another good bear hunt

davidlt89 · September 16, 2011, 06:45:18 PM

2 years ago I had made a friend on another sight who really wanted to go on a bear hunt. He had been to Ontario twice with no dice. I gave him the invitation to come up here and bear hunt and he had accepted. The day before he was to leave, he got sick and could not make trip. He got a hold of me this year and we rescheduled. He was supposed to come for the first week of the season but his flight got cancelled due to the hurricane moving up the east coast. I told him I would probably hunt the first week and that it would be better to come up the third week so he rebooked and got here last sunday to try his luck at a maine blackbear. The sight I had shot my bear on was not doing so hot, so we hunted a sight I had set another buddy on since the bait was getting hit pretty good and we were getting pictures. The first night (monday) we had a bear come in to the left but did not come into sight. It was not happy and managed to make a bunch of noise and a lot of sound before leaving. Tuesday night we had absolutely no action what so ever. Wed night we heard one going through the woods towards a brook down behind the bait but never committed to the bait. later that night we had one come close enough we could hear it sniffing but needed at least 10 more feet to get a shot, which it never did. thursday night was a bust as it was raining so hard we never went out. So tonight was his last night to sit before shipping out tomorrow. I figured I would take him into the bait and leave him there. to be honest, I was not sure why these bear were not making it to the bait so I figured I would eliminate myself which meant one less person to give off a scent and one less person to move. My friend had made a makeshift blind out of some material but did not bother to make any sides, just made sure he was hidden from the front, where the bait bucket was. I took my friend in around 4:00 and headed back to my car to get my binoculars and scout the fields up above. Found some nice deer sign and inspected a beaver a pond. At about 5:30 I was headed back towards my buddy when I spied a ginormous bull moose coming out to get some clover. I pulled out my phone and commenced to close the distance to get a good picture. As I was creeping up on this moose, which totally knew i was creeping up on it, I heard the ring of my buddies 45-70. The moose turned in that direction and I took off running towards it to close some distance. As I was on my way towards the moose, my buddy gave me a call and I stopped the chase and took his call. the bear had actually come in from behind him and was about 15 ft when he noticed it. As the bear got closer he decided to take the safety off. The bear took a few steps back and when it did, my buddy swung his gun around and put it on the shoulder. I believe he was using a barnes 250gr TSX. He let the lead fly and it brought the bear to its knees and it got back up and ran the same way it came from. When I got there I could find absolutely no blood what so ever, so I started searching in a grid. I found the bear about 20 yards away deader than a door nail! my buddy is really restricted in mobility so he could not help look. I was going to mess with him telling him I could not find blood and it did not look good, but just did not have the heart to do so. I called another friend with a pick up and he drove to us to help out. I thought we could drive up to the edge of the woods but the field was so wet we almost got the truck stuck about 50 yards off the road. So, I got out my drag strap and headed back to my buddy. I got it gutted out and my other friend and I drug that bear about 300 yards down through the field. the bullet entered the left shoulder and totally went through it and i recovered the bullet right behind the right shoulder right under the skin. we got it to my house so the boys could see it before bed and went to the tagging station. The bruin weighed in at 181 dressed out. I thought for sure it was around 200, but maybe that was the 300 yard drag talking. Here are a couple of pictures off of my phone of my buddies first ever blackbear, enjoy. God bless.

gitano · September 17, 2011, 08:08:54 AM

Nice bear!

Of course I have some questions. .. :)

Did you get a picture of the bullet?

And, did you get a picture of the moose?

Paul

davidlt89 · September 17, 2011, 10:04:15 AM

I did not take a picture of the bullet, but Dave will send me a picture of it, when I get it, I will post it. It looked a like a flower with all the pedals pointing down!
As far as the moose, I have a couple pictures at 50 yards. Not close enough with the phone to be good. I probably could of gotten much closer if dave had not shot the bear, but I will gladly trade those pictures for his bear! Got it all taken care of and in my freezer and will deliver his head to the taxidermist next week. God bless.

recoil junky · September 17, 2011, 11:55:59 AM

Oooooooohh aaaaaaahhhh.

He's a biggun! Or else the talented photographer made him look that big

RJ

gitano · September 17, 2011, 01:44:04 PM

Understandable.

Have we seen a picture of any of your "back from the taxidermist" bear skulls? If so, how about posting them again?

Paul

davidlt89 · September 17, 2011, 06:12:13 PM

QuoteOr else the talented photographer made him look that big

heres the talented photographers picture of the moose

here is one with it blown up

QuoteHave we seen a picture of any of your "back from the taxidermist" bear skulls?

are you talking about shoulder mounts or "actual skulls". I do have a shoulder mount down in my room that I had done in 2002, and I did a skull myself in 2008. I can post pictures if you like. God Bless.

davidlt89 · September 17, 2011, 06:19:05 PM

Actually here is a picture I had in photobucket of my shoulder mount.

I can get a better pic if you would like.

Here is the skull I did.

I did take the pelt from last years bear to the taxidermy in september of last year and have not received it back yet!!!!! God Bless.

gitano · September 17, 2011, 06:44:31 PM

I do remember those now that I see them again. Thanks!

Nice moose!

Paul

buckshot roberts · September 19, 2011, 08:19:55 AM

nice.................Ron

davidlt89 · September 19, 2011, 01:06:43 PM

Here is the recovered Barnes TSX.

davidlt89 · September 19, 2011, 03:38:05 PM

Couple more pics of the bear.

Fieldmor77 · September 20, 2011, 03:17:48 PM

Another good Bear, you blokes are on a roll, interesting photo of the Barnes TSX expansion, i have been trying to get my hands on some 80gr 6mm TSX'S for quite a while now but for the life of me can't find anyone who has any in stock.

gitano · September 20, 2011, 07:27:41 PM

Great pictures, David!

Thanks!

Paul