Held back on temptation
11-23-2015, 12:31 PM
#1
Boone & Crockett
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Eastern PA
Posts: 12,762
Held back on temptation
Went up to the camp for bear season on Friday. First day was Saturday. If you remember earlier I said I was going to take the .58 to try and bust a bruin with it.
Well about 10:30 a young guest of the camp managed to bag a decent bear. I was suffering from a bad sinus infection and had returned back to camp because I was afraid I was going to pass out. Poor kid had dragged the bear down the mountain and didn't even have a knife to dress it out and hid it in the leaves. Luckily I was in camp. We got in my truck and went an picked it up struggling to get it in the truck after dressing it out until I remembered I had a come-a-long on the back floor!
Once back in camp I started to feel a little better and told the youngster I was going to go sit by the gut pile for a while. I was sitting there for about an hour when I saw a bear walking along the ridge going left to right but too thick for a shot and then disappearing. I started easing in the direction to parallel his and caught him coming down the mountain through the thick stuff. I made ready and he stepped out into the open I guessed somewhere between 75-100 yards. I had the hammer cocked and the set trigger pulled. Had him dead to rights and held back. He just didn't seem to be very big. I guessed him to be somewhere in the neighborhood of 125 lbs. and just whispered to myself "bang - I got you." He continued down the slope, across the road and creek and disappeared up the opposite mountain.
That made my day and I figured it saved me a bunch of money too as you know I would have wanted a mount or rug or something plus the processing. Besides I told myself that I had already taken 4 blackies up there and the next one is going to have to block out the sun before I shoot it. I'm still satisfied with the hunt but still sicker than a dog. Waiting for my doctor to call in a Rx for antibiotics.
Well about 10:30 a young guest of the camp managed to bag a decent bear. I was suffering from a bad sinus infection and had returned back to camp because I was afraid I was going to pass out. Poor kid had dragged the bear down the mountain and didn't even have a knife to dress it out and hid it in the leaves. Luckily I was in camp. We got in my truck and went an picked it up struggling to get it in the truck after dressing it out until I remembered I had a come-a-long on the back floor!
Once back in camp I started to feel a little better and told the youngster I was going to go sit by the gut pile for a while. I was sitting there for about an hour when I saw a bear walking along the ridge going left to right but too thick for a shot and then disappearing. I started easing in the direction to parallel his and caught him coming down the mountain through the thick stuff. I made ready and he stepped out into the open I guessed somewhere between 75-100 yards. I had the hammer cocked and the set trigger pulled. Had him dead to rights and held back. He just didn't seem to be very big. I guessed him to be somewhere in the neighborhood of 125 lbs. and just whispered to myself "bang - I got you." He continued down the slope, across the road and creek and disappeared up the opposite mountain.
That made my day and I figured it saved me a bunch of money too as you know I would have wanted a mount or rug or something plus the processing. Besides I told myself that I had already taken 4 blackies up there and the next one is going to have to block out the sun before I shoot it. I'm still satisfied with the hunt but still sicker than a dog. Waiting for my doctor to call in a Rx for antibiotics.
11-23-2015, 01:22 PM
#3
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: River Ridge, LA (Suburb of New Orleans)
Posts: 10,918
Well, Bronko, I won't fault you. You know you did the right thing when you feel good about it afterwards.
I hope you get past the infection soon. I've never had a sinus infection. But my wife gets one every couple of years and it sure makes her miserable until the meds kick in. Then the meds screw up her stomach for a few days.
I hope you get past the infection soon. I've never had a sinus infection. But my wife gets one every couple of years and it sure makes her miserable until the meds kick in. Then the meds screw up her stomach for a few days.
11-23-2015, 01:54 PM
#5
Boone & Crockett
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Eastern PA
Posts: 12,762
Maybe he'll do me another favor and show up again next year with a couple extra pounds on him and I feel better.
MD - I decided a few years ago that I will not shoot another "average" bear here in PA no matter what gun I'm using. They grow some real whoppers here. I've shot 4 now in the 100 - 250 lb range and they always cost me too much money. Next time I want it to be really worth it. I know guys that hunted their entire life hunting every year and never even saw a bear here in PA. I figure I'm doing pretty darn good.
BTW - the Rx is on the way.
MD - I decided a few years ago that I will not shoot another "average" bear here in PA no matter what gun I'm using. They grow some real whoppers here. I've shot 4 now in the 100 - 250 lb range and they always cost me too much money. Next time I want it to be really worth it. I know guys that hunted their entire life hunting every year and never even saw a bear here in PA. I figure I'm doing pretty darn good.
BTW - the Rx is on the way.
11-24-2015, 07:28 AM
#7
Dominant Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 21,193
I hunted them using a .54 caliber loaded with roundball one day. Then thought better and loaded a REAL conical the next time out. I was in a ground blind over bait and had a "potato sack" bear come in. I too thought about letting him have it but wanted one bigger. The rule of thumb is if its bigger then a large sack of potatoes its more then 100 pounds. And that is all this one would have been. So I passed. And that year I got skunked. But saw a lot of bear. Trouble is I had a sow and two cubs that would not leave me alone that year. And they are a no no.
I think you did the right thing. BUT ... that would of been a fine eating bear that small.
I think you did the right thing. BUT ... that would of been a fine eating bear that small.
11-24-2015, 09:24 AM
#8
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Penns Woods
Posts: 1,628
Bronko...
Probably a good thing you exercised some restraint. Not only did you save some $$$ but the Gods will reward you later for being a true sportsman. Or at least that's what we all hope for!!
Good luck with the remainder of season bud, hope that sinus trouble gets better.
BPS
Probably a good thing you exercised some restraint. Not only did you save some $$$ but the Gods will reward you later for being a true sportsman. Or at least that's what we all hope for!!
Good luck with the remainder of season bud, hope that sinus trouble gets better.
BPS
11-24-2015, 12:50 PM
#9
Boone & Crockett
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Eastern PA
Posts: 12,762
I'm glad most of you agree with me. I keep rolling around in that big empty spot in the back of my head. I can still see him stepping into the opening and seeing that white bead setting behind his shoulder through the peep. Then see him lumbering off through the hemlocks.
As for going out again BPS - I'm not moving out of the house until this crap clears up. I've had it going on 4 weeks now. It's just that the past week has been terrible. The stuff coming out of my throat and nostrils looks like lithium grease - ugh! I want to be good come the first day of buck (11/30) and just maybe when that black bear extended season comes in the latter part of deer season I may be able to run a .575" ball through one.
As for going out again BPS - I'm not moving out of the house until this crap clears up. I've had it going on 4 weeks now. It's just that the past week has been terrible. The stuff coming out of my throat and nostrils looks like lithium grease - ugh! I want to be good come the first day of buck (11/30) and just maybe when that black bear extended season comes in the latter part of deer season I may be able to run a .575" ball through one.
