Washington spring bear

[lefty315]

I've been lucky enough to draw a spring bear permit for Western Washington. The area is a private timber company about 15 minutes from home. I plan on using the .348 Winchster I picked up last June. Perhaps the good folks at Nosler could come up with a flat point Partitian, say 250 grains, and get them to me next week so I could work up some loads? :grin:

 

[Guy Miner]

Congrats on the draw! I haven't put in for spring bear in a while. Always seem busy doing "other stuff" in the spring.

Good luck on the hunt!

 

[DrMike]

Best of luck, Lefty. That should be a great hunt.

 

[FOTIS]

Congrats !

 

[akhunter]

Let us know how it goes and good luck. I love bear hunting!

 

[super-7]

Good luck on the hunt , what bullet will you be using in the 348.

 

[C.Smith]

Very nice. My buddy had one two years ago and got a beautiful bear. Of course it was eastern Washington. LOL

Corey

 

[lefty315]

Well.......I would be using a Nosler(if they would make one) but I've only loaded one bullet so far and it worked well. The Hornady flex tip shoots 1.5 inches at 100 yards using a peep sight, out to 175 yards it was still within 2 inches. I have no idea what the velocity is but it's no slouch.

This will be the third permit I've drawn in that unit over the years. I took an ok bear a few years ago with the .35 Whelen. I would like to nail an absolute bruiser for a nice rug or a color phase, which I've seen several of over the years in there.

 

[SJB358]

Good luck Lefty! If Nosler made a PT for the 348, it would be very hard to not get one now!

I did see Swift was making 200 grain A-Frames though.. Might be a great all arounder in the mighty 348.

Good luck with your bear! Sounds like an awesome combo you have!

 

[Elkman]

Congratulations on the draw. I love the coast, and have seen lots of bears in Pacific County. Hard to draw tags however. !

 

[Oldtrader3]

Good luck on your draw hunt!

 

[JD338]

Good luck with your spring bear hunt

JD338

 

[sask boy]

Congratulations on pulling a draw tag, good luck and remember lots of photos :wink:
Shoot straight, have fun & be safe.

Blessings,
Dan

 

[35 Whelen]

Sounds like fun ! I have a great friend in Petersburg Alaska that used a .348 for many years up there to back up Brown Bear hunters. He has told me time and time again how he enjoyed many years of great luck with it. He also had an old 1886 in .33 Win that he had some handload that was basically the same thing as the 348 that he shot some with and even fooled around with the .358 later on but says he really liked the 348 overall just fine. You will have no problem dispatching a bruin with it and hunting with those old lever guns is just plain fun to do! I have a deluxe 1886 Extra Lightweight that was factory engraved that is in 45/70 and I hardly ever take it out anymore but did try a 250lb Black Bear with it about 6 years ago and one shot down thru the shoulders just knocked the stuffing right out of him and he never wiggled..................... same as they did over a hundred years ago, nothing has really changed at all!
I hope you get one as good as the one in this picture, even if you do the old 348 will do the job for ya!

 

[SJB358]

Very cool! That is a nice bear right there Earle!

As for the 348, that's on the hit list for the future. Till then, the 45-70 will have to do.

 

[Elkman]

That is a dandy!! !

 

[akhunter]

Big bear. Nice