well the opening day of muzzleloader this year in Virginia was a great day. Didn't see any bucks, but had a great day. Believe it or not, in over 30 years of hunting, I have yet to kill a coyote. I have missed a couple with a bow, but opening day changed this. This guy came sneaking thru the thicket I was in, and at first I couldn't believe how big it was, but readied quickly to make an awkward shot from my treestand. I have never heard such crazy growling and snarling when I shot something. He went way farther than I expected too. Especially with a 300 grain ballistic tip hitting him. Man they are tough!! Anyway, a color blind person could have tracked him! He weighed 42.3#. There was a nice hole in him in behind the front leg, and bullet broke his back leg too. (frontal shot).
then this past saturday, I was lucky enough to finally connect on a large black bear! I have been trying for years to connect on a big one, and they always win! Craziest thing was I had just finished a rattling sequence, hung the horns up, turn around and there he was, just looking my way on the adjacent hill. Seeing him straight on I knew he was a shooter. Getting a shot was tough as he started leaving down the ridge quickly. I shot him on the move thru the last opening I had. dropped him (spine shot, right above vitals). I proceeded to shoot at him 2 more times, trying to bust brush and all. I figure if they keep moving, I keep shooting. I knew I was hitting him, the 3rd shot he grunted and rolled into a creek drainage out of sight. Presumed he was dead, so I climbed down and went to him before it was too dark. Well he was still alive, and well beyond where I last saw him! I put the last shot right thru the lungs and up into his neck, and that was the end of it. I had called my dad after thinking he was dead, and told him I shot a nice bear, but it probably wasn't as big as I first thought it was due to my excitement! Well, once I walked up onto him, I realized he was even bigger!! Damn getting a bear out sucks! I used a black sled I had in the truck, pulled and tugged, rolled him down a waterfall, did whatever I could. Finally resorted to rope and pulleys tied to trees. Finally help arrived 2 1/2 hrs later, for the last 100 yards, and man was I glad!!! I finally checked him in the next day, since it was so late getting him out. The next day, no one we knew had scales to weigh him in went high enough. He weighed 362.5#, 6" snout, and was over 70" long. not sure how much poundage he lost hanging out in the cooler all night, but he was a pig. Two things learned with the bear. a 45acp probably isn't enough for self defense on a bear this size. He stopped 3 bullets, that weighed 300 grains, with a muzzle velocity of 1800fps. Granted he was just over 100 yards on all shots, but dang that's tough.
then this past saturday, I was lucky enough to finally connect on a large black bear! I have been trying for years to connect on a big one, and they always win! Craziest thing was I had just finished a rattling sequence, hung the horns up, turn around and there he was, just looking my way on the adjacent hill. Seeing him straight on I knew he was a shooter. Getting a shot was tough as he started leaving down the ridge quickly. I shot him on the move thru the last opening I had. dropped him (spine shot, right above vitals). I proceeded to shoot at him 2 more times, trying to bust brush and all. I figure if they keep moving, I keep shooting. I knew I was hitting him, the 3rd shot he grunted and rolled into a creek drainage out of sight. Presumed he was dead, so I climbed down and went to him before it was too dark. Well he was still alive, and well beyond where I last saw him! I put the last shot right thru the lungs and up into his neck, and that was the end of it. I had called my dad after thinking he was dead, and told him I shot a nice bear, but it probably wasn't as big as I first thought it was due to my excitement! Well, once I walked up onto him, I realized he was even bigger!! Damn getting a bear out sucks! I used a black sled I had in the truck, pulled and tugged, rolled him down a waterfall, did whatever I could. Finally resorted to rope and pulleys tied to trees. Finally help arrived 2 1/2 hrs later, for the last 100 yards, and man was I glad!!! I finally checked him in the next day, since it was so late getting him out. The next day, no one we knew had scales to weigh him in went high enough. He weighed 362.5#, 6" snout, and was over 70" long. not sure how much poundage he lost hanging out in the cooler all night, but he was a pig. Two things learned with the bear. a 45acp probably isn't enough for self defense on a bear this size. He stopped 3 bullets, that weighed 300 grains, with a muzzle velocity of 1800fps. Granted he was just over 100 yards on all shots, but dang that's tough.
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