Needless to say after hunting for nearly 3 days without seeing a black bear I was starting to give up hope. We had posted up glassing a hillside about 800 yards away. At the time was with oryguncoug and our dad. We had left weapons in the truck (50 yards away), I think mostly because we all thought that there was no chance of seeing a bear. After glassing a few minutes we picked up some mule deer across the canyon and my dad had dropped down to the next knob to glass.

Ten minutes later my dad is frantically waiving us down the hill. He too had left his gun in the truck. I run up to the truck and grab the guns and my pack and race back down to him. My dad is super excited saying he was sitting there and looked down the ridge and thought he was seeing a small elk at first due to color, but then realized quickly it was a bear. The bear was feeding straight up the hill towards him. By the time I got down to him with rifles he said the bear had moved right and started into the timber. He said the bear was never alarmed. So we spread out and not 20-30 yards into the trees, out steps a beautiful color phase black bear at about 40 yards.

I pull up the scope and all I see is fur. In the moment I don't realize the scope is turned up to max 15x magnification. Side story: I was using my brothers gun and had accidentally left mine at camp. He was nice enough to let me use it, since he has had shot opportunities on a few of our prior trips when we were together. So not realizing the scope is turned to max mag I look just outside the scope frame to make sure my left to right is where I want it and place cross-hairs mid body and pulled the trigger. The bear takes off running, but I am certain I hit him, just not certain it was perfect due to max magnification. Once I got to where he was standing I told my dad and brother which way the bear went and my dad takes five steps that way and says, "There he is!!"

A couple things I learned on the trip. Don't give up, and also spend as much time with loved ones in doing what you enjoy. It was evident on this trip, that gone are the days that our dad can get around and hike the mountains with us. If we want to hunt with our dad we are going to be mostly stuck road hunting and glassing from spots near the road. Which is ok and good to be able to spend time with our dad, but also takes some of the backcountry adventure out of it.

I originally thought I had shot a tiny yearling bear, but when the fish and game officer did his check on the skull and pelt he said he is probably 3-4 years old and was average size for the area. It was just fun to skip out on work and spend time with my brother, BIL and dad.

Now I just have to convince my wife to hang the rug on the wall when its done. Plan is to make and smoke a few hams, breakfast sausage and some steaks. I'll try to remember to return and report on the meat. If it turns out to be gross, I may just not bear hunt anymore.