SW Montana Bears
- Thread starter mconway951
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The Hedgehog
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- Dec 19, 2000
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- 11,620
It was my 10th time out and this was only the 3rd bear I saw.
Nice bear Greenie!
We've been getting hit with awful weather just to the south of you guys in Idaho. Doesn't seem like we've had any day recently without high winds, snow, rain or a combination of all of them. Really makes getting out hard.
We've been getting hit with awful weather just to the south of you guys in Idaho. Doesn't seem like we've had any day recently without high winds, snow, rain or a combination of all of them. Really makes getting out hard.
I travel 2,500 miles and come home empty handed, while Greenie shoots one I could have watched from my back porch. I had heard that Ol' Fin was a little slow on the uptake, but I guess this is more proof.
Congrats, Greenie. That look like one hell of a bear. Look forward to reading more of the details.
Congrats, Greenie. That look like one hell of a bear. Look forward to reading more of the details.
Drake4
Well-known member
Drake4
Well-known member
elk_hunter
Active member
Greenhorn, that is a freaking monster bear! What record did you break with it? 
Congrats on some nice bears guys. And Drake, that's a dandy too!
Congrats on some nice bears guys. And Drake, that's a dandy too!
upper deck
Member
Greenhorn
Congrads on another great bear.
Congrads on another great bear.
drahthaar
Active member
My gosh greenhorn, better tell the story on that pig.
Goldtip
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- Jul 29, 2009
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Awesome bear Greenhorn, congrats to all the guys whackin the bears. Wish we had a general spring season here in Washington.
Lawnboy
Well-known member
Great bears guys. Greenhorn let me know when you want to head out I'll take any of the scraps you left behind.
I'll take any of the scraps you left behind.
The Hedgehog
Well-known member
- Joined
- Dec 19, 2000
- Messages
- 11,620
Bart, the only scraps I left behind were 2 dinkers that looked more like labs. Here's some details..
Yesterday I bailed from the office early and hunted a place I've never taken a bear, not even within 20 miles. I've been hunting farther away from home this spring and it's been slow. Locally, I've been hunting where there's way more grizzlies than blacks, and fewer blacks.
I got to the glassing vantage just before 8PM and watched this guy come out of the timber and down a snowfield to an open hillside. After he stopped moving, I loaded up and took off. I closed the gap to about 50 yards and watched him for about 5 minutes before deciding to take him.
I didn't think he was a great bear, but knew he was a pretty nice older boar with great hair hair. I don't think he'd been out of the den long. Since there were fresh grizzly tracks everywhere and I was a long ways (4.3 GPS miles..but a few more counting the contour) from the trailhead, I decided to return today with a friend, rather than start carving on him last night, and leave part of him. Don't know if it helped or not, but I left a shirt, my gamebags, and vest on him. Nothing touched it.
Today was great, took a vacation day and got an early start with my friend John and headed to get him. It was a 7hr day, from the trailhead and back. The weather was perfect. We stopped in Big Sky on the way home and ate a great crab dinner and had a beer at the Lone Peak Brewery.
I'm probably going to buy a license in a neighbor state so I can hunt the prime-time in another great area.
Some more photos.. He's 6'4" square (6'1" long by 6'8" wide) and has a skull in the 18 3/4 range.
Yesterday I bailed from the office early and hunted a place I've never taken a bear, not even within 20 miles. I've been hunting farther away from home this spring and it's been slow. Locally, I've been hunting where there's way more grizzlies than blacks, and fewer blacks.
I got to the glassing vantage just before 8PM and watched this guy come out of the timber and down a snowfield to an open hillside. After he stopped moving, I loaded up and took off. I closed the gap to about 50 yards and watched him for about 5 minutes before deciding to take him.
I didn't think he was a great bear, but knew he was a pretty nice older boar with great hair hair. I don't think he'd been out of the den long. Since there were fresh grizzly tracks everywhere and I was a long ways (4.3 GPS miles..but a few more counting the contour) from the trailhead, I decided to return today with a friend, rather than start carving on him last night, and leave part of him. Don't know if it helped or not, but I left a shirt, my gamebags, and vest on him. Nothing touched it.
Today was great, took a vacation day and got an early start with my friend John and headed to get him. It was a 7hr day, from the trailhead and back. The weather was perfect. We stopped in Big Sky on the way home and ate a great crab dinner and had a beer at the Lone Peak Brewery.
I'm probably going to buy a license in a neighbor state so I can hunt the prime-time in another great area.
Some more photos.. He's 6'4" square (6'1" long by 6'8" wide) and has a skull in the 18 3/4 range.
Last edited:
elk_hunter
Active member
NICE! A freaking monster! I'm totally jealous... BTW, do you have to pack out meat in MT? If that's optional, do you take it or leave it?
BTW, do you have to pack out meat in MT? If that's optional, do you take it or leave it?
