D-Mac
Well-known member
I know I’m incredibly late on posting this, but I’m delayed by 3 hours in the Salt Lake airport so why not.
I cashed in a few years of points to draw this tag, it paid off. I had spoken with some locals about where they found good glassing locations for elk, figuring that they would also be good for glassing bears. I planned on trying to camp at one of them. I left my house around 2 am as it’s a 4-5 hour trip to the unit. I arrived later than I had originally intended, but that’s ok it was opening day and I was in the woods!
I arrived at the first glassing point I had selected, I was about half way out along a finger ridge glassing some south facing slopes, they had plums and oak brush along them. I had no more than set up and settled in when I spotted a gorgeous Cinnamon bear ~900 yards away. I watched this bear for a while and deciphered that it was in no desire to to move. I watched it just slowly feeding, barely moving at all. I planned out a fairly long stalk as I had to come all the way around the far side to get the wind right, and I would lose sight of the bear for most of it.
I began my stalk quickly moving up the ridge to get in the backside of the ridge the bear was on. Once I could do that I figured I could move quickly on the backside and then pop over move through some aspens and be within ~300ish yards. Then I would just post up until I could relocate the bear. Shouldn’t take more than an hour.
I moved around until On-X was showing me about even to the little stand of aspens above where I last saw the bear. I slowly crested the ridge keeping a sharp eye out in case the bear had moved. I had a slight breeze in my face as I came over the top, perfect wind. I began to slowly move through the aspens knowing I was technically within range should I be able to see the bear. I would move from tree to tree about 15 yards at a time using my bonus to try and find the bear.
As I was moving to a new tree I suddenly noticed a black stump boring holes into me from less than 10 yards away.
Holy s#*t that’s a bear
That’s a good bear
I should probably shoot it
I should probably hit it in the the shoulder and do some skeletal damage
All these thoughts took about .5 seconds. I quickly shouldered my rifle and sent a .270 round to him. He started running straight away. I pulled out my phone and got some video as he was bounding away. I’ll try to post it here. (you can see the adrenaline hit as I get the shakes, got to love it)
I put another round in him, he died about 20 yards from where I first saw him. Ended up being a great bear, first black one I’ve gotten, big skull (almost 20”), and great tasting to boot!
Thanks to all of you who offered advice or suggestions on locations, food sources, elevations!
I cashed in a few years of points to draw this tag, it paid off. I had spoken with some locals about where they found good glassing locations for elk, figuring that they would also be good for glassing bears. I planned on trying to camp at one of them. I left my house around 2 am as it’s a 4-5 hour trip to the unit. I arrived later than I had originally intended, but that’s ok it was opening day and I was in the woods!
I arrived at the first glassing point I had selected, I was about half way out along a finger ridge glassing some south facing slopes, they had plums and oak brush along them. I had no more than set up and settled in when I spotted a gorgeous Cinnamon bear ~900 yards away. I watched this bear for a while and deciphered that it was in no desire to to move. I watched it just slowly feeding, barely moving at all. I planned out a fairly long stalk as I had to come all the way around the far side to get the wind right, and I would lose sight of the bear for most of it.
I began my stalk quickly moving up the ridge to get in the backside of the ridge the bear was on. Once I could do that I figured I could move quickly on the backside and then pop over move through some aspens and be within ~300ish yards. Then I would just post up until I could relocate the bear. Shouldn’t take more than an hour.
I moved around until On-X was showing me about even to the little stand of aspens above where I last saw the bear. I slowly crested the ridge keeping a sharp eye out in case the bear had moved. I had a slight breeze in my face as I came over the top, perfect wind. I began to slowly move through the aspens knowing I was technically within range should I be able to see the bear. I would move from tree to tree about 15 yards at a time using my bonus to try and find the bear.
As I was moving to a new tree I suddenly noticed a black stump boring holes into me from less than 10 yards away.
Holy s#*t that’s a bear
That’s a good bear
I should probably shoot it
I should probably hit it in the the shoulder and do some skeletal damage
All these thoughts took about .5 seconds. I quickly shouldered my rifle and sent a .270 round to him. He started running straight away. I pulled out my phone and got some video as he was bounding away. I’ll try to post it here. (you can see the adrenaline hit as I get the shakes, got to love it)
I put another round in him, he died about 20 yards from where I first saw him. Ended up being a great bear, first black one I’ve gotten, big skull (almost 20”), and great tasting to boot!
Thanks to all of you who offered advice or suggestions on locations, food sources, elevations!
