Goldtip
New member
- Joined
- Jul 29, 2009
- Messages
- 1,142
Great story and yes, I'd dump that blackie.
On the way.... (Archery Grizzly)
- Thread starter Elkwhisper
- Start date
Elkwhisper
Well-known member
Day 8 continued- After circling to get the wind right I was able to slip quietly along the edge of the cut block and slip into 24 yards of the bear pictured above. The plan / hope what that the guide would video the stalk and shot for me, but his electronics skills left something to be desired and he insisted on backing me up with the shotgun..... so no video of the stalk 
.
I drew on the bear twice, but each time he would move has he fed and put some brush between us. If you look at the picture in the post above, I was sneeking in from the left side of the photo, with the sun at my back and the wind in my favor. The bear had moved slightly to the left as well and was in some of the weeds and brush that are just taller than he is.
Finally the bear cleared the brush enough to give me a window at his vitals. I let the arrow rip, and everything looked perfect. The bear growled and spun at the shot and bailed into he jungle of brush behind him. Both the guide and I agreed that the hit looked good. Maybe a little low, but we thought we could see the fletching tight behind his shoulder as he tore off.
The bear crashed through the bushes just to my left and it sounded like he fell down and was thrashing after just a few seconds. After that we heard nothing, so we figured he had died quickly.
Here is a clip of us inspecting the spot the bear was standing at the shot.
http://s777.photobucket.com/albums/yy51/elkwhisper/?action=view¤t=M2U00044.mp4
.I drew on the bear twice, but each time he would move has he fed and put some brush between us. If you look at the picture in the post above, I was sneeking in from the left side of the photo, with the sun at my back and the wind in my favor. The bear had moved slightly to the left as well and was in some of the weeds and brush that are just taller than he is.
Finally the bear cleared the brush enough to give me a window at his vitals. I let the arrow rip, and everything looked perfect. The bear growled and spun at the shot and bailed into he jungle of brush behind him. Both the guide and I agreed that the hit looked good. Maybe a little low, but we thought we could see the fletching tight behind his shoulder as he tore off.
The bear crashed through the bushes just to my left and it sounded like he fell down and was thrashing after just a few seconds. After that we heard nothing, so we figured he had died quickly.
Here is a clip of us inspecting the spot the bear was standing at the shot.
http://s777.photobucket.com/albums/yy51/elkwhisper/?action=view¤t=M2U00044.mp4
Elkwhisper
Well-known member
Obviously we found the arrw quickly and there was blood immediately. We gave he bear about 20 minutes and started following the trail into the THICK brush. The ammount of blood was staggering. I have killed tons of critters with a bow, but this bear was leaving the best blood trail ever..............
But the bear wasn't lying just inside the brushline as we had hoped. In fact he kept going...... and going..... and going. Both the guide and I were pretty confused as to how a bear could loose this much blood and make it as far as he did. The brush was so thick we had to crawl through most of it, but a blind man could have stayed on that blood trail. We had trailed the bear about 200 yards when we heard a few sticks breaking and what sounded like him rolling arrount just 10 yards in front of us. It was so thick in there that even at that distance we couldn't see him at all. So we backed out and gave him a little more time.
http://s777.photobucket.com/albums/yy51/elkwhisper/?action=view¤t=M2U00049.mp4
But the bear wasn't lying just inside the brushline as we had hoped. In fact he kept going...... and going..... and going. Both the guide and I were pretty confused as to how a bear could loose this much blood and make it as far as he did. The brush was so thick we had to crawl through most of it, but a blind man could have stayed on that blood trail. We had trailed the bear about 200 yards when we heard a few sticks breaking and what sounded like him rolling arrount just 10 yards in front of us. It was so thick in there that even at that distance we couldn't see him at all. So we backed out and gave him a little more time.
http://s777.photobucket.com/albums/yy51/elkwhisper/?action=view¤t=M2U00049.mp4
Elkwhisper
Well-known member
After giving the bear another 20 minutes, Thomas and I took up the trail again, where we had left off. We crept into where we last heard the bear moving and found three seperate beds, not 5 feet apart, all drenched in blood. But no bear ?????? How was this thing still alive? To say we were confused was an understatement.
We were standing there in the very thickest of the brush..... I mean we couldn't see 10 feet in front of us..... when again we hear sticks cracking and an animal moving quickly. Thomas was ready with the scattergun, just in case the bear came at us, but from the sound I could tell the bear was heading up a tree. I was able to jump up on a stump and caught a glimpse of him headed up a nearby spruce. The first thing we noticed was that he looked a little bigger than the 5 1/2 feet we had originaly guessed him for. The second thing we noticed, is that he was far from being dead.
I had to balance myself on a very small stump,while Thomas held onto my back to keep from falling, but I was able to send a second arrow right through his back and into his heart. The bear went screaming further up the tree, and I scrambled to get the video camera out of my pocket.
