2013 Grizzly hunt

[BlacktailStalker]

Think this grizz hit the dirt ?

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y305/TaylenJames/DSC00707_zps3de1ce34.jpg (http://s1024.photobucket.com/user/TaylenJames/media/DSC00707_zps3de1ce34.jpg.html)

I'm gonna try one of those dick head, attention whore threads.
Good night :)

[islander7mm]

Love it!
Well at least he's being honest folks.:)

[BlacktailStalker]

haha just jokin

"The boars are walking. They've been out a week now, my buddy lives there he called me up and said get down here!" The old timer said.

"Thanks for the chat, we'll let ya know how it goes and good luck on your hunt, if you see us say hello."

I called my brother, "Hey bud, tuesday, weds for sure we are out of here, saddle up we've got a G bear to kill."

First ferry loaded to the nine's we were off on my brothers G-bear hunt in reg.7. First grizz hunt for both of us. Finally, we had the ticket in hand to drop one of these meat hauler haunting *******s.

WE rolled in to the valley I wanted to check first around 6 pm. Houndsman confirmed its a gooder so we launched the tracked quad and ran the valley to scout, camp would be easy enough to set up in the dark. We went back 20 kms and it was still a snow mobile trail, 2-3' in spots and no slides open, no green.
Shit. We're early.

Picked up a jerry can full of fuel, 2 2L bottle full of fuel, a hand saw and a pile of garbage from the sledders. Such skids.
We loaded back up in the dark and with no point in setting camp there drove 30 kms south and into the next drainage and called it a night around 11pm.
Had a pretty good sleep for sleeping in the front seat of the truck.
Up at dawn, no breakfast and headed in. Bit of green, nothing major.
Stopped to glass some goat country, saw a couple dozen goats and there was next to nothing on the south facing goat cliffs but they were nibbling on something.
We ended up getting stuck and digging for another 10 km and called er quits around 18km and set our make shift camp. We went light, no wall tent no wood stove, expecting to stay mobile if need be.
Cots and a tent was camp and the sled deck raised on two logs for a roof with a Tarp... G bear hotel.

First thing i said is we spend a day or two covering every piece of country and road there is and learn this area and focus on the ideal spots.
Well thats what we did, for the better part of 7 days as there was just no green in the slides. The two spots in a 50 km stretch that had a bit of green showed no bears.
We cut two ok tracks on the valley bottom, one that was maybe a 7-7.5' bear.... **** that I said we want King kahuna. Lets keeo going.
Day two we went to the very back, tried to cross a river on the quad where the bridge was out and damn near lost my quad. 37 kms from camp... coulda been a long walk.
We spent 3 hours trying to build a bridge for the quad stacking boulders and trying to put the old bridge on top and when we dropped it on, down it went, down stream.
Well that was fun... and pointless !

We rigged it up with rocks again and two poplars and made a foot bridge and hiked 7km to the back end through the worst god forsaken grown in alder road I have ever been on, it was horrible. But that means there is a reward at the end usually, guaranteed nobody has been back here in 10 years right ?
Well there was no bears, but I did find out where my next goat is coming from and if ten guys want to go, they can shoot a billy too lol, wow.

And, one bear track coming from the back end big enough to fit my head in his track. Suddenly the alders became creepy.
With no slides worth sitting on til dark, we turned around and headed back out. We made pretty good time for crawling through that crap. Lost both swaro bino lens caps and broke a leupy flip cover on my scope.

The boar had covered a solid 10 km, I was hunting him like a cat. He crossed the river three times that I know of for no reason. We did two hell hikes into the bottoms of slides that were completely hidden and unaccessible and found where he had passed through, dug in one slide full of snow, pissed and kept going. There was a bit of green and it was the greenest we had found so we hunted that spot hard for a couple prime time sits.
To no avail.
Long story short, over the next three days I worked that bear, a day behind him, over 40 kms and the last I saw of him he had trailed a sow a day ahead of him straight up a gravel sidehill and into a sea of timber and probably over the other side. Her tracks on one side of the sand and his on the other.

First G bear hunt but I realized, these pigs aren't looking for food, they are looking for some hole to pair up with and feed with til they are ready to breed.
Forget the food, we need to find a sow.

[Bear Chaser]

I'm gonna try one of those dick head, attention whore threads.


Nicely put.
You will need to post many pics to measure up as the bar has been set quite high by the preceding aforementioned whores.

[Caribou_lou]

Would have been nice if one of those cartridges were an empty shell!

