First black bear!

marksman1941

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May 20, 2013
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It's currently 3am, and I'm finally in bed after packing out my first black bear. I'm still too excited to sleep I think.

A good friend of mine is an avid bear hunter, but has been seriously sick (crohns) and hasn't been able to hunt for a few years. This year things are better, and he invited me out for an evening bear hunt while the blackberries were still ripe.

Around 8pm (still well before end of shooting light) I spotted a black bear across the draw at 300. He was moseying along and thankfully not spooked, cause I took my sweet time fumbling with ear plugs before I could get lined up on him.

I finally got situated, flopped on my belly for the shot, and my overloaded pack whacked me on the back of the head and made me eat the rifle stock. After I shook that off, I ranged the bear again at 350, checked me dope chart on the rifle, and whacked him with a .300 win shooting 180gr Norma Oryx out of my browning a bolt.

He dropped like a stone from a solid high shoulder hit and rolled downhill. After an education 90 minute bear breakdown and deboning, we packed 110 pounds of meat (which did include the head, required by local DFW) uphill 2 miles to the trucks. That part was a bit rough.

But, a celebratory whiskey drink and cooldown were followed by a 1am Taco Bell stop, capped with some meat cleaning and prep so it can sit overnight (or for a few hours at least).

Sorry for the novel, I'm just excited and thought I'd share. Also I have no clue how to pose with bear so beat with me on the picture lol
 

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Congratulations! Kinda like women……you never forget your first! 😉

I must ask however……where are ya hunting at in August? Seems too much like summer! 😁 memtb
I thought that too! I'm in southern oregon. It was 82 on the hill yesterday and about 65 hiking out. I had planned to wait for later in the year (because I hate the heat) but my buddy assured me that his best tasting bears have all been harvested in august, just due to how many berries are actively ripe. Acorn bears apparently aren't as tasty.
 

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