-
Be sure to read this post! Beware of scammers. https://www.indianagunowners.com/threads/classifieds-new-online-payment-guidelines-rules-paypal-venmo-zelle-etc.511734/
Oregon bound in 4 days
- Thread starter 42769vette
- Start date
The #1 community for Gun Owners in Indiana
Member Benefits:
Fewer Ads! Discuss all aspects of firearm ownership Discuss anti-gun legislation Buy, sell, and trade in the classified section Chat with Local gun shops, ranges, trainers & other businesses Discover free outdoor shooting areas View up to date on firearm-related events Share photos & video with other members ...and so much more!
Member Benefits:
w_ADAM_d88
Master
I'd love to do an out of state big game hunt with my dad, and need to figure out a way to make it happen.
Good luck to y'all and look forward to following your reports.
Good luck to y'all and look forward to following your reports.
Best advise I can give is make it a priority, and do it sooner rather than later. The older you, and your father get the higher and steeper the mountains get.
Day 2 in the books, and no bear sightings. Last week it was in the 90's here, so they had a good summer feeding pattern. This week its in the mid 30's. It appears the bear have realized winter is comming and have changed patterns.
On a side note, you can take the man out of Indiana, but you can't take Indiana out of the man. I saw yotes this morning, and i just can't let a tote walk by without busting it, so i did get to test my zero today, dropping a big male in its tracks.
On a side note, you can take the man out of Indiana, but you can't take Indiana out of the man. I saw yotes this morning, and i just can't let a tote walk by without busting it, so i did get to test my zero today, dropping a big male in its tracks.
I did good this trip I brought.
Razor 27-60 spotter
Fury Binos
20x Kiabab binos.
Razor 27-60 spotter
Fury Binos
20x Kiabab binos.
Got one this morning at 4 yards. More story later, but pics are on Instagram. Its a beautiful cinnamon bear, but not a monster.
So the not typing on my phone version of the story. Ill start by saying Ive done a good amount of hunting in my life, and outside of my very first whitetail, I have never been that pumped about a hunt. Its a morning I will remember, and talk about for the rest of my life.
We were hunting a long creek line (roughly 3 miles from end to end) with a driving road up the middle. We pulled in the gate about 30 minutes after first light. Every morning we spend glassing a few spots. When we pull in, about 50 feet up the road the guide hits the brakes and yells "bear" We had not seen a bear on this trip, but a cinnamon bear was running down the hill. Goal was for my father to take first shot, but he couldn't (no one could have) bail out of the truck and get set up fast enough. Bears don't spook as easy as deer, and don't blow out of the country when they do. The guide thought the bear would spook back where he came from, so I went down the road about 1 mile, and dad posted up near the truck so we had both ends covered. The guide started pushing the ditch, and I saw a dark black bear blast by. I could have shot, but I really wanted a color phased bear, or a hard earned bear and was willing to go home empty handed if that's what it took. We had no clue where the cinnamon bear we originally saw had gone.
So after telling the guide a DIFFERENT bear than the one we saw this morning ran by he and I walked up the mountain a bit to investigate where he went. He actually blew straight down the creek farther, so I sat down on the trail he took (literally at the base of a tree in the middle of the trail) while the guide went back to get dad. Plan was for them to go a mile or so up the road, and post up, and I would walk the trail, and push the bear to my father since he wasn't as picky about color. I'm waiting to hear the truck drive down the road, then giving 5 minutes or so, and start walking towards the other end.
I'm sitting at the base of tree with my feet on one side of the trail, and butt on the other, testing new bino's, basically waiting. About 10-15 minutes after the guide had left, I hear a crash, and there is the cinnamon bear hauling ass up the trail Im sitting on roughly 20 yards away. He had to go down a small hill, and back up to get to me. A quick thought ran though my head "308, or Glock 30". I leveled the 308 as the bear was roughly 6 yards from me, still running full speed, and noticed my flip caps were closed. Knowing I should have drew the Glock, and knowing I didn't have time to change my mind, or open caps, with the bear no at 4 yards it notices me. It starts to stand up, (which I'm told means either I'm confused, and about to run off, or I'm about to kick some ass) I pointed (not much aiming required at 4 yards) and fired as the bear's front feet were about 2 feet off the ground. He dropped like a sack of potato's, dead by the time he hit the ground. I think the bear was more confused, than confrontational, but to be honest, I wasn't going to wait around to find out. The 308 round went through the base of his neck, right through the wind pipe, and that was it. He was not anywhere near the biggest bear on the mountain (or as big as the black one I passed on), but I think a lot of times folks forget, the animal is not the trophy the experience is. That is an experience Ill never as long as I live forget. Had an all black bear given me the same experience, that would have been a hunt I want to commemorate with a hide on the wall, and I would have shot and been thrilled about it. This is truly one of the only times in my life hunting (or otherwise as people who know me can attest to) that I had no clue what to say, or how to act. All I could do was sit there with my mouth open thinking NO WAY THAT JUST HAPPENED.