[BlacktailStalker]

In total we had seen 3 black bears, one we made a play on, he was good, 3000' above us and my bro doesnt have a good black bear yet but we got roasted by thermals. Gross hike, he was dehydrated and nearly puking. It was awesome :lol:

So we were back at camp trying to figure out what to do.
What would that crazy SOB Wayner say, he's a slick chimp that guy. Find the sign and find the animal.
"Joel lets stoke up on food and roll out to another valley, we know whats here, lets head south it will be greener." Like kids on the last day of school we had our gear packed fast and off we went.
We only made it up the mainline 6 km. This was good, untouched snow.
Launched the quad and ran all the way to the back. Same thing, not a lot of green, nothing obviously good but we saw one sidehill that had a 5' sow on it.
Bingo.
Jackpot, pig grizz had walked out of 3' of snow 15 kms further back. Two wolverines and nothing else. he was a good 2-3 days ahead of us.

"Whoever told that old timer the boars are walking is full of it" I said. These bears just woke up.

We glassed all day and ran back in the dark. Well we knew where one pig had been and where one could be.
We ran back to camp and had a quick 5 hour sleep and decided to go south again to the last valley in our unit.
This valley was like a fairy tale, lush green everywhere, white flowers, veg all over the slides and more slides than you could imagine. It was perfect, so we spent all day in there. Too perfect and we didnt even see a black bear ! No sign, no tracks and no crap.
Back to the valley camp was in.

It was time to go see the trapper. Wow, quite the set up lol. But damn nice guy. Bushed, but nice guy ! I hesitantly told him of our findings, "Ya ya... thats grandpa. Been in here as long as I can remember. You wont get him. Nobody will. Seen on sign of griz checkin my beaver traps bout three weeks ago, thats it. Maybe you're early !?"
We chatted for a bit and then he had to go check on his 'goats', the same ones we glassed on the morning of day one. Guess he has names for them.
We talked about one of his trails he had cut, he was surprised we found it and grinned when i told him I pulled a moose shed off the trail. There were some ok slides on the other side of the river but he cut me off, fast, "You'll never cross the Chalko ! Never make it. You see it !?"
We told him of our 12 km alder hike and he damn near fell off his chair laughing, "you guys took your quad across that old bridge !?" Told him it was gone and what we did. WE could tell he was entertained by us and shifted gears a bit. "You guys deserve a bear, sounds like to me. You're hunting hard. Theyre hard to get but, you'll get one I say."

Off we went, glassed some slides, robot mode.
Next day we hammered the slides and hot spots (we figured) all day back and forth hoping to see something. More black bears were out now, we found a sick are we called the ball park, flat by the river and just lush as can be and peppered with decent blackie piles but no G bear crap.
Serenity point, the ball park, quill pig ridge, all areas we became familiar with (self named) and our area was just like home now. 1,000kms on the quad and half that on the truck, it should be I guess.

Sitting at camp a bit early to get a bite then go back for the last hour to the slides where the bear had dug in the snow, one of neimayers guides came by on a quad with a client. Shot the shit a bit but he was asking too many questions. They had been out a week and saw no sign of grizz and just one bear in valemont in town.
"You guys see much ?"
"nope, just black bears"
"Any good ones?"
"yeah a 6.5' bear" Told him where as they had a hunter with both tags but thats it. He must have been green. "Ya, theres two pigs, here and here, maybe we can compete for them tomorrow ?"
The next day they went after the black bear and we watched that bear sit on his ass like a dog for half an hour 2000' above them and smell them come up the slide and waddle off into the bush through the spotters lol it was fun to watch.

Next day i said to my brother, "you know what, we are here on a hunch. We know where there is a pig. Lets hunt that bear til we get him."
So we packed up a days food and drove to the further south valley (the perfect one) and slept in the truck to be there for first light. It was too perfect. Nothing.
Jumped north to the next one and we didnt get 4 km up the road and I saw the king kahuna had walked in my quad tracks the day after we were there.
Big grins. He had come over 20km too.
On we went and another two kms up the road I said, "He's here"
I got off the quad and looked at his track in the snow. It was about 16-18C and the ice crystals hadn't even melted into the track they were thrown from.

"buddy get that clip out, this bear is on the road. Can you smell that ?!"
"No, what, really !?"
"Just joking, I cant smell him but he's no more than 15 mins ahead of us lets go ."
I had to stop to take a muddy track pic and measure the front pad, a solid 7.5".
Damn.

[BlacktailStalker]

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y305/TaylenJames/DSC00695_zpsbf91294c.jpg (http://s1024.photobucket.com/user/TaylenJames/media/DSC00695_zpsbf91294c.jpg.html)

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y305/TaylenJames/DSC00696_zpsc98344a1.jpg (http://s1024.photobucket.com/user/TaylenJames/media/DSC00696_zpsc98344a1.jpg.html)

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y305/TaylenJames/DSC00682_zpsca7a4309.jpg (http://s1024.photobucket.com/user/TaylenJames/media/DSC00682_zpsca7a4309.jpg.html)

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y305/TaylenJames/DSC00683_zpsbed66a9e.jpg (http://s1024.photobucket.com/user/TaylenJames/media/DSC00683_zpsbed66a9e.jpg.html)

