Archery Recurve-The primitive challenge

Many sportsmen who are involved in hunting have a favorite weapon.  Some are long range hunters who choose to challenge themselves by finding the perfect long range opportunity.  Other hunters relish the old smoke pole.  Famous hunter Jim Shockey was the first to harvest record book quality animals of the 27 North American big game species using a muzzleloader.  I personally, have hunted with a firearm (an ancient Winchester Model 70), muzzleloader, and compound bow.  One group who prides themselves in the ultimate handicap when it comes to weaponry are recurve archery hunters.

Most recurve hunters will tell you that their weapon has about a 20 yard effective range.  Compare that to a 40-60 yard effective range with a compound bow, and you can see the challenge.  Add the primitive and instinctive draw motion and colorful wood construction of many recurve bows, and you do feel a certain primitive connection with ancient hunter gatherers.

This old tom was dropped by a persistent recurve enthusiast.

While I was researching this post, I came across one amazing archery site http://www.3riversarchery.com/TrophyRoom2.asp?p=0&name=Brown%2FGrizzly%2FPolar+Bear&gameid=9

These guys hunt giant bears using recurve bows.

This 950 pound grizzly was shot as it charged.  The old boar scored into the Boone and Crocket records books.  Congratulations to hunter Pat Lefemine.

This giant brown bear was harvested by hunter Tom Huebner in Alaska at less than 10 yards.  What an amazing challenge on one truly dangerous animal.

I loved this quote from the site, “I shared this hunt with my uncle, an Alaska resident, stalking this dry, 8’4″ sow (the only lone bear we observed in 14 days) while she hunted red salmon on a lake shore. Shot her three times from 25 to 35 yards and she feel in sight. It was all over in a matter of 20 seconds. All arrows hanging by the fletching on the far right side, grouped tight through the lungs.”

High Water Bears and the Drowned Truck

Thanks to Cory from Got Hunts for forwarding this amazing post.  Talk about bear hunting guides who go beyond the call of duty.

To see video of the first truck river crossing visit  http://www.gothunts.com/2006/05/25/high-water-bear-hunt/

Here is what the Got Hunts website says about this amazing photo. 

Bear hunting this spring was quite an adventure. We had above average snow pack this winter and the creeks were raging. As you can see, it ended up getting us in some trouble. If you haven’t yet, watch the video http://www.gothunts.com/2006/05/25/high-water-bear-hunt/ before you read further.

Close call huh? Normally this stream is only a few feet wide and maybe a foot deep. Pretty incredible. That evening, we attempted the crossing again (we know we’re not too smart… hindsight is 20/20) in George’s Dodge diesel pickup and it got stuck too. Cory was able to winch him out with his Jeep again, but the pickup sucked water through the engine and the insurance company totaled it. This was an expensive hunt to say the least. We’re just glad nobody was hurt.

Fortunately, both hunters harvested beautiful color phase black bear.

Thanks Cory for the forward to this great story.  Be careful out there!  Congratulations to both of these hunters on amazing color phase bears and to the guides for going above and beyond the call of duty.

Huge Brownie-Truth or Legend

Todd thanks for the forward of this exceptional (probably largely fictitious) story of one giant brown bear.  It’s not that I don’t love a good tall tale.  But for some reason, people want to exagerate the truth of these stories.  Stories that probably stand just fine on their own.  Let us know if any of you know more about this monster bear.

Here is the story: The downloaded pictures are of a man who works for the US Forest Service in Alaska and the bear he had to kill  (in self defense).  He was out deer hunting last week when a large grizzly bear charged him from about 50 yards away.  The guy emptied his 7mm Magnum semi-automatic rifle into the bear and it dropped a few feet away from him.  The big bear was still alive so he reloaded and shot it several times in the head.

The bear was just over one thousand six hundred pounds.  It stood 12’6″ at the shoulder, 14′ to the top of his head.  It’s  the largest grizzly bear ever recorded in the world.  Of course, the Alaska Fish and Wildlife Commission did not let him keep it as a trophy, but the bear will be stuffed and mounted, and placed on display at the Anchorage airport to remind tourists of the risks involved when in the wild.

Based on the contents of the bear’s stomach, the Fish and Wildlife Commission established the bear had killed at least two humans in the past 72 hours including a missing hiker.  The US Forest Service, back tracking from where the bear had originated, found the hiker’s 38-caliber pistol emptied.  Not far fromt the pistol were the remains of the hiker.  The other body has not been found.

