My 8,000 Foot Wyoming Black Bear
By Len Backus
As soon as the big boar turned slightly to his right the 180 grain Berger bullet was on its way along the 574 yard arcing route across the steep canyon. Hit hard, the bear buckled, spun, and then sprinted downhill about 50 yards toward us and then to its left, finally collapsing on the ground.
Through my 25 power Nightforce ATACR rifle scope I watched his head move ever so slightly waiting to see if he'd need a second shot. Soon there was no movement and it was time for high fives. I had just taken a beautiful six and a half foot black bear at 8,000 feet in the Wyoming mountains!
Here I was during spring just below the rapidly receding snow line having lived a dream. Several years ago I had realized that spot and stalk black bear hunting in the western mountains during the early June "rut" season may be the perfect perennial addition to my annual calendar. I drive from my home in Wisconsin to the western mountain states about 10 times per year. In recent years each fall I have been hunting antelope, mule deer and elk. It is always a long wait from the end of my last big game hunt in late fall until the first such hunt 9 months later. In between big game hunting season years, my numerous western trips focus on meeting up with western friends for coyote hunting, shooting, scouting or just solo hiking in some of the best outdoor photographic areas of the country.
My hope now was that I would like my first spring bear hunt and plan to repeat it often in future years. Well, the whole experience was a bases-loaded home run. This trip met all my expectations and I plan on repeating it during early June for at least the next few years.
A couple times in recent years I had headed west on solo DIY attempts to begin black bear hunting. With location advice from western friends I tried a couple spots in Montana. To make that long story short, my first trips featured a few obstacles like blocked forest service road access and an untimely early June snow storm. I saw one bear, a nice sized one, a mile away and moving toward private land.
At the end of that particular hunt the realization of what a bear kill would actually mean in logistics for a solo hunter on foot in the mountains started sinking in. Where I was hunting in the state of Montana I would be required to haul out hide, head and all meat. My body is doing much better than most at my age but it started sounding like maybe it wasn't such a smart idea after all to do it unguided as a solo hunter.
Right about then Robb Wiley of Non-Typical Outfitters emailed me some pictures of really big color-phase bears his clients had just killed during the 2013 spring season. Wow, they looked great! I was already committed with him for a LRH Group Hunt for deer and another for elk. I had done my due diligence and knew he ran a top notch operation.
Suddenly the whole spot and stalk black bear logistics issue for me became quite simplified in my mind. I would organize a LRH Group Hunt for the next year -- 2014. I love DIY hunts but had been realizing what a challenge it would actually be to find my own bear and then haul it all out from the mountains. Plus I have been enjoying the comradery of the group aspect of last years' two LRH Group Hunts - one for deer and one for elk. Robb's hunts involve horses and mules and are based right in the mountains working out of tent camps.
Our camp last week was in a beautiful valley with the tents pitched about 10 feet from a rushing stream and with mountains in the background.
By Len Backus
As soon as the big boar turned slightly to his right the 180 grain Berger bullet was on its way along the 574 yard arcing route across the steep canyon. Hit hard, the bear buckled, spun, and then sprinted downhill about 50 yards toward us and then to its left, finally collapsing on the ground.
Through my 25 power Nightforce ATACR rifle scope I watched his head move ever so slightly waiting to see if he'd need a second shot. Soon there was no movement and it was time for high fives. I had just taken a beautiful six and a half foot black bear at 8,000 feet in the Wyoming mountains!
Here I was during spring just below the rapidly receding snow line having lived a dream. Several years ago I had realized that spot and stalk black bear hunting in the western mountains during the early June "rut" season may be the perfect perennial addition to my annual calendar. I drive from my home in Wisconsin to the western mountain states about 10 times per year. In recent years each fall I have been hunting antelope, mule deer and elk. It is always a long wait from the end of my last big game hunt in late fall until the first such hunt 9 months later. In between big game hunting season years, my numerous western trips focus on meeting up with western friends for coyote hunting, shooting, scouting or just solo hiking in some of the best outdoor photographic areas of the country.