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y305/TaylenJames/DSC00685_zps98624c1f.jpg (http://s1024.photobucket.com/user/TaylenJames/media/DSC00685_zps98624c1f.jpg.html)

[BlacktailStalker]

This slide may or may not be interesting later

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y305/TaylenJames/DSC00680_zpsefbccb4e.jpg (http://s1024.photobucket.com/user/TaylenJames/media/DSC00680_zpsefbccb4e.jpg.html)

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y305/TaylenJames/DSC00678_zps6b2197f2.jpg (http://s1024.photobucket.com/user/TaylenJames/media/DSC00678_zps6b2197f2.jpg.html)

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y305/TaylenJames/DSC00674_zpsd5870e46.jpg (http://s1024.photobucket.com/user/TaylenJames/media/DSC00674_zpsd5870e46.jpg.html)

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y305/TaylenJames/DSC00671_zps4e6fa03b.jpg (http://s1024.photobucket.com/user/TaylenJames/media/DSC00671_zps4e6fa03b.jpg.html)

Put on over 15km this day and the evening hunt was a sit and relax in real shoes, feet were beat that night.
At the ball park of course

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y305/TaylenJames/DSC00672_zpsb3e8adb8.jpg (http://s1024.photobucket.com/user/TaylenJames/media/DSC00672_zpsb3e8adb8.jpg.html)

[BlacktailStalker]

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y305/TaylenJames/DSC00668_zpsf4480524.jpg (http://s1024.photobucket.com/user/TaylenJames/media/DSC00668_zpsf4480524.jpg.html)

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y305/TaylenJames/DSC00662_zps07a91c70.jpg (http://s1024.photobucket.com/user/TaylenJames/media/DSC00662_zps07a91c70.jpg.html)

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y305/TaylenJames/DSC00663_zpsd2954621.jpg (http://s1024.photobucket.com/user/TaylenJames/media/DSC00663_zpsd2954621.jpg.html)

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y305/TaylenJames/DSC00659_zps06b212ed.jpg (http://s1024.photobucket.com/user/TaylenJames/media/DSC00659_zps06b212ed.jpg.html)

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y305/TaylenJames/DSC00658_zpsfe5fb1bc.jpg (http://s1024.photobucket.com/user/TaylenJames/media/DSC00658_zpsfe5fb1bc.jpg.html)

[BlacktailStalker]

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y305/TaylenJames/DSC00661_zpsdce9df23.jpg (http://s1024.photobucket.com/user/TaylenJames/media/DSC00661_zpsdce9df23.jpg.html)

The big boar walked the snow line on the edge of the meadow 2 days prior. he dug on the base of the slide behind the trees across the river. We walked that whole side of the mountain in thick bush, xmas trees and massive avalanches for over 10 kms one day and 5-7 another. he had visited every spot we checked and only once.

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y305/TaylenJames/DSC00653_zpsda5369ff.jpg (http://s1024.photobucket.com/user/TaylenJames/media/DSC00653_zpsda5369ff.jpg.html)

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y305/TaylenJames/DSC00652_zpsa425e7a0.jpg (http://s1024.photobucket.com/user/TaylenJames/media/DSC00652_zpsa425e7a0.jpg.html)

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y305/TaylenJames/DSC00654_zpsc5cdec99.jpg (http://s1024.photobucket.com/user/TaylenJames/media/DSC00654_zpsc5cdec99.jpg.html)

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y305/TaylenJames/DSC00645_zps10d605db.jpg (http://s1024.photobucket.com/user/TaylenJames/media/DSC00645_zps10d605db.jpg.html)

[BlacktailStalker]

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y305/TaylenJames/DSC00641_zps9b70adf9.jpg (http://s1024.photobucket.com/user/TaylenJames/media/DSC00641_zps9b70adf9.jpg.html)

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y305/TaylenJames/DSC00639_zpsf5c8f994.jpg (http://s1024.photobucket.com/user/TaylenJames/media/DSC00639_zpsf5c8f994.jpg.html)

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y305/TaylenJames/DSC00634_zps9a0e4636.jpg (http://s1024.photobucket.com/user/TaylenJames/media/DSC00634_zps9a0e4636.jpg.html)

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y305/TaylenJames/DSC00636_zpsf9dfda47.jpg (http://s1024.photobucket.com/user/TaylenJames/media/DSC00636_zpsf9dfda47.jpg.html)

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y305/TaylenJames/DSC00631_zpse4a2a441.jpg (http://s1024.photobucket.com/user/TaylenJames/media/DSC00631_zpse4a2a441.jpg.html)

[BlacktailStalker]

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y305/TaylenJames/DSC00648_zpsea78aeaf.jpg (http://s1024.photobucket.com/user/TaylenJames/media/DSC00648_zpsea78aeaf.jpg.html)

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y305/TaylenJames/DSC00647_zps66bb7ec6.jpg (http://s1024.photobucket.com/user/TaylenJames/media/DSC00647_zps66bb7ec6.jpg.html)

