Buckskinbob
FNG
- Joined
- Jun 3, 2022
- Messages
- 21
New guy here from Montana, I've been reading alot here while I have been trying to grow my skills and increase my knowledge of wildlife. I finally felt I had something worth sharing so I made an account.
I grew up rifle hunting in eastern Montana, and never really had to work hard to fill the freezer with mule deer. Last year I decided to pick up the long bow and I quickly realized I had to learn a whole new set of skills if I was going to continue filling tags.
I struck out multiple times last fall blowing stalks and missing deer when I had I shot, so I decided to take the last half of the season off I practice with my bow until I knew I could make ethical shots.
Finally spring season came around and I knew I was ready, my groups had tightened up significantly out to 25 yards and I had done enough reading on bears that I felt I could find one and get within range.
I put in probably ten days hiking and glassing from my pickup before I learned I was getting to high to find bears and the grass hadn't made it up that far yet. so last weekend I followed a road that stayed close to the creek in this drainage until I found sign and basically set up camp right on it. I glassed all evening until dark, didn't see anything.
The next morning I get up before light and start working around camp glassing all the grassy roads and could see as it got light enough to look. Within 30 minutes I'm looking across the drainage at this bear working his way up the road, but taking his time waddling around, weaving back and forth across the grass.
I get my bow strung and start coming up with a plan. The wind is comin down the creek from me to the bear but the sun won't be over the horizon for atleast an hour so I guessed the thermals must be bringing my scent down to the creek underneath the bear.
I decided to work way down to the creek, find a place to cross and side hill until I know that I am ahead of the bear then come up and ambush him from the side of the road which I believed should get me a 15 to 20 yard shot.
I continue glassing and he is clearly in no hurry so I give myself a few minutes to calm down. I also noticed two moose bedded about 50 yards above where I planned to come up for my ambush which definitely added to the excitement as moose are far more intimidating than this black bear.
I start my trek down into the creek and find a spot where a few logs are jammed in and make my way across. I start basically running the side hill because I know the water is concealing my noise and when I feel the time is right I head straight up to the road about 300 yards ahead of where he last was. I slow down at the road and start "scrolling" as I pop up into sight.
As I come over the edge of the road the moose stands up and is watching me creep around. I could find the bear anywhere and I walk down the road a little farther think I had jumped him while I was side hilling underneath. My disappointment was growing and so was my fear of this moose that hadn't taken his eyes off of me. I start back towards where I though I had last seen the bear moving slowly, when I hear something like grass being torn up and the was his back 60 yards away. Holy crap the adrenaline was back on, I got down and worked my way off the road behind a large tree and watched his back as he slowly came over the hump.
After about ten minutes I could see the whole bear, he was definitely not a huge bear but he looked good to me. He was about 40 yards workin directly towards me. He was on the road anymore and I could tell we were about to have a head on collision. I'm looking around the right side of the tree thinking I may have a frontal shot at about ten yards but I can't extend my bow arm without making a move away from the tree and I'm on my knees.
Fortunately he goes to the other side of the tree, right as his head goes behind it I lift my bow and point to the left side of the tree, he is no more the 6 yards away but I can't see him so I wait and don't extend my bow arm. After what felt like an eternity my heart was pounding out of my chest as he moved out right on the other side of the tree at 4 yards.
I extend my bow arm, draw to anchor and let it fly the second I came to anchor. I saw the fletching dissappear right behind the shoulder and the arrow came out the other side seemingly going in a different direction. He jumped bearing his teeth at my and then bolted for a thicket of trees on the other side of the road.
Right as he was getting far enough that I couldn't see him, I was worried that I had shot to far forward, but then I heard him not more the 40 yards away making long wheezing breaths and then it was over. I look back at where my arrow was stuck into the should of the road and the straight up to the moose who had watched the bear run and was staring back at me again. I want so bad to get over to the bear but I waited for over 30 minutes the moose finally worked his way out of sight. I knew the bear was done and I couldn't hardly contain myself "WHOOOOOOO!!!"
I made my way over to him, there was no blood until I made it to where he died. I pulled him out of the thicket and got to work bagging him up. Thankfully I got a buddy who was willing to help me out because i had to get my gear out and then I came back with him and we packed it out.
That's it, the first hunt I ever put everything I had into and it is the best meat I ever ate. I'll probably never fill another tag with a rifle again it just wouldn't be the same. Hopefully this fall I will have another story to share. Alot of the skills I used to find this bear I read about on this forum so I feel I owe it to you guys to bring the stories
Thanks!
