I bailed out on the evening hunt, was I too concerned?

[COJoe]

On my third day of 1st rifle elk hunt in October, it was around 4 PM, so I had decided to hike back up to the edge of the timber line at the base of the mountain to see if I could spot an elk coming out of the tree line to feed in the grasses up there. The previous evenings I hadn't wanted to stay out until dark because I was hunting with my herniated disc, so I was reluctant to shoot an elk late and have to deal with it in the dark plus I was one and a half miles from camp. However, that afternoon I changed my plan and was going to sit it out hoping for the best. I started with a few cow calls then would wait a while and try a few more. Nothing responded or moved so I decided I would eat dinner early, around four, then have a little less than two hours to sit until dark. Just after I made my Peak Refuel dinner and started eating it, I raised my binoculars to scan the drainage and timber above me and I immediately noticed a large black bear coming straight down the drainage in my direction. It was one of the biggest black bears I've seen in Colorado so far. I realized the slight breeze was blowing my dinner aroma straight towards him which concerned me. My concerns grew quickly as I thought about if I actually shot an elk and I would have to field dress it and debone it in the dark by myself with a large bear nearby. All I could think about was this large bear deciding he wanted what I had and I would not know he's coming until it's too late. I'm guessing he was about 750 - 900 yards away when I saw him. I assume a larger bear would be more aggressive than a smaller bear.

Needless to say, I packed up and went back to my camp early again not feeling comfortable with the situation. I am wondering if my cow calls brought him in, my dinner smell or was he just wondering around? Hunting with a bad back surely played a big part also but I really felt it wasn't a good idea to stay up there by myself in the dark considering everything. Has anyone dealt with a situation like this hunting solo? I had zoomed in to see the bear, he's in the middle of the picture, black dot. He may be farther away than I guessed as I don't have a rangefinder yet.

 

[NorthernHunter]

On my third day of 1st rifle elk hunt in October, it was around 4 PM, so I had decided to hike back up to the edge of the timber line at the base of the mountain to see if I could spot an elk coming out of the tree line to feed in the grasses up there. The previous evenings I hadn't wanted to stay out until dark because I was hunting with my herniated disc, so I was reluctant to shoot an elk late and have to deal with it in the dark plus I was one and a half miles from camp. However, that afternoon I changed my plan and was going to sit it out hoping for the best. I started with a few cow calls then would wait a while and try a few more. Nothing responded or moved so I decided I would eat dinner early, around four, then have a little less than two hours to sit until dark. Just after I made my Peak Refuel dinner and started eating it, I raised my binoculars to scan the drainage and timber above me and I immediately noticed a large black bear coming straight down the drainage in my direction. It was one of the biggest black bears I've seen in Colorado so far. I realized the slight breeze was blowing my dinner aroma straight towards him which concerned me. My concerns grew quickly as I thought about if I actually shot an elk and I would have to field dress it and debone it in the dark by myself with a large bear nearby. All I could think about was this large bear deciding he wanted what I had and I would not know he's coming until it's too late. I'm guessing he was about 750 - 900 yards away when I saw him. I assume a larger bear would be more aggressive than a smaller bear.

Needless to say, I packed up and went back to my camp early again not feeling comfortable with the situation. I am wondering if my cow calls brought him in, my dinner smell or was he just wondering around? Hunting with a bad back surely played a big part also but I really felt it wasn't a good idea to stay up there by myself in the dark considering everything. Has anyone dealt with a situation like this hunting solo? I had zoomed in to see the bear, he's in the middle of the picture, black dot. He may be farther away than I guessed as I don't have a rangefinder yet.

View attachment 636389

Black bears have never really bothered me. Other than a sow with cubs they run 99.9% of the time. Grizzly can be aggressive. I hunt near both.

 

[Soj51hopeful]

Looks like a big bear. Should’ve had a bear tag.

 

[Cameron.25]

I think you would've been just fine if it was a black bear. Last bear i killed solo and while i was processing, I had another bear walk by me at 20 yards and it just stopped, looked and kept doing its thing. Most black bears I've been close enough to for them to notice me have just ran off

 

[jimh406]

Better safe than sorry.

 

[roosiebull]

I would have not been concerned, I have been around a bunch of black bears, big and small, and they have never made me nervous in the light or dark.