The ironic thing, is I practice all this long range shooting, reading wind, shooting from weird position's, and end up taking a bear well within pistol range. Hindsight, I should have drawn the pistol, but my rifle's have always been my most trusted friends. Hindsight I should have been paying attention, instid of messing with some new bino's (on a side note, I will be doing a huge review on the new Fury bino's, and could not be more impressed. In fact, both guides bought a pair after playing with mine), but hindsight mistakes are what make the hunt memorable, and this hunt even though it didn't yield some monster bear, could not have possibly worked out better.
If anyone is interested, I hunted with Pine Valley outfitter's. I will be coming back. I did a show in Portland Oregon across the isle from them. They are new to bear hunts, but have guided mule deer and elk for years. They don't have a website, but great guys, that absolutely work their ass off to get the job done. Beautiful country, and views, will hunt the way you want (I wanted to walk miles, and glass country hunting my bear, dad wanted a little more of a low impact hunt). I'm with the lead guide Lucas (who is 1/2 mountain goat I swear to you) and this dude walks 10-15 miles a day in the roughest country you can imagine glassing, and figure out where what bears are) I walked 10 miles a day, and that's about all I had in me. If you want their contact info let me know. You wont find a better referral on any outfitter from me.
We were hunting a long creek line (roughly 3 miles from end to end) with a driving road up the middle. We pulled in the gate about 30 minutes after first light. Every morning we spend glassing a few spots. When we pull in, about 50 feet up the road the guide hits the brakes and yells "bear" We had not seen a bear on this trip, but a cinnamon bear was running down the hill. Goal was for my father to take first shot, but he couldn't (no one could have) bail out of the truck and get set up fast enough. Bears don't spook as easy as deer, and don't blow out of the country when they do. The guide thought the bear would spook back where he came from, so I went down the road about 1 mile, and dad posted up near the truck so we had both ends covered. The guide started pushing the ditch, and I saw a dark black bear blast by. I could have shot, but I really wanted a color phased bear, or a hard earned bear and was willing to go home empty handed if that's what it took. We had no clue where the cinnamon bear we originally saw had gone.
So after telling the guide a DIFFERENT bear than the one we saw this morning ran by he and I walked up the mountain a bit to investigate where he went. He actually blew straight down the creek farther, so I sat down on the trail he took (literally at the base of a tree in the middle of the trail) while the guide went back to get dad. Plan was for them to go a mile or so up the road, and post up, and I would walk the trail, and push the bear to my father since he wasn't as picky about color. I'm waiting to hear the truck drive down the road, then giving 5 minutes or so, and start walking towards the other end.
I'm sitting at the base of tree with my feet on one side of the trail, and butt on the other, testing new bino's, basically waiting. About 10-15 minutes after the guide had left, I hear a crash, and there is the cinnamon bear hauling ass up the trail Im sitting on roughly 20 yards away. He had to go down a small hill, and back up to get to me. A quick thought ran though my head "308, or Glock 30". I leveled the 308 as the bear was roughly 6 yards from me, still running full speed, and noticed my flip caps were closed. Knowing I should have drew the Glock, and knowing I didn't have time to change my mind, or open caps, with the bear no at 4 yards it notices me. It starts to stand up, (which I'm told means either I'm confused, and about to run off, or I'm about to kick some ass) I pointed (not much aiming required at 4 yards) and fired as the bear's front feet were about 2 feet off the ground. He dropped like a sack of potato's, dead by the time he hit the ground. I think the bear was more confused, than confrontational, but to be honest, I wasn't going to wait around to find out. The 308 round went through the base of his neck, right through the wind pipe, and that was it. He was not anywhere near the biggest bear on the mountain (or as big as the black one I passed on), but I think a lot of times folks forget, the animal is not the trophy the experience is. That is an experience Ill never as long as I live forget. Had an all black bear given me the same experience, that would have been a hunt I want to commemorate with a hide on the wall, and I would have shot and been thrilled about it. This is truly one of the only times in my life hunting (or otherwise as people who know me can attest to) that I had no clue what to say, or how to act. All I could do was sit there with my mouth open thinking NO WAY THAT JUST HAPPENED.
