Unseen bear trail.

Many here remember the Giant bear Osky shot 2 years ago.
We tracked it for about 4 miles before he killed it.
Last week, I seen BIG fresh bear tracks crossing the road within 50 yards of where his did.
Couple days ago, I seen a real good track doing the same.
This is in a WIDE open again field. Not a tree or even a bush for 1/2 mile.
No terrain difference. Flat field!.
This morning at sunup, I was at that spot and seen a bear in the bean field coming right at me.
I could not legally shoot as I was on the road.
Bear got to about 40 yards when it seen me.
It wheeled around and ran away.
Called the landowener and he gave me the green light to go for it.
I lost track of it but suspected it was heading for an old homestead woodlot.
Pulled in there and was glassing the beans when I seen a black head pop up.
He was coming right towards me.
Grabbed my shooting sticks, walked about 100 yards and waited.
He kept coming.
He got to about 15 yards and I said " hey". He looked up and shot him in the neck and dumped him in his tracks.
He literally died on the only piece of dry ground for along ways.
Was able to drive within 15 yards.
Hooked up a couple straps, drug him out to the trail with the truck and loaded him up.
Been around bear for many years and cannot figure out why bear( always bigger ones) cross the road in this spot.



He wasn't going Hungary

I want some bear fat. Good for cooking and want to make soap.

That's a great hunting story!!! I don't know anything about bears but very interesting.

Congrats Dave,the end of the bear track crossing that road till another Pig uses next season.

Rick, no doute in my mind there WILL be tracks same spot next year.

Nice

If that bear was going to Hungary he was going to need all that fat reserve. Nice we fall we are having here.

Beauty Bucks.... looking at the thick legs and gut picture certainly looks like he tickles up near 400. If a guy is patient and sits in that stretch these last three weeks of season you will clobber a big one each year. Something else comes to mind we’ll talk about that next time I see you.
Hope you have another 2-300 pictures to make some here happy.

Osky

Osky, I don't think he would make 400 but close.
49 er, love it when someone critiques my Grammer and screws up their own post
All in good fun.

I said “tickles up near”. I did not say over 400.

Osky

Cool story. Is it good eating?

I've never shot a bear. One of these years, maybe in the spring, I'm going to go pursue one.

Jim

Way to go! Make sure you remove every bit of that fat, AND I MEAN EVERY BIT.

Our fall bear are FANTASTIC James!
They eat corn,suflowers,soybeans, and a large variety of natural nuts/ fruits.
You pay over nite shipping and I'll send you a roast?

You bet I will!

Is it grammer or grammar?

Dang,

If the fat is coveted for cooking why does it not make the meat taste better?

Good thing nobody said over 400!

Way to go bucksandbears.

Nice bear , congratulations
I'd like to get some bear fat to render down and make patch lube for my muzzle loader ...

It is excellent meat. Like all wild meat never over cook. Med rare at most. It makes terrific jerky as well.

Bear fat up here is coveted by those who make their own pie crusts and pastry.

Osky

Nice Bear. But I would cook it to 160 internal temp to be safe. Don't want trichinosis.

Bear is one wild game animal that shouldn't be UNDERCOOKED. Trichinosis is no joke. Ask Steve Rinella.

Ya ya ya, I will eat it medium at the most, ate it many of times medium rare. Only needs to be cooked to 137 degrees

Or cook the - out of it and ruin it lol

Imho bear makes the best sausage. I'll have to render some bear fat somtime

Grammer or grammar isn't my strong suit

I've got 2, 5 gallon pails of fat iffn anybody wants it.
Got rained on a bit but...
I think if he was shot in early Sept when season opens he'd be about a 300 lber.

Mine ain't the bestest either

What did the skull measure?

" Pushing" 400

That's a big skull...not over 400 I bet

Wonder what this skull measures..

My Grammar spelled it "Meemaw", but she was a liar, bless her heart and RIP. She always meant well.

good job, and great story, will still be just as good when you tell it the 400th time

Pushing 18

I bet so...

Congrats on a great bear!

Due to business, tonight was my last chance to hunt and nothing happened so I'm eating bear tag soup this year.

There's no way you've killed 400 bears!

Dang one eye. For Years, I've wanted to get a snow during season, find a track and follow it up for a kill.
It's not ever worked out. Our area is forcasting a decent amount of snow coming and I was actually excited to be able to do it. Kinda bummed about missing that opportunity.
Do have a lady friend with a tag and I told her if we get good tracking snow, she's taking the day off from work!

Awesome Hunt!!!

Great Bear!!!

Every time I see a bear, I either don't have a rifle on me or else the season isn't open. Can't say I've ever specifically hunted bear, though.

Thanks for the offer, Bucks, but I think it would spoil by the time I got it.

Jim

No James, it can be done!
A frozen roast can be had.
Used to ship frozen jackrabbits thru eBay overnight to southern taxidermist.
I think I was the first to do so and they kicked me to the curb
Dang John, it's whooping cranes I've shot 400 of, not bear.
You guys are brutal!

Okay, let's do it then, Bucks. PM me how much, and I'll send you a check or something.

