Judge
Senior Member
I had decided earlier this year that I wanted to try to get a bear. A pretty monumental task for a South Georgia Boy. I started reading the threads here and asked a few questions in prep during the "pre-season."
Then I saw this post from Xtreme05: http://forum.gon.com/showthread.php?t=764364
I offered to help Joseph get a Gator in exchange for some help trying to get a bear. Well we spent 17 hours of the first 24 of Gator Season on the water. Finally at 11:50 p.m. on the first day we put a 10 foot 3 incher in the boat. Joseph's gator pic and thread are here:
http://forum.gon.com/showthread.php?t=770369
We had a great time and talked Gators and Bears the entire time we spent that weekend.
I met Joseph for the first Bear hunt at Cohutta. Of course as many of you know, acorns are hard to find so it was a tough hunt. We walked a lot and finally settled in on some great sign. Joseph taught me a lot about what to look for in regards to finding likely locations for bear. After 2 days we had yet to see a bear. Joseph being a great host (and now friend) swore off shooting a bear. But finally on the last day, I convinced him on the last day to shoot one if he saw one. I at least wanted to see what one looked like. Well, as you all are aware, its hunting and the bear went his way rather than mine. Sunday morning on Cohutta he got a 136 pound female bear. I got to experience one of those uphill drags that we never see in South Georgia.
I could tell that Joseph really hated to take one before I did, but it's hunting so I was proud for him. And I learned alot and had a great time. But it only made me more determined to get a bear.
The plan was to hunt again on the Chestatee hunt. Only problem was that Joseph had to work the first 2 days and I was going to be in Atlanta the first day of the hunt (Wednesday). So it only made sense for me to go on up and hunt.
I signed in the first day, hunted and scouted at Chestatee. I couldn't find any sign or acorns. The second day got there early and more scouting. I sat on a food plot but no luck. After I got down, I scouted a ridge near the food plot area. I found some decent game trails skirting the ridge and a yellow jacket nest that had been dugout in the last couple of days (Joseph taught me that one, lol). It also had a couple of thick areas on each side (possible bedding area)
I ate a lunch at the truck and napped during mid-day. I went in to my spot early. I got set-up on the ground at 3:30 p.m. I didn't like the spot, felt like I had to dig my heels in to keep from sliding down the hill (remember South Georgia Dude). I decided to move up about 8 yards and sit on a fallen log with my back to the high part of the ridge. I moved my stuff and got set-up again.
After sitting there less than 10 minutes, I looked over my left shoulder and saw something black 20 yards above me and 40 yards going away. It had walked right behind me. It looked to be 200, lol. (remember South Georgia Dude, bear higher than me, and first bear seen alive in wild). I didn't hesitate, shot it in the ribs quartering away. It sort of yelped like a dog, and barrelled straight down hill parallel to me. I made a great (meaning lucky) shot as it ran by through both shoulders and it bulldozed down. And again I was lucky, it stopped and didn't roll on down the hill.
I text Joseph a pic (his work day) and he text me back pretty quick: "you got one?" Yep, I had scored on my first bear after only about 5 days of bear hunting. I hated that Joseph didn't get involved in the hunt but I would never have had the knowledge and confidence to go try by myself without his "teaching" on the previous trip. But I plan to go back and get him to help me get a "sho nuff big un."
Anyway, short down hill drag and I was finished at the check in station and headed to the processor by 5:10 p.m. It only weighed 96 pounds.
I didn't get any good pics myself but the processor loaded it to a site at this link:
http://www.trophystack.com/trophies/bears/2271
I only have 2 regrets: My new friend Joseph wasn't with me when I got the bear, and I didn't get to watch it much before the shot (learned with deer not to wait or they will get away)
Oh and I know it's small, but don't forget it was a first and I am getting the skull done and a rug.
Then I saw this post from Xtreme05: http://forum.gon.com/showthread.php?t=764364
I offered to help Joseph get a Gator in exchange for some help trying to get a bear. Well we spent 17 hours of the first 24 of Gator Season on the water. Finally at 11:50 p.m. on the first day we put a 10 foot 3 incher in the boat. Joseph's gator pic and thread are here:
http://forum.gon.com/showthread.php?t=770369
We had a great time and talked Gators and Bears the entire time we spent that weekend.
I met Joseph for the first Bear hunt at Cohutta. Of course as many of you know, acorns are hard to find so it was a tough hunt. We walked a lot and finally settled in on some great sign. Joseph taught me a lot about what to look for in regards to finding likely locations for bear. After 2 days we had yet to see a bear. Joseph being a great host (and now friend) swore off shooting a bear. But finally on the last day, I convinced him on the last day to shoot one if he saw one. I at least wanted to see what one looked like. Well, as you all are aware, its hunting and the bear went his way rather than mine. Sunday morning on Cohutta he got a 136 pound female bear. I got to experience one of those uphill drags that we never see in South Georgia.
I could tell that Joseph really hated to take one before I did, but it's hunting so I was proud for him. And I learned alot and had a great time. But it only made me more determined to get a bear.
The plan was to hunt again on the Chestatee hunt. Only problem was that Joseph had to work the first 2 days and I was going to be in Atlanta the first day of the hunt (Wednesday). So it only made sense for me to go on up and hunt.
I signed in the first day, hunted and scouted at Chestatee. I couldn't find any sign or acorns. The second day got there early and more scouting. I sat on a food plot but no luck. After I got down, I scouted a ridge near the food plot area. I found some decent game trails skirting the ridge and a yellow jacket nest that had been dugout in the last couple of days (Joseph taught me that one, lol). It also had a couple of thick areas on each side (possible bedding area)
I ate a lunch at the truck and napped during mid-day. I went in to my spot early. I got set-up on the ground at 3:30 p.m. I didn't like the spot, felt like I had to dig my heels in to keep from sliding down the hill (remember South Georgia Dude). I decided to move up about 8 yards and sit on a fallen log with my back to the high part of the ridge. I moved my stuff and got set-up again.
After sitting there less than 10 minutes, I looked over my left shoulder and saw something black 20 yards above me and 40 yards going away. It had walked right behind me. It looked to be 200, lol. (remember South Georgia Dude, bear higher than me, and first bear seen alive in wild). I didn't hesitate, shot it in the ribs quartering away. It sort of yelped like a dog, and barrelled straight down hill parallel to me. I made a great (meaning lucky) shot as it ran by through both shoulders and it bulldozed down. And again I was lucky, it stopped and didn't roll on down the hill.
I text Joseph a pic (his work day) and he text me back pretty quick: "you got one?" Yep, I had scored on my first bear after only about 5 days of bear hunting. I hated that Joseph didn't get involved in the hunt but I would never have had the knowledge and confidence to go try by myself without his "teaching" on the previous trip. But I plan to go back and get him to help me get a "sho nuff big un."
Anyway, short down hill drag and I was finished at the check in station and headed to the processor by 5:10 p.m. It only weighed 96 pounds.
I didn't get any good pics myself but the processor loaded it to a site at this link:
http://www.trophystack.com/trophies/bears/2271
I only have 2 regrets: My new friend Joseph wasn't with me when I got the bear, and I didn't get to watch it much before the shot (learned with deer not to wait or they will get away)
Oh and I know it's small, but don't forget it was a first and I am getting the skull done and a rug.
