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My 2004 Archery Blackie & Story ;

This hunt unfolded a little different then i had planned, It was opening afternoon of Oregons Archery season (as well as my birthday) for Elk and Deer. I was Elk hunting the night i shot this big boy, We were sitting up on a high point over looking a Cr. Drainage that ran next to a clearing, where the Elk and Deer have been coming out . Well previous nights before i was filming this huge 5x5 bull tear the snot out of the trees down in that draw.

Well about 7 - 7:30pm rolls around and i hear brush breakin and its pretty loud cus i could hear it from 300 + yards away...a little more brush starts to break, sounds like a heard coming out to feed. Well then i see the trees going side ways , well first thought was this is one of those bulls down there tearin it up.
Well after about 30 minnutes of stalking i am within 50 yards of where i saw the trees swayin. He's still makin a lot of noise, but now i am closing to about 30 yards, everything go's silent..oh nooo, winded shifted, i check the wind it's in my favor still. I'm lookin thru this thick brush and i'm thinkin ,well the horns should have been over the top of the brush and NO blonde ??..

Then all sudden i start hearing him breath, now keep in mind up untill this point i thought it was a Bull . Well once i started hearing him breathe i knew what it was , i thought to my self Elk don't breathe like that , this sucker was huffin, if any of you have heard Elk huff and a bear huff it sounds different....well anyways i knew it was a bear at this point and i made the stalk and i had my tag , so i was'nt gunna back out now....This sucker was huffin and huffin, then all sudden he starts to come out thru the brush and this stuff was so thick i still have'nt even seen him, he's only 5 feet in front of me coming out into the open, I draw back and he decides he is'nt going to come out, so he backs up in the brush ,This sucker climbs up the tree at less than 3-5 yards from where i am standing waiting for the my shot....he climbs up about 10 feet in this tree no bigger then your wrist and the tree begins to give so i knew he was comin down,I draw back again waiting for him to stop climbin, he stops up there at about 10-12 feet when it began to give, I pin wheel him mid way back for the angle..lets out the growl.. and did a summer salt for about 15 ft. from where i shot him out of the tree, where he took his last breath...

This is the First year ever bear hunting and certanly wont be my last...He is real good eating. He is gettin mouted, i should have had him scored but i did'nt...the 2nd biggest bear i have seen here in Oregon. -sorry its so long but I wanted it complete. For those that read. Every hunt has a story and memory behind it not just the kill.