I wouldn't be there with just a .45 acp either.

I like the idea of hanging the meat if he had the time.

Without the bear tag, shooting the bear would be poaching. He had the option of backing away from the kill. If the bear followed him off the kill, then perhaps the option of shooting the bear becomes legit (if its likely to attack), but I don't think the hunter has the right to shoot the bear to protect the elk. Thats the hazzards in bear country. If your going to hunt in bear country you should know what you can and can't do. I don't know if shooting a bear to protect an elk kill is legal in CO, but if I was hunting there I would know (and I would have a bear tag if in season).

As far as not being able to find the kill site later, that just tells me these guys weren't prepared at all. Its big country, and you need to know how to travel in big country. I am no expert in that, I live in MO and can usually hear cars/roads from everywhere I hunt. When I was in NY, I carried a compass and had to use it once to get out. It is amazing how easy it is to get lost temporarily, nothing wrong with getting lost. But you need to know how to find your way out. That also means you need to know how to mark a spot of a kill to get back too it. Would have saved these guys 2 days, which could have been spent hunting for another elk.

--Jim