Power

Just to let you all know most of the roads around Wenatchee are closed due to the fire hazard. If you plan on coming over this way better check with the Forest Service or Game Dept. before you do to make sure your road is open.

The good news is I called Bob Pearlyburg at the WDFW here as well as someone named Robin at the Leavenworth Ranger Station. I wanted to go bear hunting but was concerned about the roads being closed. They both told me that hunting is a legitimate reason to be on those roads so we can all breathe a sigh of relief.

Oh, and I saw a bear last night while hunting too! Almost shot it but just wasn' t quite sure I wanted to shoot a bear so I let him walk. Probably going back up there tomorrow and wrestle with my consious again over it. If I see a big one I' ll drop him. This one was probably 200-250, 4-5' long. Jet black too. Are they good eating?

WAYNE1

Good luck Power ....it' s still to hot here for bear. I make all of my bear into breakfest sasuge...I' ve had the chop' s steak' s, and ham' s....but prefer the sasuge most

trapper T

Sausage is a good bet, Bear are usually pretty greasy. Plus if you know if he' s eating a lot of berries, they taste pretty good then

Power

Thanks guys. Heading out in the morning to hunt all day. Any tips on what to look for to find a big one? What characteristics denote a large bear vs. a smaller one? I know the ears should appear small and if it has a sagging belly that' s a good sign too (one I saw had those attributes). Any other tips on what a large one looks like?

trapper T

The best way I' ve heard to tell is, look at the ears if they look real small that usually denotes a large head. And also how the walk, a waddle or a slow rolling movement also can mean a largeer animal. Hope that helps. Good Hunting

Power

Thanks trapper T. I' ll look at the way they walk and look for those things you mentioned.

trapper T

Hey Power, how was the trip? Are the berries showing yet? Should be, that' s key to my Bear spot, there' s a resident bear in there but when the berries come on they come in from all over. I' m going Sat noe that I got my rifle back from the Gunsmith

Power

Trapper, no bears last night nor Sunday but will keep looking. Got a late start after work last night but still nice to be up in the woods with the wife and dog.

What' d you have done to your rifle at the ' smiths?

trapper T

I won a $200 gunsmithing from the Tacoma NWTF banquet so I had my Mod.70 re blued. It was looking pretty bad, the guy told me 60 days to finish and that was in Apr. So I called him a couple weeks ago and he told me the stock was almost dry. Well I didn' t ask for the stock work but he did it anyways to give me my $200 worth.Well when I got there he showed me my old stock and said it was too far gone and replaced it with a brand new one free of charge also went and glass bedded it and the whole nine yards.Looks brand new. You don' t find a lot of people like that anymore that' ll give you an honest job even if you didn' t ask for it.Wow this guy did some fine work. [8D]

Power

Very cool! You should tell people about the great service you got. I might even be interested in contacting him to do some work for me and my friends. I think word of mouth is the best advertising for a job well done.