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Tracy's Minnesota Bear

Minnesota Black Bear

Tracy with her first Bear. This is also the first bear of 2000 season reported by the gang on the now defunct F&S forums.

I hunted on Wed night, and the bear circled around my stand and sat under the brush about 20 feet in front of my stand and proceeded to eat some bait she had cleverly stashed there--TWICE! The first time was exhilarating, the second time was kinda irritating. That bear was RIGHT THERE, but I couldn't see her to shoot.

We cleared a small opening in the brush above the stashed bait so I could see down in there. It would be a straight on shot about 20 feet away--not easy. Thursday night- nothing there.

Friday night came and I hunted with my 14 year old nephew. He was in a different stand and this was his very first bear hunt. We had about ten minutes of shooting time left but that bear had been circling us for about an hour. I kept my eye on that opening.

THERE! A bear head! A BEAR HEAD! I began to bring my gun up--and she looked at me! I froze and she straightened her head and I brought the gun all the way up. She stood like that for a full minute (my nephew said so) and I waited for her to come into that opening so I could take the shoulder shot. Her ears swiveled and she looked at me again and I thought "She's gonna bolt--she's gonna run!" I couldn't see what my nephew was doing, was he gonna blow it?

I aimed below her eye, because I didn't want to hit her forehead, and pulled the trigger. Down she dropped and after a bit, she quit moving. The bullet hit exactly where I aimed (it was only 20 ft away, remember.) It entered her head, went down her throat, and broke her spine. But I don't think that I'll ever take that shot again, and I told my nephew to never do that (do as I say, not as I do.)

My first bear, the third night. The adrenaline made my physically sick and elated at the same time. What a feeling! What a hunt!

Minnesota sow--155 lbs field dressed--approx. 200 lbs live weight. Harvested 8-25-00 at 8:15 pm, 58 inches head to tail. Rifle .270, 150 grain core lok Remington.

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