My first bear

[fcvan]

I had a bear winter over on my 3.5 acre property in Northern CA. I couldn't do anything about it because I was working in Southern CA, and my wife was overseeing the construction of our house. On my next trip home I found where the bear had spent considerable time in recent months. It rains a lot that time of year but the smell and hair was not pounded down by the heavy winter rains.

A few years later, I sold that house and bought a 2.5 acre property with an older house and paid cash. That property had a bear that liked my apple trees, but all I saw was partially digested apple piles. Things didn't go well with the wife at the time and so I got an apartment and later a divorce.

I got called one evening by the ex, stating a bear kept getting into the trash. I reminded her why I always had the trash cans in the garage. I also told her 'not my problem, call the sheriffs office.' They chased the bear off the back deck and the bear ran through the chicken coop like it wasn't even there. Ex had the nerve to ask me to help rebuild the coop. Again I said 'not my problem.'

[Tripplebeards]

Thanks guys.

Tripplebeards, I read what you said in the past, and one of my considerations was to get back from the bait. Once I was fairly sure where they were bedding, and traveling, I picked a spot that I thought I could get a clear shot from a ways back. I cleared the brush, and brushed in a spot for a blind. It seemed to be well back from the bait. I was surprised when the rangefinder only found 36 yards. The woods I picked were so thick, there really isn't any way to get farther. Like you, I had noticed so many set up only 15 yards or so, and way up in a tree stand. They practically shoot down on the spine of the bears they are so close!

I never did like tree stands. Sure, being up gives some advantages, but most of those can be matched with a ground blind with a well picked spot. I forgot to mention, it rained every day I was out there, including the very first evening which had bits of frozen rain, not quite what I would call hail. Nothing beats the elements like a ground blind. This was my Lucky's Blinds canvas blind, not one of the cheap pop up's either.

I have hunted blinds but the two bear I shot over bait were in tree stands. The other with dogs. I gotta start using blinds. The best part is it doesn’t make a darn bit of difference if it rains, snows, ..or? Sounds like 35 yards definitely worked for you. The biggest issue has always been trying to see the bait from a distance the farther up north you get. It’s so darn thick in bear country that it’s almost impossible to get far away unless major clearing is done. I talked to my neighbor today while I was cleaning out a junk pile that came with my property. He told me he saw a smaller bear drinking out of my creek a few years ago. So that makes two I know of that visited my area now. One truck load of scrap iron and one truck load of two refrigerators today. I have about one truck load of scrap iron to drag out of the woods yet and drop off at the dump.

[Static line]

Congrads on your first bear but I just have one little question. How the heck do you get out of that tree hanging contraption in the morning? I would have to have a buddy along to help me out the thing.

[Gar10]

Congratulations!

[Geezer in NH]

Great hunt! Super report! Thanks I enjoyed it much!

[swheeler]

Congratulations on a nice bear, muzzle loader taboot! Once you get the lard rendered down those cracklins will clean you out real good. I still eat the meat with honey for steak sauce most times, roasts, burger and jerky are great, maybe a little better/leaner from a springer. You did good pilgrim!!!!!

[doghawg]

Congrats megasupermagnum!! I'm hoping to duplicate your feat next week with a .475 BFR in northern Wisconsin. Have got several decent sized bears hitting the bait in daylight....and even had a couple of boars get in a little posing and sparring match for the trail camera.

[megasupermagnum]

Congrads on your first bear but I just have one little question. How the heck do you get out of that tree hanging contraption in the morning? I would have to have a buddy along to help me out the thing.

There's nothing to it. I kind of remember it taking it a few nights to get used to it, after that, a hammock is nothing but a hanging cot. You can set them low to the ground. Getting in and out is nothing but rolling over, and if it's low to the ground, it's easy to stand up. I guess the only thing I can see is most people are used to pushing off a solid bed with their hands. A hammock is no different, except that it moves slightly.

I would think an old guy would have an easier time getting out of a hammock, rather than getting way up off the ground. For those with bad backs, I've heard some that think hammocks are a godsend, and some that can not lay in them at all. They are like a cot, so they may not be good for a belly sleeper.