My hope now was that I would like my first spring bear hunt and plan to repeat it often in future years. Well, the whole experience was a bases-loaded home run. This trip met all my expectations and I plan on repeating it during early June for at least the next few years.
A couple times in recent years I had headed west on solo DIY attempts to begin black bear hunting. With location advice from western friends I tried a couple spots in Montana. To make that long story short, my first trips featured a few obstacles like blocked forest service road access and an untimely early June snow storm. I saw one bear, a nice sized one, a mile away and moving toward private land.
At the end of that particular hunt the realization of what a bear kill would actually mean in logistics for a solo hunter on foot in the mountains started sinking in. Where I was hunting in the state of Montana I would be required to haul out hide, head and all meat. My body is doing much better than most at my age but it started sounding like maybe it wasn't such a smart idea after all to do it unguided as a solo hunter.
I get asked often for gear advice.
Len's Gear On This Hunt
Len's Gear On This Hunt
- Optics: Vortex 10x42 Razor HD binos and 11-33x50 Razor HD spotting scope
- Tripod: Vortex Summit SS
- Emergency Communication: Spot Satellite Phone
- Boots: Kenetrek Hardscrabble Hiker
- Clothing: Sitka Gear
- Rangefinder: G7 BR2
- Rifle Scope: Nightforce ATACR 5-25x56
- Bipod: Atlas - BT10-LW17
- Hearing Protection: SoundGear Electronic Hearing Protection
- Rifle: 7mm Dakota built by Len's own Long Range Rifles, LLC
Right about then Robb Wiley of Non-Typical Outfitters emailed me some pictures of really big color-phase bears his clients had just killed during the 2013 spring season. Wow, they looked great! I was already committed with him for a LRH Group Hunt for deer and another for elk. I had done my due diligence and knew he ran a top notch operation.
Suddenly the whole spot and stalk black bear logistics issue for me became quite simplified in my mind. I would organize a LRH Group Hunt for the next year -- 2014. I love DIY hunts but had been realizing what a challenge it would actually be to find my own bear and then haul it all out from the mountains. Plus I have been enjoying the comradery of the group aspect of last years' two LRH Group Hunts - one for deer and one for elk. Robb's hunts involve horses and mules and are based right in the mountains working out of tent camps.
Our camp last week was in a beautiful valley with the tents pitched about 10 feet from a rushing stream and with mountains in the background.
My 8,000 Foot Wyoming Black Bear
Shortly after reaching the tent camp, Robb had us out in the field checking zeros on our rifles. Then he began a two hour instructional session on what I am starting to call "practical field positions for effectively killing big game". Last October during the LRH Group Elk Hunt I was quite impressed with Robb's own shooting skills and his ability to teach the practical aspects of shooting in the mountains.
We long range hunters head out west envisioning the perfect prone position setup where we have all the time in the world to dope the wind and set our drops on the scope. Well it doesn't always work out that way and most of us need to become more proficient at quickly adapting when Mister Big Boy presents himself. Making do with steep downhill, seated shooting positions utilizing shooting sticks when a more solid prone position is just not available will mean more animals put onto the ground.
During our training session we shot cross-canyon from 250 yards out to about 500 yards from a seated position using shooting sticks. This is very difficult to do off level ground but when hunting conditions force you to shoot seated on a down-slope with your feet below your butt, it is actually easier to do than when on level ground. Robb also spent time demonstrating a technique involving resting or leaning the shooting shoulder or arm back into the slope.
These techniques can make a huge improvement in the ability to take a steady shot. When you can start making 3/4 MOA shots in this position you are going to see your confidence grow exponentially. And you are going to kill more animals.
Another time the drill was: you come carefully to the top of a rocky ridge, spot a bear, prepare and take the shot as quickly as you can.
We were shooting at a drop away steel target that would reset itself. I remember Robb being impressed with the extra oomph coming out of my 7mm Dakota. I shoot a 180 grain Berger at about 3100 feet per second. The others were shooting milder cartridges.
