I just got back from a grizzly hunt I was guiding. What an awesome time.
The afternoon the hunters got to camp, the guy I was working for flew me and a camp out to look for bears poking their heads out of their dens. After about thirty minutes of flying we found one, and found a place to land down the valley from where the bear was. He dropped me off with the tent and supplies and went back to get the hunter. They returned in an hour and a half. We got settled into camp, and finally got to sleep about midnight.
The next morning we left camp at 8:30. After a two mile walk on snowshoes we got to where we could see the bear on the ridge on the opposite side of the narrow valley. I put my spotting scope on him, but all I could see was the hair on his hump and a leg. He finally woke up when a magpie flew over and started harassing him. After he stood up and walked around a little, I told my hunter the bear was eight feet at the most, maybe a little smaller, and the hide was great. He said he wanted to see if he could get a shot, so we started the mile long stalk. We got as close as 400 yards, and didn't see anywhere we could get closer without spooking the bear. 400 yards is a lot farther than I would ever suggest shooting a bear, but we had time to talk about it. The good news was when hit, the bear would roll down hill, closer to us.I heard the guy was an excellent shot, so I told him if he felt comfortable taking the shot, it was his call. He was shooting a Weatherby .300. I suggested holding the crosshairs on hair, just below the hump. When the bear turned for a good angle, the guy squeezed one off. The bear crumpled up into a little ball as dead as dead could be. I couldn't believe what i saw, and said "Holy shit dude, I think you got him!" I watched for a minute, but I knew the bear was dead.
We did several high-fives, walked up to the dead grizz, took pictures and a little video, skinned the bear, then we walked back down the hill to where the hunter and bear hide could be picked up. I left him and walked back to our tent.
We were back in base camp that night enjoying barbecued pork chops, Corona, and Cabo Wabo. What a deal! The other hunter in camp also got his bear the first day. The one we got squared 7'8". The other bear squared 9'1".
I can't get the pic to work. I'll try later.
The afternoon the hunters got to camp, the guy I was working for flew me and a camp out to look for bears poking their heads out of their dens. After about thirty minutes of flying we found one, and found a place to land down the valley from where the bear was. He dropped me off with the tent and supplies and went back to get the hunter. They returned in an hour and a half. We got settled into camp, and finally got to sleep about midnight.
The next morning we left camp at 8:30. After a two mile walk on snowshoes we got to where we could see the bear on the ridge on the opposite side of the narrow valley. I put my spotting scope on him, but all I could see was the hair on his hump and a leg. He finally woke up when a magpie flew over and started harassing him. After he stood up and walked around a little, I told my hunter the bear was eight feet at the most, maybe a little smaller, and the hide was great. He said he wanted to see if he could get a shot, so we started the mile long stalk. We got as close as 400 yards, and didn't see anywhere we could get closer without spooking the bear. 400 yards is a lot farther than I would ever suggest shooting a bear, but we had time to talk about it. The good news was when hit, the bear would roll down hill, closer to us.I heard the guy was an excellent shot, so I told him if he felt comfortable taking the shot, it was his call. He was shooting a Weatherby .300. I suggested holding the crosshairs on hair, just below the hump. When the bear turned for a good angle, the guy squeezed one off. The bear crumpled up into a little ball as dead as dead could be. I couldn't believe what i saw, and said "Holy shit dude, I think you got him!" I watched for a minute, but I knew the bear was dead.
We did several high-fives, walked up to the dead grizz, took pictures and a little video, skinned the bear, then we walked back down the hill to where the hunter and bear hide could be picked up. I left him and walked back to our tent.
We were back in base camp that night enjoying barbecued pork chops, Corona, and Cabo Wabo. What a deal! The other hunter in camp also got his bear the first day. The one we got squared 7'8". The other bear squared 9'1".
I can't get the pic to work. I'll try later.
