Bear Hunt 2005
cowslayer
1/22/07 10:08pm
Thought you might enjoy a story and some pics of a bear I killed in November of 2005. I owe all the credit to my good buddy Aaron and his amazing dogs.
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d168/cowslayer/BearPic.jpg " alt="" />
Was able to kill this bear after about 10 days of hunting off and on.
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d168/cowslayer/ChrisBearHunt2005015.jpg " alt="" />
You may have seen the story around or even read it, but here it is again.
After making plans and arrangements, we decided that Old Acorn Caynon had our names written all over it and we were crossing our fingers that the bears were still there and not hibernating yet, after all it was November 4th. As luck would have it, the pine nuts and acorns held the bears in the area and due to decent weather the bears were still out.
After driving the infamous wash, we were about 2 miles up the canyon. When the dogs started to bump here and there. On of those bumps, Aaron just happened to look out the window and see a track. As he stepped out of the truck and said it’s a bear track, the world seemed to get just a little bit faster. As I looked at the track, it appeared to be fresh and huge! He unbuckled one of his best dogs, put his nose on the track and sent him. It was not 5 seconds and that dog opened up on a full run/bawl. He said, “send the ones on the box”. As I unleashed the dog on my side, I couldn’t keep hold of her as she struggled to catch up to the pack. It was on!!! As Garth would say, “ The race is on…”, and it was!!!
They started side hilling the canyon heading back from where we came from. We turned that truck around and put the pedal to metal trying to intercept or cut off the race. About the 2nd canyon, it sounded like they had met up with the bear and that they were in the chase/fight. As they scrambled up and down the cliffs, Aaron and I were able to get in front of them. I grabbed the gun and my pack and tried to get in front of them to end the chase. Too late, they were already past me and were heading into “Oak Canyon or rather No Mans Land”. This area is rugged cliffy and no where for a sane human being to be chasing around in. Well I ran back down the canyon to see that Aaron had moved the truck down the canyon further to try and find the bear and get some more dogs in the race. He released the rest of the dogs unsuccessfully. Well we repositioned the truck one more time. This time, when I left the truck, I only brought with me, my rifle/14 bullets and the video camera. Aaron brought with him, the tracking box and antenna, his leatherman and some leashes for the dogs. We were just going to go up on the ridge and take a reading on where the dogs were. Or so we thought.
As we ascended “Oak Canyon” things had changed a lot, the leaves had fallen, the grass was dry and the hill seemed to have gotten steeper. Maybe it was just because I had already ran 2 miles prior to hiking up to this ridge. Well as we got to the top of the ridge, we heard the dogs barking/fighting the bear, just around the ridge or so we thought. Well trying to scale the cliffs, keep my balance on the rock shale and hiking straight up a steep ridge had ripped my feet up pretty good. I was now walking on several blisters as we tried to keep up. As we tried to find the dogs with the telemetry device it became apparent that they had moved out of the canyon and were in the next one just south of us. As we followed, we found ourselves ledged in by a 100 foot cliff. As we walked the edge of this cliff we finally found where the bear and dogs had descended. As we followed their tracks down the canyon, we were running on fumes. This was not a hike this was a race! A race I was definitely not fit for.
Regardless, I was too far in now to stop. The ridge held the prospect of the dogs fighting a huge bear and I wanted a shot. Then it came to me, my inspiration, my motivation. I imagined my little boy and his faith that this time, I would get a bear, he just knew it.” To say that made me faster would be a lie, but it did help me persevere the last 300 yards up a steep hill without stopping. Even when a tree branch tried to take my face and eye out I didn’t stop. About 10 yards from the top, Aaron came back whispering they're just on the other side of the ridge, COME ON!!! That adrenaline boost shot me up the top of the ridge. As I topped out, I could here the dogs howling and barking as they started down the canyon side and up the bottom. I knew that if I was going to do this I would have to side hill the face and make a shot across the canyon. This bear wasn’t going to tree. Later I would find out why, he was large and in charge and wasn't scared of "no stinking dogs".
As sweat poured off of me, I could taste the asthma lung cookies baking in my lungs, I raced along another ribbon cliff to a vantage point that would allow for a good lookout. Just as I stopped, Aaron pointed across the canyon and yelled there goes the bear. Although I couldn’t see it in the shade and pine trees, I sat down attached the snipe pod and gave Aaron the binoculars to watch as I looked through the scope. Within seconds, we both caught movement across the canyon and a little lower than we were sitting. I acknowledged to Aaron that I’ve got him in the scope and squoze the trigger as he was heading up the steep slope. The recoil and report of a solid hit gave me encouragement that he would soon be ours. However it didn’t stop him. He started sidehilling it to the left and stopped, he turned and started sidehilling it to the right when I placed the crosshairs on the top of his shoulder and pulled the trigger once again. This shot knocked the bear back into a pine tree and sent him catapulting down the hill.
On that shot I stood on the cliff gave Aaron a High Five and let out a primal scream and shout(I think there is a song about this feeling). As the shot and visions replayed in my mind, I couldn't believe I had just killed this giant boar.
As all of you have felt the rush hit you of excitement, pride, unbelief and pure enjoyment. I sat in awe of the accomplishment that Aaron and I had just realized. We had just killed a giant Utah Black Bear the final measurements on the skull are 12" length + 7 4/16 wide = 19 4/16 B&C! To make awards, you need 20" and to make all time you need 21".
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d168/cowslayer/BearSkull003.jpg " alt="" />
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d168/cowslayer/BearSkull002.jpg " alt="" />
The rug square 6'10" and we guesstimated the brute weighing 400+ pounds with all of the acorn and berry fat on his body.
