb. The other option was around a stump on the ledge where I could not safely attempt without risking falling all the way down into the swamp. It was a big mess of logs below me and I couldn't imagine him getting through the fall.
3 of us searched the bottom of the wall for more sign, but nothing. It was getting dark, and it is also an area known for cats and grizzly so we headed out of the swamp. I had a fourth guy in with us in the morning, and we headed back. We re-traced or first steps, tried the wall again to no success. Then we spread out and did a grid search of the entire swamp with a gps. We searched for the entire day, and even went to the spots where we had seen him before, and even went in the direction we thought we may have followed the wall. 8hrs later, we were soaked, almost everyone had gone down in the swamp. Sunday, 3 of us headed back out again and searched the area for hours. We were out again Wed, and this Fri. My buddies assure me I put in everything I could to find this guy, and I am confident I did. I am sick thinking he is wandering around wounded, or up on one of those ledges dead for no reason. I try to be the best hunter I can, and work damn hard for the things I do in the bush, but man I feel sick about the whole thing. I was so excited in the beginning, I thought I had just accomplished something big and it's tainted. What's worse is some of buddies are thanking me for wasting the best bear we have seen yet. It sucks.

[SHACK]

Horribly unfortunate, but it does happen, and it sounds like you have put in your due dilligence in the search for the bear. Dont sweat it any more, it will become part of the food chain and the only other thing you could do is cut your tag, but that is a personal choice. Chin up, and find another biggun to put down!

[TheProvider]

Sounds like you tried your best to recover the bear. Unfortunately its part of hunting. Sooner or later your going to miss shots, wound animals or not recover them. Its the worst feeling in the world but it happens to everyone. If it hasn't happened to you? You either haven't hunted long enough or your a liar. No matter how much you practice, how good your equipment is and how well it's sighted in, theres an awful lot of unpredictables that can happen by the time you squeeze the trigger or release. Even weather, think how many storms have accounted for lost animals.

Keep practicing and keep your chin up, bow hunting is a very challenging way to hunt. Its not right for your buddies to be "thanking" you. One day it'll most likely happen to them unfortunately. Who knows he may just show up later in the fall or next year. Good luck the rest of spring

[finngun]

those 2 SHACK (http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/member.php?11569-SHACK) and TheProvider have say everything what i wanna say....keep you chin up... everyone will miss animal sometimes..and keep hunting cheers finn...
(http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/member.php?18881-TheProvider)

[Pioneerman]

Sounds like you guys put in a great effort to find the hit animal, good on you. It is too bad, but can sometimes happen and has to most guys. You did your best, and next time it will be better, don't let it put you off trying again

[troutseeker]

Yep, good work trying to find that bear. They are tough and even mortally wonder can do some amazing things. Don't sweat it too much, losing an animal happens, it's part of hunting...

As far as cancelling your tag, you are supposed to do that as soon as you find the dead animal you shot. You have not recovered it, even after a valiant effort, go use that tag on another bear.

[hunter1947]

This happened to me last sept 2 in bow season on a nice bull elk things do happen like this when you hunt with a bow or other and what I have learned about it is you learn from your mistakes and try not to let this happen to you the next time I know what I will do the next time around or I won't shoot at anything ,soory to hear about your loss..

[325]

That sucks, but unfortunately, it happens to the best of us.

[boxhitch]

Sounds like you did it right, no shame or blame should be on your shoulders.
and I think you guys put in more of a follow-up effort than half the hunters out here.

It happens in the real world, but you won't see it on any hunting tv show.

[nature girl]

Cheer up, dont let it get you down. Atleast your man enough to admit that it didnt end up how you wanted it to. You and your friends searched alot. I bet there is some people that may shoot an animal and they dont find it in 20 minutes leave and that is it. I ve read so I dont know if it is true you may think Im crazy, but Ive read that bears pack there wounds with moss when they are injured.

[elkdom]

Cheer up, dont let it get you down. Atleast your man enough to admit that it didnt end up how you wanted it to. You and your friends searched alot. I bet there is some people that may shoot an animal and they dont find it in 20 minutes leave and that is it. I ve read so I dont know if it is true you may think Im crazy, but Ive read that bears pack there wounds with moss when they are injured.

:wink:
a wounded bear will instinctively head for the nearest water/creek/slough and then wallow in cool water and mud, thus the wound stops bleeding and the water soothes pain ,the mud from wallowing acts as a poultice, and also keeps flies and insects from making the wound worse and causing more discomfort,,

[Foxton Gundogs]

What's worse is some of buddies are thanking me for wasting the best bear we have seen yet. It sucks.

