2010 Bear

jmden

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Joined
Nov 2, 2003
Messages
2,796
Location
Washington State
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'bout 200lb dry sow with no cubs. Sorry for the bad cell phone shot. Was planning on bringing the camera, but forgot it.

After 3300' verticle, with plans to stay a couple of nights, I was spotting a few hours overlooking an alpine basin (first day) with 'hucks' with shots from about 300 out to 1K plus yds. This was the 7th bear spotted that afternoon evening, but the only one in the basin by me.

Spotted her at about 600yds and would've taken the shot right there, but for the 6-7 mph wind from about 3 o'clock. Due to my inexperience shooting in wind, I wanted to get a bit closer in case I read the wind wrong and so was able to close the distance to 445yds finding a nice bench sloping upwards towards the bear. This was a perfect setup for shooting off the bipod with rear bag. Already had the environmentals entered into Exbal, so double checked angle, measured wind, cranked the knobs, adj. parallax, took the tape off the muzzle and settled in comfortably prone with rear bag. Cranked 'er up to 22x and waited for the right presentation. Bang...flop...and down the hill the bear rolled just about 500' vertical elevation--quite a ways. This was one time that that was advantageous to me in recovering the bear--made it easier and safer from where I was 'cause had been on a steep slope, but rolled down to a nice little flatish bench in the middle of prime high alpine hucks. I kept on getting sidetracked eating hucks...mmmm...good.

Impact was about an inch from where I was aiming--right behind the onside shoulder, through the lungs and obliterated the offside shoulder, doing some spine damage as well. I'm pretty sure she was drt before the 500 ft fall.

Dressed her out in the dark and packed back to camp about 400' up 600' down and about a mile away getting back to camp about 11p. My brother decided to come up the next morning to check the area out and help me pack out, so I gave him my sleeping bag, tarp and a little food, but stubbornly still packed out (w/rifle) about 90-100 lbs of gear 2700' vertical. Today and tomorrow are recovery days after getting the meat to the cooler.

Looking forward to that sausage! Now I gotta figure out if I should go for a second bear or just hold off until elk season.

This is the second shot at an animal with my Kirby built 338AX. Two shots and two dead critters. Hope I can keep that up.
 
Very nice, and, just like your deer, another animal that you really worked for. At least you're not wasting any ammunition this year. :)
 
Thanks, ss7mm.

I seem to have found the critters, it's just a lot of work to get where they are as they don't like being bothered...!
 
Thanks, Roy!

I hope you get a chance to get some meat in the freezer this fall as well!

Just tried a bit of the backstrap fried and it was very good, and just a bit chewy. The whole family enjoyed a little bit--even the cat ate a bite! :)

Jon
 
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Congratulations!

Bear hunting is a pretty big thing here in Washington. You've got it figured out for sure!


Thanks Guy. How'd the high hunt go for you?

Yeah...I got it figured out...work your butt off...that's what I got figured out! :D:D
 
Congrats, with that fine rifle I expect you will keep that streak going just fine. Next shot 3 for 3.

Thanks, LTLR. Gotta find a spike bull elk (pretty much all you can shoot on the eastside of WA state w/o a special permit) starting 10/30...

I noticed a couple posts about your AK trip and am expectantly awaiting pics!! :)
 
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