courtgreene
Member
Bear season just started here (in NC), but I actually took my first Bear in September, in Colorado. For a longer write up (a five part mini-series deal) complete with reflective stuff, you are welcome to look at my blog (Courtgreene.com). Here's the THR version.
This season I was invited to go with a friend to Colorado after black bears. He went last year, and was successful, and knew I wanted to try it. So, he invited me and I accepted. The trip out with a trailer and four wheelers was brutal, we stopped for gas and food at gas stations, and that was about it. Having never been west of the Mississippi River other than flying over it to get to Hawaii, that in itself was a new experience. The country is MUCH bigger than you think until you drive it. Eventually we set up camp in unit 23 (I think), and away we go.
Day one we set up to glass the valley in the background, here. We saw very little. Eventually I did see a black bear walking on the same mountain side I am standing on while taking this picture. It was complete dumb luck as I was trying to get out of the sun, and wedging myself between some rocks to the left of this photo forced me to turn to the right, where a few minutes later I saw it walk past about three hundred yards away. It never offered a shot, as it moseyed by. A few more days passed without seeing much. I saw plenty of country, started getting worried that we weren't seeing much, and made my way down into that valley to do something I was pretty sure I could find success doing.
If I don't have a rifle in my hands at any particular time while out in the woods, I try to fill them with a fly rod. The fishing was a great way to cool down after a few days searching for bears. To be honest, though, by this point we were not looking for bears, we were looking for any food source they might use. The plan was to hunt brush oaks, or berries. These food sources either did not produce or had come in early or late. I'm not sure which it was, but there were none to be seen. Back to the drawing board. (Further down)
This season I was invited to go with a friend to Colorado after black bears. He went last year, and was successful, and knew I wanted to try it. So, he invited me and I accepted. The trip out with a trailer and four wheelers was brutal, we stopped for gas and food at gas stations, and that was about it. Having never been west of the Mississippi River other than flying over it to get to Hawaii, that in itself was a new experience. The country is MUCH bigger than you think until you drive it. Eventually we set up camp in unit 23 (I think), and away we go.
Day one we set up to glass the valley in the background, here. We saw very little. Eventually I did see a black bear walking on the same mountain side I am standing on while taking this picture. It was complete dumb luck as I was trying to get out of the sun, and wedging myself between some rocks to the left of this photo forced me to turn to the right, where a few minutes later I saw it walk past about three hundred yards away. It never offered a shot, as it moseyed by. A few more days passed without seeing much. I saw plenty of country, started getting worried that we weren't seeing much, and made my way down into that valley to do something I was pretty sure I could find success doing.
If I don't have a rifle in my hands at any particular time while out in the woods, I try to fill them with a fly rod. The fishing was a great way to cool down after a few days searching for bears. To be honest, though, by this point we were not looking for bears, we were looking for any food source they might use. The plan was to hunt brush oaks, or berries. These food sources either did not produce or had come in early or late. I'm not sure which it was, but there were none to be seen. Back to the drawing board. (Further down)