Levi
I grew up rifle hunting in eastern Montana, and never really had to work hard to fill the freezer with mule deer. Last year I decided to pick up the long bow and I quickly realized I had to learn a whole new set of skills if I was going to continue filling tags.
I struck out multiple times last fall blowing stalks and missing deer when I had I shot, so I decided to take the last half of the season off I practice with my bow until I knew I could make ethical shots.
Finally spring season came around and I knew I was ready, my groups had tightened up significantly out to 25 yards and I had done enough reading on bears that I felt I could find one and get within range.
I put in probably ten days hiking and glassing from my pickup before I learned I was getting to high to find bears and the grass hadn't made it up that far yet. so last weekend I followed a road that stayed close to the creek in this drainage until I found sign and basically set up camp right on it. I glassed all evening until dark, didn't see anything.
The next morning I get up before light and start working around camp glassing all the grassy roads and could see as it got light enough to look. Within 30 minutes I'm looking across the drainage at this bear working his way up the road, but taking his time waddling around, weaving back and forth across the grass.
I get my bow strung and start coming up with a plan. The wind is comin down the creek from me to the bear but the sun won't be over the horizon for atleast an hour so I guessed the thermals must be bringing my scent down to the creek underneath the bear.
I decided to work way down to the creek, find a place to cross and side hill until I know that I am ahead of the bear then come up and ambush him from the side of the road which I believed should get me a 15 to 20 yard shot.
I continue glassing and he is clearly in no hurry so I give myself a few minutes to calm down. I also noticed two moose bedded about 50 yards above where I planned to come up for my ambush which definitely added to the excitement as moose are far more intimidating than this black bear.
I start my trek down into the creek and find a spot where a few logs are jammed in and make my way across. I start basically running the side hill because I know the water is concealing my noise and when I feel the time is right I head straight up to the road about 300 yards ahead of where he last was. I slow down at the road and start "scrolling" as I pop up into sight.
As I come over the edge of the road the moose stands up and is watching me creep around. I could find the bear anywhere and I walk down the road a little farther think I had jumped him while I was side hilling underneath. My disappointment was growing and so was my fear of this moose that hadn't taken his eyes off of me. I start back towards where I though I had last seen the bear moving slowly, when I hear something like grass being torn up and the was his back 60 yards away. Holy crap the adrenaline was back on, I got down and worked my way off the road behind a large tree and watched his back as he slowly came over the hump.
After about ten minutes I could see the whole bear, he was definitely not a huge bear but he looked good to me. He was about 40 yards workin directly towards me. He was on the road anymore and I could tell we were about to have a head on collision. I'm looking around the right side of the tree thinking I may have a frontal shot at about ten yards but I can't extend my bow arm without making a move away from the tree and I'm on my knees.
Fortunately he goes to the other side of the tree, right as his head goes behind it I lift my bow and point to the left side of the tree, he is no more the 6 yards away but I can't see him so I wait and don't extend my bow arm. After what felt like an eternity my heart was pounding out of my chest as he moved out right on the other side of the tree at 4 yards.
I extend my bow arm, draw to anchor and let it fly the second I came to anchor. I saw the fletching dissappear right behind the shoulder and the arrow came out the other side seemingly going in a different direction. He jumped bearing his teeth at my and then bolted for a thicket of trees on the other side of the road.
Right as he was getting far enough that I couldn't see him, I was worried that I had shot to far forward, but then I heard him not more the 40 yards away making long wheezing breaths and then it was over. I look back at where my arrow was stuck into the should of the road and the straight up to the moose who had watched the bear run and was staring back at me again. I want so bad to get over to the bear but I waited for over 30 minutes the moose finally worked his way out of sight. I knew the bear was done and I couldn't hardly contain myself "WHOOOOOOO!!!"
I made my way over to him, there was no blood until I made it to where he died. I pulled him out of the thicket and got to work bagging him up. Thankfully I got a buddy who was willing to help me out because i had to get my gear out and then I came back with him and we packed it out.
That's it, the first hunt I ever put everything I had into and it is the best meat I ever ate. I'll probably never fill another tag with a rifle again it just wouldn't be the same. Hopefully this fall I will have another story to share. Alot of the skills I used to find this bear I read about on this forum so I feel I owe it to you guys to bring the stories
Thanks!
Levi
