Thanks for all the tips in my other post. Successfully harvested this bear we were hunting for the last 4 or 5 days.
Not only my first bear kill, my first with a trad bow!!!
So here's the bear story now that I have a breather:
Got up at the BCD, moved near where we called the Mt. Lion the other night. Took a little bit to figure wind and where we wanted to be.
Got down behind some deadfall. Put a few pine sprigs in my hat (very important good medicine apparently)
Buddy turned on his call. Literally 5 seconds later I told him to glass a hillside where I saw movement. Tried explaining where I saw it when I saw more movement a little further down the hill. Before I could pick up my little mono scope thingy, she came out of the trees and I saw she was a bear.
My heart was beating like a heavy metal drum solo, started getting a little light headed from the anticipation...like the beginning of a panic attack. A little deep breathing and some mental concentration helped a bit.
Buddy readied his rifle just in case things went south, having lost confidence in the .45 wheel gun he tried to take the mountain lion with.
She came out of the trees with a purpose. This all happened in about 30 seconds from the time we turned on the call.
She paused for just a second trying to figure out where the distressed elk calf was that it was hearing but not seeing. Perfect broad side.
In that pause I drew and loosed the arrow. I don't remember aiming, I don't remember applying any archery fundamentals. I don't even remember releasing the string. Do remember seeing the arrow hit and heard a hollow thump. I put rabbit fur poofies behind my fletchings, and for that fraction of a second saw the big white tracer in her shoulder area.
She jumped a couple feet off the ground and spun around. Then jogged around us in the forest. She paused for a second and pulled out the the arrow with her teeth and dropped it. Then sort of...I won't say casually, but walked off not in a hurry.
Waited 30 impatient mins like the ADD kid in class with a full bladder and a dirty joke he just has to tell someone. It was an agonizing long wait.
Had a million thoughts going through my head. Worried she was only wounded and was going to attack a hiker or camper. Worried I only stuck her scapula, as I didn't know at the time she'd only pulled out the back half of the arrow. Worried my broadhead failed me. And many more thoughts.
After the 30 mins, we started trailing blood. She was bleeding pretty good from the get go. Found where she'd pulled out the back half of the arrow, and lost a good amount of blood. Eventually found the front half of the arrow covered in blood and that boosted my confidence that I got her good.
Then less than a 100 yards from where I shot we were trying to pick up the blood trail again, fearing we'd have to pursue in to a thick stand of aspens we look down and she's right there at our feet lying on her back.
Punctured both lungs. It was a perfect shot just behind the scapula, missed the heart but hit both lungs.
Guessing about 100 to 120 pound female probably about 18 mmonths old. We skinned and quartered in the field so I can't get an accurate weight.
Sorry for the gargantuan pics, like Phil Robertson said "I'm a low tech man in a high tech world"
Arrow impact site
Recovered broadhead made from circular saw blade. The wite paint helps me see the tip and the dots represent rhe southern cross constellation...my Marine brothers from 1st Mar Div will understand the medicine here.
My Grozer with the arrow. I know it's not a true hornbow, but it's the best I can do right now.
