Spring bear for grandson in Idaho

[Okanagan]

My son drove to Idaho last Friday in time to go spring bear hunting after work with his son.  They glassed two bears a half hour before dark, too far and too late to stalk but it gave them an idea what elevation to be looking.  In that steep country of deep canyons and high mountains, springtime plant growth moves up the mountain from the bottom to higher elevations.  Bears come out of hibernation, head downhill to the best forage and follow it as it progresses up the mountain.  Right now there are flowers in the canyon bottoms by rivers and creeks and deep snow about ¾ of the way to the top.

They found another bear Saturday afternoon in an approachable spot and drove closer.  The bear was across a steep canyon with a roaring creek in the bottom.  They ranged the bear at 301 yards steeply up from a knoll near the logging road.  It was too steep for a prone shot, so grandson sat on his rump with the front end of the rifle on a tripod.  With the bear slightly angled away, he shot.

There was a huge billow of dust and the bear took off running.  It looked like a miss to both men, though my grandson was surprised at a miss.  My son ran back to the road and down it looking for a hole in the brush to see across the canyon.  After a minute he yelled back, "He's rolling!"

The 175 grain bullet had passed through the bear, taking out the heart, and blasted up a cloud of dust from the steep hillside on the other side of the bear.  7mm PRC in a Seekins rifle.  The bear rolled from steep above them to well below them.

By the time they found a place to get across the creek it made for a half mile pack out, but they are equipped for that.  They had to pack the bear up to get around a cliff, contour above the cliff and then back down to the creek.  They had the meat and hide to the vehicle before dark.  Fun phone call for them to tell me about it.  Dark auburn bear, on the small size of medium, tender, tasty and quite fat. 

[FinsnFur]

NNNNNnnnice score
Man that is some steep ground. He earned that one in more ways than one

[pitw]

Them critters around there would be so safe from me.
Good job by the offspring.

[Okanagan]

Sitting here eating delicious warm cracklins, from rendering a batch of the bear lard.  Best tasting bear I recall, surprising in a  spring bear.

I'm with you and will pass on bear except to get some lard now and then from someone who did tag one.

[Okanagan]

Oops, I think I misunderstood your comment.  As long as grandsons say "Shoot!" and retrieve the game I do some limited hunting in the steep.    But personally I usually pass on bears.