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d168/cowslayer/BearonWall001-1.jpg " alt="" />
Can't thank my friends enough, that helped me fulfill this quest and great tag.
Thanks CS
Was able to kill this bear after about 10 days of hunting off and on.
You may have seen the story around or even read it, but here it is again.
After making plans and arrangements, we decided that Old Acorn Caynon had our names written all over it and we were crossing our fingers that the bears were still there and not hibernating yet, after all it was November 4th. As luck would have it, the pine nuts and acorns held the bears in the area and due to decent weather the bears were still out.
After driving the infamous wash, we were about 2 miles up the canyon. When the dogs started to bump here and there. On of those bumps, Aaron just happened to look out the window and see a track. As he stepped out of the truck and said it’s a bear track, the world seemed to get just a little bit faster. As I looked at the track, it appeared to be fresh and huge! He unbuckled one of his best dogs, put his nose on the track and sent him. It was not 5 seconds and that dog opened up on a full run/bawl. He said, “send the ones on the box”. As I unleashed the dog on my side, I couldn’t keep hold of her as she struggled to catch up to the pack. It was on!!! As Garth would say, “ The race is on…”, and it was!!!
They started side hilling the canyon heading back from where we came from. We turned that truck around and put the pedal to metal trying to intercept or cut off the race. About the 2nd canyon, it sounded like they had met up with the bear and that they were in the chase/fight. As they scrambled up and down the cliffs, Aaron and I were able to get in front of them. I grabbed the gun and my pack and tried to get in front of them to end the chase. Too late, they were already past me and were heading into “Oak Canyon or rather No Mans Land”. This area is rugged cliffy and no where for a sane human being to be chasing around in. Well I ran back down the canyon to see that Aaron had moved the truck down the canyon further to try and find the bear and get some more dogs in the race. He released the rest of the dogs unsuccessfully. Well we repositioned the truck one more time. This time, when I left the truck, I only brought with me, my rifle/14 bullets and the video camera. Aaron brought with him, the tracking box and antenna, his leatherman and some leashes for the dogs. We were just going to go up on the ridge and take a reading on where the dogs were. Or so we thought.
As we ascended “Oak Canyon” things had changed a lot, the leaves had fallen, the grass was dry and the hill seemed to have gotten steeper. Maybe it was just because I had already ran 2 miles prior to hiking up to this ridge. Well as we got to the top of the ridge, we heard the dogs barking/fighting the bear, just around the ridge or so we thought. Well trying to scale the cliffs, keep my balance on the rock shale and hiking straight up a steep ridge had ripped my feet up pretty good. I was now walking on several blisters as we tried to keep up. As we tried to find the dogs with the telemetry device it became apparent that they had moved out of the canyon and were in the next one just south of us. As we followed, we found ourselves ledged in by a 100 foot cliff. As we walked the edge of this cliff we finally found where the bear and dogs had descended. As we followed their tracks down the canyon, we were running on fumes. This was not a hike this was a race! A race I was definitely not fit for.
Regardless, I was too far in now to stop. The ridge held the prospect of the dogs fighting a huge bear and I wanted a shot. Then it came to me, my inspiration, my motivation. I imagined my little boy and his faith that this time, I would get a bear, he just knew it.” To say that made me faster would be a lie, but it did help me persevere the last 300 yards up a steep hill without stopping. Even when a tree branch tried to take my face and eye out I didn’t stop. About 10 yards from the top, Aaron came back whispering they're just on the other side of the ridge, COME ON!!! That adrenaline boost shot me up the top of the ridge. As I topped out, I could here the dogs howling and barking as they started down the canyon side and up the bottom. I knew that if I was going to do this I would have to side hill the face and make a shot across the canyon. This bear wasn’t going to tree. Later I would find out why, he was large and in charge and wasn't scared of "no stinking dogs".
As sweat poured off of me, I could taste the asthma lung cookies baking in my lungs, I raced along another ribbon cliff to a vantage point that would allow for a good lookout. Just as I stopped, Aaron pointed across the canyon and yelled there goes the bear. Although I couldn’t see it in the shade and pine trees, I sat down attached the snipe pod and gave Aaron the binoculars to watch as I looked through the scope. Within seconds, we both caught movement across the canyon and a little lower than we were sitting. I acknowledged to Aaron that I’ve got him in the scope and squoze the trigger as he was heading up the steep slope. The recoil and report of a solid hit gave me encouragement that he would soon be ours. However it didn’t stop him. He started sidehilling it to the left and stopped, he turned and started sidehilling it to the right when I placed the crosshairs on the top of his shoulder and pulled the trigger once again. This shot knocked the bear back into a pine tree and sent him catapulting down the hill.
On that shot I stood on the cliff gave Aaron a High Five and let out a primal scream and shout(I think there is a song about this feeling). As the shot and visions replayed in my mind, I couldn't believe I had just killed this giant boar.
As all of you have felt the rush hit you of excitement, pride, unbelief and pure enjoyment. I sat in awe of the accomplishment that Aaron and I had just realized. We had just killed a giant Utah Black Bear the final measurements on the skull are 12" length + 7 4/16 wide = 19 4/16 B&C! To make awards, you need 20" and to make all time you need 21".
The rug square 6'10" and we guesstimated the brute weighing 400+ pounds with all of the acorn and berry fat on his body.
Can't thank my friends enough, that helped me fulfill this quest and great tag.
Thanks CS
8,443
9er
9er
Sweet, man that is a big ole bear. Especially around these parts.
thanks for the photos and story!