Although the hiker fired six shots and managed to hit the grizzly with four shots (the Service ultimately found four 38 caliber slubs along with twelver 7mm slugs inside the bear’s dead body), it only wounded the bear and probably angered it immensely.  The bear killed the hiker an estimated two days prior to the bear’s own death by the gun of the Forest Service worker.

Think about this-If you are an average sized man, You would be level with the bear’s navel when he stood upright.  The bear would look you in the eye when it walked on all fours!  To give additional perspective, consider that this particular bear, standing on its hind legs, could walk up to an average single story house and look over the roof, or walk up to a two story house and look in the bedroom windows.

Interesting post.  I will note that it is not uncommon for a large brown bear to square over 10 feet tall and weigh upwards of 1600 lbs.  This bear is clearly a very large specimen, judging by the paw.  I have read a true story of a giant bear that killed and ate two campers.  Fish and Game went to investigate and ended up killing the bear as it charged.  Human remains were found in that bear and at the campsite. 

When it comes to true bear attack stories, few are as compelling as the story of Doug who is the father of one of our good friends.  Doug survived the grizzly attack, the bear did not. 

To read Doug’s bear attack story, click here https://thegreatwhitehunter.wordpress.com/the-longest-minute-terrifying-bear-attack/

Bear Hug

I received this email from a friend.  I can’t attest to the full story, but the photos seem to speak for themselves.  Here is the text of the email:

I come in peace, unbelievable piece of photo journalism-real life events…

Norbert Rosing’s striking images of a wild polar bear coming upon tethered sled dogs in the wilds of Canada’s Hudson Bay.

The photographer was sure he was going to see the end of his dogs when the wild polar bear wandered in.

It’s hard to believe the bear only wanted to hug someone.

The bear returned every night that week to play with the dogs.

Thanks to chuck for forwarding this additional montage of this amazing encounter.

Bear Release Gone Very Very Wrong

Thanks David for the forward.  Hard to understand why they choose this method to release a problem bear.

To see the full montage, including the interesting ending, click on one of the pictures below.

Pound for Pound the Mightiest Hunter

“Biggest Bears Of 2006” in the March/April 2007 issue of Bear Hunting Magazine:

If the “biggest bear” is determined as a ratio of the size of the bear to the size of the hunter, Fern Spaulding-Rivers is probably setting records that will never be broken.

For more photos and the full story click on Fern’s photo above.

The Longest Minute-Terrifying Attack

Thanks to Glade for forwarding the story of your father-in-law.  Doug, we’re glad you’re still with us.  Doug’s story started with the harvesting of a trophy bull moose in Alaska.  I’ll let Doug tell the rest.  Click on photo for more photos and the rest of the story.

Color Phase Utah Blackie

Brandon,  thanks for the amazing photos you took from your truck.  Utah doesn’t have a large black bear population, but it does have the distinction as producing the current Boone & Crockett Club world record for a black bear.  The world record bear, which ironically died of natural causes, had a skull measurement of 23 and 10/16 inches (1975) .  Here is a link to the record book black bear story.  http://www.boone-crockett.org/bgRecords/WorldRecordsDetail.asp?area=bgRecords&type=SKULLS Amazing chocolate Brandon!

 

 

 

Beautiful Utah Chocolate Black Bear

Brandon had a close call in an ATV accident earlier this year.  We’re glad you’re still with us bro.

Giant Brown Bear Charges Man in Residential Neighborhood

900-1,000 lb Brown Bear charges man walking near his home in Alaska.  Looks like he was fortunate to have survived the charge.   Stretching the tape at 9 1/2 feet, this old boar met his match in Greg Brush.

Scary quote from lucky dude Greg Brush-“It came with zero warnings. There was no woof, no jaw popping, no standing up. It just had its head down, ears back and was in a full charge…”  Story link http://www.peninsulaclarion.com/stories/080709/out_478669517.shtml 

 

Greg Brush standing where bear started it’s charge.  He estimated it reached him in approximately 1 second.  Greg only had time for a hip shot.  The bear slid 10 feet past him before coming to a rest on the side of the road.

Thanks Emily and hubby for forwarding the story.