brown bear season closed, time to try for a blackie.

[champ38]

Are you still drinking coffee ? waiting. : )

[Archie]

Just thought I'd chime in... I've been following this one too, and I wanna see the bear!

[mb bowman]

I am sure you have had a full and enjoyable day. Please let us join in  

[jrchambers]

ok I don't want to skip ahead so Thursday night there was a battle at the barrel.

[jrchambers]

the winner will bee seen again in some different kind of pics

[jrchambers]

im getting ready to escort my buddy to the stand, and ill pull the trail cam cards,  one of them was set to video,  well see if it got anything good.  ill finish up when I have all the pics I want moved to the photo cement bucket  :mad:

[Florida lime]

Originally posted by jrchambers:
the winner will bee seen again in some different kind of pics

   

Man, I have been checking in on this thread forever!  A punched tag means you got it done!

Congrats in advance of the announcement and can't wait to see the pics and read the story!

Bisch

[Whip]

Wow,  talk about teaser pics! Those fight pictures are like nothing I've ever seen before.
On the edge of my seat for the rest!

[Keith Zimmerman]

Keeps getting better and better.....

[Walt Francis]

Congratulations, and thanks for sharing the adventure.  Patiently waiting....Okay...anxiously, waiting for the final chapter.

[jrchambers]

here it is.
I went in on Friday evening with the intent on sleeping there till dawn.  I packed a wool blanket and a pillow wrapped in polar fleece coats, I actually packed a book that I have been thinking of reading.
 I rode the wheeler down the powerline and prepared my gear for the hike with a pack, bow and 375 cal rifle.  
 I have fashioned a sling for my shrew so I can sneak around with my thumb on the safety of my cannon.  
 the ground was dry and loud so I took upwards of 30 min to cover 300 yards.
 When I arrived I could tell that the bait had been hit hard since Wednesday night- Thursday morning.
 I took my time changing the sd card and climbing up to the stand.
 I had cleared some leaves from the trail for the last 200 yards so I could be as quiet as the frequent squirles.
 once I was in the stand I hung my rifle and pulled up the line with my pack and shrew.  
 I first hung my bow and then began setting up camp for the night.
 Usualy the first thing I do is nock a arrow and put on my tab but tonight I had a lot to do.
 I pulled out my backrest pillow, then the urine bottles, then the wool blanket that would double as leg support as well as insulation at sundown, that the night before dropped to 32 deg.
The next items were a hat and bug net as well as a set of mitten covered fingerless gloves to shield the bugs.  after that I pulled out some wick sticks that I doused in trapping cat lure for cover scent.  I hung one and the last item was the novel that I was really quite exited to have time to read>  I have a 8 yr old boy a 3 year old boy and a 1 mo old boy.  so hobbies are but a battle to enjoy.
 All of this preparation took about 2 min max.

[TxAg]

Getting good

[jrchambers]

It was now 7:30 pm.  All of the crap I had mentioned before was stacked on my small 32x24 stand.  That's when I hear the crunches.
 At first I was a bit confused,  then assumed they were from a squirrel,  not too loud,  then a porcupine that I had seen before.  But they were just too loud.  I looked over my shoulder and saw him at 20 yards.  
 He was cautious and played the north wind a bit.  Once he was comfy he strolled in and laid down to eat.  He just nibbled at the goodies I had to offer while keeping a very sharp eye on his surroundings, even a little squirrel could get him to jump.
 I thought at first that he was the sow that I've been getting pics of.  After a good bit, I decided that I would let him pass and wait to see what might come.  So, I slowly put on my hat, net, gloves and began to enjoy.
 While watching this bear, I began to notice a few things that led me to think that it was the largest bear on trail cam record.  After it got up once to move to the other side I began thinking that I might should take it.  The first problem was that the bear did not stand still or broadside for more than a second or two.  The second was I'm not convinced that it is a boar, (actually I was sure it was a sow)and that it did not present an acceptable shot for 20 mins.

Tuned in for more......

Bisch

[jrchambers]

While it was feeding I got an arrow nocked and my tab on.  I looked through my trail cam pics from the night before.  I looked through them many times and looked at the fight scene and recognized the loser of the fight by the growth on the rear right by the tail.
 
I began to compare the winner with the bear that was 15 yards from me.  I decided that it was the same bear, sow or boar, it was the largest that has been here.
 I weighed the fact that there was a quota set by f&g for 70 bears or 14 sows and I was torn.  That's when he jumped up and alerted to the east.  I quickly made a choice that I wanted to take it.  I stood up, picked up my bow.  The bear was broadside and looking away.  The next few seconds are a bit fuzzy as I drew and released.  
 I am a bit disappointed in the fact that I did not have the fever shakes that I expected.
 I am thankful that auto pilot took over at that point, I truly think that I cut the clump of fur I was bearing down on.
 There was a loud crack, followed by a deep angry roar.  
 I could see the fletch side of the arrow, hanging out by about 8 inches.  The bear did a 360 and bolted for the thickest and steepest part of the ridge.  I heard heavy brush crashing within seconds.  I then began going through my backup list on my phone.
 While I was talking to my first friend I heard more crashing, and it wasn't coming from the bear I just shot.  
 Seconds later the other boar (with the growth on his rear) rolled in like he owned the joint.
He was foamy at the mouth and woofing in every direction.  He pounded his way right under my stand and then caught the wind of the bear I just shot.  He headed right for it, I was relieved to see that he was not as large as the bear I had shot, even though he had a large head and tough looking to boot. I tried to woof at him and distract him from the other bears trail to no avail.  He looked at me and proceeded down the hill to confront his opponent.

[jrchambers]

After the second boar was out of sight I recalled my backup list and told them to bring their tags and big guns, as if they were not already bringing both.  
 I then climbed down and walked 400 yards out to the comfort of the wide open power line and wheeler.  I called my dad and was explaining the situation when I notice another bear coming out in the clearing not 50 yards from me.  I told him ill call him back and checked the bear out with my rifle scope.  I immediately recognized him or her as the cub that had hit my bait 3 weeks earlier.

I watched it as it eventualy crossed my wind.  It bolted for the nearest cover.  
 I for a while then proceeded to the truck.

[TURKEYFOOTGIRL]

Don't stop now, things are getting exciting!!

[jrchambers]

My buddy brought a side by side razor and another wheeler as well as two more buddies packing 2 500sws a 12ga and another 375, tags for all.
 We approached the site with extreme caution.  I lead the way looking for blood with 3 others looking for the other boar.  We came to a 2way on the ridge and split up.  After 20 yards down the two trails there was still no blood.  
 One of my friends went right, two of us went down the trails and another went left.  It wasn't second before I heard the words every bowhunter cherishes,  BEAR DOWN.
 It turns out that the bear had only taken a few steps out of sight before loosing it and rolling off of the trail.
 All four of us broke a heavy sweat rolling it down the hill and to a spot that we could get the side by side to a tree that we could winch it up in the back.
 the rest is a bunch of work and stink.      

[jrchambers]