I was talking to one of my friends father who is a local guide for bear and he was telling me that he would set me over a bait for nothing whare it was going to be my first bear hunt and possiblay my first big game animal. I couldnt say no. Now that im now 16 it was also my first time hunting alone.

I went out on opening day, the bait had been knocked over from the night before. I got in the stand at around three in the after noon and saw a bear rate before I got picked up from the stand a little after sunset. It was a little to dark to take a shot so i passed figuring it was opening night I would probly get another shot.

I went out the second day and the bait had been knocked over figuring the bear was a little nocternal I was kind of bummed out. I sat all day and only saw a squirrel and a rabbit.

On the third day we had got in and the bait had been knocked over I asked if I could have the extra half hour after sunset just incase. I got into the stand earlyer and was pretty excited. The bear that I saw on opening night came in around 7pm. I wachted it for a couple of minnutes. And being the execllnt shot I am (cough, cough) I gave it a warning shot.

I wacthed it run up into the woods and stop. I sat as still as I could and wacthed it come in agian. This time i was certian I was going to be steady and sure. I wacthed it come in around a tree and walk up to the bait and when it moved its front shoulder I squezzed a shot off.

It ran off about 50 yards and droped. When the guide came upto my stand with another hunter who was within hearing distance of the shots they asked me if I got anything. I told them about what happened and we went about finding the bear.

We pulled it out and taged it and took it back for gutting and weighing. It waighed 165 pounds and was an adult female who we figure was with out cubs do to the fact she hadnt made any noise when she came in and didn't have any milk in her.

Congratulations on your first bear!! Now for some pics!!

Way to go, Model 94. My wife got her first black bear last week. She also missed her first shot, so don't worry about it. My first one was the same size as yours, and I'm proud to have the rug hanging nicely on my wall. Best wishes on more bears in the years to come.

Way to be a sportsman!

Conglads-----94 I loved baiting bear !! Are you going to make a rug out of the hide? You should also save the skull ! Again Conglads

hey 94, must be going around, got my first bear a week ago too! i was up in maine, where were you at? does anyone know how to score a bear's skull, and do they score differently male vs. female?

http://www.boone-crockett.org/bgRecords/bc_scoring_bear.asp?area=bgRecords&type=Bear

That should do it for ya

Congratulations!!

hey vtbecurulrss, I got my bear in the eastern part of the state in washington county. What about you.

Colorado Bob, I'm going with a half mount with the mouth opened.

hey 94, what a coincidence! i got mine in washington county, too. i was in edmunds, you? it was the sat. before labor day. a local taxidermist up there is doing mine, a shoulder mount, his name is mike.