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y305/TaylenJames/DSC00637_zpsbd1143b5.jpg (http://s1024.photobucket.com/user/TaylenJames/media/DSC00637_zpsbd1143b5.jpg.html)

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y305/TaylenJames/DSC00632_zpsc4b726ef.jpg (http://s1024.photobucket.com/user/TaylenJames/media/DSC00632_zpsc4b726ef.jpg.html)

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y305/TaylenJames/DSC00664_zps65f7d48b.jpg (http://s1024.photobucket.com/user/TaylenJames/media/DSC00664_zps65f7d48b.jpg.html)

[BlacktailStalker]

Sow on left, boar on right. 4.5 bank at the top, vertical. No problem

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y305/TaylenJames/DSC00693_zps9c6b2898.jpg (http://s1024.photobucket.com/user/TaylenJames/media/DSC00693_zps9c6b2898.jpg.html)

He was in the tree all on his own eating shoots. We saw 12 in 7 days

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y305/TaylenJames/DSC00687_zpsccac3521.jpg (http://s1024.photobucket.com/user/TaylenJames/media/DSC00687_zpsccac3521.jpg.html)

If I was rich I would have a helicopter and dynamite

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y305/TaylenJames/DSC00690_zpsedf51fa2.jpg (http://s1024.photobucket.com/user/TaylenJames/media/DSC00690_zpsedf51fa2.jpg.html)

A lil rumski with snow cubes

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y305/TaylenJames/DSC00694_zpse75d7010.jpg (http://s1024.photobucket.com/user/TaylenJames/media/DSC00694_zpse75d7010.jpg.html)


http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y305/TaylenJames/DSC00676_zps940f1feb.jpg (http://s1024.photobucket.com/user/TaylenJames/media/DSC00676_zps940f1feb.jpg.html)

[BlacktailStalker]

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y305/TaylenJames/DSC00704_zps29ec67e5.jpg (http://s1024.photobucket.com/user/TaylenJames/media/DSC00704_zps29ec67e5.jpg.html)

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y305/TaylenJames/DSC00705_zpsd540ce79.jpg (http://s1024.photobucket.com/user/TaylenJames/media/DSC00705_zpsd540ce79.jpg.html)

Too perfect.

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y305/TaylenJames/DSC00706_zpsd2c024a8.jpg (http://s1024.photobucket.com/user/TaylenJames/media/DSC00706_zpsd2c024a8.jpg.html)

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y305/TaylenJames/DSC00699_zpsb79f8c59.jpg (http://s1024.photobucket.com/user/TaylenJames/media/DSC00699_zpsb79f8c59.jpg.html)

Hahaha what a beauty

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y305/TaylenJames/DSC00747_zpsb51c36de.jpg (http://s1024.photobucket.com/user/TaylenJames/media/DSC00747_zpsb51c36de.jpg.html)

[BlacktailStalker]

K for real I am done now i will try and get on tomorrow I want to put a small vid of clips together first though.

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y305/TaylenJames/DSC00656_zpsbf420d2f.jpg (http://s1024.photobucket.com/user/TaylenJames/media/DSC00656_zpsbf420d2f.jpg.html)

[xfactor]

Keep at it! Great story and pics...rumski, is that a Russian drink?:)

[pescado]

Looks and sounds like a fun trip. Thanks

[coach]

Outstanding.. Can't wait for the story to continue. Sounds like one heck of a good hunt so far.

[moosinaround]

Like how you started this story! Waiting..............................!! Moosin

[GoatGuy]

Put up the pics you tight @ss

[hunter1947]

Big man I am getting tired of your thread think I need a coffee :roll: your fingers must be smoking and you where not kidding about trying this dick head attention whore threads LOL :mrgreen: so far great story and fantastic pictures now waiting for the next session ,,what time can I log in to HBC to see more of this thread big man ???? LOL :mrgreen:.....

[adamgarbett]

I hunted he exact same area last year for moose. This story has go me hooked. Keep it coming 👍

[Rackmastr]

Lookin great so far!!!! Some awesome country to hunt grizz in from the looks of it!

[tuchodi]

Great pictures now for the rest of the story.

[chilcotin hillbilly]

Come on Andy!! I got to go to work sometime today!!!

[lorneparker1]

I actually prefer " dickhead attn. whore threads". I hate when people don't put up a story. Or a story without a pic. OR a pic without a story. !

Look forward to the rest of yours

[one-shot-wonder]

Keep it coming.....great photos of some great looking country!
Looking forward to the denoument! :wink:

[ElliotMoose]

Wicked read and pics so far, looks like some beautiful country. Im hooked!

[markt308]

Like everyone else I'm lookin forward to the rest! Nicely done so far

[srupp]

hmmm nice photos...great snow slides...excellent story with entertaining details...

steven

[Brambles]

I don't normally keep reading the attention whore long drawn out posts, but so far were not at that point yet. looking forward to the continuance of your hunt.