[megasupermagnum]

Congrats megasupermagnum!! I'm hoping to duplicate your feat next week with a .475 BFR in northern Wisconsin. Have got several decent sized bears hitting the bait in daylight....and even had a couple of boars get in a little posing and sparring match for the trail camera.

Very good. All my trail camera pictures are boring. Single bears eating. I do have one picture of three bears, but that is it.

[megasupermagnum]

Congratulations on a nice bear, muzzle loader taboot! Once you get the lard rendered down those cracklins will clean you out real good. I still eat the meat with honey for steak sauce most times, roasts, burger and jerky are great, maybe a little better/leaner from a springer. You did good pilgrim!!!!!

I got plenty of fat off this one, it is near the top of a 3 gallon bucket. I'll render this down to bear grease, use it for my patch lube, and use it to shoot some deer. So I'm now casting my own balls, using patches of my old work pants, using lube of a bear I killed. I'll be building a flintlock long rifle this winter, and I may try knapping my own flints. If I wasn't so happy with Goex powder, I may try making my own black powder for the whole shebang.

[swheeler]

You got the right idea going for ya, self sufficient, self reliant, you fail and starve only one guy to blame! I love it

[marshall623]

Good shooting and sounds like a great trip all together . The middle of the middle doesn't look right in the crosshairs, but that is where the boiler room is on those critters. I killed my first one with a bow and I thought that I had gut shot him , but he took one big gasp run about 20yd and piled up . After gutting him the broadhead went through both lungs and cut the arteries off at the top of the heart . You can soak a bear roast in some vinegar water for a day , and either slow cooker with some onion soup mix or the pressure cooker . Thats the way my Mom fixes it and she learned that from my Grandfather.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

[Tripplebeards]

At least to were close to water so you could scrub down with a bar of scent Shield shield soap be for your sits. I scared away a couple of fish standing waist deep with my swim trunks on soaping off my stink. The river water probably helps camo your smell.

[waksupi]

I got plenty of fat off this one, it is near the top of a 3 gallon bucket. I'll render this down to bear grease, use it for my patch lube, and use it to shoot some deer. So I'm now casting my own balls, using patches of my old work pants, using lube of a bear I killed. I'll be building a flintlock long rifle this winter, and I may try knapping my own flints. If I wasn't so happy with Goex powder, I may try making my own black powder for the whole shebang.

Bake some cornbread with it, and you'll never waste it on patches again!

[Norske]

1: A bear's sense of smell is about 10X better than a bloodhounds. According to my first outfitter, all the scent killing sprays, or charcoal layers in clothing are a waste of time. they didn't work against a German shepard when Homeland Security tested them.
2: We used to have a canvas Eureka space 12 tent. a couple years ago, I donated it to our local Boy Scouts chapter. We have a 4-season pickup camper now, and that Eureka weighed 100#, including storm fly. Too heavy for a couple of 70+ year-olds.

[dverna]

Tons of work and a fabulous result. Good hunting!!

When I draw a bear tag, I will be hunting with a group that uses dogs. Much easier. Actually, we are going to Bear Camp in two hours for their yearly Labor Day Bash.

[missionary5155]

Congratulations Mega.....
Thank you for writing all this up ! And all the photos !!! And with a 54 using Goex !!
I am a big fan of 3F Goex in my frontstuffers. Calibers .58-.62 smoothbore flinters will keep you hunting all year long whether it walks or flies..
But a .68 RB is also a fine "thwapper".

[Brad Cayton]

Congratulations! I enjoyed the story and information on your setup. I was also wondering how difficult it would be getting in and out of that hammock setup too . Thanks for sharing

[smithnframe]

Cute little bugger!

[Static line]

I got plenty of fat off this one, it is near the top of a 3 gallon bucket. I'll render this down to bear grease, use it for my patch lube, and use it to shoot some deer. So I'm now casting my own balls, using patches of my old work pants, using lube of a bear I killed. I'll be building a flintlock long rifle this winter, and I may try knapping my own flints. If I wasn't so happy with Goex powder, I may try making my own black powder for the whole shebang.

That is true devotion to the traditions. Keep it alive! and than you.