Bear kill...

[shoot-n-lead]

My friend just sent me this picture as he was on his way home from bear camp. He is a member of a bear club about 100 south of here, that hunts the 9 day Ga season, every year. The club borders the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge...a natural swamp that encompasses 402,000acs in south Ga. Bears cross out of the swamp onto club land to feed. The hunters use dogs to tree the bears...but most of the bears won't tree...like this one. So, the hunters stand along perimeter roads that bound the swamp and try to catch the bears crossing back into the swamp, where the are protected. This bear decided to cross in the wrong place. You can see the place on the bear's hip...it was probably done by an alligator as this place, the swamp and these bounding clubs, are covered up with gators. This is without doubt, the worst and hardest place to hunt, that I have ever had the pleasure of hunting...absolute nightmare to try to navigate.

Now, my friend, at 6'4" and over 300lbs, makes this bear look smaller than he really is. The bear was weighed on state game warden scales and weighed 536lbs...state record is 601lbs...so he is a decent bear. He has killed numerous bears, with this being the largest...his "bucket list" bear. The bear was killed with multiple shots from a Marlin 45colt lever using a 300gr cast load. This guy, is the guy that I have posted about that killed a bear with a spear, about 5yrs ago.

178310

178312

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[Nick Quick]

To need multiple 300 grains projectiles for a kill means the bear was very strong.

[CPL Lou]

That's a nice bear !
One day I'll tag one. We see them all over during the summer, but they disappear by the time bear season starts.

[white eagle]

those are some big boys for sure
I love black bear hunting
congrats to your friend well done

[Tenbender]

Hmmmm. A bear tore up my deer hut a few days ago. Tore up my chair and carried the cushions about 200 yrd's before he figured there were no gravy to go with the foam. Broke open the door and bent the striker double.
I plan to give that bear some lead for his trouble if I see him next month.

[marshall623]

On my trail camera, hope he comes by while I'm in my stand . I have couple of weeks of this guyhttp://i679.photobucket.com/albums/vv151/marshall623/Mobile%20Uploads/tmp_30938-HUNT0032198862201_zpsbitsrl7m.jpg (http://s679.photobucket.com/user/marshall623/media/Mobile%20Uploads/tmp_30938-HUNT0032198862201_zpsbitsrl7m.jpg.html)

[richhodg66]

My son lent a car of mine to a buddy in N.C. who hit one and killed it a couple of years ago. Killed the ear on the spot, but totaled the car and rolled it several times. Looking at the pictures of it, I was surprised at how big it was, didn't realize they got that large down in the deep south. I grew up in S.C., never saw one but now I hear they have a hunting season for them.

[TXGunNut]

Nice! Officially we don't have any bear in TX but I always thought 300 was a big black. Never hunted outside of TX but have seen a few blacks in NM, none anywhere near that size. Is a bear that big edible?

[shoot-n-lead]

Nice! Officially we don't have any bear in TX but I always thought 300 was a big black. Never hunted outside of TX but have seen a few blacks in NM, none anywhere near that size. Is a bear that big edible?

A bear that big is delicious...

These bears don't have a lot of age on them...they just have great habitat.

[Norske]

Good habitat and they probably don't hibernate, so they eat all 12 months/year. The year around eating explains the big body/small head.

[shoot-n-lead]

Good habitat and they probably don't hibernate, so they eat all 12 months/year. The year around eating explains the big body/small head.

True...they don't really hibernate...they are just very lethargic Jan thru Feb...but they still eat, some.

The habitat is very good as there are a lot of blueberry farms and bee hives around the swamp...not to mention that a lot of these bear clubs feed these bears, several months of the year.

There are a lot of bears in the area...the club that this bear came off of, has 20,000 acres and they average taking about 15 bears per year...and this is only, one, of many clubs along that swamp. About 3yrs ago, this club took over 20 bears during that 9 day season.

[taco650]

I've seen black bears in wild when living it OR years ago. The looked like big black dogs running across the road but not as big as your buddies bear. The swamps are full of food and with bears being omnivorous, its no wonder they grow so big.

Congrats to him!