What would you have done under these circumstances

[ss7mm]

Did some pre-season scouting for deer and had a very interesting time. Saw lots of deer, a coyote that wouldn't co-operate, turkey etc. but the black furry critters are the center of this little discussion.

Early in the day we spotted a big black bear in a small opening. This was the biggest black bear I've ever seen in the wild in this state. He was one of those that has a big pumpkin head with little ears that look like they sit way out on the side of his head. His legs looked short and his belly was close to the ground. Everything about him spelled big black bear but by the time I got set up he had moved into the really thick stuff and we never saw him again.

After the disappointment of not getting the shot we continued for the day. Later we traveled through some land that was posted, although only every 1/4 to 1/2 mile or so, on both sides of the road. It was pretty open and you could see most of it for a long ways. We knew from the time spent there and all of our looking that there wasn't anyone else for miles around. There were no livestock in the immediate area and we had it to ourselves. Moving along a hillside a black bear jumped up below the old jeep trail we were on and ran down the slight incline below us. I yelled and got no response so I whistled and he stopped and turned broadside at about 152 yards. (I checked it with the Swaro afterwards) He stood broadside and I could see him testing the air for scent. Then, he turned, walked a little and again turned broadside and just stood there.

1.5# of pressure on the trigger and he would drop in his tracks.

Now remember the posted signs even though this was the middle of nowhere and nobody was within miles???

What would you have done under these circumstances? Had to watch a huge black bear walk earlier in the day and now this guy, of a little better than average size, is standing broadside. 1.5# of pressure and about 10 minutes work and he's in the back of the truck.

Pull the trigger or let a second beautifully furred black bear walk?

 

[NONYA]

Stupid questions usually bring on a S$%# storm of stupid responses,you ready?gun)

 

[Willys46]

Let it walk..Its the right thing to do. Also it would cost WAY to much if you got caught!

If you saw two in one day, I would say your odds of finding another are better than good.

Willys

 

[Sendero_Man]

You got to let him walk...

How the hell could you be proud of something like that if you knew it was illegal.

Show your buddies the "illegal" mount and brag about it...

I think not.

 

[royinidaho]

Stupid question???? Brings stupid responses????? My akin ***!!!!

Had similar experience with a herd of cow elk and me with a cow tag. They were were a long easy stalk away on posted property and I even knew who the owner was. But did/do not have permission.

Thus the bear and elk will live another day and I'm not looking over my shoulder all the time.

However I did shot the elk with the Cannon.........30D that is. Wooda done the same to that second bear.

 

[Eaglet]

Stupid question???? Brings stupid responses????? My painful behind!!!!

Had similar experience with a herd of cow elk and me with a cow tag. They were were a long easy stalk away on posted property and I even knew who the owner was. But did/do not have permission.

Thus the bear and elk will live another day and I'm not looking over my shoulder all the time.

However I did shot the elk with the Cannon.........30D that is. Wooda done the same to that second bear.

I made a tiny change to your post to fully back it up!!! I'd go hunting with you any time!

 

[Broz]

I agree with the group here. Let him walk or take a great photo. I am impressed with the answers. IMO, anyone that would have taken that Bear, knowing it was not right, is someone that has never owned their own ground and does not respect the rights and property of others. But then, I don't believe stolen watermelons are sweeter either.

Jeff

 

[Slopeshunter]

Posted is posted. I've been in the same spot except it was a herd of elk. Who wants to take an animal knowing it wasn't legal.

 

[7mmSendaro]

Stupid questions usually bring on a S$%# storm of stupid responses,you ready?gun)

No, stupid comments like that bring stupid reponses.

Great answers guys, I agree 100%, let him walk.

 

[edge]

I don't think that anyone would admit that they would shoot whether they would or not is only known to them!

If it had stayed on the road would it have been legal to shoot it?

edge.

 

[yotefever]

This reminds me of the time my son was bow hunting and had a deer under his tree. It was too dark to see it clearly but seemed big from what he heard. He didn't take a shot because the season didn't open yet for the day. He's still waiting for his first buck deer with a bow.

Mike

 

[eddybo]

Gotta let em walk. It is easy to cross that line between hunting and poaching. I do not care how anyone hunts so long as they do it without breaking the law.

 

[badaboom]

Let it walk. LIW

On another note:
Some years ago I came across a large bull elk that was just over a fence line by about 30 yards (private Land). We noticed the bull from about a 1/3 mile down the road we were driving, returning from a hunting area we had access on the road to in the area. Upon getting closer to the elk we recognized this was a great shooter bull but we couldn't take it. As we approached closer the bull got up and started moving away from our direction parallel to the road some what and just over a lightly timber covered ridgeline. Once the Bull was on the move we noticed it had been injured pretty badly on the right rear quarter, this just made us more anxious to take the animal but we couldn't it was still on private land. As we drove down the road over the lightly timbered ridge we stopped the vehicle on the road and looked over in the direction the bull had gone. There stood the bull about 100 yards off the road standing in the heavily shaded evening in Timber and Aspen trees looking right at us, it was pretty cold and damp. While the Bull Elk was standing there I pulled up the binos and started getting a better view of the Bull Elk. The bull was a large 6X6 probably in the 310 class or larger looking in our direction breathing heavily large streams of panting steam with each breath chewing on a large piece of aspen bark in his mouth - beautiful thing you had to be there. This was a moment you don't forget and would put most publication subscriptions pictures to shame. We let it walk. Follow-up I spoke in person to the local wildlife officer about this specific situation my main question was if the Bull Elk had come over the fence line and was in the road, Could I have taken or shot / harvested the elk illegally ? Never received a answer. The reason I ask, is the road is a right of access easement and it was legal for me to be there and due to the circumstances with the elk being injured I felt it would be best to take the animal. Would this be Legal ???????????

Best Regards

 

[ss7mm]

Guys I will say that the animals and situations happened exactly as described. I've noticed in the recent past that some people tend to go off on a radical tangent at the drop of a hat and usually have a tendency to assume a lot. I asked the question and then worded the description so that, if you have a tendency to do so, you would go in the direction you normally take/think. The results were what I expected.

Having said that, I find the responses great and it went about like I'd hoped it would and I'm proud of the caliber of guys we have on this site. I am sorry to see that one person said he'd shoot the second bear. But, I guess there's always those that march to their own drummer. The first responder answered his question with his opening statement before he even got to the question part.

For me this was a no-brainer and the gun was never even considered. The only thing that came up were the binoculars and it wouldn't have mattered if the second bear had been a world record animal, he was as safe in front of me as if he was in a zoo. I felt privileged and lucky to have seen 2 fine bears in one day.

Letting the second bear walk was just how it is, there was no other option.