Bears at 75 yds and NO "AMMO"!!!

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Chuck Dye

New member
About 75 yards uphill from my bedroom window is a rock knob with trees and bushes around its base. Today at lunch time there were three bears browsing the berries, mama and two cubs. Mama is roughly 250-300 pounds, the cubs 125-150. I did not buy a tag this year and sows with cubs, and the cubs, are off limits anyway, so the first thought was the camera. I swept up the Canon F-1 and 85-300mm zoom, slapped them on the tripod and...no film! Not in the camera, not in the gear bag, not in the car, not in any of the dozens of places I looked. The nearest store is 10 miles, with a four wheel drive only driveway, gates, and twisty back roads, a 45 minute round trip. The bears would never have stayed once the car started, anyway. So, I grabbed the binoculars and watched.

One of the cubs worked his way out on the branches and, eventually, gravity happened and the cub went ballistic for about fifteen feet. The fall was so long and so obvious in the making, I could not have missed the hot photos. Then, in the way of animals when you are out of film, they posed. All three went to the top of the knob and stood shoulder to shoulder facing the camera with the sun at about 11 o'clock, nothing but blue sky and a few clouds behind them. In unison, they scanned the valley, and my house, below. Hot poses, hot lighting, and tons of time, but no film. GRRRRRR!!!

Don't get caught short!
 
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Chuck Dye

New member
Aw, Art!

75 yards, unaware critters, ample solid rests? Filling the freezer, tho' not an option, would have been easy. I am confident with, and of, both the .30-06 with the 180gr Partitions, and the .44 Mag with the 250gr Partition Golds. That ammo locker is well supplied.

Oh, well, we have had rain this week. With luck, when I get to the knob with the camera, loaded now, there will at least be some good prints. Perhaps even some castable prints.
 
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Long Path

New member
A long time ago, having shot a particularly nice buck after a long stalk and realizing I had no camera of any sort, I made my mind that I would never pass up:
  • 35 mm film on sale, esp. if it was the ultra-wide spectrum variety, like Kodak "Max" or Fuji "Superia" (which is really good stuff, but it brings out more of the cooler colors)
  • Disposable cameras on sale, esp. if they contain the above types of film. Often they'll be put on clearance for $4.99 apiece. I'll put one in each car, and sometimes have one or two in the 'fridge. At the end of the year, if I haven't used 'em, I pitch and replace. (heat's hard on the film, y'know.)

Finally, a coupla years ago, I bought a digital camera. While I'm about ready to move up to a Sony Mavica (drool), the Polaroid point-n-shoot digital that I bought for $350 back then still does nifty things, for no film. With metal nihydride batteries always on charge and in the camera (3 sets), I've always got "film."

As you can tell, it REALLY ticked me off not to have a camera handy when I took that buck. ;)

Good luck getting another "shot" at the ursines!
 
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Chuck Dye

New member
Follow up.

I hauled the camera (and the .44 Mag) up to the rock knob, to little worthwhile effect. There are plenty of droppings, from yesterdays soft shiny leavings to ghosts of berry feasts past - nothing but the berry seed hulls. There are overturned logs and cowpies (YUM!) There are deer, cattle, and elk tracks galore, but no recognizable bear tracks: none to photograph and certainly none to cast. The endeavor did turn into a very nice hike, though.

FWIW: An appalling percentage of those in town whom I told of the bears gave me detailed instructions on how I should have shot all three bears, frozen everything, and "legalized" my poaching by tagging and filing next season. Several offered to contribute tags if I would pay for the tag and share the meat. :eek: :barf:
 
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gordo b.

New member
Sounds like the local "pig poacher"ethic which sure doesnt do anything for this sportsman. I think you got blessed with something no film or anything could enhance, observing nature firsthand.
 
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Long Path

New member
Long Path's rule on "cheating":

The game animals don't shoot back, and I don't break the rules by hunting what, when, or where I'm not immediately sanctioned to.
 
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thumbtack

New member
Huck

Your home sounds really awesome, and I am jealous. Can I come live with you. :D



The game animals don't shoot back, and I don't break the rules by hunting what, when, or where I'm not immediately sanctioned to.
Click to expand...

I wish everyone did the same.
 
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