Guy M
Well-Known Member
Mostly I hunt mule deer, 'cause they live in good numbers near my home and I enjoy both the hunt and the meat. But... We also have bears. And as a hunter, I really wanted a bear. But honestly, I didn't know beans about 'em. I'd run into bear now and again, fishing, hiking, camping, but almost never during bear season with a tag in my pocket and a rifle in hand.
My first real opportunity came during what Washington Dept of Fish & Wildlife refers to as the "High Buck Season" when it's legal to venture into the Wilderness Areas to hunt mule deer in their summer range. I did so that year with my 50 cal traditional muzzle loader. Way up in the high country on a steep ridgetop, I noticed a bear coming my way, roughly a quarter mile away. I watched and waited, concealed by a deadfall... The bear approached, I readied myself and my rifle... Then I noticed a cub tumbling along behind her! Oh crud! I didn't want to shoot a sow at all, let alone one with a cub in tow.
So, at about 30 yards, as she was getting closer and closer... I stood up and said "Hi bear." Ha! She hooked a 90 degree left turn and took off running! The poor cub was trying to figure out what the heck had happened and followed mom. I laughed. It was one of my best hunting experiences. Still is.
Fast forward a few years, I'd made a few attempts at bear hunting, but... had no results. Finally as I was grumbling about it, a buddy took me under his wing and showed me the ropes! Yes! Hunted one year with him with nothing to show, but I'd seen bears, in season. It was good! Then the next year... Well, my son and I both tagged good black bears. Here in Washington a 6' bear is considered pretty good. His was barely under 6', mine a couple of inches over 6'.
Skulls on both were a tad over 18" and we got two nice bearskin rugs here in the house as well as learning that summer sausage as well as bear chops & bear roasts are quite good!
My son took another one a couple of years later:
:
I tagged another at about 325 yards with one shot from my 30-06 rifle:
Along the way I learned to call for bears using a deer-in-distress call. Be careful if you do this! A 300 pound bear is NOT a 30 pound coyote... I called one bear to within 20 yards!
Most of our bear hunting has been classic spot and stalk. Find a food source (berries!) and watch it. Watch it, watch it... Good binos and a laser rangefinder are a huge help. So is a reasonably flat shooting cartridge which will hit 'em hard. Bears are often sort of a "fuzzy blob" in the scope. Try to figure out the parts, then shoot for the front leg/shoulder hoping to blast through it into the vitals.
Our longest shot at a bear was 325 yards or so. Not sure I want to push much farther than that on bear. If wounded, they can go a long way and often don't leave much of a trail.
Best of luck! Guy
My first real opportunity came during what Washington Dept of Fish & Wildlife refers to as the "High Buck Season" when it's legal to venture into the Wilderness Areas to hunt mule deer in their summer range. I did so that year with my 50 cal traditional muzzle loader. Way up in the high country on a steep ridgetop, I noticed a bear coming my way, roughly a quarter mile away. I watched and waited, concealed by a deadfall... The bear approached, I readied myself and my rifle... Then I noticed a cub tumbling along behind her! Oh crud! I didn't want to shoot a sow at all, let alone one with a cub in tow.
So, at about 30 yards, as she was getting closer and closer... I stood up and said "Hi bear." Ha! She hooked a 90 degree left turn and took off running! The poor cub was trying to figure out what the heck had happened and followed mom. I laughed. It was one of my best hunting experiences. Still is.
Fast forward a few years, I'd made a few attempts at bear hunting, but... had no results. Finally as I was grumbling about it, a buddy took me under his wing and showed me the ropes! Yes! Hunted one year with him with nothing to show, but I'd seen bears, in season. It was good! Then the next year... Well, my son and I both tagged good black bears. Here in Washington a 6' bear is considered pretty good. His was barely under 6', mine a couple of inches over 6'.
Skulls on both were a tad over 18" and we got two nice bearskin rugs here in the house as well as learning that summer sausage as well as bear chops & bear roasts are quite good!
My son took another one a couple of years later:
I tagged another at about 325 yards with one shot from my 30-06 rifle:
Along the way I learned to call for bears using a deer-in-distress call. Be careful if you do this! A 300 pound bear is NOT a 30 pound coyote... I called one bear to within 20 yards!
Most of our bear hunting has been classic spot and stalk. Find a food source (berries!) and watch it. Watch it, watch it... Good binos and a laser rangefinder are a huge help. So is a reasonably flat shooting cartridge which will hit 'em hard. Bears are often sort of a "fuzzy blob" in the scope. Try to figure out the parts, then shoot for the front leg/shoulder hoping to blast through it into the vitals.
Our longest shot at a bear was 325 yards or so. Not sure I want to push much farther than that on bear. If wounded, they can go a long way and often don't leave much of a trail.
Best of luck! Guy