You should have just parked your tent on one of their migratory trails and the grizzly would be coming to you! That's how I roll anyways!!

[BlacktailStalker]

The biggest i have ever seen was 8 3/4" on the Tuchodi, 30 yards behind camp, so I was pumped, my bro knew to be pumped cuz I was pumped, he'd never even seen a G bear yet but calm and collective was all out the window now !
It felt like it just might be coming together.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2s6842tms4A


Knowing how fast these things cover ground, we opted to ride up. We dogged the track on and off the road parallel to a river for about 2 kms and then the track was gone, in bare ground, not knowing if it went up hill or across the river.
We carried on and at a decent pace too, I didnt want him to have time to bugger off if he heard us coming too slow, it was thick stuff so if we caught him on the road we could bail off and probably get a crack at him.
We went another half km and we were coming up to the first real good slide in this area, went up a hill with a big stand of trees blocking the view across the river, crested the hill, I looked once, looked again, holy shit there he is !
Kill switch, bailed off the quad, he was almost directly across from us, 1-120 yards away.
We ran to the bank of the river (elevated from the other side, it couldnt have been more perfect)

The amount of ground that bear covered in the ten seconds it took us to bail off the quad, run to the bank and put our clips in was astonishing, never seen anything like that before.
Just as we hit one knee, he stopped, lifted his head and was curling his lower lip down. It was obvious the river drowned out the drone of the quad but he smelt us and resumed his march.

"Ready bud, on three, if you don't drop him, I'm going to let one fly too its real thick on both sides we don't want him in there ok ?"

"1,2,3 Bang !... Bang! The bear curled up in a ball and somehow, he looked really small. I had a bad feeling when I saw that. He was whirling around on his back biting his side and let out a terrific 'whouuuugh'
He jumped up and started running, FAST the way he came. Bang, Bang, he ran into some slide bush and laid down but was kicking fierce.
"Dont shoot let him sit up or stand up and wait for it, you're going to get one more !!!"
The bear sat up like a dog and bang! He got up again and bolted and I shot again. Yeah we gave him pepper all right !

He was headed to the river fast, like he wasnt even hit. Then adrenaline kicked in, whoa. Joel was like he saw a ghost, he kept saying did you see how big that thing was ?!

We waited 10 mins and I said lets walk the road. We need to let him be but if he crossed the river again he will leave a sloppy wet trail across the road. With a 20 yard strip of timber between us and the river where he went, that was a fun creep, looking for a wounded G bear :lol:

We walked down about 3/4 of a km and back. Nothing. So I set up the cam and had a b.s to capture the moment and excitement.
We ended up going for a cruise to check the slide where we saw the sow two days prior. That big bear had been all through the valley all over our tracks and there was a fresh wolf track on the road, like as fresh as the bear. I went into kill mode to go after him but then I remembered, we just shot a bear lol

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLxEwkWEfUI


Back down we went, it'd been an hour and judging the bears reaction in the open then falling down again later we felt good and in we went.
The bear had gone about 150 yards and died 20 yards from the river in a real nice spot :roll:

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y305/TaylenJames/DSC00708_zps3805d4bc.jpg (http://s1024.photobucket.com/user/TaylenJames/media/DSC00708_zps3805d4bc.jpg.html)

We had him, he was a tank. We busted our ass for 7 days, over 1500 km and close to 75 on foot we figure and he came easy that day but not overall.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJIZfCEL2og


http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y305/TaylenJames/DSC00711_zpsc7a6134e.jpg (http://s1024.photobucket.com/user/TaylenJames/media/DSC00711_zpsc7a6134e.jpg.html)

After a couple sloppy pics I smashed the quad through the bush to winch him out, we cleaned him up best we could for field pics and then skinned him out in an hour. We were done just at dark, couldn't have worked out better. Did paws and the head in the morning, it was a long ways back to camp.

Gear FAILURE note. My brother bought a New Badlands Ox pack frame just for this trip, tied in the hyde for fun, lifted it up and it broke, what a piece of shit, $300.

[BlacktailStalker]

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y305/TaylenJames/DSC00722_zpsff66a1e5.jpg (http://s1024.photobucket.com/user/TaylenJames/media/DSC00722_zpsff66a1e5.jpg.html)

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y305/TaylenJames/DSC00714_zpse2a25350.jpg (http://s1024.photobucket.com/user/TaylenJames/media/DSC00714_zpse2a25350.jpg.html)

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y305/TaylenJames/DSC00715_zps668e1a41.jpg (http://s1024.photobucket.com/user/TaylenJames/media/DSC00715_zps668e1a41.jpg.html)

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y305/TaylenJames/DSC00726_zps7d013b78.jpg (http://s1024.photobucket.com/user/TaylenJames/media/DSC00726_zps7d013b78.jpg.html)

He was definitely in his prime, had a lot of leg and frame on him that could easily have held another 150lbs. His teeth were perfect and he didn't have a scar on him. This was his valley.

