Big storm, acorns on the ground, bears.

[Ptaylor]

#6368

We have a big storm moving across the area, which knocks all the acorns to the ground. That coupled with quiet grounds and hungry bears makes for great hunting. Today I happened into this bear. I spotted her at 15 yards and stayed there, watching the trees and forest for cubs, never saw any and I had good visibility into the oak canopies and grassland. After a few minutes the bear turned and opened up for a shot. I had lots of time and was calm, so I made a great shot. The arrow slipped right through her, and she jumped and did a 180 then stood there. I started counting when she jumped and at 4 seconds she fell over. After a a few labored breaths it was all done. The bear expired as far away as she was when I shot her, and it was the first time I’ve seen one die in front of me from an arrow.

Looking at the bear’s teeth she is really old. And both eyes were filmed over with white membranes, likely impairing the vision.

Here’s the picture captions:

1)The bear the arrow and the bow.

2)The exit wound. The arrow entered in the back of the ribs and cut across the lungs exiting by the shoulder.

3)Cataract eyes? Looks like a vision-impaired bear.

4)Really old tooth wear. I think she’s at least 17 years old and maybe over 20. DFG took a tooth for analysis.

5) Not a far pack out but steep, so I skinned and quartered the bear in the field and packed it out in one haul.

[David Coulter]

#53026

Congratulations on your bear! That’s excellent to get that close. You made a great shot. Post the information you get back from the tooth. Thanks for the story and photos, best, dwc

[David Fudala]

#53230

Way too go! What a thrill, bears on the ground! I agree with dwc, please let us know what info you receive back from fish and game about your bears age? What she must have seen in all her years! Congrats!

[bruc]

#54074

Great shooting !! Good story and pictures as well !!

Bruce

[Ptaylor]

#56176

Thanks fellas. It’ll be at least a year until I hear from CDFW about the bear’s age.

[Ralph]

#59337

That’s outstanding.

[Stephen Graf]

#8149

I like it when stormy weather brings me something special. Any fat on the old girl?

[smiley1]

#21043

Congratulations Preston. Great story. Judging from the bears reaction after the shot….once again there is proof that a well placed arrow is a very humane way of putting wild organic meat in your freezer. Thanks for sharing. Steve

[Ptaylor]

#21427

Steve Graf wrote: I like it when stormy weather brings me something special. Any fat on the old girl?

No unfortunately no fat on her.

[Ptaylor]

#21800

smiley1 wrote: Congratulations Preston. Great story. Judging from the bears reaction after the shot….once again there is proof that a well placed arrow is a very humane way of putting wild organic meat in your freezer. Thanks for sharing. Steve

Definitely humane, and in my opinion much nicer than a loud rifle shot. I’ve had 2 bow kills that were measured in single digit seconds. This bear hunt makes me want to hang up my rifles for good (not that I’d use a gun for a bear anymore, after the first bear I shot I decided it was just too easy to kill one with a gun), but man these black-tailed bucks humble me. I’d like to only bow hunt them, but I’ve gotten so few shots we wouldn’t eat much deer if I hadn’t used my rifle or picked up road kills in the past. But one day I’ll get there. Every year I feel like I’m honing in a little more on how to get stickbow range from these ghosts.

[Stephen Graf]

#30890

Ptaylor wrote: … This bear hunt makes me want to hang up my rifles for good … but man these black-tailed bucks humble me. I’d like to only bow hunt them, but I’ve gotten so few shots we wouldn’t eat much deer if I hadn’t used my rifle or picked up road kills in the past. But one day I’ll get there…

It’s a rare year I don’t have to pick up my gun to fill the freezer. Hunting with a gun is a different game. To me, it can still add joy to life. We just can’t make it into more than it is.

Now that the kids are off to school and we don’t need so much meat, it will be interesting to see if I pick up the gun this year, for old times sake anyway.

[Ptaylor]

#31260

Steve Graf wrote:

It’s a rare year I don’t have to pick up my gun to fill the freezer. Hunting with a gun is a different game. To me, it can still add joy to life. We just can’t make it into more than it is.

Now that the kids are off to school and we don’t need so much meat, it will be interesting to see if I pick up the gun this year, for old times sake anyway.

Yeah you’re right Steve, it’s still hunting when you use a rifle, which is fun.

[Don Thomas]

#45964

Great job, Preston. That is a really old bear. And your story proves a point I noted long ago. Nothing goes down quicker than a perfectly hit bear. And nothing is tougher to track down than a bear hit in any other way. Don

[Ptaylor]

#17787

I’m hanging with a vet, and she says this eye film is called corneal edema. It is a fluid in the membrane over the eye. Not cataracts.

[Author]

Posts