2017 Bear season!

[davidlt89]

Ok! I finally got on a photo sharing website I can stand, So I am ready to post some pictures!

As some of you know, we are aloud to bait and trap bear in this fine state, baiting season starts about a month out from the actual hunting season. 3 years ago the state started a youth bear day which occurs the saturday before the actual season opens, this year it was on Aug 26th.

First up was my middle son who is 11! His older brother shot his bear 2 years ago, and this guy missed last year first thing in the morning. I had a total of 5 different bear pretty much regularly coming. I say "pretty much" because I had one big bruiser showing up every 6-7 days. He would always show up between 12-2am, so I new if this guy was going in the freezer it would have to be trapped. I also had two yearlings coming regularly and two other bear that appeared to be "older", but not huge.

We got up at 4:00am sharp, due to my son's request, and were in the blind by 4:30. We hunted for about 3 hours in the morning then packed it up and went back in the house.

We then had plans to get back in the stand at 4pm but did not make it until 4:30pm. We sat for an hour and a half when I just happened to see one of the yearlings come out right in front of the bait barrel. My son just happened to be looking at the ground, so I gave him a tap and we got ready.

We had gone over a game plan before getting in the blind. If a bear showed up, I would grab the steady stix and get them set while he got the rifle in position. I would then pull the hammer back (it is a thompson center encore and he has a hard time getting the hammer back with the scope) and he would take the shot when it presented itself.

As usual, none of that went to plan! When he noticed the bear, he froze! I had to verbally tell him to put the gun up. He finally got the gun up and I got it cocked right away and he got set on the stix.

By this time the bear was "onto" the blind and all the commotion and was acting pretty skiddish! I told him he needed to shoot now even the bear was face on. The bear actually turned left and was heading out when the gun went off.

It did not look like a "hit" bear after the shot. BUT, after the shot, my son looked at me and said with authority, "I know I hit that bear dad"! And it is a good thing he did because there was absolutely no blood what so ever.

After 15 minutes of searching, I finally found it in a big mess of blow downs, by the Grace of God! I relayed to him I found it and he was yelling and dancing! I suggested he stop for moment and come and see the bear, he agreed.:laugh:

As I was dragging it out of the woods he made it clear that he would not be gutting anything on this day! I let it slide since it was his first but made it clear it has to happen someday! He is still thinking about it! on a side note, he totally obliterated the heart! He use a 25-06 with a 115gr berger VLD. Same gun his brother used.

I cut the bear up the next day and we feasted on the back straps and tenderloins, delicious!

I had my 9 year old sit the next weekend but activity on a stand quiets down quite a bit after a bear is shot. So I decided to put my snare out. This year I got a snare from a friend that would assure a foot catch. All I needed to do was pick where I believe the bear would step getting food out of the barrel and then embed it like a coyote trap!

The snare sat for a week when I noticed it was set off with nothing in it. I grabbed my card out of the camera and it was indeed the big boy, I had missed him. I then reset it and waited again.

it took another week but I had a new bear show up for the first time and I got him by the back foot. I could not dispatch him that morning due to having to go to work and it was supposed to be 80 degrees that day so he would of spoiled dead.

So when I got home from work, I went and got the 375 H&H with a 300gr accubond and dispatched him rather quickly. That bullet blew a 6" exit hole in the bear, it was dead in 5 seconds. I then came to the house and got the tractor and went down to drag him up to the house. Gutted him and got to the tagging station.

The regular baiting season ended this last saturday and the kids do not have time to tend a trap properly so I am putting all the gear away until next year!! So all in all, a good season and am very happy for my middle son. He has also asked to get a head mount so that will be at the taxidermist pretty soon! God Bless.
thumbnail (3) by David LeTourneau, on Flickr
thumbnail (2) by David LeTourneau, on Flickr
thumbnail (1) by David LeTourneau, on Flickr
thumbnail by David LeTourneau, on Flickr

[recoil junky]

Well done David!! Great pictures and a great story.

What would you guess your "Bruiser" weighs?

RJ

[gitano]

Congratulations to ALL!

Paul

[sakorick]

Good going, David. Looks like great fun.

[davidlt89]

What would you guess your "Bruiser" weighs?

My guess would be he was very close to dressing out around 300lbs, but hard to tell. I would of like to have found out, but I am grateful for what God gives me! God Bless.