Professor
Senior Member
Some haven't reported in yet. I got to believe someone stuck a bear.
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No bears?
- Thread starter Professor
- Start date
Well I’m proud to say that I took my first bear today on a solo hunt. Got home around 10:30 and haven’t stopped smiling. To pump myself up on the hike out I was yelling at the top of my lungs about how much I love America. What an amazing place to live and I’m very thankful for where I live, the opportunity I had today, and pretty much everything. Amazing what happens when I two year goal becomes a reality. One step closer to elk.
Now I have questions haha. What is the best way to take care of the hide? I’ve read salt, freezer, rinse, don’t rinse...so many confusing options. Also wanted to pick everyone’s brains to see if they had a good taxidermist near Jasper who can help me out with a rug.
Now I have questions haha. What is the best way to take care of the hide? I’ve read salt, freezer, rinse, don’t rinse...so many confusing options. Also wanted to pick everyone’s brains to see if they had a good taxidermist near Jasper who can help me out with a rug.
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Professor
Senior Member
Well done. How much did it weigh?
Great bear , congrats !
Buckman18
Senior Member
Fold the feet and hands in, then roll the head up into hide to cover the hands and feet. Fur out. Tie it up tight, garbage bag twice and freeze.
Thunder Head
Gone but not forgotten
Congrats,
bghann on a fine bear,
Professor,
I saw 2 very small bears.
I heard something and froze. little bear comes out of a deadfall and walks by at about 15 yards. Maybe 60lbs.
He wander off down creek. I standing there wondering if his mom was around. Some noise caught my attention. Got to looking and there was a bear in a tree on the other side of the creek. I stalked over there. Dang chipmunk started making alarm calls. I thought the bear was making so much noise it wouldnt matter. But i was wrong. The bear saw me and came scooting down the tree. (free lesson) It was about the same size as the first. When it hit the ground it ran towards me. Stopped at about 6 yards.
I worked my way up to where i was going but didnt find any other fresh bear sign. No deer sign at all. Bunch of pig sign.
bghann on a fine bear,
Professor,
I saw 2 very small bears.
I heard something and froze. little bear comes out of a deadfall and walks by at about 15 yards. Maybe 60lbs.
He wander off down creek. I standing there wondering if his mom was around. Some noise caught my attention. Got to looking and there was a bear in a tree on the other side of the creek. I stalked over there. Dang chipmunk started making alarm calls. I thought the bear was making so much noise it wouldnt matter. But i was wrong. The bear saw me and came scooting down the tree. (free lesson) It was about the same size as the first. When it hit the ground it ran towards me. Stopped at about 6 yards.
I worked my way up to where i was going but didnt find any other fresh bear sign. No deer sign at all. Bunch of pig sign.
The bear weighted three different weights. When she was alive I believed she was 125-150, when I saw her after the hit Id say 100-125, and when I was packing out 1500 lbs.
Thank you!!!
chrislibby88
Senior Member
This might be the most accurate weight assessment I’ve ever read on GON. haha. Congrats on the bear!
blood on the ground
Cross threading is better than two lock washers.
I have wanted to see a bear in the wild my entire life! I’m undecided if I want to kill one though. I’ve had the meat a couple times and didn’t really care for it. I do love a trophy but don’t believe in killing something just because I see it as a trophy! Not trying to derail the thread, just took the long way around to say I want to see a bear in the woods!
Timberjack86
Senior Member
Had a small bear walk by at 20 yards probably borderline legal, so I let him walk
Rabun
Senior Member
I have wanted to see a bear in the wild my entire life! I’m undecided if I want to kill one though. I’ve had the meat a couple times and didn’t really care for it. I do love a trophy but don’t believe in killing something just because I see it as a trophy! Not trying to derail the thread, just took the long way around to say I want to see a bear in the woods!
Go tromp around the NE Ga mountains...quietly...and you’re likely to see bear. Bring a muzzleloader along in case you find some hogs.
I never salt a hide of any kind. I either flesh and scrape it clean or roll it up hair side out and freeze it, if I don`t have time to flesh it.
southernforce7
Member
I took my cousin to national forest land to hopefully kill his first bear (and first bow kill). When we got to where i had planned for us to go, we were met by 2 bears on the ridge in the pitch black dark, and one of them did not appreciate us being there. he huffed and popped his teeth at us for a few minutes, but we continued towards them as thats where we were headed. We immediately went from trying to be as quiet as possible to not caring anymore, as i wanted the bears to know where we were and not be surprised by us. Long story short, we ended up seeing 2 bears after daylight, one being about 160lbs, and the other probably 200lbs. He put a beautiful shot on the 160 pound bear, which also had a big white "V" on his chest, at about 17 yards. I had the opportunity to kill the larger one, but decided one bear was enough to pack out. We found blood, found his arrow, but soon ran out of blood and after hours upon hours of searching, praying, climbing, crawling, and dragging our butts around the mountains, I hate to say we lost the bear. Sad day, especially since his shot looked flawless, but we will go again with much better outcomes....hopefully.
1eyefishing
...just joking, seriously.
Bear's vitals are slightly more center mass than in the chest. I have put 2 arrows in the chest of one (in a tree) and lost it also.
I hit another one more center mass broadside and he ran straight towards me (away from the arrow that zipped through him and then along the ground). He expired he expired less than 20 yd from me after passing me by at less than 3 yds.
southernforce7
Member
Funny thing you mention this...I had just quoted this rule of thumb to him as we waited for daylight saturday morning. I've harvested my fair share of bears, so I know all too well the consequences of shooting too far forward on them.
Pig Predator
Useles Billy’s Fishel Hog Killer ?
That had to be quite the rush if you were on the ground with him!
1eyefishing
...just joking, seriously.
Yes sir! His head turned on a swivel looking at me questioningly as he ran by full speed. I did my best tree stump. I literally could have taken 2 big sidesteps and stuck my foot out and tripped him.He crashed to the ground 20 yd from me just out of sight over the ridgeline.Dead silence. I didn't move my feet from those footprints for 10 minutes.
You spend enough time in the woods and you'll have stories you just can't make up!
