The spring season really kicked into high gear this week in my neck of the woods, and it goes something like this...
I hunted Tuesday and when I arrived at my spot there were 4 bears on my bait, a sow and three small cubs. Then later, 2 more bears came and chased each other around putting on a good show huffing and bluff charging. Really, this night made my season! I stayed all evening without taking a shot.
Wednesday, I went back just to drop food and I had a single bear eating when I got there. He only ran off about 75 yards. Then he just sat and watched me. I guess he really wanted first pickings from the days smorgasbord.
I couldn't go on Thursday so I brought as much food as I could on Friday and stayed to hunt. Within 30 minutes of dropping bait I saw the first bear, and good thing too, because I was falling asleep, waiting for them to get started. Over the next 2 hours I had 5 bears come in and none were very big, so I just kept holding out for more. As the evening progressed the bears just kept getting younger and smaller.
Then just before sunset things changed. I had two bears, a brown yearling and his black sibling eating away.
I believe these are the same bears one day earlier. (clock is incorrect)
All of a sudden they ran off like their tails were on fire, one was even grunting as he ran under my tree and up the hillside behind me. Then in front of me, in the brush a decent sized bear came out and walked around the bait.
So, now I’m thinking this new bear is high in the pecking order around these parts, and seems to be a bit of a bully. Also, being an average sized adult and the fact that I still havd enough light to shoot, I pulled up my muzzleloader and took aim. At the shot, the bear bolted away only to go a short distance before dropping within plain view.
With a sigh of relief, I reloaded my rifle…just in case. In all reality, I knew the only thing I’d need now was my sharp knife and trusty pack frame, because I just took my first bear with a muzzleloader and I couldn’t have been happier.
A little to my surprise the bear was actually a sow who has probably just recently ditched her yearlings and was preparing to breed in the next month. So, with all the bears my area a little population control is probably a very good thing.
Even though I hunted fewer days this year, I learned a lot from my time in the mountains.
I hunted Tuesday and when I arrived at my spot there were 4 bears on my bait, a sow and three small cubs. Then later, 2 more bears came and chased each other around putting on a good show huffing and bluff charging. Really, this night made my season! I stayed all evening without taking a shot.
Wednesday, I went back just to drop food and I had a single bear eating when I got there. He only ran off about 75 yards. Then he just sat and watched me. I guess he really wanted first pickings from the days smorgasbord.
I couldn't go on Thursday so I brought as much food as I could on Friday and stayed to hunt. Within 30 minutes of dropping bait I saw the first bear, and good thing too, because I was falling asleep, waiting for them to get started. Over the next 2 hours I had 5 bears come in and none were very big, so I just kept holding out for more. As the evening progressed the bears just kept getting younger and smaller.
Then just before sunset things changed. I had two bears, a brown yearling and his black sibling eating away.
I believe these are the same bears one day earlier. (clock is incorrect)
All of a sudden they ran off like their tails were on fire, one was even grunting as he ran under my tree and up the hillside behind me. Then in front of me, in the brush a decent sized bear came out and walked around the bait.
So, now I’m thinking this new bear is high in the pecking order around these parts, and seems to be a bit of a bully. Also, being an average sized adult and the fact that I still havd enough light to shoot, I pulled up my muzzleloader and took aim. At the shot, the bear bolted away only to go a short distance before dropping within plain view.
With a sigh of relief, I reloaded my rifle…just in case. In all reality, I knew the only thing I’d need now was my sharp knife and trusty pack frame, because I just took my first bear with a muzzleloader and I couldn’t have been happier.
A little to my surprise the bear was actually a sow who has probably just recently ditched her yearlings and was preparing to breed in the next month. So, with all the bears my area a little population control is probably a very good thing.
Even though I hunted fewer days this year, I learned a lot from my time in the mountains.
