Here is my bear shot last Tuesday, near Lynn Lake Manitoba.


The rifle is CZ FS 550 in 9.3x62. The load is 57.5 grains of RL-15, with Lapua cases and WLR primers. Shot behind shoulder, going away, and ran 20 yards. I saw a bigger one earlier in the week, but could not get a shot, so I took this one later on.

See the floorplate open? In my haste to unload and get a picture, I left the floorplate unlatched. At some point, the plastic floorplate broke off and is still laying in the moss somewhere in Canada. I called CZ, and they are sending me a new one, along with a spring and follower that I lost. --- I should have got a metal floorplate before. Live and learn.

You couldn't have picked a nicer spot Walter, it is absolutely gorgeous up there. Congrats on your bear, did you get to see the Northern Lights while you were there?

No Northern Lights. It snowed and rained, and on a clear day, it did not get really dark until way past bedtime. Fishing too. Fun trip.

quote:

Originally posted by Walter:
No Northern Lights. It snowed and rained, and on a clear day, it did not get really dark until way past bedtime. Fishing too. Fun trip.

That's the hardest part of getting used to living up north.

Nice looking bear Walter..
What bullet did you use?

Walter, that photo brings back memories of many Bear trips to Canada. I remember coming back to camp at 11 PM as it was getting a bit too dark to shoot, but not pitch black yet by any means. Maybe I'll plan a trip up in northern BC for next year. Thanks for the memories.

Beautiful bear and a classy looking rifle!

quote:

Originally posted by cobra:

quote:

Originally posted by Walter:
No Northern Lights. It snowed and rained, and on a clear day, it did not get really dark until way past bedtime. Fishing too. Fun trip.

That's the hardest part of getting used to living up north.

Yeh, and the farther north, the harder it is for southerners. Being awakened at 3 a.m. by Inuit kids out playing ('cause it is light outside) is one expample. Used to drive their young female southern teachers nutso too. Kids would sleep in class because they had been playing much of the night.

Even as far south as Whitehorse, one can still read a newspaper outside with no artificial light at 1 a.m. or so on the longest day of the year.

God, I miss it.....but I don't miss the heart of winter when it is dark just as long.

Oh come on the daylight isnt that hard to get used to. If anything I thing the darkness (winter time) is harder to get used to.

That just reminded me the solstice is this month, were gonna start losing daylight in 3 weeks or so.

It comes and goes.

I used the 286 grain Nosler Partition. Complete penetration, of course. There was a pretty big entry hole and exit hole, but no blood at the spot were the critter was standing. There is so much fur on these northern bears, it just soaked up the blood. The skin is in the deep freeze.

Nice Black Bear, Walter!
Good looking CZ FS 550 in 9.3x62, too.
-Any idea how big the bear was?
-Glad the fishing was fun, too.

That reminds me of the first time I went to AK... we backpacked and camped for 3 weeks [hitting a B&B every 4 or 5 days to clean-up and re-stock supplies.] I carried our 18 mo. old first- born- son in one of those frame baby backpacks.

He literally "bounced off the walls" of the inside of the tent and played himself to sleep in the wee hours of the AM.

Since it was twilight-ish for what seemed like forever, we would be fishing, chatting or enjoying cigars and watching his antics-- never having to ignite our Coleman lanterns.

Ahh... I need to go back...

Why the rush to unload?

There was no real reason to rush to unload. Like my outfitter said, if you are not a little bit nervous while shooting a bear, you should not be there. I guess I was excited.

They estimated 240 lbs and measured 6-feet long. Not the biggest one out there, but I am happy.

Weidmannsheil on a successful hunt. I could well imagine the 9.3 being perfect bear medicine!

On the subject of CZ 550 floor plates, does anybody make them in steel??

- mike

In the US, it seems only the FS models come with plastic floor plates. CZ USA, the importer, was good about replacing my plastic floor plate and magazine follower with steel versions for no cost.