Great evening hunt, great encounter, WV Bear....

[TJK68]

Well I did not get a whitetail this evening but still had a great hunt due to an unexpected encounter. I got in stand at about 4:30, took my Vixen with me tonight. I sat for almost 2 hours with nothing but a few squirrels to look at. At 6:28 I heard a noise behind me, footsteps coming my way. I thought deer, I stood slowly, reach for my bow, as I am looking over my shoulder. But to my surprise no deer in sight at all...... what I saw coming towards my stand was about a 150 to 175# Black Bear. He got with in 15 yards of me, but was behind me with no shot. I watched  as he went to my left and started down hill, till he got under some hemlock trees about 25 yards from me. Now this would not have been the biggest bear I have taken, but with my longbow, if presented with a shot, I would have taken it. Even though I did not get to shoot, I got to watch this young bear for about 10 minutes just being a bear on a beautiful autumn evening with the sun setting over the beautiful WV mountains. This is why I hunt, for evenings like this.
Thanks for reading.
Tom

[VictoryHunter]

Great story, thanks for sharing!

[TJK68]

Thanks VH, I really had a good time just sitting there watching.
Tom

[Marc B.]

Bear encounters are special. I've yet to take one and blown several opportunities. Great story Tom    

[RedShaft]

Cool. We have quite a few bears here. That's awesome ou can shoot em. We have about 4 day window to bowhunt em. No bait, no scents for attractant, no dogs, just luck. And it's after archery deer. You have pretty slim chances. I have tried but unless you know and see one on a very regular basis it be tough to get on one.

How long can you guys bow hunt em? Do they let you shoot one during the entire archery season?

[b.glass]

Very cool! You lucky dog.

[TJK68]

Yep, season is in for several weeks here. There are getting to be a lot of them, they are extending seasons and limits to thin some of them out. I saw one 2 weeks ago sitting in the middle of the road within a half mile of my farm where I live right before dark.
Tom

[RedShaft]

Wow. Wish we could do that I would have couple bears under my belt. I know you guys have good bear hunting as we do in pa. We have allot of 500 plus pounders take. Even 700-800 pounders they get big here

[TJK68]

Yep, we get some big ones here as well. The two I have killed were big enough to score P&Y.

[Josh Perdue]

"Even though I did not get to shoot, I got to watch this young bear for about 10 minutes just being a bear on a beautiful autumn evening with the sun setting over the beautiful WV mountains. This is why I hunt, for evenings like this."

What it's all about, but I have a feeling it will not be your last encounter

[RedShaft]

Not to get off subject but a guy I work with killed a Maine record bear 400 plus over dogs couple weeks ago. The dogs and handlers was from wv. It not making bc. But it's to make Maine records. 18 1/2 or 1/4 can't remember

[TJK68]

Pretty nice one. They have to score 18 to make P&Y.
Tom

[RedShaft]

Yes it's still drying. Idk how much they shrink during the 60 days?