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y305/TaylenJames/DSC00732_zpsdcf66d87.jpg (http://s1024.photobucket.com/user/TaylenJames/media/DSC00732_zpsdcf66d87.jpg.html)

[BlacktailStalker]

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y305/TaylenJames/DSC00731_zpse2f0fd5a.jpg (http://s1024.photobucket.com/user/TaylenJames/media/DSC00731_zpse2f0fd5a.jpg.html)

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y305/TaylenJames/DSC00733_zps103e5e60.jpg (http://s1024.photobucket.com/user/TaylenJames/media/DSC00733_zps103e5e60.jpg.html)

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y305/TaylenJames/DSC00736_zps7f52a90b.jpg (http://s1024.photobucket.com/user/TaylenJames/media/DSC00736_zps7f52a90b.jpg.html)

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y305/TaylenJames/DSC00735_zps36d10aaa.jpg (http://s1024.photobucket.com/user/TaylenJames/media/DSC00735_zps36d10aaa.jpg.html)

[BlacktailStalker]

Hung to drip dry over night

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y305/TaylenJames/photo-6_zps18a096ad.jpg (http://s1024.photobucket.com/user/TaylenJames/media/photo-6_zps18a096ad.jpg.html)

He squared right at 8'6"
My brother is going to life size it.

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y305/TaylenJames/DSC00739_zps90c12a1c.jpg (http://s1024.photobucket.com/user/TaylenJames/media/DSC00739_zps90c12a1c.jpg.html)

One other thing. Don't leave too many things outside your tent. I woke up the next morning and one of my gators was gone. There was a fresh wolf crap on the road 50 yards from camp so I figured he picked it up and trotted down the road with it. Checked a few kms each way, nothing.
Tore through all our gear and it for sure wasnt there.
Then, my brother saw this little white weasel zip across the road. I got to thinking, i bet that little ******* stole my blood smelling gator. So I looked around, for an hour all over, under trees, in holes etc. Nothing. Then the little bugger showed up in camp. Absolutely he took it ! I spooked him to see which way he went and he booked it down into the timber, so we both took a side of the road and spent another hour each looking. My brother found it half pulled into a hole 50 yards from camp !!! Saved me $120 and a funny story. Lesson learned.

[gerrygoat]

Great looking bear, congrats :) They don't get much nicer than that.

[MB_Boy]

Awesome Andy! Congrats!

[coach]

Sorry - I'm just not a fan of these long, drawn out, descriptive stories full of great pictures, tips and gear reviews. Whatever happened to direct, to the point stories full of spelling mistakes and blurry cell cam photos? :-D

Awesome, Blacktailstalker! Holy shit - tank is definitely right! Phenomenal story and pictures and one of the most impressive bears ever posted here on HBC. Sounds like you guys worked very hard and were rewarded for your effort. Congratulations and thanks for taking the time to do such a great write up. :-D

[Ride]

Beuaty. What a bruiser. Love that country too. Gonna hafta get back out that way soon. Congrats to you and your brother.

[Moosehunter64]

When I go to your video`s it says that we have to get permission to view and log in?

[604redneck]

awesome bear, great story and pictures!

[d6dan]

Excellent hunt,story&pics Andy!. Joel has got himself a beautiful grizzly. Thanks for sharing big man..:-D Andy, what caliber did your Bro use?.

[Salty]

Awesome story, awesome pics, awesome bear... that's a whole lot of awesome right there. :-D You guys deserve that one you worked for it big time. Congrats.

[BlacktailStalker]

300 shorty's x 2

[Jack Russell]

Excellent story full of details and persistence.

Great job getting that bear!

I could taste the red cup rhumbas......

[xfactor]

what a brute!!! well done!

[srupp]

that SIR is awesome. great bear..GREAT BEAR. primo hide, wonderful adventure you shared in photos and words and the spirit of this saga.. well except for the photo of you laying on top of the bear...hmmm you where there for the hunting??right? Thorougly enjoyed this entire thread..and that's the results you can qachieve in G bear hunting busting your a$$ with effort and determaination...enjoyed the detailed account..not I shot a bar.period.

Thank you again...it will look awesome..it has everything you can ask for.... and you will remember this for your entire life. AND now when folks ask..are grizzlies fast? or can a grizzly soak up a lot of lead?? or how does it feel to go in after a wounded/shot grizzly??

congradulations

Steven

[Ovis17]

Epic......

[325]

Great bear! Thanks for telling the tale

[Tenacious Billy]

Great story and pics. Congrats on a beauty bear!

[Coop]

Holy Sh!t!!! That's so awesome. Congrats!

[TSW]

That bear is awesome. Sounds like you worked hard and didn't give up. That's impressive man. I couldn't see the vids, but the pics are super nice. I'm sure you'll be reliving those moments in your head for years to come. That thing is a pig.

