Jump to content

First Bear! 12th in 11 years for our group!


zoschag08
 Share

Recommended Posts

Hunting out of my camp in Cameron County, PA we've been pretty successful since we started hunting bears, taking 12 in 11 years. Our largest was taken two years ago, live weight 470 lbs. Up until this year I had never seen a bear during the season. I'd run into them hunting archery or rifle for deer but never while actively pursuing them.

I got into my camp early Friday afternoon and joined my cousins and uncles who were already there. After planning our hunt and enjoying the camp atmosphere, we setup our things for the opener the next morning. We drove all day, covered roughly 7 miles of ground but never saw/heard a bear. But arriving back at camp we realize one of our older members had shot a bear on the top bench of the property. Being energized by the success we planned our hunt for Monday.

Climbing the hill Monday morning my cousin told me that since I was younger I got to be top watcher, aka got to climb the furthest. So I set up on a rock in the middle of thick cover. I couldn't see more than 30 yards clearly in any direction. The drive starts and I find my shooting lanes, now just to wait. After roughly 30 minutes I hear something coming, but since past experiences had provided deer not bear I wasn't all that nervous. Then I saw the black body coming through the laurel, no more than 20 yards from me and directly on my level. I shoulder my gun and fire, he runs down the hill and I put another into him and he drops. I radio to my group that we had a bear down and the reaction is incredible. We meet up and take pictures/enjoy the moment.

The best thing about these bear hunts are that if someone gets one you feel successful, regardless of who it is. You feel like you had a part in it and it really is a special hunt. He weighed in at 177 lbs live weight and I'm currently waiting for him to get mounted. Getting a half body, couldn't be happier!

post-2458-0-91227500-1354507152_thumb.jp

post-2458-0-74200700-1354507589.jpg

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

  • Similar Content

    • By defrazzle
      Hi: I live in the Adirondacks in the village of Bloomingdale, located in Essex County.  I have been hunting for over 40 years, am  a very active 65, married since 1972, retired from the Air Force and love to hunt.  I am a certified New York State Hunter Educator and would like to meet a similar experienced hunter with whom I can partner with.  
       
      Usually you don't see this type of topic, but, hey, it does not mean it will not work.  Just maybe there is someone out there with a similar need.  Here are some of my preferences:  I prefer tracking deer, but on occasion will sit early and late in the day. If you followed Larry Benoit and his sons, that is how I like to hunt.  I really enjoy the hunt, the shot is secondary.  I like hunting small game as rabbits, grouse, and pheasant.  I used to have a Brittany that was an excellent dog, but now I have no dogs.  I respect all game laws and will hunt all day in areas far off the beaten path.  Shooting a deer is not the most important result in my hunts, the enjoyment and quality of the hunt is what matters to me.  Why am I looking for a partner?  Going alone can be dangerous especially if you get hurt or need help. Then there is always the work after getting a deer.  Two people make the job so much easier. I would prefer someone that has a similar past history and lives no more than a 60 mile radius from me.  If most of my preferences interest you, send me a message.  Thanks for reading and if you have any questions, just send them.  You never know.
    • By AaronBlaine
      http://www.cnn.com/video/?/video/us/2014/09/25/dnt-780-pound-bear-killed.wluk&hpt=hp_c4&from_homepage=yes&video_referrer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F
       
       
       
      yea that's a big black bear! lol Now imagine being in the woods in early season with a bow and arrow.  Heavy brush surrounding you while you are miles up and around a mountain in a huge park that is infamous for bear hunting.  All the sudden the woods start to turn on you as a six sense kicks in and the hairs on the back of your neck stand up.  You feel a shiver of sorts run through your body as you suddenly realize the feeling is that your being watched.  At that moment everything you have learned in life becomes useless as you are faced with a new threat.  A threat you openly engaged and planned for.  You have entered the bears home now this is no longer your back yard and no cell phone service to call for help due to the iron deposits in the mountains!  Its at that point you test yourself on weather to move forward trusting yourself and your gear and the time and effort you put in to training with it.  Or you turn around and head back.  First time I came across fresh bear shit It scared the hell out of me.  Then when I found three piles of it right next to each other I decided to set up a tree stand lol  I hope to god that I get to harvest one in my lifetime.  To bag a 750+ pound black bear is an instant lifetime award and a place in the record books.  Taking one ethically is enough to have you shaking in fear before the shot.  Looks like he was using a slug gun or shotgun with a slug in it.  Enough to do the job at close range.  Remember black bears charge but rarely attack.  Shooting one through the scope of a high caliber rifle let alone a bow at 35mph is no easy task!  But survive and you have personally pitted yourself amongst the men who hunt and kill the apex predator..THE BEAR!!   I would have him stuffed standing on two feet and put him next to a rocking chair in my living room.  As the years go by we would share many stories as I would routinely have coffee in the morning and a glass of skotch in the evening time together.  As I grew older I hope to die next to such an amazing animal in that old chair next to that old bear lol lolololol  GET SOME!
    • By AaronBlaine
      Hey guys I am going on my first bear hunt in 3A next weekend to wrap up the early season.  I was wondering if you guys had any tips for a newbie bear hunter!  I am hunting with a weatherby vanguard series 2 in 30-06 with a Winchester ballistic silver tip 150g round.  I picked up a screech call and my friend I am hunting with is bringing vanilla caramel extract in the legal limit allowed.  We are hunting a lake surrounded by 3000ft peaks and I am planning on hunting the peaks for the most part.  Any advice you guys have would be greatly appreciated.  There are a ton of streams that run down into the lake so we were thinking of following them up the mountain.  Thanks for taking the time I will update the post with any pics if we bag one!
    • By AaronBlaine
      Hey just wondering if anyone bagged any bears yet?  If so i would like to hear about it!  Thanks again and please post pics!
    • By AaronBlaine
      Hey guys i was wondering if anyone knew of any good state parks that allow bear hunting for the early season.  I am interested in the catskill region as well as orange county etc.  Thanks i appreciate it!
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    No registered users viewing this page.

×
×
  • Create New...