Make sure to check how many hours to Alaska, though.

I never knew they had jackrabbits in Minnesota. A frozen whole jackrabbit has its fur for insulation, so I'm not surprised you could ship them.

As for the whooping cranes, I'll bet you $50, usual terms, you can't prove your claim.

Jim

I'll refrain from that bet sir!

I'll check into postage and get back to you.

Nice bear Bnb. I too have found a few spots that I know if I set a trap or a deer stand, something will happen and I can't explain the why of it. Always makes me wonder how many other spots like that I am walking past.

You know a guy can insulate the box?

Indeed!.
I've shipped frozen Jack's to Alabama/ Florida/ Georgia ovemite frozen.
They arrived just fine.
Except one time :o, thus getting the boot from eBay.

Or ship it in a small cooler, see that all the time.

Great bear bucks, season started here with dogs yesterday and my uncle has a big one coming in behind my house that'll probably be between 400-450# I got to listen to part of the race from my porch but I had to leave at 9 to get to my sons ballgame so not sure if they got him or not

Nice bear!! Sounds like a neat way to hunt them as well

Holy crap fellas, you'll have to wait for round 2 story later.
I'm gonna be busy for awhile!


Mine looks like a cub now

Can't wait for this!!

Great bear, Bucks! looking forward to the new story also!

Bucks is whooped. Follow up on this later.
Some crazy stuff!!!

Congrats B&Bs!

Dang, I'll try tomarro with the round two.
Gotta a heck of a storm brewing and have 400 cattle to move.
Here's a teaser.

That rendered bear fat is the best grease for doughnut making. A couple of elderly ladies in my hometown talk it up as being the best.

What's the teaser? You?

Got them cattle moved yet?

Tomarro Steve.
Been to busy for a follow up.

I hear ya, a lot of work is going to need to get done in the next 24 hours

Awesome!!

We need an update!

Ok,

Well, I'll make a condesed version.
Was at the exact same spot at sun rise Monday morning
It just didn't seem right to be glassing a section of standing bean
Didn't take long and I cought a glimpse of a bear a full mile away.
My friend met me on the road and we watched it
cruising our way.
I told him to get to the same spot where mine died .
He ppargued Abit as the bear was not really heading in that direction.
I said " have faith".
He got in position. I drove up the road 1/2 mile to a better vantage point.
The bear had slipped into a low spot and I lost track of it but knew it would be holding it travel line.
A bit later, he was visable again and coming right towards me.
He was about 300 yards out and lifted it's MASSIVE head up.
I started yelling and waving my arms. It turned, made a beeline towards my buddy. Within a minute, I heard the shot and the meat report.
He called and said " bear down".
Oh, prior to him going to set up, I DRILLED it into his head not to take a shot untill the bear cleared the beans!.
There was a grassy trail that rimmed the woodlot and that's the only place a truck could get to.
His bear died about 50 yards from where mine did the previous day, and, right on the trail

The 2 of us could not even budge it.
Back to the ranch to get a truck with hydrolic hoist.
It was getting warm and we had alot of stuff to get done that day so we didn't take time to drive to town for a weight.
I'm guessing this one was " pushing" 600#.
Huge skull besides.
2 dandy bears down 50 yards apart in a spot no one would even imagine looking for bear ( me included).



Edited to add, during the event, I had Osky on the phone giving him a blow by blow account.
He was about to come uncorked

Did'nt have to wait till next year for the no trail crossing to produce another giant,look forward to next year chapter.

Whoooweee Bucks, that one is a brute. What a big noggin on that bear, going to make book for sure. Just a thought you already figured I'm sure but I'd pull both aging teeth. You know how stupid the state is handling those.
Chalk another one up to the Bucks bear corridor. Somewhere near Ely right?

Osky

Can’t help but wonder, Bucks if that field is corn next year will you be able to hunt that spot before the corn is cut ?

The farmer only plants wheat n beans
Oh yeah, while driving in to get him after the shot, a bear of about 325-350 came running and about slammed into the side of my truck
Bucks bear season is over!!
O wait, may get some tracking snow soon and know several with tags yet

Better get to it Bucks, I think Sunday ends it.
It'd be a hoot to get after them with snow down.
Osky

Forgot to ask Bucks, seeing any colored bears over there lately?

Osky

Thank for the pictures bucks.

That's a toad for sure

I don't think I seen a brown this season?
Usually do see a couple.

That's a Heck of a bear, the biggest we've ever taken was 610# in 30 years so that's definitely a bear of a lifetime. Are they many taken up your way that size

RM, not very often we see bear this size but every year they seem to get a bit more.
Not as many hunting them anymore.
I'll say this for a FACT, the older bear are taken by just being right place/ right time.
Old farm country bear are quite smart. Seldom taken over bait.

RM, not very often we see bear this size but every year they seem to get a bit more.
Not as many hunting them anymore.
I'll say this for a FACT, the older bear are taken by just being right place/ right time.
Old farm country bear are quite smart. Seldom taken over bait.

Awesome stories and bears. Congrats.