Big relief

[Bobby Bigtime]

About four years ago I shot at a monster bear at what I felt was a pretty good distance but I had a good rest and the bruin presented a good broadside unobstructed shot. the angle was a very steep uphill poke. Not knowing the distance I held on the top of his shoulder(308 win). At the shot he tumpled end over end for about 60 yards and disappeared behind a treeline. I thought wow that was easy,but for the next two days I scoured the mountain never finding a drop of blood and no bear. I was absolutely sick at the possibility of wounding and losing such a magnificent animal. I went back to hunt this weekend and had a rangefinder this time and ranged the shot at 356 yards. The next day another hunter killed the monster bear 100 yards from where I made the shot. We helped them take him off the mountain. It was a big relief to finally know I didn't wound him and he got four more years to be a bear

 

[antharper]

Good deal ! I know it happens , but if it doesn’t bother you to wound any animal something is wrong . I shot at a gobbler Wednesday morning and as he ran off my 2nd thought was I hope any stray shot didn’t hit him . I’m not gonna share my first thought

 

[ddd-shooter]

Always good to close the book on a critter.
What state?

 

[Bobby Bigtime]

Always good to close the book on a critter.
What state?

Montana

 

[Resica]

About four years ago I shot at a monster bear at what I felt was a pretty good distance but I had a good rest and the bruin presented a good broadside unobstructed shot. the angle was a very steep uphill poke. Not knowing the distance I held on the top of his shoulder(308 win). At the shot he tumpled end over end for about 60 yards and disappeared behind a treeline. I thought wow that was easy,but for the next two days I scoured the mountain never finding a drop of blood and no bear. I was absolutely sick at the possibility of wounding and losing such a magnificent animal. I went back to hunt this weekend and had a rangefinder this time and ranged the shot at 356 yards. The next day another hunter killed the monster bear 100 yards from where I made the shot. We helped them take him off the mountain. It was a big relief to finally know I didn't wound him and he got four more years to be a bear

How big was it?

 

[Bobby Bigtime]

How big was it?

We figure he was about 250 without the guts. Pretty big for spring bear. So when I saw him the fall I shot at him he would have had the 40 lbs of guts and another 80 or 100 lbs of fat.

 

[Bobby Bigtime]

Just a quick update. The boys that took the bear got back to me, and the fwp biologist aged him at 10 plus years old and in excellent health.

 

[ddd-shooter]

Just a quick update. The boys that took the bear got back to me, and the fwp biologist aged him at 10 plus years old and in excellent health.

Always cool to find out those details