I have just a couple hundred rounds through this new rifle. It features a lighter stock that is becoming the standard for my Long Range Rifles, LLC weapons. This one is the Manners EH-1 stock which has a slightly higher comb which lines up nicely with rifle scopes to provide a better cheek weld. I am also using one of my new, available fluted barrels. So all in all, a significantly lighter rifle than I had been offering.
We long range hunters head out west envisioning the perfect prone position setup where we have all the time in the world to dope the wind and set our drops on the scope. Well it doesn't always work out that way and most of us need to become more proficient at quickly adapting when Mister Big Boy presents himself. Making do with steep downhill, seated shooting positions utilizing shooting sticks when a more solid prone position is just not available will mean more animals put onto the ground.
During our training session we shot cross-canyon from 250 yards out to about 500 yards from a seated position using shooting sticks. This is very difficult to do off level ground but when hunting conditions force you to shoot seated on a down-slope with your feet below your butt, it is actually easier to do than when on level ground. Robb also spent time demonstrating a technique involving resting or leaning the shooting shoulder or arm back into the slope.
These techniques can make a huge improvement in the ability to take a steady shot. When you can start making 3/4 MOA shots in this position you are going to see your confidence grow exponentially. And you are going to kill more animals.
Another time the drill was: you come carefully to the top of a rocky ridge, spot a bear, prepare and take the shot as quickly as you can.
We were shooting at a drop away steel target that would reset itself. I remember Robb being impressed with the extra oomph coming out of my 7mm Dakota. I shoot a 180 grain Berger at about 3100 feet per second. The others were shooting milder cartridges.
I have just a couple hundred rounds through this new rifle. It features a lighter stock that is becoming the standard for my Long Range Rifles, LLC weapons. This one is the Manners EH-1 stock which has a slightly higher comb which lines up nicely with rifle scopes to provide a better cheek weld. I am also using one of my new, available fluted barrels. So all in all, a significantly lighter rifle than I had been offering.
My 8,000 Foot Wyoming Black Bear
SHOOTING CLASS
Join me and my son Andy for a three day "practical field positions for effectively killing big game" class presented by Non-Typical Outfitters and with my assistance.
8am to 7pm Central Time 7 days
The next morning our 4 hunters left camp around 9:30. That sounds sinfully late but we would not be returning until long after dark -- between 10:30 and midnight. The others headed off on horseback but Robb and I were traveling the first half hour in his truck trailering our horses and one pack mule.
The hunting area is in the Bridger-Teton National Forest in the far western part of Wyoming. We moved along just below ridge tops on our horses, glassing often for cruising bears.
On my first day at almost noon Robb spotted a striking color phase bear about 1,100 yards across the canyon. The head and legs were brown and the rest of the body was almost blond, it was so light in color. Very striking appearance. After a five minute discussion we decided to go after it. We quickly worked our way down-slope through fairly dense trees until we arrived at a spot on the slope that was about 540 yards across from where we last saw our quarry.
It soon became apparent the bear was gone. Since we were about to leave this area Robb suggested I could take a shot to check my zero and to practice the down-slope seated shooting sticks position some more. I found a 20 inch light-colored rock and hit it but neither of us could tell just where I had hit it. So we found a 7 inch by 3 inch rock at 613 yards and I shot again. This one I missed but Robb said the miss was by only a half inch or so since he saw the smallish rock move from the bullet hitting the dirt right next to it.
I'm telling you this new emphasis and training on the down-slope seated shooting sticks position is a big game changer for me in mountain country! I will be practicing that shot a lot over the years. There just are too many situations where you can't always get prone in the mountains where and when you want to.
By late in the afternoon after a couple of swollen stream crossings we made our way to a potential shooting spot across a canyon from a bait setup. We talked about what I might expect in terms of behaviors if a bear came to the bait before dark.
With about 45 minutes of legal shooting light left a big black bear suddenly appeared fairly close to the bait. Neither of us had seen it approach but it was there. It gave me a couple of legitimate but brief shot opportunities but I was simply not prepared yet to take the shot.
After only about two minutes the bear suddenly left, apparently made nervous at the sound of a pair of cow elk moving through grass a little lower on the hillside than the bear was. We hoped he'd be back that night during good shooting light but as light levels fell we finally gave up.
