# Got my bear!!



## farmerDale (Jan 8, 2011)

Yesterday morning at 6:30 AM, after a couple weeks of game camera observation, and much intensive thought and planning, I intercepted mr. bear on his way to his bed. He had been eating wheat every night 80 yards north of my bedroom window, and would always leave before legal time. I finally figured out his movements, and shot him with my 7mm Rem. Mag. 500 yards north of my house. Sneaking out there ahead of him was the tricky part. A single shot at about 200 yards anchored him as he lumbered along to bed down. He was sneaking along my harvested wheat field. He scores about 20 inches, and I estimate was between 450 and 550 lbs. )I weighed the truck with him on it, I just have not weighed the empty truck yet...)

Took him in today to get a rug made. Taxidermists first words were, "that's a big bear!!!".

We were concerned having this big guy within 50 yards of our sheep, chickens, and kids every night. Thankfully up to now, he was content to lay on my small pile of spilled wheat, and eat to his hearts content. 

October 15th? Moose season opener.
November 1st? Mule deer.
November 18th? White-tailed deer.
November 18th? Elk

Dang it is hard living here... lol!!!


----------



## RonM (Jan 6, 2008)

I just got back from Pa. saw lots of deer and the guys with me saw lots of black bear,looks like it might be a fun fall, doing a little Xbow hunting....


----------



## AndrewOSpencer (Jun 18, 2013)

Man way to go! I love bears and that bear ought to be good eating. I'm so happy for you. Do you have any pictures?


----------



## Oldcountryboy (Feb 23, 2008)

AndrewOSpencer said:


> Man way to go! I love bears and that bear ought to be good eating. I'm so happy for you. Do you have any pictures?


Farmerdale, are you eating the meat? I've always wondered what it taste like. My state of Oklahoma just started having bear season about 3 or 4 years ago, but only in a small handful of certain counties and mine isn't one of them. 

Congradulations on the kill!


----------



## farmerDale (Jan 8, 2011)

Sorry guys, I have been full fledged combining these days since I shot the bear. I did get a weight. It was 490 lbs. I planned to eat some of the better cuts, and make sausage, but because of its weight, it was no simple task to get it home, even though it was close. I had my tractors at a field harvesting 7 miles from home, and by the time I got it home, 6 hours had elapsed from the kill time. Everything I was told is that bears need to be dressed PROMPTLY. Especially fat bears, and this guy had a layer of fat you would not believe. So I elected not to eat it. The other thing is by the time I had it skinned out, it was noon, and I had to get back combining which is how I make my living. I was pushed for time at a late stage of my harvest.

I also was drawn for moose, so I have very limited freezer space, and moose takes priority..

As far as pics, yup I have a lot of them... On my wife's computer. I will try to get some up for you to see. 

I ended up using my friends picker truck that he had just bought...WORKED AWESOME!!!

I will work on those pics. Thanks.


----------



## littlejoe (Jan 17, 2007)

Sounds like the beginning of a great fall for you! Congrats!


----------



## Farmerjonathan (Mar 11, 2013)

So your going moose hunting even though your freezer is full? Planning to do what with the meat? Man, find some hungry people and donate this meat instead of letting it go to waste. If you don't have the time to properly care for it, don't take the shot.


----------



## Two Tracks (Jul 13, 2013)

Taxidermist's are expensive! We had a 165 lb mtn lion tanned by taxidermist to have it made into a mount (no crazy attacking mount, just a pleasant one depicting the animal) was going to be $2000- back in 1998....it's still there! I think, who knows, can't afford to retrieve it  I wish we had a "regular" tan done on it instead, to tack up on the wall with our bears and coyotes ect.. my husband wanted the lion to be mounted, so the taxidermist did a "mounting" tan on it, apparently it will fall apart if just hanging on the wall. We did consume this cat and it was very good, very mild and lean


----------



## farmerDale (Jan 8, 2011)

Farmerjonathan said:


> So your going moose hunting even though your freezer is full? Planning to do what with the meat? Man, find some hungry people and donate this meat instead of letting it go to waste. If you don't have the time to properly care for it, don't take the shot.


As I explained, the bear meat was not salvageable. I never said my freezers are full. My family of six, and some extended family will consume the moose and deer if I get one. 

The main reason I hunted this bear, is because of safety of my livestock and family. He was far too close for far too long. I had planned on eating this bear, but as it was, at nearly 500 lbs., and hunting alone, and with my tractors tied up, I had no simple way to get it home in a timely fashion. I never knew it was that big. All the game camera pics and "bear folks" I showed pics to thought it was an average sized bear. (150-200 lbs). When I had him in my scope at 200 some odd yards, I was thinking about the safety of my livestock and kids, not declaring to myself, "he is too big to get home in 4 hours"

We are rural. Like, as in R-U-R-A-L. lol! There is no food bank, nor hungry people within 3 hours plus. 

Before you panic and attack, maybe you should know a few of these things. I am saying that with a kind -hearted smile on my face, I mean no ill will. 

I understand your point completely. Just so you know. But I think you know less about a few things than your post would indicate. Just trying to clear things up a bit. I just want you to know that I am not a blood thirsty game waster. Hope this helps a bit.

BTW, the meat was not wasted. It was eaten up in two days by coyotes, eagles, ravens, and magpies.  I was shocked and thankful how fast it disappeared.


----------



## farmerDale (Jan 8, 2011)

Two Tracks said:


> Taxidermist's are expensive! We had a 165 lb mtn lion tanned by taxidermist to have it made into a mount (no crazy attacking mount, just a pleasant one depicting the animal) was going to be $2000- back in 1998....it's still there! I think, who knows, can't afford to retrieve it  I wish we had a "regular" tan done on it instead, to tack up on the wall with our bears and coyotes ect.. my husband wanted the lion to be mounted, so the taxidermist did a "mounting" tan on it, apparently it will fall apart if just hanging on the wall. We did consume this cat and it was very good, very mild and lean


My guy said a half body mount would be around 1000 bucks for an average size bear, but then he saw mine and took it back... Getting it professionally tanned he figured at around 250 bucks, so not a bank breaker.


----------

