Thanks everyone for the kind words!
The new knives worked wonderfully as I can say that they are not just pretty to look at. Thanks to Brian, Brian, and Earl!
The footage turned out great...a little low light for the shot and dark for the recovery but it's still quite good. It's no Sitka film quality but without the slides, booms, and SLRs its tough. I got a Muddy arm with Manfrotto head which makes a huge difference. Filming out of focus as well as using the manual focus really make it nicer to watch.
The bear ended up being 6' 4"s.... not huge but a nice bear for the area and freezer. There's something to be said for shooting a bear at dark and having it at home in the freezer and in your own bed by midnight.
Thx again guys...love the support here!