Bring on spring bear

[mthillrunner]

Took my 10 year old out, he gets to hunt spring bear here in MT. Was snowing off & on. Saw moose, elk, deer, bighorn sheep...and bear. Was a sow with 3 cubs, I'm guessing they're going to get booted soon, they were decent sized. The area we saw them has bear sign all over it, so we'll be back at it tomorrow. He had a great first day to his hunting career!

 

[SteveE]

I've been out four times now. Averaging just over 5 miles on foot per trip.
I'm no Greenhorn
One mountain lion, lots of goats, deer, elk but zero bears.
Im moving camp tomorrow night and hitting a new area this weekend.
Wife and boy found there first sheds and buddy scored a moose paddle.
Add in the scenery and lifes good but bearless...
The best is yet to come

 

[SteveE]

On May 10th I messed up a chance at the best cinnamon blonde i have seen. I had to shoot uphill across canyon and just could not get it together in time. The unit stayed open till May 31 so i backed out thinking i could find him again. I was wrong. I made 6 trips back and covered the huge drainage from end to end and never located another bear. May 31st rolled around and I was dejected.

 

[SteveE]

A few units in Montana stay open till June 15. I had a Saturday afternoon and Sunday so i loaded up the spike camp and headed north for one last try. Got out of the truck at 2:00 pm and back at 4:00 am tired, wore out and bloody.


I tried to get a decent pic but the slope was so steep i could not move him. If i got him six inches up he would slide two feet down. He did a superman off a 15 foot cliff after i shot him then rolled another 100 yards down the chute. I had to take him up to get out so after loosing 10 feet of vertical i gave up on the hero shot knowing the brutal pack out that lay ahead.

The blood covered cliff he dove off. If you look 20 yards below you can see the brown indentation where his front legs and chest landed. It was an amazing site. These animals are so fast and agile when going all out.

When will primos make a $160 camo selfie stick?


Pulled back into the house just as the sun was starting to rise.


Not sure how to rotate pics - sorry

 

[LCH]

Nice bear Steve!

 

[Southern Elk]

Congrats!

 

[SteveE]

Scenery of some of the ground covered


Lots of boot leather

 

[1_pointer]

Very nice! Must be tough to hunt country so steep you are upside down!

 

[Nameless Range]

Nice bear. Way to get it done on the final weekend.

 

[el unit]

Nice bear! Congrats. Lots of hard work paid off!

 

[----]

Way to stick it out! Great bear.

That's much different country than I'm used to hunting bears in.

 

[SteveE]

Final resting place

 

[LCH]

Turned out nice.. You've got a good looking wall of bone there.

 

[35cal]

Great pics. Can't wait for spring

 

[Sask hunter]

Nice pictures! The countdown is on now till baits go out and bear hunting starts!!

 

[whitetailer]

Got a question. If you were bear hunting in va would hunting in a blind be ok.

 

[SteveE]

Taxidermist finished the tan



The END

 

[Idaho Wanderer]

Skull and hide look great! Congrats