kidso

Wife was thrilled because she was able to "scratch off" my other two week-long bear hunts I had penciled in on our calendar for the end of June and the middle of July. My family gets me the rest of the summer now!

Been growing the beard as a "fun" protest since the Duck Dynasty fiasco when they were told NOT to pray anymore or speak of guns. It is about seven months of investment. I will shave after this Christmas.

Monsters for sure!

The chocolate bear is nice.

Skin yourself a bear!

Deep little pond, nice shade of red on that bear.

Just curious if anyone uses a magnification lens behind their sight pin(s) when hunting? I have an HHA single pin slider sight and use a 2X lens behind my pins and have had no negative issues. I tried a 4x lens, but it seems too powerful, so I am sticking to the 2x. Anyone else using a 2x or 4x lens? I also use the lens as is, without adding a clarifier or anything else to my peep sight.

I heard about that "effect" occurring, so I tried looking through my 2X lens in all directions, and such an effect did not occur. I think that may happen at greater magnification. Honestly, the 2x lens barely has a perceivable effect on what I see. In fact, it is nearly natural and I am completely used to it. However, when I put on a 4x lens yesterday, the view was definitely much more magnified and toyed with my brain, to the extent that I removed the 4x lens and replaced the more natural 2x lens. I feel that the 2x gives me a slight advantage at 60-80 yard distances.

Your first two bears are your best bears. The lighter yellow ones are sweet! I had two bears bathing together in a 50 gallon drum I set up with water before.

The first picture needs a PG-13 rating. I love the little grizz look alike.

Yes. That was your bear! Look at its worn down canine teeth. He was a brute!

Where is the cinnamon?

What's up with the light brown leg dip on a couple of those bears? Same light shade but different legs? Are they stepping into a mud hole?

Rageinthesage is correct. I shot my 21+ bear and recovered it one week later and it counted only as a "pick me up" or "found" skull. The reason why is because I (and now you) violated the "fair chase" rules of big game hunting by leaving the field of the chase and recovering the animal later. If one stayed in the field and searched for the animal each day, then that fair chase rule would not have been violated. I took my skull back and refused to pay the $5 or $10 to have my skull entered into the books as a "find" since it was the bear that I called, shot, and killed! Our state Game and Fish has nothing to do with these fair chase rules, it is all Boone and Crockett stuff. I am so glad you found it though! Were you able to recover any claws? By the way, did you get any bears on camera?

Casey better bring an extra huevo into his stand and tag out on a cinnamon onTuesday!

That is a tough call. I think the bears are different. First bear looks larger with a lower hanging belly, but again the ground is sloped. Looks to be a solid 300 plus or minus 50 pound bear. The second picture is closer up and does not suggest a mass similar to the bear in the first picture. Second bear is 100 pounds less in my opinion. I would tag either one for their amazing colors if they were in an open unit.

I am working on getting the three Wildviews guys, but not the Moultrie.

PM sent.

Bear has a little bit of color to it! Sweet job! What unit? Sow or boar? What time was the "shot"? Are you going to rug the bear?

Looks like you "cleaned up" the area quite well!

Sweet. Any bear sign?

Now, let's see some eagles!!

Lots of debate on both sides of the issue. I guess what I would HOPE for during National Forest closures is this: properly licensed hunters with big game draw tags would be allowed access, just as properly licensed hunters/fisherman are allowed to access "posted-restricted" Arizona State Trust Lands, or "posted-restricted" SRP canals and their associated roads. .

I guess the anger or frustration rises with one's addiction. An annual bear hunt for me is personally more valued than an early rifle bull hunt in unit 10! I even chose to burn a general antelope tag about 20 years ago to go calling for bear instead. I have lived here all my live, so I too accept the closing of forests; however, that does not mean I like it or agree with it. I simply don't approve of any entity infringing on my liberties or making choices that negatively affects my Constitutional guarantee to pursue what makes me happy. Thus, I will also pray for rain!!

I was very upset, as it burned my tag. I felt that I was owed for tag reimbursement, as well as scouting trip gas and food that invested into my hunt as well. Can't remember if I drove around a barricade or not, but felt robbed of being unable to use our tax payers' supported land. I also experienced G&F closing down half of unit 22 for "bear danger" instead of welcoming bear hunters with tags to come forth and attempt to end the problem!