Late spring Boar (story and pics)

[ElliotMoose]

Got myself a good sized Black bear this spring, but never got around to posting it. Better late than never I figure.

Well, I've never really put any time into bear hunting until this year. Bought a tag last year to take along with me in the fall in case I came across a good sized boar, but thats about it. This year after sledding season ended up at the cabin, I got the itch bad and started to plan a may long hunt. I always seem to see the buggers while out on our spring fishing adventures up in the mountain lakes but never have my rifle or a tag.

Got up there friday late afternoon, and headed out for the hunt. Last fall we saw a giant boar, probably the biggest bear I have seen in the area, but it was moose hunting season and we were heading into a prime area so we let him walk. 3 clicks down that same road and it starts to get muddy, real muddy. We get to a point in the road that we figure we should look to turn around, as we only have one truck and no winch or shovel. I am in my work truck which is a little 4.6L half ton with worn all terrains on it.

To make a long story short, we got stuck..

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d180/chrisbrien/003.jpg

We still had hope to get out, so my younger brother took the wheel as my older brother and I pushed. After a failed attempt, we find ourselves REAL stuck. Great, 8km off the mainroad and the sun is going down fast. We had so little time before we left that I didnt bother bringing walkies or nothin, so we began our long trek to the main road. After a couple hours we made it back to the main FSR in the pitch black, and luckily flagged a local down who was on his way home. We asked if he could give us a lift a couple clicks up the road to cell phone reception where we could reach my old man. He was a great guy and drove the 3 of us (all 6'4 220lbs+) all the way home in his two door tacoma, refusing to take any cash. "What goes around, comes around" was what he said. Funny looking back on it, and one for the memory books

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d180/chrisbrien/006.jpg

The next morning we got up early, got the chains, and took the old mans diesel to the scene of the crime. Wow, it had slid even more in the ditch overnight and we were worried it was going to tip over with a good pull towards the road.

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After a couple attempts we got it out, and it was time to get hunting

[ElliotMoose]

The first afternoon we headed up high into lake country. Still a bit of snow up there, and not much of a green up had happened yet. Still, we saw a couple bears (no shooters). This sow was of good size but after watching her for a couple minutes we saw 3 little youngsters high up in the tree above her. She stood her ground at the bottom of that tree until we decided to leave.
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The next day, we elected to stay a little lower on the mountain where it had greened up quite a bit already. First couple minutes in, we see this nice big colour phase bear, but a closer look reveals two black cubs at her feet in the tall grasses.
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d180/chrisbrien/007-1.jpg


That evening I had the urge to slam a couple pan fryers out of one of many mountain lakes up there, so we did just that. Does it get any better than fresh lakeshore rainbow?
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d180/chrisbrien/015-1.jpg
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[ElliotMoose]

The next day we went to the same area as the day before. Got out around 2 oclock and didnt see anything for the first hour. Driving down a lower elevation road to a spot we like to hike in for deer and usually see a bear or two kicking around, I get this weird feeling and say out loud "I think we're gonna see something." I'm sure a bunch of you know what I mean. Anyway, we rounded a corner not 20 seconds later and right on the side of the road which is fairly closed in, we see movement up one of the trees. We look up and see these guys, not 10 yards from us and watched them for several minutes. Mama bear never did show up, but we snapped a couple pics and kept on moving.
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d180/chrisbrien/026.jpg
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[ElliotMoose]

We continued down the road into our destination. We saw some big scat, couple deer, and a nice big bull moose as well as a small bear who darted off the road. Still no shooters. This is the last evening of our hunt. We're driving back towards another spot and it's about an hour before last light. The light is brutal through the windshield at this point, making it tough to see. All of a sudden we see the silhouette of a bear standing on the side of the road. I knew it was a large bear by its stature. My brother and I operate on a "you spot, you shoot" type of deal, so I hop out of the truck like a bat out of hell, pop the mag in and jack one in. He is standing perfectly broadside at 70 yrds. Aim, steady, click. WTF?! I guess I didnt pull the bolt back far enough in my excitement and didnt catch a shell. I jack one in (for real this time) and the bear takes off. He's just about to get into the bush and I let out a loud whistle. He stops broadside for a moment and I take my shot. The bear does a 360 thinking something stung him, and ran off the road down the bank. I knew I hit him good. There was 20 feet of bush on the bank and then he would be in a large slash visible from up on the road. My brother grabbed the 12g, popped a few slugs in and I already had another one in the chamber so we started to walk up the road. We walked to about where we saw him go in, and could hear slow heavy breathing from the thick brush as he took his last breaths. After skinning him out we discovered it was a lung hit. He died in some of the steepest nastiest shit ever and it was a hell of a climb for 4 of us after dressing him to get him up to the truck. Here's a few field pics.
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d180/chrisbrien/223880_10150849003827126_888923108_n.jpg
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[ElliotMoose]

We got him home and got him skinned out ready for a rug. He had a nice thick coat and a good sized melon on him. Measured out at 6 1/2 feet, and a skull that was just a hair shy of the 19" mark. Really excited to get it back.
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d180/chrisbrien/057.jpg
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And although I must say I have had some bear smokies in the past that were "ok", the meat from this guy is some of the best I've had. Has a nice sweetness to it. Will definitely be in pursuit of em in the future!

Cheers
Chris

[paulgug]

Congrats on the nice boar. Thanks for sharing. Nice pics and story!

[MOUNTAIN MAN - TOYOTA/ATV]

Good work! Big black bear.

[BCHunterTV]

one big old bear

[monasheemountainman]

thats a great bear man, i love when they have the all black face!

[ElliotMoose]

Thanks guys yeah he was an old bruiser for sure. Scars on his face and teeth worn right down. Quite the b**ch to haul up a steep embankment!

[Rackmastr]

Big bear, looks great!

[moose2]

Great looking bear and really nice pictures, looked like fun.
Congratulations
Mike

[skid]

Great story and pics, nice bear.

[rocksteady]

Thanks for sharing.... Congrats...

Looks like your reticle is canted on your scope.... Is it or is that just how the picture looks???

I installed a new scope and it was canted just a hair and it drove me nuts... Had to straighten it out, just did not feel right...

[ElliotMoose]

Thanks guys glad you enjoyed.
Mike- Saw your post about the fall you took up goat/sheep hunting. Glad you are okay and wishing a speedy recovery

Rocksteady- Good eye ;) It was slightly off. I put a new scope on and didnt really notice it at all while shooting until I was out in the field. Drove me crazy that whole trip and as you say, just "didn't feel right." Got er all straightened out in the summer and now eager to get this years moose in the x-hairs

Chris

[fester]

thanks for posting

[chilcotin hillbilly]

Great bear sounds like you boys had some fun!

[BCHoyt]

Thats a beauty!!! Thanks for the story and pics... Are you getting a rug done??

[ElliotMoose]

Sure am! We don't have one around the house and I figure it was a good sized bear with a good coat on him and no rubbing, so I figured what the heck. Hopefully have it back next year and will post pics of the final product. I took it to fur and feathers taxidermy. Frank has done great work for us in the past

[TheProvider]

Anyone else have the song "The Truck Got Stuck" play in their head when they read this story... congrats

[moondog]

do you like plaid?

[ElliotMoose]

Sure do! All the comfiest clothes seem to come in plaid. The bear didn't seem to be as much of a fashion critic

[itsy bitsy xj]

Great story it was very well written
Thanks for sharing

[hunter1947]

The truck in the mud hole maybe to much looking at the slash ?? LOL ,,Very nice black bear you got congrats..