DrMike
Ballistician
- Nov 8, 2006
- 37,329
- 6,021
I awakened at two this morning. This would allow me time to shower, grab a cup of coffee and care for a few matters before Gil and Susan showed up at three. We were headed into the mountains for some black bear hunting. The dynamic duo showed pretty much on time. I had the Tundra all gassed and my gear loaded. Susan grabbed a cup of coffee while Gil stowed his own gear. Then, it was a quick trip to 7-Eleven to grab a couple of sandwiches, a bottle of water and head out. It would be a two hour drive into the mountains. However, the day started with great promise as we saw moose, whitetail and mule deer even before making Chetwynd. Turning into the Hassler area, we saw a herd of elk that had been grazing. They lifted their heads and watched us warily as we continued on out journey into the back country. As we turned onto a road where we had seen grizzlies and wolves in years past, we stopped to pull out our rifles and ammunition. I had brought two rifles, my 9.3X64 (shooting 250 grain ABs at 2700 fps) and my 270WSM (shooting 130 grain E-Tips at 3200 fps). I opted to carry the 9.3X64 at first. As it turned out, I would carry it all day. This was the scene as we climbed out of the first valley.
We found a decent bear. I judged her to be a sow. She was lanky, having some of the longest legs I've witnessed on a bear in some time. We watched her for a while, and I declined dropping her. Her pelt was prime, but she was not a big animal; she couldn't have been much more than five feet. We continued up until the snow became too deep to go any farther. At that time, we returned to the valley and moved into another valley.
During the day, we reacquainted ourselves with some of the most beautiful country imaginable.
For most of the day, Gil drove. We had taken my Tundra, which proved itself quite capable in the mountains.
I had seen a small wolf dart into a treeline about a quarter mile in front of us. We crept up slowly to see if we could see the beast, but no luck. About thirty minutes later, we were moving out of yet another point from which we had glassed when I saw a wolf loping ahead of us about three hundred yards. I piled out of the truck just as he darted into the bush. We hustled down a game trail to see if we could see him and get a poke at him. As we came to a cut line we saw him rush across the cutline about 120 yards down from where we were standing. We did not have a good shot, so we continued on parallel to him trying to see him in the thick bush. We had lost him, but he was one handsome wolf. He surely qualified as one of the largest wolves I've seen. I should imagine that he weighed close to 180 pounds.
We returned to the truck to continue our climb into the Alpine. In one dense area, we found another fine representative bear. He was actually quite fat and considerably larger than the lanky bear we had seen earlier in the day. However, I couldn't get a clear shot at him. He disappeared into the treeline, and we could hear him moving about there. However, there was no way we could move through the thick brush and snow noiselessly, pushing him farther back into the trees. We opted to continue exploring the massive cutblock in hopes of seeing another bruin.
How can such a hunt, when I didn't pull the trigger on anything be a success? We were in pristine wilderness for over twelve hours, seeing only two other trucks in the course of the day. That is pretty successful in my books. We saw moose, elk, whitetail, mule deer, wolves, black bears (and found grizzly scat and spoor), woodchucks and numerous grouse (ruffies, spruce hens and blue grouse). That counts as success in my books. We laughed and worked together to witness God's glorious creation. That is a grand success in my books. My batteries are recharged and my heart is lighter for spending the day afield. Besides, my family physician and I will be going into the same area in a week or so. I helped him take his first bear in that region a couple of years ago. I'll be going out with another fine friend next week, exploring some of the same territory. Yeah, I'm pumped. The snow is melting in the high country; the animals are moving about; grass is beginning to green up. Now, it is time to go shoot a bear.
We found a decent bear. I judged her to be a sow. She was lanky, having some of the longest legs I've witnessed on a bear in some time. We watched her for a while, and I declined dropping her. Her pelt was prime, but she was not a big animal; she couldn't have been much more than five feet. We continued up until the snow became too deep to go any farther. At that time, we returned to the valley and moved into another valley.
During the day, we reacquainted ourselves with some of the most beautiful country imaginable.
For most of the day, Gil drove. We had taken my Tundra, which proved itself quite capable in the mountains.
I had seen a small wolf dart into a treeline about a quarter mile in front of us. We crept up slowly to see if we could see the beast, but no luck. About thirty minutes later, we were moving out of yet another point from which we had glassed when I saw a wolf loping ahead of us about three hundred yards. I piled out of the truck just as he darted into the bush. We hustled down a game trail to see if we could see him and get a poke at him. As we came to a cut line we saw him rush across the cutline about 120 yards down from where we were standing. We did not have a good shot, so we continued on parallel to him trying to see him in the thick bush. We had lost him, but he was one handsome wolf. He surely qualified as one of the largest wolves I've seen. I should imagine that he weighed close to 180 pounds.
We returned to the truck to continue our climb into the Alpine. In one dense area, we found another fine representative bear. He was actually quite fat and considerably larger than the lanky bear we had seen earlier in the day. However, I couldn't get a clear shot at him. He disappeared into the treeline, and we could hear him moving about there. However, there was no way we could move through the thick brush and snow noiselessly, pushing him farther back into the trees. We opted to continue exploring the massive cutblock in hopes of seeing another bruin.
How can such a hunt, when I didn't pull the trigger on anything be a success? We were in pristine wilderness for over twelve hours, seeing only two other trucks in the course of the day. That is pretty successful in my books. We saw moose, elk, whitetail, mule deer, wolves, black bears (and found grizzly scat and spoor), woodchucks and numerous grouse (ruffies, spruce hens and blue grouse). That counts as success in my books. We laughed and worked together to witness God's glorious creation. That is a grand success in my books. My batteries are recharged and my heart is lighter for spending the day afield. Besides, my family physician and I will be going into the same area in a week or so. I helped him take his first bear in that region a couple of years ago. I'll be going out with another fine friend next week, exploring some of the same territory. Yeah, I'm pumped. The snow is melting in the high country; the animals are moving about; grass is beginning to green up. Now, it is time to go shoot a bear.