As soon as they hit your wind, they will be gone, I have never seen a single bear act aggressive once they know I exist, and rarely have ever seen aggression from a sow with young cubs (probably the most dangerous black bear scenario besides a wounded bear in the brush)

They are the least of my concerns for hazards, out of tons of bear encounters of all types, they are not on my mind cutting something up in the dark or packing it, they have never given me reason to.

The only times I have been scared around a big bear is thinking that it will get my wind before a shot opportunity happens

I had a sow with 2 cubs come charging into cow calls one evening elk hunting, it was frantically coming to me, when it got to about 20yds (right after I realized it had 2 cubs) I stood up and said “hey” and started waving my arms, it looked at me briefly and kept coming, almost like “I see you and don’t care, but where’s the damn elk?!” I kept talking to her but she ignored me and kept coming, got less than 10yds to my left, and caught my wind and turned inside out, and they were running full speed until the sound of brush breaking faded in the distance… it was a bizarre encounter, she would not acknowledge me, but as soon as she hit my wind, she freaked. The story is a little longer and funny, I had a buddy with me and when I heard branches breaking coming to cow calls, I figured it was the bull I called in and passed that morning… about the time I thought I should hear a bow goes off he comes sneaking back to me with big wide eyes

Then he told me it was a big bear, so I was going to kill it, then I saw it and it was obvious it was a standard sow… didn’t nock an arrow or anything, then I did get a little concerned when I saw the cubs trailing her and how fast she was closing the distance

Coincidentally, I called in a big boar the day before, again thinking it was a bull initially, but when I realized it was a big bear I quit calling because I didn’t want to mess with one that night, after a bit, he forgot about my cow calls and remembered the elderberries

Unprovoked black bear attacks just don’t happen, I wouldn’t worry about them, they won’t mess with you

 

[realunlucky]

I would have not been concerned, I have been around a bunch of black bears, big and small, and they have never made me nervous in the light or dark.

As soon as they hit your wind, they will be gone, I have never seen a single bear act aggressive once they know I exist, and rarely have ever seen aggression from a sow with young cubs (probably the most dangerous black bear scenario besides a wounded bear in the brush)

They are the least of my concerns for hazards, out of tons of bear encounters of all types, they are not on my mind cutting something up in the dark or packing it, they have never given me reason to.

The only times I have been scared around a big bear is thinking that it will get my wind before a shot opportunity happens

I had a sow with 2 cubs come charging into cow calls one evening elk hunting, it was frantically coming to me, when it got to about 20yds (right after I realized it had 2 cubs) I stood up and said “hey” and started waving my arms, it looked at me briefly and kept coming, almost like “I see you and don’t care, but where’s the damn elk?!” I kept talking to her but she ignored me and kept coming, got less than 10yds to my left, and caught my wind and turned inside out, and they were running full speed until the sound of brush breaking faded in the distance… it was a bizarre encounter, she would not acknowledge me, but as soon as she hit my wind, she freaked. The story is a little longer and funny, I had a buddy with me and when I heard branches breaking coming to cow calls, I figured it was the bull I called in and passed that morning… about the time I thought I should hear a bow goes off he comes sneaking back to me with big wide eyes

Then he told me it was a big bear, so I was going to kill it, then I saw it and it was obvious it was a standard sow… didn’t nock an arrow or anything, then I did get a little concerned when I saw the cubs trailing her and how fast she was closing the distance

Coincidentally, I called in a big boar the day before, again thinking it was a bull initially, but when I realized it was a big bear I quit calling because I didn’t want to mess with one that night, after a bit, he forgot about my cow calls and remembered the elderberries

Unprovoked black bear attacks just don’t happen, I wouldn’t worry about them, they won’t mess with you

Black bears killed 4 or 5 people just this year, so it happens.

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[roosiebull]

Black bears killed 4 or 5 people just this year, so it happens.

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Were any of those unprovoked attacks that you know of?

 

[BBob]

Arizona this summer, believed to be unprovoked. Bear came, mauled/killed him and started eating.

Deadly bear attack in Groom Creek near Prescott: Necropsy conducted, results announced

A necropsy performed on a bear that killed a 66-year-old man near Prescott shows the animal had no signs of disease and did not have rabies.

www.fox10phoenix.com

 

[COJoe]

Thanks for the input on real life experiences everyone. There are so many variables in solo hunting that I need to get used to get more comfortable but be wise at the same time. Assessing the situation properly comes with experience I'm sure. I also passed over mountain lion poop on the trial on the way up the mountain in the morning so that may be more reason to be vigilant.