The ironic thing, is I practice all this long range shooting, reading wind, shooting from weird position's, and end up taking a bear well within pistol range. Hindsight, I should have drawn the pistol, but my rifle's have always been my most trusted friends. Hindsight I should have been paying attention, instid of messing with some new bino's (on a side note, I will be doing a huge review on the new Fury bino's, and could not be more impressed. In fact, both guides bought a pair after playing with mine), but hindsight mistakes are what make the hunt memorable, and this hunt even though it didn't yield some monster bear, could not have possibly worked out better.
If anyone is interested, I hunted with Pine Valley outfitter's. I will be coming back. I did a show in Portland Oregon across the isle from them. They are new to bear hunts, but have guided mule deer and elk for years. They don't have a website, but great guys, that absolutely work their ass off to get the job done. Beautiful country, and views, will hunt the way you want (I wanted to walk miles, and glass country hunting my bear, dad wanted a little more of a low impact hunt). I'm with the lead guide Lucas (who is 1/2 mountain goat I swear to you) and this dude walks 10-15 miles a day in the roughest country you can imagine glassing, and figure out where what bears are) I walked 10 miles a day, and that's about all I had in me. If you want their contact info let me know. You wont find a better referral on any outfitter from me.
What an awesome version of "No Sh** there I was... About to die...." (The traditional lead in for a skydiving story)
Glad you got your bear.
And no matter the shoulda coulda wouldas, you are alive, and your bear is dead. You done good. (bonus points for no scars)
Glad you got your bear.
And no matter the shoulda coulda wouldas, you are alive, and your bear is dead. You done good. (bonus points for no scars)
Awesome experience it sounds like Alan! I'll be the first to admit if I was holding a scar and in that situation without sights, I would've
A. **** my pants
B. Double tap at the bear minimum ( see what I did there)
C. Let out a yeehaw that Cletus himself would've been proud of (once I confirmed it was dead....probably with yet another shot)
Good luck to pops today!
How do I see the Instagram pics?
A. **** my pants
B. Double tap at the bear minimum ( see what I did there)
C. Let out a yeehaw that Cletus himself would've been proud of (once I confirmed it was dead....probably with yet another shot)
Good luck to pops today!
How do I see the Instagram pics?
Congrats and awesome story. I'm sure the hunt happened so fast that "bear fever" didn't set in. I was told back then that bear fever was the same as buck fever times 10. When I bear hunted, I couldn't get my bow drawn back on the first bear. I was shaking so bad because it was the first bear I had ever seen. I had to take deep breaths to settle myself down. Luckily I had one walk up from behind me and stop at the base of my tree stand, look up at me, then start to walk off. That time I was able to draw easily and make a shot. I didn't start shaking until after. I couldn't only imagine what you were like with your bear laying at your feet! Way to go on getting the job done, even if wasn't the way you might have pictured!
Wow, what a hunt and what a story! You just can't put a price on an experience like that. For the record, I think you made the right decision on using the rifle. A .308 trumps any handgun round on the market when you've got a bear standing up while looking at you. Story may very well have ended differently if you hadn't used that rifle!
w_ADAM_d88
Master
Excellent write up! Awesome story and definitely a memory of a lifetime!
If your on instagram, Im aa_optics. Ive got some there, otherwise Ill get some posted from home when Im not on dial up.
Site Supporter
Staff online
-
d.kaufmanStill Here -
GodFearinGunTotinSuper Moderator
Members online
- 55fairlane
- JTL165
- jt1975
- d.kaufman
- flyingsquirrel
- Dutchmaster
- jwamplerusa
- GodFearinGunTotin
- Rafterman
- Tradesylver
- jaymark6655
- 04FXSTS
- baldmax
- BGDave
- Old Dog
- Indyhd
- indyk
- SnoopLoggyDog
- Rong
- TheGrumpyGuy
- Meatstick
- papa6x
- Bottlefed
- bigretic
- HHollow
- Creedmoor
- long coat
- hhi7410
- HoughMade
- Scott58
- abeguzmanmarine
- Taylor22
- tca1352
- mhs
- Scott357
- Mgderf
- ColdSteel223
- Mikey1911
- cobber
- jbombelli
- darkkevin
- Dog1
- WebSnyper
- BP84
- renauldo
- RugerRem2882
- Count Blackula
- Bosshoss
- jimbob488
- bwframe