Darn! That was a very good bear. And I blew it by not being quite prepared to take the shot. Hopefully he'd be back tomorrow evening. We headed back down the mountain in the dark without our headlamps shining, relying on the superior night vision of the horses to stay on the trail. Very impressive.
Join me and my son Andy for a three day "practical field positions for effectively killing big game" class presented by Non-Typical Outfitters and with my assistance.
- Set in the western mountains of Wyoming.
- Tent camp and horses.
- Friday through Sunday, August 1 to 3, 2014
8am to 7pm Central Time 7 days
The next morning our 4 hunters left camp around 9:30. That sounds sinfully late but we would not be returning until long after dark -- between 10:30 and midnight. The others headed off on horseback but Robb and I were traveling the first half hour in his truck trailering our horses and one pack mule.
The hunting area is in the Bridger-Teton National Forest in the far western part of Wyoming. We moved along just below ridge tops on our horses, glassing often for cruising bears.
On my first day at almost noon Robb spotted a striking color phase bear about 1,100 yards across the canyon. The head and legs were brown and the rest of the body was almost blond, it was so light in color. Very striking appearance. After a five minute discussion we decided to go after it. We quickly worked our way down-slope through fairly dense trees until we arrived at a spot on the slope that was about 540 yards across from where we last saw our quarry.
It soon became apparent the bear was gone. Since we were about to leave this area Robb suggested I could take a shot to check my zero and to practice the down-slope seated shooting sticks position some more. I found a 20 inch light-colored rock and hit it but neither of us could tell just where I had hit it. So we found a 7 inch by 3 inch rock at 613 yards and I shot again. This one I missed but Robb said the miss was by only a half inch or so since he saw the smallish rock move from the bullet hitting the dirt right next to it.
I'm telling you this new emphasis and training on the down-slope seated shooting sticks position is a big game changer for me in mountain country! I will be practicing that shot a lot over the years. There just are too many situations where you can't always get prone in the mountains where and when you want to.
By late in the afternoon after a couple of swollen stream crossings we made our way to a potential shooting spot across a canyon from a bait setup. We talked about what I might expect in terms of behaviors if a bear came to the bait before dark.
With about 45 minutes of legal shooting light left a big black bear suddenly appeared fairly close to the bait. Neither of us had seen it approach but it was there. It gave me a couple of legitimate but brief shot opportunities but I was simply not prepared yet to take the shot.
After only about two minutes the bear suddenly left, apparently made nervous at the sound of a pair of cow elk moving through grass a little lower on the hillside than the bear was. We hoped he'd be back that night during good shooting light but as light levels fell we finally gave up.
Darn! That was a very good bear. And I blew it by not being quite prepared to take the shot. Hopefully he'd be back tomorrow evening. We headed back down the mountain in the dark without our headlamps shining, relying on the superior night vision of the horses to stay on the trail. Very impressive.
My 8,000 Foot Wyoming Black Bear
Back at camp we learned my Wisconsin friend Dave who had traveled with me had killed a very nice six and a half foot color phase bear. His earlier shooting practice paid off as he took his bear cleanly at about 250 yards with one shot. The next day Dave spent a relaxed day recovering his trophy and then taking both hide and head into town to register it and to make a couple business phone calls.
On my second day of hunting Robb and I saw no bears during the day. We did however see more spectacular mountain scenery and a number of elk and deer including one very nice shooter buck in the early stages of antler development.
Robb and I eventually set up again across the canyon from our same bait station hoping Mister Big would be back before dark. I was determined to be better prepared this time.
Suddenly Robb spotted my bear about 75 yards to the right of the bait station. I got on my rifle scope and watched him slowly make his way toward the bait. During his movement he was behind brush or trees most of the time. At one point he was in the clear and broadside but still moving with no smart shooting opportunity.
