Big Black Bear

[Demonical]

Okay this is what a really big black bear looks like. These pics are off a buddies trail-cam, from "somewhere" Alberta. Taken May 20th, as you can see on the date stamp.

Look at the bait barrel and notice the angle it is on plus the fact that it is actually chained so that it is about 10-12" above the level of the ground that the bear is walking on and then consider that even with the barrel raised the bears back comes 4-5" from top of the drum. You see this best in the pic of the bear standing...

I can safely say this is a 7-1/2' bear. It's only too bad the lighting doesn't allow a better examination of the head, but it is a true Mellon-Head.

This bear absolutely dwarfs the 45 gal drum bait barrel!

 

[fogducker]

thanks for sharing the pics..that bear looks huge standing up on the barrel

 

[the_big_mike]

nice shooting lanes..


wouldnt want to tango with that bear

 

[Demonical]

Because the bear is potentially a record bear the guy that has this bait site is going to try to get it with his bow & arrow; it could go well up in Pope & Young (they hope).

The guy that showed me these pics, is the brother of the bait site owner. He was a bear guide and taxidermist and has skinned hundreds of bears. He knows a good bear and his guesstimate is that it will go 7'6" to 7'8" and he's thinking the skull is plus 20", maybe 21".

I have never seen a bear this big.

 

[Noel]

Thanks for sharing Demonical! At first I thought that was a 25 gal barrel.
That bear is a monster. I want to hunt "somewhere" Alberta too!

Please make room on your couch!

Noel

 

[rollingrock]

In BC baiting bear is illegal. It's not humane and not considered as fair chase.

 

[Demonical]

rollingrock after your thread about bear hunting with an SKS you are in no position to comment on ethics and this post of yours is an abvious TROLL ATTACK, FLAME effort.

rollingrock STFU and go away you TROLL.

 

[stubblejumper]

Now that is a great bear.Good luck to the hunter in taking this brute.
These pictures really show the advantages of baiting bears.You can study the bear and make sure of it's size and make sure that it is alone and not accompanied by cubs.You can also assess the hide to make sure that there are no rubs.This greatly reduces the odds of someone shooting a bear after a quick look and then discovering that the bear is not big enough or that the hide is unfit to use for a mount or a rug,or worse yet noticing a cub after taking the shot.Lastly,watching a bear while it feeds on a bait allows the hunter more time to pick his shot to make as quick and clean a kill as possible,sparing the bear unnecessary suffering.And for those that think baiting is the lazy way to hunt bears,I suggest you try running a string of baits for a month or so,and see for yourselves just how much time and effort it really takes to keep the baits stocked.

 

[rollingrock]

I just stated a fact. Tell me have you ever missed your shot while sitting on your stand watching the bait? Or after you shot your bear did you get down the stand right away to finish it while your bear kicked legs and deparately called your name?

 

[dudu]

rollingrock after your thread about bear hunting with an SKS you are in no position to comment on ethics and this post of yours is an abvious TROLL ATTACK, FLAME effort.

rollingrock STFU and go away you TROLL.

Save your breath. The little one will continue do that, just to mock people. There were two valid lessons to learn from previous posts, lessons that he missed. While I can understand the fair chase debate, stubblejumper just stated the arguments to support hunting over bait. The fact that a hunter can say this

Misjudged by its ears when I spotted it, thought it might be a medium sized blackie. But after I shot it, it turned out to be a two year old boar, too small for me .

opens up a debate on hunting over bait. One healthy debate.

As for the humane aspect of it, I really don't see why hunting over bait would be less humane. It seems that everyone on this board agrees that breaking the shoulders of the game and than watching the suffering for 10 min is unacceptable. And yet the only one that thinks otherwise comes here and tells people stories. Talking about being hypocritical.
One can only hope two things, that he will not set a forest fire and will change his hunting style.

 

[MTM]

Stubblejumper, spot and stalk hunting must be conducted the same way as far as sizeing up the bear and checking out the hide. Out here you're going to glass bears in slashes and slide shoots, stalk in and glass from close up. Takeing enough time to be sure of the hide and certain no cubs are present ( I've only shot boars) I'm sure you could get first time hunters on baits getting excited and takeing their first oportunity for a shot whether they have time or not. As far as shot placement, its like any hunting if you don't have a good shot you don't shoot.

 

[stubblejumper]

Stubblejumper, spot and stalk hunting must be conducted the same way as far as sizeing up the bear and checking out the hide. Out here you're going to glass bears in slashes and slide shoots, stalk in and glass from close up. Takeing enough time to be sure of the hide and certain no cubs are present ( I've only shot boars) I'm sure you could get first time hunters on baits getting excited and takeing their first oportunity for a shot whether they have time or not. As far as shot placement, its like any hunting if you don't have a good shot you don't shoot.