The bear made it about 25 feet up the tree before tipping backward and doing a couple summersaults in the air before crashing to the ground at the base of the tree. He bawled for about 5 seconds, and then all was quite.
http://s777.photobucket.com/albums/yy51/elkwhisper/?action=view¤t=M2U00050.mp4
We were standing there in the very thickest of the brush..... I mean we couldn't see 10 feet in front of us..... when again we hear sticks cracking and an animal moving quickly. Thomas was ready with the scattergun, just in case the bear came at us, but from the sound I could tell the bear was heading up a tree. I was able to jump up on a stump and caught a glimpse of him headed up a nearby spruce. The first thing we noticed was that he looked a little bigger than the 5 1/2 feet we had originaly guessed him for. The second thing we noticed, is that he was far from being dead.
I had to balance myself on a very small stump,while Thomas held onto my back to keep from falling, but I was able to send a second arrow right through his back and into his heart. The bear went screaming further up the tree, and I scrambled to get the video camera out of my pocket.
The bear made it about 25 feet up the tree before tipping backward and doing a couple summersaults in the air before crashing to the ground at the base of the tree. He bawled for about 5 seconds, and then all was quite.
http://s777.photobucket.com/albums/yy51/elkwhisper/?action=view¤t=M2U00050.mp4
Elkwhisper
Well-known member
When we reached the bottom of the tree I was very pleased to find a real nice black bear. He went 6' 2" from nose to tail, and 6' 8" across the paws, so he squares 6' 5". The skull will go right at about 18". Not a real old bear, but I was pretty happy with him.
A quick examination revealed why he was taking so long to die. The first arrow must have deflected off of some brush just before impact, because it took him low through the onside front leg and the broadhead was lodged in the thickest part of his "wrist" on the off side. Judging by the amount of blood he lost, the broadhead must have cut all the major veins and arteries on both sides. Pretty close to being a complete miss or just a flesh wound........... I actually feel pretty lucky to have recovered him at all. The shot did feel good, and judging by the angle the arrow entered his legs, it was definitely kicking downward on impact, which sure seems to indicate some sort of a deflection. Thomas and I figured that the flash of fletching we saw behind his shoulder was when the arrow was being kicked out as the bear ran off. At least I got a chance to redeem myself with a second shot...... unfortunately bowhunters don't always get that chance.
At any rate, I am a happy hunter and have another bear skin to add to the wall at home. This being my second time hunting in BC..... I can't wait until I get the chance to go back again. No grizzly this time, but I can't be too dissapointed as I had a great time, met some great people, got to watch Tom's grizzly hunt unfold, and took another great animal with my bow.
http://s777.photobucket.com/albums/yy51/elkwhisper/?action=view¤t=M2U00053.mp4
Elkwhisper
A quick examination revealed why he was taking so long to die. The first arrow must have deflected off of some brush just before impact, because it took him low through the onside front leg and the broadhead was lodged in the thickest part of his "wrist" on the off side. Judging by the amount of blood he lost, the broadhead must have cut all the major veins and arteries on both sides. Pretty close to being a complete miss or just a flesh wound........... I actually feel pretty lucky to have recovered him at all. The shot did feel good, and judging by the angle the arrow entered his legs, it was definitely kicking downward on impact, which sure seems to indicate some sort of a deflection. Thomas and I figured that the flash of fletching we saw behind his shoulder was when the arrow was being kicked out as the bear ran off. At least I got a chance to redeem myself with a second shot...... unfortunately bowhunters don't always get that chance.
At any rate, I am a happy hunter and have another bear skin to add to the wall at home. This being my second time hunting in BC..... I can't wait until I get the chance to go back again. No grizzly this time, but I can't be too dissapointed as I had a great time, met some great people, got to watch Tom's grizzly hunt unfold, and took another great animal with my bow.
http://s777.photobucket.com/albums/yy51/elkwhisper/?action=view¤t=M2U00053.mp4
Elkwhisper
Attachments
Last edited:
Elkwhisper
Well-known member
Here are a couple of hero shots from Tom's Grizzly as well.
Take a look at the one with Tom and his guide standing on the snow bank. That is the snow bank the bears were bedded on, and in the background if you look down at the lake, you can see the lodge where I was watching the action from.
Elkwhisper
Take a look at the one with Tom and his guide standing on the snow bank. That is the snow bank the bears were bedded on, and in the background if you look down at the lake, you can see the lodge where I was watching the action from.
Elkwhisper
Attachments
Goldtip
New member
- Joined
- Jul 29, 2009
- Messages
- 1,142
Very nice blackie, congrats. Sounds like it was a great hunt despite not getting your target animal. Thanks for sharing.
IdahoBugler
Well-known member
Simple awesome. Congrats on another great trophy.
Great story of a great hunt, EW. Congrats to you.
Bucnutz.wis
New member
That is an awesome story - thanks for sharing !!.
Another notch for the old Bowtech - Congrats.
Another notch for the old Bowtech - Congrats.
Last edited:
MNHunter
Well-known member
Very cool! Congrats!
shoots-straight
Well-known member
Great adventure! I would give my boys up, to harvest a Grizzly with my archery gear.
At 49 their useless anyway.
At 49 their useless anyway.
mconway951
Active member
very cool congrats on on tough trophy
Layin_It_Down
New member
The bugs didn't seem camera shy either. Nice video and pics, thanks for passing them along. Congrats on a great trophy!!!
Horn Seeker
New member
Nice Tale Whisperer... nice looking bear...