Scratch the word "BUDDIES" fron that sentance. If you put every effort into making sure your shot was a good 1. If you put every effort into recovering your animal(and it sounds like you did and then some) then you have nothing to be ashamed about. The only thing I can think you may have done further is to try to get someone with a good dog involved in the search. Nice to know you "buddies" have never done anything wrong made mistakes or had just plain BAD LUCK. Sure it sucks but all you can do is your best and sometimes it's just a case of "SHI* HAPPENS" shake it off learn from it and don't beat yourself up over it.

HAVE FUN out there thats why we do this.

[greenhorn]

Sorry about the misfortune. Good on ya for giving it your all and trying your best to locate the bear.

Is it possible that the bear ended up in the water (submerged)? You mention a swamp a bunch of times but wasn't sure if we're talking soggy ground or five feet of water.

Hopefully your buds were just giving you a gentle razzing and they lay off now.

[PhOeNiCiAn1]

In Aviation, after You survived a crash landing, You are told to have 1000 Hours more of flying experience.
Then I can say, That You have 1000 Hours more of Hunting experience.
Best wishes for the next shot.

[sawmill]

It happens eventually .At least you give it a good damn try.Kick your "buddies "in the nuts for me.

[gibblewabble]

Horribly unfortunate, but it does happen, and it sounds like you have put in your due dilligence in the search for the bear. Dont sweat it any more, it will become part of the food chain and the only other thing you could do is cut your tag, but that is a personal choice. Chin up, and find another biggun to put down!

It's illegal to cut your tag if you haven't retrieved the animal, had a CO tell me a couple years ago in the woods around PG while having a BS session.

Now about the bear, there aren't many of us that haven't gone through what you have. You put in time looking man, it happens and now it's time to learn the lesson and move on, it will temper you from now on when in a similar position. Real hunting buddies wont rub salt in the wound till it has healed at least and then it will be friendly jibes once in a while to keep you grounded :wink:, you have provided for other animals in the woods and made yourself a better hunter in the process. My uncle who has hunted for over fifty years brisket shot a nice 6 point whitey last year because he forgot he had brought the .308 and not the 7mm Mag (easy to do when they are the same model) and we spent 2 days out there looking for it and in the end never did, he felt like $hit for days and any hunter worth his salt knows you don't need to say anything because the other guy feels terrible about it all. He found it running around in December and you might find yours (I have found a broadhead and a couple inches of shaft in a deer close to the heart before), if it made it far it would have wallowed as was mentioned before and then found a hole......bears are tough critters anyone that has hunted them before knows it.

There is a reason most of us whom have worn out a few boots in our hunting careers learn to take our time when we can and it's called................

experience, some of them bad ones.

Jason

[MIL720]

Thats a tough one... Go out to the same spot and "HUNT" him again. He very well may still be alive...Good Luck

[steepNdeep]

Bummer. Sounds like you did your best, though.

Dogs are the best way to find a wounded animal. Do you know anyone of with a dog that can track?

[BlacktailStalker]

If there is chunks of meat all over the broadhead it sounds to me like you hit him in the shoulder, he'll likely be fine.
Usually if the arrow falls out like that you've hit bone... ideally it will bury itself deep and preferably pass through.
Keep hitting that area, if he's dead the ravens will tell you and if he's alive you'll get another crack at him.
Don't get down on yourself.

[finngun]

but if bear is still alive,that will be one of the very,very smart bear....dosn,t make same mistake more than one time..nex time think rifle and 200yards shot...

[gibblewabble]

I was told by a long time bow hunter when I started to blunt the tip(slightly)of your broad head so that if you hit bone its easier for the animal to kick it loose, kinda like putting a nail through old wood. Thoughts gents?
I agree with blacktailstalker if he dropped the broadhead then it hit bone on the near side, usually only get feathers and some shaft if it hit bone coming out.
I had a 4 point muley jump the string once and I caught him in the hip, arrow was out in three jumps with blood just past the broadhead. That lesson was don't hit the release if the deer is looking at you, first deer with my bow and I didn't realize how fast those suckers can move in 25 yards. If you didn't see crows by the second day you have a good chance at getting another crack at him, crows usually find dead animals fast.

[Ambush]

I was told by a long time bow hunter when I started to blunt the tip(slightly)of your broad head so that if you hit bone its easier for the animal to kick it loose, kinda like putting a nail through old wood. Thoughts gents?

My thoughts? Don't listen to anything else that man told you either!!