I have hunted both grizzly and black bear using spot and stalk methods,and yes the hunter should take the time to properly study the bear before shooting regardless of the hunting method used.However,hunting over baits brings the bear into a place of your choosing where it is easier to get an unobstructed view of the bear,with unobstructed shooting lanes.The bait also keeps the bear occupied in one location so that you have more time to study the bear than you normally would with spot and stalk.You also have a bait barrel to use as a reference for judging the size of the bear.While a beginner could panic using either method,having the extra time,and the barrel for a size reference does increase the odds of the hunter being able to estimate the size of the bear,the condition of the bears hide,and whether or not it is alone or with cubs.While both baiting and spot and stalk are proven methods for hunting bears,I do find that baiting does have some advantages.That being said,my most exciting bear hunt was a spot and stalk hunt for grizzly where I had to shoot my bear as it charged me on a dead run.

 

[Brutus]

That's a nice bear, thank you for the pictures!

I regards to the other bear, recently taken with an SKS, I got to admit, shooting a bear and waiting for it to demise, which should be almost immediate, would not be my choice of hunting style. If I were you, I would look for more lethal ammunition, and better sights, and spend more time at the rifle range practicing, prior to the hunting season.

Irregardless of what method or hunting style one uses, as long as legal is fine IMHO.
But one must be ethical, first and foremost.

 

[rollingrock]

I have hunted both grizzly and black bear using spot and stalk methods,and yes the hunter should take the time to properly study the bear before shooting regardless of the hunting method used.However,hunting over baits brings the bear into a place of your choosing where it is easier to get an unobstructed view of the bear,with unobstructed shooting lanes.The bait also keeps the bear occupied in one location so that you have more time to study the bear than you normally would with spot and stalk.You also have a bait barrel to use as a reference for judging the size of the bear.While a beginner could panic using either method,having the extra time,and the barrel for a size reference does increase the odds of the hunter being able to estimate the size of the bear,the condition of the bears hide,and whether or not it is alone or with cubs.While both baiting and spot and stalk are proven methods for hunting bears,I do find that baiting does have some advantages.That being said,my most exciting bear hunt was a spot and stalk hunt for grizzly where I had to shoot my bear as it charged me on a dead run.

A dead run? You thought you always dropped your game right on spot motionless. How many follow up shots you took to make him suffer more? What gun did you use? .50 cal? Tell us the story.

 

[stubblejumper]

A dead run? You thought you always dropped your game right on spot motionless.

Obviously you didn't comprehend the part of the sentence which stated;

as it charged me

As We made a stalk on the grizzly to get into a better position to study it,the bear unknowingly moved toward us.At about 100 yards,we came into view of each other and the bear stood on it's legs to try to scent us.It then came down on all fours and began walking towards us.It then started to trot and then broke into a dead run towards us.At 40 yards I realized that my only option was to shoot,or the bear would be on us in seconds. I fired and the bear stopped in it's tracks.I immediately fired a second shot and the bear dropped and rolled down the slide into a pile of logs.Immediately we climbed down to the bear and threw a few sticks on it to check for a reaction.I then touched it's eye with the gun barrel and discovered that it was dead.Even though the bear charged,and did not allow much time to place my shots,the kill was very quick and humane,due in no small part to the cartridge that I was using.The cartridge being used was a 338x8mmremag which is the ballistic equivalent to a 340weatherby driving a 210gr bullet at 3100fps.The first bullet struck the throat and then travelled the length of the bear before lodging in the rear hip.The second bullet broke both front shoulders.This was the first and only time that I have been charged by a bear,and because I was using a suitable cartridge and placed my bullets properly the outcome was positive.Had I been using a much less powerful cartridge,I very well might not be here posting my experience.

I wonder what would happen if it were you instead of me that was charged by the grizzly and you were carrying your SKS.

 

[rollingrock]

My point here is whether I should read your story with good faith or not. I won't hunt grizz with SKS and never said I would. I've never picked on anyone who hunted and wounded something cuz ####e happens. I hate people using dual standards judging people basing on the firearms or other reasons. Everyone has room to improve during each hunt and learn from each trip. That's why I always read others' posts with good faith and respect. That's why I used to have a lot of respect for some old guys like bone-colletor.

BTW, good story on your grizz.

 

[stubblejumper]

My point here is whether I should read your story with good faith or not.

Take it any way you want because that is the story as it actually happened.

 

[glang1]

In BC baiting bear is illegal. It's not humane and not considered as fair chase.

___________________________________________________________


It's not humane and not considered as fair chase

George

 

[rollingrock]

Did I say I don't believe your story?

40 yards was really a short distance for a grizz. Good for you to have a cool head at that moment. Where did the first bullet lodge to make it roll? That's a lot of energy to stop a grizz.

 

[stubblejumper]

Did I say I don't believe your story?

My point here is whether I should read your story with good faith or not.

Obviously you don't comprehend what you read,so instead of repeating myself,I will just quote my previous post.

Where did the first bullet lodge

The first bullet struck the throat and then travelled the length of the bear before lodging in the rear hip.

to make it roll?

I immediately fired a second shot and the bear dropped and rolled down the slide into a pile of logs.

That's a lot of energy to stop a grizz.

The cartridge being used was a 338x8mmremag which is the ballistic equivalent to a 340weatherby driving a 210gr bullet at 3100fps.