Lefty315's Spring Bear

Guy Miner · May 29, 2009

He'll have to tell you the story - There is a spring bear season here in Washington. I didn't get drawn, but my ol' buddy Lefty315 did. Here's his recently taken bear:

Congratulations Lefty! :grin:

str8meat · May 29, 2009

very cool, local kid shot one on this season went 335 hangin. cinnamon and he's 10, congrats

JD338 · May 29, 2009

Lefty315

Congratulations on a nice spring bear.
Give us the details please.

JD338

FOTIS · May 29, 2009

Details details

Congrats though.

DrMike · May 29, 2009

Any bear is a trophy. It looks as if your friend has done quite well.

lefty315 · May 29, 2009

Thanks Guy for posting the picture.

The tag was actually an over-the-counter tag in Idaho, near No-tell-um creek. My buddy and I left the truck and hiked up a forest service road for around an 8 mile hike. On the way back down he spotted this bear across a canyon feeding at 300+ yards. It was 8:00 in the evening when I finally shot it at 237 yards as it started feeding lower. I used my Kimber .300 WSM with a 200 grain AccuBond and Leupold 2-8X. One shot through the right shoulder, exiting behind the left. We guessed the bear to be around 175 lbs.

Once I shot, we had to drop straight down the side of the mountain. It was so steep in places I was hanging onto any bushes that would hold me. At the bottom we had to cross a stream that was mid thigh deep and moving fast. So fast that we had to lock elbows and the one on the down stream side had to push up stream against the other to keep him upright. Then we had to use our hands to help pull us up the other side of the mountain to get to the bear.

Once field dressed the bear finally cooperated and he would roll right down the mountain. Crossed back over the stream and pulled the bear across with a rope. We left him for the night and came back in early the next morning to skin and quarter him out.

On the way back to camp we had an absolutely huge mountain lion run across the road in front of us and up the cliff next to the road. He stood there about 12 yards away just looking at us. I have only seen 2 others in the wild, but I figured since his belly was much bigger than mine, he had to be huge.

The next day we were on our way back to retrieve my bear and we spotted 2 mountain goats about 350 yards away above a river.

All in all it was a very productive trip. We had seen a beautiful blond with chocolate legs but it was around 370 yards. I don't like to shoot at bears that far because of the lack of a blood trail you can sometimes get, so I passed. We did drop down across the canyon and tried to find him/her again but couldn't.

We saw numerous elk, deer and a few grouse. One of the other guys in the group came across a cow and calf moose.

Can't think of a more enjoyable, relaxing trip where I have seen so many different species of animals.

Hopefully my Idaho elk hunt will be just as enjoyable, even if I come home empty handed.

SJB358 · Jun 4, 2009

I just came back from a bear hunt on the North Fork, near Warren ID. I took my wife to see if I could get her, her first bear. We had quite a ride trying to get into the back country, even having to get on snowmobiles a few times in order to get over a few passes. She did have a nice chocolate bear at 20FT and a big black one at about 15yds, but I think the bear fever took her over and she never got her rifle up. I was able to get it all on film, and she had a great time. We also had a big grey/whitish wolf around us for 15 minutes. WE saw some moose, elk, and tons of deer. I am hoping that is a sign it will be a productive fall in the backcountry. Anyhow, it was a great trip.

Lefty, congrats on a great bear. Any bear in Idaho is a great bear, there is pretty much only one direction in Idaho, and it is up. Makes for great pictures though. Scotty