Tried getting my first bear this spring. This young one was the first to come in.




This nice boar was second and chased the smaller one off a couple times.





Sure was fun getting them on camera and video. I had them both fairly well patterned, but I guess they had me figured out as well. Unfortunately, every sit in the stand was fruitless. The biggest thing to come in while out there was a porcupine. I decided to give it another go in the fall.

I knew going in it would be more difficult to get bears to come in, because of the most amazing berry year that I can remember. However, one finely came around and then left and then came back. I could not get a fix on the bear, but after we were done moose hunting I decided to go and sit. If nothing else I could enjoy being out.




The bear hit the bait again and the trail cam said it was the night before. I rebaited and came back later that evening ready to sit until dark. I was nice and settled in for about an hour when some moose hunters walked by at about 50 yards (they never saw me in the tree) jabbering away and then about twenty minutes later they came back the same way still talking loudly. I was pretty bummed. I thought about packing it in, but it was such a nice night to just be out. About 40 minutes later I spied a black head and ears at about 200 yards. It disappeared and reappeared at about 100 yards. This time I could only see half its face. Again, it disappeared. I never heard it and only caught those two short glimpses until it was right in front of me at 50 yards. After all the time I put in in the spring and again in the past weeks I took the shot without hesitation. The bear ran right at me, under the tree I was in, and expired about 25 yards behind me. It was a nice fat bear!

The two pictures above and the two below are all of the same bear that was coming to the site. The picture below was taken by my trail cam less than 1 second before the shot.




Some other honorable mentions from the whole adventure.




This bruiser ruined my chances at a black bear at the particular location and I pulled out. Cool to see though!

Awesome!

Way to go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Moosetrot

Bfish, that was a short but great recap of how it happened.

I like the enthusiasm in the post.good job!

Well done and congratulations.
Your bruiser bear has a different look... hasn’t come to me yet but something is different.

Osky

Grizzly?

WTG! The moose was just the frosting on the cake!

Thanks everyone! It was fun and plan to do it again in the spring!



It is a griz. Have had a few on camera this year, but he was the biggest. Had the barrel chained to a tree, but apparently, that wasn't to his liking. This is how I found the quick link:







The second bull pictured I had within 25 yards of me along with two cows a couple days before the trail cam caught him, unfortunately no camera. Too bad to because my buddy was still looking to get his with a bow.

^^^^^
It seems like you can never overestimate the power a bear has; that mangled quick link is evidence of that.
Five gallon bucket bitten to shreds, steel gasoline filters ripped off the stern of boats and destroyed, holes ripped right through the sides of buildings, etc..

Awesome bear photos

Thanks for sharing with us those are some great pictures ! Nice quick link i think you can fix it ???? NOT ha ha

That's some good eating right there now ! I hope to get a black bear this fall as well !
Allan

According to the Regs you can shoot browns over bait in unit 24D. Just needed a permit, which I think you also needed for the blacks. Pretty sure the folks in your area are happy to see the grizzlies reduced.
Fat fall bear should be pretty good eating.
Did you get a moose?

Nice narrative of your hunt.
That griz sure makes the blacks look dinky.

Yes, along with a bear bait clinic certification. The grizzly only came in after dark and near the end of the baiting season.