[d6dan]

300 shorty's x 2

Right on.............

[Moe.JKU]

Wow looks like a great hunt. Congrats on the bear. Great write up and helped pass the time on this slow day at work.

[Pioneerman]

Great hunt story and bear thanks for the play by play with pics.

[kootenayelkslayer]

Great story, and really great bear! Congrats to you guys!

[Call of the Wild]

That is one cool hunting trip and what a nice big bear!!! Thanks for sharing it makes me dream of grizzly hunting again, great pictures I love it.

[walnutz]

Nice bear!! congrats!

[Gateholio]

Great story and bear. Good times! :)

[BearStump]

So, was that the old "grandpa" that the trapper was talking about? The same Hog that you tracked earlier in the hunt? or was this guy another pig that you came across?
Awesome hunt. thats what dreams are made of. never say it enough, you get out what you put in and you guys put it all in on this one.

[fester]

great pics and story, thanks for sharing!!!

[hunter1947]

Andy and Joel this thread is one of the best posted up on HBC over the years I felt like I was with you two ,,to bad I was not I can't always be with ether of you two on all hunts as you know :(.

I can tell you something big man your story and thread was well worth waiting for ,,,I have seen that look from your brother a few times ear to ear smile I like that Joel is turning into one good outdoors man and a good hunter at that with the help from you and others.

I was lucky enough to had been with Joel on getting his first WT deer and then last year getting his first elk in our camp was a great time for him me and a few others to see him getting his first WT and elk :-D.

All I can say is this hunt for that Griz was icing on the cake for Joel and you big man it could not have happened to a better two and I know how hard you and Joel work and you both deserve the ice cream on the cake ,,,I am so happy for Joel that he has the right guidance from you Andy can't get a better Arden hunter then that of you to teach Joel all the ropes in hunting ,,Joel has came a long ways in a short time with hunting http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/images/icons/icon14.png ..

Hear are just a few animals Joel has taken in the last 3 years ,,, monster cougar ,Black bear ,a nice WT buck ,,a 6x6 bull elk last year ,now this big Grizzly and I might have forgten a few ????.

Anyways enough said from this old fart ,,congrats to the big man and of course Joel the LEH holder that nailed this grizzly http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/images/icons/icon14.png..

[Spy]

Awesome bear great story. :-)

[Blainer]

That's what keeps me checking this site!
Great share!

[Sitkaspruce]

Sweet bear!!! Awesome story Andy!!!

Congrats to both of you, epic hunt with a great conclusion.

Utube does not work for me, Private only....I must be one of the excluded...LOL

Cheers

SS

[moosinaround]

There a part II to this story?

[chilcotin hillbilly]

Absolute Cranker!! Good job boys!

[WKCotts]

Awesome. Thanx for sharing. Looking forward to seeing the life size mount!!

[benttip]

very well done..thanks for the great sharing effort..andy spending time and helpin the litttle fellar pretty special..great bear joel...drop by anytime...court

[BCbillies]

Wow! Great hunt and outcome . . . this is a monster interior grizz! Will be tough to top this hunt.

[Rattler]

Congrats to you and your brother on a brute of a bear. Thanks for taking the time to write up this story with great pics as well. As others have said this is what makes HBC great!

Did you measure the bear nose to tail on the bear before skinning and if so what was his length? What was his pad measurement as well? thanks

[Dannybuoy]

Andy and Joel this thread is one of the best posted up on HBC over the years




Absoulutely ! Good reading guys ! and congrats on a very nice g-bear !

[gbear]

Great looking bear. Congrats!

[nature girl]

That was a great grizz. Thank you for taking the time to write up the events and the pictures.

[ThinAir]

Great looking bear! As with most grizz hunts... days and days of nothing, then a few seconds of sheer adrenalin!

[Brambles]

Great story there Andy, thanks for taking the time to post up. Great pics too.

[Knute]

Holy crap, that's a tank of a g-bear!

Great story and pics, the time and effort you two invested paid off big time.

Many stories to share through the coming years, congrats to you both.

[Stone Sheep Steve]

Good times, great story and bear!!!:cool::cool::cool: Congrats!!

[adamgarbett]

Absolutely awesome guys. Congratulations congratulations congratulations. Very very awesome story, pics, and bear 👍

[40incher]

Good job.

Glad to see you took pics of alot of different stuff. It's not just about the killin' ... Take in all the aspects of spring bear hunting, it is very unique for sure.

The hunt is the journey, the kill is the necessary end of any successful hunt.

That's what it's all about.

[fuzzybiscuit]

Awesome ending to a great hunt! It doesn't get any better!

Thanks for taking the time to tell your story.

[mwj]

thanks for the story Andy, thats a trip that will live in your memory for the rest of your life!
Congradulations to your brother for such a great bear, I'm jealous....
mark

[Rackmastr]

What an awesome awesome bear!!!!! Congrats on what seems like it was truly a great adventure!!!

