As some of you know I have had a big bear coming into my bait.

Heres the rest of the story.

I wasn't going to bait this year just run one with the hounds. But the neigbors kept telling me of a big bear getting into the garbage and tearing down bird feeders that were apox 8 foot off the ground.

So I decided to put a bait out and see what happen knowing he was in the area. I know that he would come to the bait but when was the question. The big ones lots of times like to come after dark. He hit the bait the frist night it was out. I put some sand down and got a good look at the track I measured it and came up with close to 6 inchs across the front pad.

I put out a game cam that a buddy lent me but I it would not work. I was dumping about 3 gallons of bait a day not knowing when he was coming in. I also had 2 other bears coming in one about 200 one about 150.

I put up my tree stand a week ago 45 yards from the bait.

Today is the first day of Wis bear season. In Wis. bait sitters go a week earlier then the hound hunters this year next year hounds go first. I really did not want to shoot it over the bait but would rather run it with the hounds.

But every body I talked with even my hound hunting buddys say if you get a chance at him kill him you don't get many chances at real big bears.

So I decided I better go sit over the bait and sees what is coming in and when. So I get done with work at 3pm run around trying to get all my hunting gear ready and mix bear bait. So my about 3:50 I finnely load up the trk and head out. I get to my hunting spot and see the big bears tracks. So I dump the bait rake the sand take some camo netting and place it around my stand. drive the trk a couple of hundred yards away and walk back to the stand and climb up. It is now just after 4pm.

It is hot about 80 degrees I sweating like crazy wondering why Iam hunting when it is so dam hot sweat running down my face ect. There is a slight brezze in my face helping some what about 6pm the sun starts behind the trees. things start cooling off and I starting to feel better. About 7pm things are nice and cool. I know I need to start paying attention.

I start glassing the woods beyond the bait at about 25 after I notice a bear just behind the bait facing head one. I said that looks nice He steps into the bait area and I said that looks big. He turns sideways and I saw he looks big. I watch him for 5 mins thinking should I shoot I do not want to shoot the wrong bear I watch him put the cross hairs on him a few times. Look at him with the glasses look at my watch knowing shooting hrs were about 10 min off.

I really want to run him with the hounds knowing if I shot the wrong bear. My freinds would give me a ration of crap. I looked and looked and tried very hard to decide. I looked at my watch and said now or never. I put the rifle up one more time and the bear must of heard my seat creak abit he look right towards me. Then went back to eating I decide dam he looked big might not get another chance do I dropped the hammer on him. One never saw a bear hit the ground so fast. But I put another one into him because I didn't want him to run as were he was at I could drive the tractor with a front end loader right up to it.

Recoil what recoil One would think that a 350 gr speer mag tip out of my 416 taylor at 2450fps would recoil I guess it did. Didn't feel it. I am sure I broke both front shoulders with the frist shot and may be spined him also. I really did not need the 2nd shot but hell ammos cheap and it is a lot easier to load him with the tractor instead of trying to drag him out.

I guess you are all wanting to know what he weighed out at 490lbs He is dressed and hanging in the cooler now. I'll get some bullet damage pic's tomorrow and some over all measurements

I well try and get pictures posted tomorrow also of the bear.

To say I was excited is a under statement. I seen a lot of bears shot and a lot get smaller the closer you get this is one of the few that just kepted getting bigger.

Now to try and get some sleep I am still pumped up.

Congrats on your bear and story.

I guess that your hunt was a textbook bait hunt in which you killed the bear you were looking for - after doing your homework, of course.

Shoulder shots are the way to go on bears. I've killed them with shoulder shots and lung shots and shoulder shots are MUCH better. Usually they cannot run with the shoulder and spine damaged, and a shoulder shot eliminates the need for tracking and recovery through the thick stuff.

Congrats on a great bear. Can't wait to see the pictures. I'm off to Canada in 2 weeks for bear and moose.

Andy

Very nice job on getting that big bear I can't wait to see the pictures!
Glad to hear you decided to take him your freinds were right sometimes big bears don't hang around until it is conveniant for you, 490 is a lot of bear I assume that is live weight?
I would like to hear the report on bullet performance when you get to post the pictures.
Congratulations!!

PDS,

Good job. With the way the points system is, that may be the bear of a lifetime.

Find some meat tenderizer with papain in it. Marinate some 1 inch steaks for about 3 hours before you cook them on your charcoal grill. Serve with your favorite beverage.

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm..............

Jim

490 is the weight at the registration station.

pdhntr1 your right about the point system it was 6 years ago for my last bear lic. At 50 yoa of age I most likely only have 3 or 4 Wis bears left to kill this is by far the biggest I have seen when hunting them for the past 35 years..

This is a old computer I'll be taking my memory chip over to freinds house is after noon and see about getting the pictures up.

p dog shooter, Congratulations! That is a hell of a big bear. I was up near Spooner a couple weeks ago and a small one ran right at my brother and I as we were sighting in a rifle preparatory to an Western hunt. It was a bit startling to have this bear come running out of the woods into our clearing, 10-15 yds away! Fortunately he ran back the way he came. We decided later that it must have been shagged out by some dogs.

Nicely done p dog!

Great story--very informative and lots to learn!

friar

Here are the pictures:









Nice bear!

Nice bear, and nice choice of cartridge.

The bear was 6 feet from the nose to the base of the tail.

The frist one shot traveled threw both shoulders left to right down wards angle ended up in the right legs elbow. The bullet weighed 227 grs after taking out the left shoulder spine right shoulder and traveling down the leg. Some where around 35 inchs of skin bone ect.

Congratulations to that exciting hunt!

Congrats , Awesome bear, Good report as well

Congratulations are in order, I leave for Maine on Sunday for my bear hunt. I can only hope to see one like that.

Congrats on a fine bear. Nate

I'm bear hunting in Minn. this year and hoping for a Wisconsin permit next year.

Very nice bear!

Very Nice !!!!

P dog shooter Congratulations on a great job well done! What a truly beautiful bear, and big is an understatement... must have looked enormous! There's always next year for the hounds. Lovely bear, what more can I say.

Very nice bear, and a very good caliber!

Congratulations!

p dog shooter - Your story says a lot for your patience.

I see that you had a hard time figuring out if this was the big one or not. While you said that you were close, you didn't say what view you had. I have no desire to shoot a bear (but deer beware!), but one of the best indicators of a big black bear is to look at the ears compared to the head. They "grow into" their ears. If the ears look big, it's a smaller bear. If the ears look small, it's a bigger bear. If the ears look tiny, it's a really big one.

Another problem with black bears is that their black fur makes them look bigger than they are.
Most hunters see far less bears than deer, so they aren't used to sizing them up or comparing them to their surroundings.

Here in NY, the deer and bear seasons overlap. I know that a lot of yearlings and even cubs are shot every year because the hunter gets caught up in the moment and doesn't have the patience you displayed in sizing up the quarry. Your story shows the payoff for waiting - congrats.

PS - take plenty of pics while you have the chance, sort out the good ones later.

A great trophy. Congratulations

awesome bruin--congrats----chris

erict I was 45 yards from the bait I had a good veiw of the bear and bait. There were at least 3 bears coming into the bait. A small one, one about 250 and this big one.

I seen way too many little bears shot only to have the shooter say I though he was a lot bigger then he was.

I was dermined to shoot the right bear.

I was only a 100% sure he was really big when I got about 10 yards from him I said OH shit that a big bear.

308Sako one only draws a Wis bear permit about every 4 to 6 years and seems to be getting longer as more and more people try .

P dog, I am happy then that you have taken this beauty for your memories and the experience. 6 years is too long to wait for a tag.