Bear image is only a likeness of size and color of what our bear this morning.We had just found a place to park to walk into a section of state land.... my son looks up and says, "Dad thats not a dog crossing the road." I couldn't believe that a bear was that close right away.
We were now about 20 yards from the bear... I had to wait for a legal shot with the bow since the bear was on a road but was crossing to state land, I needed that bear on the state land side. The bear stood up, and must have been a good 6"5" to 7"0" tall. I realized at this point the bear was going to set the rules of engagement, which I was prepared for. I came to full draw, when bear decided to turn, and began to run across the road back onto state land. As the bear continued its run, he finally stopped, and turned giving me a quartering away shot, but the distance looked as though it were a good 80 yards away which could have even been 50 yards, and I did not feel ethical about taking the shot at this distance. I had to get closer in for a better shot......
I had to close the distance and began my sweep away from him, to try and cut him off down away from him, and then come up in front of him somewhere. Well, the bear decided that he had enough, and took off like his tail was on fire. I figured this bear obviously knew he had the upper hand and ran away, but why?
I would find out later just what this bear had in mind for me.......
Well my son caught up to me, winded, he said "dad you took off so fast thru the brush and thick grass, I didn't think I was going to find you." Well we set out back for the truck so we could get it relocated to a better parking spot down farther away. As we were driving down the road, I looked and there the bear was looking straight at me thru my truck window from about 20 yards away on the other side of the fence still on state land, walking back up another trail heading back to where he came from, and where we had been.
I thought for a minute, he was trying to out flank me, or come back up around me. I turned my truck around, only to see the bear in a dead run again up and over the ridge. I knew I was dealing with one smart bear, but this was so much fun trying to out smart this black bear. I got out and begun to search for the bear which we just could not locate again.... only his tracks, which I layed some of my arrows down, to show where the bear tracks are and along with my bow to show you the length of stride this bear had....
Notice the paw prints by the arrow fletching of each arrow. The length of my Mathew's Solocam bow is almost 34" from end of cam roller to cam roller.
Bear paw print up close.We tracked the bear to the edge of the state land to where he ran across into the residentual area again. We had found a local resident that said a dog chased the bear up Fawn Trail, where it took cover under the deck of a house.
Well we both realized that the hunt was now off.... even though we did not harvest the bear as we would have liked to, it was a fantastic hunt that we shared together and created yet another shared memory together. We will return yet another day. Maybe we will get to harvest this bear, and then maybe not.
But I got to tell you, it was the highest rush I have ever gotten while hunting.
This hunt aint over yet.... we will return to hunt him another day.... the RUSH is on!
