I was really busy this past bear season as I gave an outfitter friend a hand adjusting his bear hunting system and giving his young guides a few tips. It's an 11 hour drive for me one way and I ended up making three round trips, spending about a week there each time.
In addition, a very late spring and many days of poor weather for bear hunting didn't leave me as much time to hunt for myself near home as I would have liked - but with some effort and good fortune, things worked out for me.
To make a long story short, I had been "playing chess" with this bear for 2 seasons now and about three weeks ago I finally got a clear shot (albeit brief) at him from my natural ground blind.
He gave me about 10 seconds at 17 yards and in 5 seconds more he lay still about 15 steps from there. Big bears don't go far when their lungs are deflated.
I used my 75 # Caribou longbow and a J&M Traditions cedar arrow tipped with a Tuffhead. Total weight 745 grains.
I was alone and had a heck of a time getting him out in spite of having a game cart... swamp, fallen trees, stumps, - and then there was getting him into the truck!
Heart disease is prevalent on my Dad's side of the family and I must take after my Mom because if I didn't, I think that I would still be out there laying beside the bear.
I couldn't weigh him but I have weighed many others. He was most likely at least 450 lbs live weight.
The first picture I took with a tripod, the second was the next morning.
I don't know why but the 2nd picture refuses to resize - I tried about 10 times!
(http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab16/Mehikan/DSC_3395.jpg) (http://s845.photobucket.com/user/Mehikan/media/DSC_3395.jpg.html)
(http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab16/Mehikan/IMG_5269.jpg) (http://s845.photobucket.com/user/Mehikan/media/IMG_5269.jpg.html)
That's awesome, congrats!
A mighty fine bear ....
Good job! It looks like your plan finally stumbled together. Seriously, congratulations on a fine bear.
Thatsya very nice bruin right there .
Congratulations . :thumbsup: :notworthy: :archer:
Wow, what a beauty......well done!!
Congrats!
Great job Ken, congrats
Wow, that's a HOSS!!!
Congrats on a very fine animal :)
Man, that is a stud of a bear!
A beautiful large trophy, congratulations on a bear of a lifetime, well done.
Congratulations, Ken!
I always look forward to seeing your spring bear thread, and as always you didn't disappoint me! He is a dandy!
That's a cool looking blaze on him.
Guys, look for Ken's past bear hunting threads. Ken kills a giant bear every spring and makes the world safer one bear at a time. :goldtooth:
Wow!!! What a hog of a bear!
Very nice bear!
And still pulling 75# at 63....very impressive!
:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Great pictures
Very nice! I'm afraid a bear that big would have me a little nervous from a ground blind.... they say they're just big raccoons though...
So awesome
Wow!!!!
That thing must have looked like a VW Bug rolling in, very nice!!
Holy smokes! Congrats Ken!
Thanks guys, much appreciated.
Even though I started hunting bears at a very young age and I'm pretty comfortable dealing with them, my passion remains strong.
Wow! Congrats!
:clapper: :clapper: :clapper:
That's a slammer!! Congrats, way to make it count when the window of opportunity presented itself!
Congrats!
Very nice, congratulations.
:thumbsup: :archer:
WOW, VERY IMPRESSIVE!!!!
:notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy:
Really nice bear Ken, congratulations especially after hunting him for a couple of seasons. Had to be a great feeling making the shot.
I saw a real monster a couple of years ago in Ontario while on a fishing trip. And saw a legitimate 7+ footer last spring in Manitoba. So feeling like I will know shooter if I see one this fall in Ontario.
Gary