Hunting Forum

I got this bear on Aug 4. We had been working a clearcut where we knew several different bear frequented when the berries started coming out. I was down off the landing about 6oo yards when the wind shifted and started blowing down the hill from behind me. I decided to move around the other side of the cut working into the wind. I came across the top of a little finger ridge about 300 yards below the landing when I noticed a stump on the next ridge at 80 yards that looked out of place. It was breathing. I could actually see the sides rippling as he was working a stump with his head down. I got in position and watched for a couple of minutes as I didn't have a clear shot and really didn't know if it was a boar or not. I glanced aroud the bear with my scope and couldn't see any other animals so I was pretty sure it wasn't a sow with cubs so I got ready to shoot. All I could see was about the top half of the body broadside to me so when he raised his head and I saw the space between his ears I dropped with a 300WSM to the shoulder. I circled around the top side to where I could get a good look at him and make sure he was done. I radioed my buddy and went back up to the truck to meet him and get the packs to get to work. He was on the sunny side of the hill and although it was only 8:00 am it was beginning to warm up pretty fast. I didn't know how big he was until we got to him. It felt like he was 500lbs trying to move him around with a cinch strap. I'm not a good judge of bears on weight and size but I'm guessing he was at least 400 lbs. His skull ended up measuring 21 5/16 and took 1st place in the Sportsmens Show in western Washington. He also ended up being tied with the 4th largest bear (skull size) taken in Washington state all time.

Congratulations. Any way you can post a photo or two? I would like to see him.

jack

Congrats on the bear!!!  Try changing/editing the pic size???