SW-VA Bear 10-8-11

[Cove-Creek]

I initally posted this under highlights then realized that I was not suppose to post the story there....so I moved it here per forum rules.

This is windy!!

The bear population in my part of the state has absolutely exploded over the past 4 or five years. Fifteen years ago it was a very rare occasion to see a bear; I would occasionally find bear sign in the woods and once every few years maybe see one while deer hunting.

Over the past few years I have had a few close encounters with bears during bow season but never had much interest in killing one. After several preseason sightings and finding bear sign virtually everywhere that I have looked I decided that given the chance I would kill one this year.

Saturday morning it happened, and I had my ten year old son with me!! For 3 years now he has essentially made every step in the mountains that I have made, he loves it, and he has killed in excess of ten deer using different weapons. He does a good job sitting still and being quite.

I prefer to hunt out of tree stands but Saturday morning we were hunting an area that I had yet to hang stands in this year for us. We just kicked out around a big oak in a flat that is loaded with acorns this year...lots of feeding sign in there, deer and bear. At about 9:30 4 does fed through just out of my sons range, he is bow hunting this year with a compound as I am not comfortable with his ability yet using traditional gear. I elected to pass on the shot as well in hopes that he would get another opportunity.

At 10:25 we heard a series of loud branches breaking east of us and turned to see a bear heading directly towards us. We both grabbed our bows and the bear continued head on closing the distance. The bear needed to turn south for my son to have clear shot because of how we were setup against the huge tree. Rather than turn any direction he kept trucking right at us!! He was 4 yards from us before he ever stopped, and so close to our tree my boy couldn't even see him anymore, he told me to shoot! I already had my bow up because I was unsure if he would ever see us and just keep coming ending up in our lap, but thankfully he stopped where he did and turned just enough offering a window through his vitals. I drew and shot just as he spotted me.

The arrow entered his right shoulder and exited behind the last rib, taking out the close side lung and centering the liver before exiting. The bear let out a growl as the arrow hit him and he tore off down the ridge out of sight. I thought my son was going to climb my back when the bear growled!!

After taking four steps and inspecting my arrow that was sticking in a log soaked with promising sign, we headed home for a few hours. I didn't feel any urgency to take a chance on pushing the animal even though I was confident with the shot.

We returned at about 1:30 with some extra help to find the bear. He had traveled about 100yd before expiring. Not much blood on the ground even with a big 3 blade broad head as the entrance was in the shoulder and the exit was plugged with fat/entrails.

This was a male that field dressed just under 130lb. Our bow season has been open for a week and I asked them how many deer they had checked in and they said that they had only checked in 4 deer but had checked in 14 bears. VA has a system where deer can be checked over the phone so I'm sure that contributes to low deer numbers being brought to the station...but 14 bears in one week is a bunch!!

Equipment was as follows
Fedora 560 one piece 55@28 (this is a new bow and its first time drawn on game!!)
Beman MFX Classic 500s 29.5" with 50gr brass inserts
160gr Snuffer



   

[steadman]

It was just as good there! Congrats again!  

[M. J. Brundage]

Congratulations!!! Great story          

[RM81]

Great job.  Congrats!

[SAM E. STEPHENS]

Very cool love that bear hunten,,,,,,Sam,,,,,,

[sswv]

   

[Hooper]

Nice bear! Congrats!

[Blueridge]

Got my first one this year too. ain't it fun. congrats to you and your son.

[Maxx Black]

Good job. I wouldn't be able to sit there till he was only a few yards away. Maxx

[WRV]

Congratulations!

[Bjorn]

Wow! That was exciting!      

[dave19113]

[The Night Stalker]

I live just south of you across the NC line. I understand what you mean about Bears. It seems like there are more and more each year and our county. We have a season for them but I do not know if I would shoot one. It depends on the moment.

[swp]

Congrats!!!

[Hot Hap]

Congradulations. Hap

[A.S.]

Nice!!

[varmint101]

Cool! Congrats on the bear!

[Interseptor]

Congrats Zach!  And if you find somebody who knows what they are doing, that bear will be some of the best wild game meat you ever tasted!  I never thought much about hunting bear until a co-worker brought me some that her mother cooked.  Her dad is a big bear/hound guy from western NC.  You talk about good eating!

[House]

Congrats on the bear and very nice story!

Thanks for sharing.

Travis

[Terry Lightle]

Great job