2024 documenting hunts/somewhat live

[BenP]

No deer were harmed in the making of these photos, no deer seen but I knew it was a risk because the dog hunters had been all through the area all morning. The spot I wanted to go they ran through hard and jumped up 7 deer from there.

Did see a bunch of swans flying south towards lake Mattamuskeet I'm sure and one house cat.

 

[WildWill]

My friend came to get us which scared off the bear and we climbed down and went back to the camp to discuss a plan. I decided to leave work early as my son is homeschooled so no issue getting him to come back out for a Tuesday afternoon hunt.

One of the things I noticed when that bear had come in is that my son was not scared or shaking or really having any reaction other than thinking it was cool to see one for the first time. When we got back in the stand the next day around 1500 he asked "was that bear really right there at the peanuts?"

"Yes."

Then he realized wow that was really close ... 7 yards close.

So we sat and waited for the squirrel show to begin and figured it be awhile for a bear to come in.

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We had the guns propped up in front of us on the shooting rail and bundled up as it was much colder and windier than Monday. I was fighting dozing off after sitting an hour and began to yawn, which made my jaw lock open and a muscle cramp in the neck. I get that straightened out and I'm massaging the muscle when I feel like I see a shadow move by a tree to of front left at 1605.

I stare for a few seconds and see the shadow again. It didn't look like the tree shadows that are blurry and broken up, it looked "smooth". So I leaned forward to adjust the view around the trees and see the brown of his face coming at us at around 50 yards.

Oh snap the guns aren't ready and he is warily coming straight at us. So I grab the guns and slowly start to move them up and rotate them. Luckily he moved past a tree so I could get mine up and then focused on G's. By the time he is at 20 yards I have his gun almost to his shoulder and under the shooting rail. At 15 yards he is swinging in front going to our right.

Oh no don't go that way, that's downwind. He stops and looks up at us and starts sniffing the air. The next 8 yard took him just as long as it did to move the 35 towards us as he cautiously came closer.

Once he got where G could get a good line up I told him to lift the gun off my knee and get ready to shoot. I felt the gun come up and then go down as he starts to breathe hard. I tell him it's okay stay calm and you can get it up on his head.

He finally gets it up and the bear is facing broadside. I tell him aim for the base of the head and shoot when he feels comfortable.



BOOM!



And the bear drops right there and rolls towards us.

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Then the real adrenaline shakes started for both of us as I joyfully congratulated him on killing his first bear at 11 years old. I'm 30 and haven't killed one but this is my first time hunting them as well. We sit for a few minutes to make sure he stays down and then I go down to drag him to the edge of the woods to get some pictures.

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He is all smiles and amazed at the teeth and claws and just how pretty the bear is. I let my friend know and he said he can come get us or we can sit and see if another comes in for me since it was still early. We decided to stay but nothing else came so we were picked up and my friend cleaned the bear for me since he has done a bunch and is quick at it. Weighed the bear and came in at a 125 lb male.

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A bunch of congratulations and poking since some of the guys had been hunting for a few days straight and hadn't killed one yet. But he is a happy kid and hasn't decided what he wants yet from the bear. Inverted caped it so can do a shoulder mount or soft tan or what ever he wants.

I will try to get back out in the second season as this one ends Sunday and I'm busy the rest of the week.

Missed this until today. Really cool hunt congratulations to both of you.

 

[WNC2500]

Congrats @BenP
Enjoying following along

 

[BenP]

I came, I saw, I conquered.



Was able to get out during the second season in a different spot than where my son killed his. So many squirrels were making a ton of racket from the time I got there at 1545 until I shot the bear at 1651. One squirrel had white ears and the another was a red phase, was cool to watch them and even had a cover of 8 quail come by which is rare now days since the coyotes came and the wind rows have been cut down in the area.

She slipped in just as noisily as the squirrels from my left and I watched her for several minutes as I didn't know the sex at the time and wanted to make sure no cubs were near. After staring down the barrel for quite some time and her not acting like anything else was coming I pulled the trigger and the 20 gauge buckshot dropped her right there. Not as exciting as my sons but enjoyed seeing the wildlife and being able to tag my first bear that has a beautiful coat that will get tanned out. Weighed her at 150lbs. Wish I had more pics but my phone died and didn't have a charger.

 

[Pahoundsman]

I came, I saw, I conquered.

View attachment 354173

Was able to get out during the second season in a different spot than where my son killed his. So many squirrels were making a ton of racket from the time I got there at 1545 until I shot the bear at 1651. One squirrel had white ears and the another was a red phase, was cool to watch them and even had a cover of 8 quail come by which is rare now days since the coyotes came and the wind rows have been cut down in the area.

She slipped in just as noisily as the squirrels from my left and I watched her for several minutes as I didn't know the sex at the time and wanted to make sure no cubs were near. After staring down the barrel for quite some time and her not acting like anything else was coming I pulled the trigger and the 20 gauge buckshot dropped her right there. Not as exciting as my sons but enjoyed seeing the wildlife and being able to tag my first bear that has a beautiful coat that will get tanned out. Weighed her at 150lbs. Wish I had more pics but my phone died and didn't have a charger.

That’s a beautiful bear and the perfect size. Be careful you don’t catch the bear bug cause rugs and mounts get expensive. Congrats to you and your boy on your first bears.

 

[BenP]

That’s a beautiful bear and the perfect size. Be careful you don’t catch the bear bug cause rugs and mounts get expensive. Congrats to you and your boy on your first bears.

The mounts are crazy expensive, I have a friend that will give me a discount but still is more than I'm willing to pay to have a mount. The tanning isn't bad but for a rug is over $2000, even for a bear this size.

I'm thinking if I get more bears in the future I can sew the hides together to make a bigger throw/blanket.

 

[BenP]

So there is a new possible twist to my hunting season this year. My brother is going to Montana in January to see my cousin and to talk with some farmers and ranchers about maybe moving out there. On a whim I talked my wife into letting me go to and my brother wants to go coyote hunting so I just might shoot a western yote this year.