Interesting thing happened in September as I finished setting up my tent at dusk in Wetmore, CO on a mule deer doe hunt, I had my first bear encounter of the season. I actually never saw the bear but it was close enough to me that I heard it's breathing but never saw it. I was about to settle in for the night so my rifle was in my tent but my bear spray was near me so I grabbed it and shined my light all around but could not see it but could easily hear it's breathing, then it stopped. The next mid morning, I saw a bear cub running down into the bowl in front of me but I never saw a sow. Not sure if the cub was the one who visted me the evenng before but it sounded bigger than a cub, but I really have no way of knowing. So perhaps that encounter unnerved me for the bigger bear during elk hunting, lol.

 

[LongWayAround]

I wouldn't be very worried about a black bear at 800 yards but I also wouldn't want to break down an elk solo in the dark with a herniated disc.

 

[jmez]

Only you can decide if you were too concerned. It wouldn't have bothered me.

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[AZ_Hunter_2000]

It is a low odds event just like a shark attack. Millions of people are year go into predator X's environment, yet a fraction of a fraction of a percentage point have a negative encounter. Just be prepared the best you can and go from there.

However, if something feels "off" or "wrong" (AKA spidey sense) leave the area. This is not to be confused with our own mind messing with us.

The health of your back is more important than any of our opinions, an ego, most animals, etc.

 

[5MilesBack]

I wouldn't be very worried about a black bear at 800 yards but I also wouldn't want to break down an elk solo in the dark with a herniated disc.

I have three herniated discs in my neck and two in my lumbar, supposed to have a 4-level fusion in the neck but I keep putting that off. My lumbar problems did drop me like a sack of potatoes in 2022 while bowhunting elk one day, but I still hunt and break them down solo most the time.......daylight or dark.......bears or no bears.

I've found that most CO bears do not like human scent and will stay away from it. A few years ago I passed a fresh pile of bear dung while hunting, and then shot a bull fairly close to that spot. It took a bear 5 days to get on that carcass (my buddy had a bear tag). I presume from all the human scent left behind. Same for coyotes....I've never seen evidence of either on one of my carcasses while taking 1-2 days to pack everything out.

 

[TaperPin]

Most of the western us has black bears everywhere. If you alter plans based on where blacks are, I don’t even know where someone would make camp. To avoid blacks up close on game trails, would be nearly impossible in much of the thicker timber, especially north slopes.

There are some blacks that have killed to eat, but some of these have been habituated eating garbage and one day a “pet” bear decides you look pretty good.

If a black bear wants to eat you, pulling you out of a tent in the middle of the night is probably the easiest way. That just doesn’t happen enough to worry about. Odds of getting hit by lightning in Colorado in the warm months are much much higher.

 

[Jethro]

Human mind can really put fear into you if you allow it. The hard truth is the bears are there all the time. Had that bear stayed just in the timber, you would not have seen it, but it was still there. Enough evidence to show black bears aren’t going to affect your hunt. Unless you let it in your head.

A black bear at 800 yards would not concern me beyond something cool to glass while waiting for elk to show. A bear at 8 yards would have my attention, but at the end of the day I assume you were holding a rifle.

 

[Turkeygetpwnd38]

I wouldn’t have given it a second thought except for kicking myself for not getting a bear tag…. But that doesn’t matter. If you were uncomfortable, you made the right choice.
If you would have stayed, doubt it would have been an enjoyable evening hunt for you.

 

[MattB]

Nothing to be overly concerned about. There are lots of black bears in the out of doors.

 

[Dos Perros]

I've had a black bear come into me while quartering an elk in the dark. Could see his eyes in the headlamps. I would characterize it as more curious than aggressive. I only mention this because prior to this I would have zero concern for black bears, and while now it certainly isn't high, it's more than zero for sure.

 

[Ron.C]

I would of kept elk hunting. See them or not, there are always bears around. Every time you put that elk call to your mouth you are broadcasting to every predator. Unless I have a run in with an agressive bear or one responds in sneak mode to my calling, I just carry on.