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View Full Version : Black Bears in VA?



Videographer
11-19-2009, 03:16 PM
Rumor has it that Virginia just might have a Black Bear or 2. Well....


As I am heading out the door my wife tells me she wants to go hunting with me. So knowing how I was going to setup this evening it was an awesome oppertunity for her to sit back and watch how a hunt happens when it is successful besides what she always see's in TV on screen.


So we head out of the house about 315 and start making the hike back to the stands. She is in a lock on fixed stand near where I was this morning. I am across the creek in a climber over looking a trail that follows the creeks bank.


I set out the Glendel Buck, and I put Tink's 69 all over the rear-end of it. (The ears and antlers got broken off during our move here). I got over to my tree and began climbing up. I get up to where I want to be, and do not like my shooting lanes at all.

I climbed back down and started trimming out limbs that were in my way.


Now that leaves me with the following setup for this eveing. Notice the log in the left of the picture? That will be a reference as to how close the bears are to my decoy which are posted below.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2709/4117773245_0a67852154_s.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/27728900@N06/4117773245/) -Click to Make Photos BIG-


Roughly a half hour went by and then ALLOT of leave rustling started, and then I heard something walking through water in front of me.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2654/4118677638_deb68671d3_s.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/27728900@N06/4118677638/)


The kiddos got to the top of the little hill and was smelling the air intensively and one of them decided he needed to get a little higher to get a better whiff of what was in the area.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2590/4117908995_44267000f4_s.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/27728900@N06/4117908995/)


I wondered if the Tink's 69 from the decoy alerted them or what, but the mama casually turned the other direction.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2551/4118679054_46cea5f07f_s.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/27728900@N06/4118679054/)


This was my 1st time at getting some 1st hand experience being able to see them in broad daylight and get some photos of wild bears this close up. All these pictures were taken with a camera phone. Awesome experience.


About an hour later my wife was waving at me from the stand she was sitting in but I couldn't tell what in the world she was doing. Afterwards I talked to her, and that was her way of her telling me that she had a whitetail doe in front of her that she was watching.


I didn't see any deer the rest of the night but just before it got dark we had a much larger bear that was solo that came out on her side of the creek. I could see him and he had something in his mouth but I couldn't tell what was going on. He turned on a trail that led to the creek and made his way towards the creek. When he made the turn it brought him out onto the open road that runs along the bank of the creek and the bear had a Squirrel in his mouth. Unbelievable. After today I hope they sure open up bear season next year for us where I'm at because there is going to be some meat in my freezer, and a rug on my floor and wall for sure! Each one of the larger bears were well over 200lbs easy and I can only imagine what they will be next year.


Although I never even drew my bow back today, it was a great day in the woods for me.


P.S.

My wife says she is never going out with me again, as there are way to many bears in the woods for her! LOL