montanaelk31
Member
- Mar 18, 2014
- 307
Disregard if no grizzlies are in your hunting area.
I elk hunt in moderate grizzly country. Yesterday my hunting partner frontal shot a big bull at 16 yards and got only 1 lung. We trailed the bull for 4 hr and finally found him dead and 730 p.m. Over a mile and a half blood trail. Huge. We immediately thought that the long blood trail would attract grizzlies. We boned, bagged, caped (I'll post a pic here on the Meatpole soon) and got out of there at 9 p.m. We put the cape and horns 200yd from the kill and continued another 200 to stage a few meat bags in the creek. I suggested that my partner go grab the cape and horns while I fill the water bladders (80 degree day).He went 100 yards. It was dark. He caught eyes looking at him 70 yards away. Huge. He screamed, "hey bear". And just like that, it charged. He had his 44 in his hand and fired. The bear cut the charge and detoured. He ran back to me. We both were pretty shook up. It wasn't over. We staged all 4 bags in the creek and walked directly toward our rig. 2 more griz right in front of us 50 yard. We held our ground, pistols drawn, bear spray ready. After a few minutes both bears wandered off. We hightailed it outta there. No further incident. Horsing it out today
LESSONS LEARNED
1. NEVER, EVER, Split up in bear country for any reason.
2. Never Put your guard down. Even if you do everything right, the S---- can still hit the fan.
3. Pack both the bearspray and the firearm. Great idea.
4. Buy the brightest headlight you can if you plan on walking out in the dark in bear country.
PLEASE BE SAFE OUT THERE GUYS! Personally, I will not be hunting in moderate griz country from this point on. 6 hours of horror not worth elk. And elk hunting is what I live for.
I elk hunt in moderate grizzly country. Yesterday my hunting partner frontal shot a big bull at 16 yards and got only 1 lung. We trailed the bull for 4 hr and finally found him dead and 730 p.m. Over a mile and a half blood trail. Huge. We immediately thought that the long blood trail would attract grizzlies. We boned, bagged, caped (I'll post a pic here on the Meatpole soon) and got out of there at 9 p.m. We put the cape and horns 200yd from the kill and continued another 200 to stage a few meat bags in the creek. I suggested that my partner go grab the cape and horns while I fill the water bladders (80 degree day).He went 100 yards. It was dark. He caught eyes looking at him 70 yards away. Huge. He screamed, "hey bear". And just like that, it charged. He had his 44 in his hand and fired. The bear cut the charge and detoured. He ran back to me. We both were pretty shook up. It wasn't over. We staged all 4 bags in the creek and walked directly toward our rig. 2 more griz right in front of us 50 yard. We held our ground, pistols drawn, bear spray ready. After a few minutes both bears wandered off. We hightailed it outta there. No further incident. Horsing it out today
LESSONS LEARNED
1. NEVER, EVER, Split up in bear country for any reason.
2. Never Put your guard down. Even if you do everything right, the S---- can still hit the fan.
3. Pack both the bearspray and the firearm. Great idea.
4. Buy the brightest headlight you can if you plan on walking out in the dark in bear country.
PLEASE BE SAFE OUT THERE GUYS! Personally, I will not be hunting in moderate griz country from this point on. 6 hours of horror not worth elk. And elk hunting is what I live for.