[goathead]

great story and A awesome grizz
well done to the both of you.:mrgreen:

[trigger]

Right on boys. Nice grizz. Awesome story as per usual.

[Fella]

Awesome! Love the story, love the pics, way to keep at the hunt! Great looking bear!

[gcreek]

Excelent end to a great hunt.

Thanks for taking me along. I didn't even get wet!

[boxhitch]

Attago , a just reward for the hard work. Lots of lead in the air = priceless
Good he didn't make it to that river

[GoatGuy]

nice job man.

[Mr. Dean]

... congrats.

[ace76]

Man I love spring bear hunting, especially grizz. That was an awesome story with great pics, thanx for sharing your adventure with us. So rewarding to connect on a monster like that when you put that 110% effort in. Congrats boys.

[Ambush]

Wow, big adventure and even bigger bear!! Especially for a mountain grizzly. Congratulations to both of you!

All the hard work just makes the reward sweeter when it comes.

Is there any way for the "out of the loop" man to view the videos? These are always way better than the scripted TV stuff.

Thanks for the solid hunting entertainment!

[Elkaholic]

Thanks for sharing this hell of an adventure with everybody. What a story and great pics to go along with it as well. Congrats on that pig of a bear! Gets me thinking I need to start putting in for G bear draws.

[digger dogger]

Wicked bear guys, great story and pics too.

[Boner]

Right on guys, awesome! :)

[silvertipp]

congrats on a great bear and thanks for shareing your adventure with us

[hunter1947]

Joel It will be nice to see the finished resalts on this bear when you get it back from the taxidermist..

[Husky7mm]

Very nice bear, story and pictures. Congrats! I never take enough pictures. At the time the images are fresh in my head and I can't stop hunting for a second. I think if that were grandpa he would have scares on his face. Bad timing for the bear to be by the noisy river right then lol. Seems like if they are aware of your presents they can suck up some extra lead.
Ps notellum creek, and secret mt for future ref.;)

[Husky7mm]

Oh, why would you sell the quad and tracks, did that not play a big part in the trip of perhaps a lifetime?

[markt308]

awesome. Great field pics too!

[ElliotMoose]

Great read and pictures fellas, sounds like a hell of a hunt and some great memories. You earned this one!

[elkhunter1]

It all has been Said.
Congrats.

[Moose63]

That was entertaining.....Thanks

[sawmill]

You are one of the best here!Thankyou for the story and the pictures,it made me feel like the days back up north .Congrats and thanks again!

[Geo.338]

Gotta love spring grizz hunting , congrats on a beauty bear !

[HarryToolips]

Nice job wicked pics man

[yama49]

Awesome bear, and great story..CONGRATS

[decker9]

What'a hunt you fellas had!! Fantastic read! Congrats on a great bear!

[hunter1947]

Andy Is your bother getting a full bear mount on his griz ???

[BiG Boar]

great read man. Thanks for the thread, even though it was a bit long and drawn out and attention whoreish.

Congrats to Joel. Those bears are a lot of work. But a lot of fun.

[BlacktailStalker]

Andy Is your bother getting a full bear mount on his griz ???

Yes.

Thanks guys. Good luck to the guys still trying !

[Elkhound]

awesome write up. enjoyed it very much. Too bad I couldnt see the vids. it says vid is private Sorry

[Ltbullken]

Great story, you guys worked hard for that animal! Miles and perseverence are always key to a successful hunt. Any thoughts about the 300 short performance? What bullet were you using, etc.? My buddy and I are putting in for spring griz next year and any info would be helpful.

Way to go! Thanks for taking the time to write this up.

[todbartell]

cool story bro

[BlacktailStalker]

Killed everything with a 300wsm myself, great choice.
Double heart lung with a 168tsx and recovered my bullet in the Hyde on the opp side (reminds me i have to find it) Bro was using 180 partitions of some sort... lets just say it's a good thing I pulled the trigger too or he might have went a bit further. They didn't do a lot to that beast, maybe the thick hair and hyde? He always wanted to switch so he's gonna gear up and I can show him how to reload.
i have no idea why the vids are private I think when I got from iMovie on my Mac to uploading to YouTube it did it automatically and i can't see where to change it ??

[proguide66]

Killed everything with a 300wsm myself, great choice.Double heart lung with a 168tsx and recovered my bullet in the Hyde on the opp side (reminds me i have to find it) Bro was using 180 partitions of some sort... lets just say it's a good thing I pulled the trigger too or he might have went a bit further. They didn't do a lot to that beast, maybe the thick hair and hyde? He always wanted to switch so he's gonna gear up and I can show him how to reload.i have no idea why the vids are private I think when I got from iMovie on my Mac to uploading to YouTube it did it automatically and i can't see where to change it ?? Holy , what a bear ! I bin guideing all week , not a chance to read this. Cant wait to see the vids. That's a 'perfect' huge grizz !! congrats bigtime !!!!