Joe Hulburt
Active Member
I decided this Winter that my goal for this Spring was to kill a nice bear with my 30-30 and film it. The season started off terrible with all the cold rain so I have only been out a handful of times until yesterday. It finally felt like Spring bear hunting time so I headed into one of my favorite spots to hunt. I've only ever seen 2 other Spring bears in there but it always feels like I have had a good hunt when it's over so that was my pick.
I just barely got into the swamp I chose to hunt when I spotted black among all the lush green. Right away I set up the cam which was already on and ready to roll. I was getting some really good footage of him (I thought!) while I was sizing him up from about 100 yards. He fed behind a clump of alders and I was getting nervous he would slip off like the only other bear I have seen did this Spring so I backed the camera off to have a wide angle and started slipping forward to find a clear angle. Once I got about 30 yards in front of the camera he presented a clear shot I took a 70 yard offhand shot and dropped him in his tracks! I was really excited to have been able to get myself in the field of view and make the shot or so I thought... When I got back to the tri pod and went to pause the camera I realized it was on pause.... Apparently I was more excited than I thought......blew the filming of a good bear with the 30-30 but the good thing is I already know what my 2018 Spring bear goal will be!
Turned out to be a fine boar, not huge but really respectable. It was all I could do to drag him back a few feet out of the pool of blood for a pic. Probably around 300#'s live weight but that is just a guess. It was a long night but luckily my son and his buddy came in and gave me a hand. Really looking forward to next Spring!
Good luck to those still hunting!
I just barely got into the swamp I chose to hunt when I spotted black among all the lush green. Right away I set up the cam which was already on and ready to roll. I was getting some really good footage of him (I thought!) while I was sizing him up from about 100 yards. He fed behind a clump of alders and I was getting nervous he would slip off like the only other bear I have seen did this Spring so I backed the camera off to have a wide angle and started slipping forward to find a clear angle. Once I got about 30 yards in front of the camera he presented a clear shot I took a 70 yard offhand shot and dropped him in his tracks! I was really excited to have been able to get myself in the field of view and make the shot or so I thought... When I got back to the tri pod and went to pause the camera I realized it was on pause.... Apparently I was more excited than I thought......blew the filming of a good bear with the 30-30 but the good thing is I already know what my 2018 Spring bear goal will be!
Turned out to be a fine boar, not huge but really respectable. It was all I could do to drag him back a few feet out of the pool of blood for a pic. Probably around 300#'s live weight but that is just a guess. It was a long night but luckily my son and his buddy came in and gave me a hand. Really looking forward to next Spring!
Good luck to those still hunting!
