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Post by Deleted on May 15, 2016 19:08:10 GMT -4
Well here it is Sun evening, just got back from today's Hunt. No bear yet but things are heating up! Got a fellow Hunter (no permit) to accompany me. Cool & overcast, 1st time out since Wed.
As we approached the 340 road we came upon a parked truck on the 300 road. We also noted fresh peels on this road 50 yds before the 340 turnoff. As we entered the 340 we encountered 2 Hunter's coming back down to their truck. We engaged in the timeless tradition of kindred hunters comparing notes. They said that yesterday, seeing the fresh peels on the 300, that they stopped, setup an electronic call & began calling. No bears came in but they spotted a cougar on its way in...enuf of that! Today, upon returning, they parked at the same place & noted fresh peels added to yesterday's fresh peels (!). This time they heard what they surmised were "peel'in sounds". They started calling again. In short order a bear came out of the trees & onto the road. Hunter #1 (w/permit) took aim & fired...round went over its back & bear took off. They were going to give it a rest & return later before dark.
We drove to within 1/4 mile of the end of the 340. Tiptoed to its end to find no bear but more peeled trees. Since last Wed. Unfortunately, as life would have it, my calendar is being filled w/out my help. I have We'd, Thursday, & Fri of next wk to hunt. So far I have one potential maybe for a partner for next Wed. I have til end of month before trip, clock is ticking.
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Post by tuketu on May 18, 2016 21:28:58 GMT -4
Another Update from Sideswipe
Hi Bruce,
Attached are some pictures. Not sure if mine are any better than your's. I did some close ups of the teeth marks. I hope you went back out there again today or tomorrow. I think there is big old bear waiting on you.
Thanks for letting me tag along on the hunt. It was fun. I will let you know if I can get out next week end or not as soon as the family social director tells me if I have plans or not. Good luck.
Ron
tuk
d 1
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Post by Deleted on May 26, 2016 12:39:53 GMT -4
22d & 23d still hunted the 3 peeling sites that I have found thus far. For the most part they have gone quiet. The largest of the three has some indication that the culprit (s) are beginning to wander further away from trials & roads which makes sense as hunting pressure increases as more & more Hunter's have found these sites.
Drove the 3 miles up the steep 115 road to near the top & still hunted the two small peel sites up there. Found one pile is scat that was 100 % grass. The other scat pile I had seen last wk had, like the pile of grass scat, been kicked over to the edge of the road in an effort to conceal the existence of the bear sign. They will have to do better than that (let the games begin).
On the 22d I did see the east side of a westbound sow traveling down the road at full gallop. I spotted her as I slowly rounded the corner...she was 200 yds away & opening the distance rapidly. If I had been looking down at the road immediately in front of the jeep instead of coming around the corner "eyes first", I would have missed the whole thing as she swerved into the treeline that was at the roadside. Total time of watching the bear was 2 seconds or less. Can't let up for a second still-hunt'in. As she disappeared I realized a small cub was running immediately behind her & doing a good job keeping up w/mama. Mama's sudden change of direction took the cub by surprise but in a split second the speeding cob heeled over like a dirt bike & also dove into the wall of vegetation. It lasted a brief moment in this old Hunter's lifetime but it was quality time.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 3, 2016 0:28:36 GMT -4
Tonight the muddy, scratched up, faithful Wrangler has been loaded up for the last try this Spring season. Been a busy week now since I have gotten any "woods therapy". Gotta get back at it tomorrow early AM. Looking forward to returning from a 2 wk trip that we start Mon. We return on 21 Jun & the Spring BEAR season ends 15 Jun. Sure glad my bear tag is also good for the general season (1 Aug-Nov). Also glad that my joy of hunting isn't totally dependent upon successful hunts like hunting TV channels eh? At my stage of hunting, a successful hunt is gett'in to go.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 3, 2016 6:49:16 GMT -4
Tonight the muddy, scratched up, faithful Wrangler has been loaded up for the last try this Spring season. Been a busy week now since I have gotten any "woods therapy". Gotta get back at it tomorrow early AM. Looking forward to returning from a 2 wk trip that we start Mon. We return on 21 Jun & the Spring BEAR season ends 15 Jun. Sure glad my bear tag is also good for the general season (1 Aug-Nov). Also glad that my joy of hunting isn't totally dependent upon successful hunts like hunting TV channels eh? At my stage of hunting, a successful hunt is gett'in to go. good luck ! |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 3, 2016 22:08:59 GMT -4
Well we drove out the mainline gate of Sierra Pacific today for the last time this season w/out filling my tag. Earlier when I returned to the jeep after a bear calling session, Jane told me a Hunter came down the road & recognized the jeep & stopped to see how I was doing. He was the Hunter I mentioned earlier the had called a bear out of the dense trees only to shoot over the bear's back. After visiting for awhile he turned around to leave me undisturbed at the end of the road where I had setup to call. Later, as we drove out the 300 road to the 9 mile marker of the mainline, we passed his parked truck. A few hundred yards later Out of the corner of my eye I spotted a camo figure sitting in the treeline. I stopped the jeep to visit w/him. He said he had called in another bear but that smart bear began to circle around where the distress calls were coming from. All of a sudden the bear began a noisy exit through the trees & hvy undergrowth, probably having winded the caller. He smiled & said this was his last day to hunt as well. He too had waited 7 yrs again to be drawn for this hunt but he smiled & said his brother had been passed over so he will have 8 preference points for next year & he will accompany him. I thought I might run into this guy during the general season...hope so.
I also got a txt message from Jerome who was getting off work & needed some exercise & offered to come in if I dropped one to help me pack it out. A few wks ago Jerome was just a name on a WA hunting forum...now a friend. What is this about our "obsession" that form friendships? I had already thanked him for his help this AM & told him this was my last chance.
Oh, at Jerome's mention I learned about a special permit program started by Wherehauser Timber Company. Anyhow I am one of the 400 permit holders that has a year long permit to recreate (hunting included) in one of their properties. It cost some $ but gives me & another Levergun Scoundrel motorized access to 98,000 acres of well cared for forestland. As long as we have the licenses & tags we are eligible to participate in any hunting season that comes up during an entire year. There's gotta be a bear in there somewhere eh?
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