Eventually he neared the bait and I shot him as described in my opening paragraph. To get to him we had to first go down the ridge we were on to the bottom and cross a couple streams. By now we were hurrying to get to him before pitch dark set in. The horses again did a great job. We made our way up the opposite ridge and found him right away. This bear was all black except his muzzle and was the first non-color phase bear taken by Non-Typical Outfitters in about 3 years.
The plan was to come back for skull and hide recovery the next day so after a few photos with flash in the dark we headed back to camp.
Back in camp we learned that Mike (Hammer) and Tom were not back yet. We hoped they were late because they each got a bear. Later we learned they each had taken a shot. It was decided to not try hard in the dark to find any bears that may have been hit for fear of pushing them too much. Both hunters came back to camp with that uneasy feeling.
The next morning Mike and Tom each left with their own guides to hopefully find their bears waiting for them but it was just not to be we learned later. Tom did kill a beautiful color phase bear on his last day but Mike went home empty-handed but with fond memories of a wonderful but challenging hunt.
Robb, Dave and I headed back to retrieve my own bear and to take some better quality daytime photos of my big bear. I snapped some pictures of my own showing my shooting spot across the canyon. What a priceless mellow moment I was having!
The food was very good, the camp was neat and comfortable, the hunts were well organized, the guides and cook were great, the weather was near perfect and I now have a new favorite horse to ride next time I hunt with Non-Typical Outfitters. We had a little wind during each day but luckily wind was no significant factor on either of my hunt evenings -- for scent or for bullet drift.
So, Robb Wiley, know right now that I will be back to hunt bears next year and the year after that and the year after that!
Len Backus is the owner of www.LongRangeHunting.com. He has been a long range hunter since the 90's and is as likely to bag his game with a camera as with a rifle or a specialty handgun. His outdoor photography can be seen at LenBackus.com
On my second day of hunting Robb and I saw no bears during the day. We did however see more spectacular mountain scenery and a number of elk and deer including one very nice shooter buck in the early stages of antler development.
Robb and I eventually set up again across the canyon from our same bait station hoping Mister Big would be back before dark. I was determined to be better prepared this time.
Suddenly Robb spotted my bear about 75 yards to the right of the bait station. I got on my rifle scope and watched him slowly make his way toward the bait. During his movement he was behind brush or trees most of the time. At one point he was in the clear and broadside but still moving with no smart shooting opportunity.
Eventually he neared the bait and I shot him as described in my opening paragraph. To get to him we had to first go down the ridge we were on to the bottom and cross a couple streams. By now we were hurrying to get to him before pitch dark set in. The horses again did a great job. We made our way up the opposite ridge and found him right away. This bear was all black except his muzzle and was the first non-color phase bear taken by Non-Typical Outfitters in about 3 years.
The plan was to come back for skull and hide recovery the next day so after a few photos with flash in the dark we headed back to camp.
Back in camp we learned that Mike (Hammer) and Tom were not back yet. We hoped they were late because they each got a bear. Later we learned they each had taken a shot. It was decided to not try hard in the dark to find any bears that may have been hit for fear of pushing them too much. Both hunters came back to camp with that uneasy feeling.
The next morning Mike and Tom each left with their own guides to hopefully find their bears waiting for them but it was just not to be we learned later. Tom did kill a beautiful color phase bear on his last day but Mike went home empty-handed but with fond memories of a wonderful but challenging hunt.
Robb, Dave and I headed back to retrieve my own bear and to take some better quality daytime photos of my big bear. I snapped some pictures of my own showing my shooting spot across the canyon. What a priceless mellow moment I was having!
The food was very good, the camp was neat and comfortable, the hunts were well organized, the guides and cook were great, the weather was near perfect and I now have a new favorite horse to ride next time I hunt with Non-Typical Outfitters. We had a little wind during each day but luckily wind was no significant factor on either of my hunt evenings -- for scent or for bullet drift.
So, Robb Wiley, know right now that I will be back to hunt bears next year and the year after that and the year after that!
Len Backus is the owner of www.LongRangeHunting.com. He has been a long range hunter since the 90's and is as likely to bag his game with a camera as with a rifle or a specialty handgun. His outdoor photography can be seen at LenBackus.com
