Nice Chattahoochee Bear

Tio Hey Seuss

Senior Member
I was running around Chattahoochee WMA over the weekend looking for hog/turkey but... got distracted by all the bear sign and ended up sneaking in on this guy!

It was about 30 minutes of stalking before I could get a good picture. I was much closer at some points but I couldn't catch a break between wind direction and cover at the same time so I had to give up some ground. My estimate is about 20 yards when he finally changes direction.
 
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3ringer

Senior Member
Nice video. Thanks for sharing
 

Killer Kyle

Senior Member
That's a nice bear! It's about that time of year we start seeing them all over the place! It's a fun time of year!
 

CornStalker

Senior Member
Cool video---nice bear for sure!
 

Dixiesimpleman32

GONetwork Member
cool video
 

Tio Hey Seuss

Senior Member
Thanks guys! If you liked that one you might appreciate this one too. It's from last summer and it's a much smaller female but I was proud of my pup for staying calm and quiet while we snuck up. Then I let her chase em after giving the bears a head start lol. Also a Chattahoochee bear though.
 

ripplerider

Senior Member
Congratulations on catching those rascals on video. Seems like they always catch me unprepared for getting pictures/video. I've got a few but but it seems like I always run into them in dark laurel thickets or they take off as I'm getting the camera ready. Were you not a little worried your dog would lead Mama back to you in defence of her cubs?
 

Tio Hey Seuss

Senior Member
Yea, it was definitely something I considered. I spent some time observing how bears and her reacted to eachother and how sows with cubs behaved/reacted while I had her on a check cord before letting her go off lead. I wouldn't consider it any of my other dogs either. She's very reliable so I figured as long as I gave the bears a head start I had plenty of time to call her off and she still gets to feel like she successfully hunted something down.

It did get a little hairy for a minute just after I stopped video. Momma bear ran over the next ridge and never looked back. So I recall Cora, give her a pat on the head and start walking back to the truck...well for some reason one of the cubs came down from it's tree as soon as I turned my back and the dog took off to get it. If I hadn't noticed she was back after it and called her off then I'm sure mom would've come running to the cubs distress calls.
 

Joe Brandon

Senior Member
A buddy of mine lost his dog at Tallulah Gorge doing the exact same thing. Thinking these bears would play nice with his dog. Left the dog eviscerated and dead. Be careful, I know you love your dog.
 

Tio Hey Seuss

Senior Member
Oh I don't expect her or the bears to play nice with eachother. Chasing any kind of critter with dogs is risky business and eventually most people will loose a dog to something. If not a bear there are always the snakes, cats, yotes, pigs, cliffs, rivers and other hunters. That said, it never gets easier so I feel for your buddy.

My dog does mean a lot to me and she's a significant chunk of my livelihood so I don't let her range too far out. I like her in sight at all times so I can communicate with hand signals. Almost like a pointing dog but with big game.
 
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