I just got my age card back from FWP for last years bear...he was 12. The oldest bear I've ever killed was 20. The biologist(Graham Taylor) wrote on the card it was the oldest bear aged in the state that year. It's pretty cool to find out how old they are.
Kinda nice to know there's a good bull running around out there....may have to show up back there in August for a little looksee....both beams were 57".
I stay in shape year around. I carry a 40 pound pack 25 to 30 miles per week in my job. My best fitness is in the winter from staying on snowshoes until spring....I cant imagine going on an extreme hunt out of shape.
I snapped this pic on April 1st about 25 miles north of Glasgow. Dont even want to know whats buried underneath all that snow....antelope and mule deer are going to be pretty short up here.
I'm with Buzz too....probably killed my quota+10000 in my younger years. Havent killed a sod poodle in 15 years.
Right now I'm hoping Saint Peter isnt waiting for me at the pearly gates with a pet coyote on a leash....that wouldnt be good.
I was in the supercub yesterday for over four hours, mostly between Highway 2 and the Canadien line(North Valley County) and saw less than 50 antelope total. Saw plenty of dead deer too...coyotes are whacking on them pretty hard. They're running them into the coulee bottoms where they break...
Those are both studs....quite an accomplishment putting a black bear from Montana into B&C. Hell, I've never even taken a 20" bear let alone a 21". Tell those guys well done!