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Hey Orlan you sure live in a great place! I'd move your way in a minute if I didn't have so many ties keeping me here in IL. RTPROFamily... (Mrs. Oitker I presume) I'd love to see that picture of Randy with his 1st bear if you still have it? Did he use his bow? From what I hear Idaho has about a 50% ratio of color phase bears. What an awesome place to hunt!

Thanks all, You may not remember, but I had posted on my 2008 bear hunt as well. That trip I learned a lot, but did not get a bear. It was a bummer, but not enough of a bummer to keep me from going. Nothing against those that use outfitters, but what a feeling harvesting my first bear on a DIY hunt! All the planning, time, and work it took made this trip the best hunting trip of my life. Once I get this taxidermy bill paid I'll be setting my sights on a speed goat hunt. I'm a life long bear hunter now, but I'd like to try other meat as well. Dakota, Steve B., I'll be looking to you both for some pointers!

Hi all, I've been gone for a while hunting bear in Idaho. Just posted some pictures in the big game room if you're interested. Not bad for a DIY hunt. I must admit, I met a genuine mountain man on my 08 trip that helped us with baiting locations this year. Did not run into any other hunters the entire trip.

Here are some pics of my bears and scenery. It was 80 degrees and sunny on a Monday and three days later it was 29 and snowing! Crazy bitterrot mountain weather!

Here are some pictures. I was fotunate enough to harvest 2 bears! The first was average size boar for Idaho at 5 ft. the second was a 5.5 year old boar that went 5 ft. 9 inches! That's a pretty big bear for the area. I'm having the bigger one done in a full mount and the 5 footer tanned. Don't let anyone fool you, bear meat is awesome! Had Itallian beef (bear) for fathers day today. The three of us from IL. helped the young girl and her father drag out her boar. He was a monster at 6 ft. 4 inches! Pretty cool since it was her first hunt ever! Too many stories to tell now, will add some funny tid bits later.

I'm still at bear camp (Lolo Pass Idaho). Got my first black bear on the 10th! I'm pretty pumped about it. Shot it with my 300 RUM at 45 yards at last light. He's not the biggest bear out there but I'm loving it. Getting a full mount. The bear weighed about 165 lbs. 5 feet in length, and 3.5 years old. Solid black with longer than normal hair. The coat looks great since it's been so cool. no rub marks. I'm at the visitor center so I can't load any pictures. will have to wait until after fathers day. I've still got another tag to fill. >Frank

A lot of variables would changes my answer: In general... Bow hunting: A dependable safe stand. Rifle hunting (rifle): Scope Shotgun hunting: Clothes / boots

Off to Idaho again with a couple buddies for another black bear hunt (DIY). Glad to see the gas prices down a bit. Hopefully I'll have some pictures of my first black bear posted here in a couple weeks.:yes:

lilmisswtnhunt, Yup - you're pretty cool.

Forget about skeeters, Black flies can ruin the hunt. I don't go to Canada anymore for that reason. I'm leaving for Idaho next week (DIY). Gas, bear tags, & food will run me about 1000.00 for a 10 day hunt. I haul a travel trailer. My chances are lower, but if I get one it will be more rewarding to me knowing the hunt was a DIY.

A tribute on YouTube.

I'll throw a curve here and add that I don't always see something that is illegal as unethical. One example: In IL the law indicates a deer that is hit by a car and dieing on the road can not be finished off by any means unless it is a police officer (maybe conservation as well). If I had a knife I'd finish of a dieing deer to put it out of its missery. I'd also be fined.

Nice bird and story Joe. Our team did pretty good this year.

Well we are in 2nd place. So far my bird has the lowest score of all! Do I get a prize for that? Anyone had any luck? I'm thinking the season should be about over for everyone?

Great idea going against a group of united chaplains!:no::nono: http://www.onenewsnow.com/Culture/Default.aspx?id=991238

To add a tax to guns and ammo and claim the tax is for nature is an agenda if ever I saw one. How many people buy guns and ammo for self defense? Self-defense has nothign to do with nature preservation.

If you shoot 270fps or slower go with a fixed blade. I used to use a mechanical a lot like the Rage. My bow shoots about 270fps (measured at the pro-shop) and twice last season I hit a deer a little front (shoulder blade) and the penetration was weak. One deer I found weeks later, one I never found. I'm using Steelforce phatheads this season (100 grains).

You have until the end of the month! Just a friendly reminder.

Prayers from me and the Gobbler Assassins (team 9)! Glad you're home.

I hope Dakota is doing alright. Well team, my season is over! I was on 3 different brids on my last hunt but they wouldn't come in. Had some bad luck on my initial set-up. I set up (in the dark) 50 yards from a flock. I knew they were around that area, but I had no idea I was setting up that close. I'm sure they saw me placing my decoys and at sun-up they flew down and went the other way. Good luck to all still in the game!

Someone is bound to say that it only takes one. True, but I know I'd like as many as possible. I think I'd see a long range shot (say 50 yards) that consistently placed 5 pellets or more in the kill zone as an ethical shot.

Out of state hunting for anything other than hog isn't likely for me due to cost. A 3 day (extended weekend) fly fishing trip to northern Arkansas would be of interest to me. Cost for non-resident = 32 dollars. Not sure what time of the year would be best? I have a travel trailer that sleeps 5. I pull it to Idaho from IL so Arkansas would be no big deal. I'd be open to a 5 day hog hunt in Oklahoma (during Christmas break late December - early January) as well. I don't think a license is even needed to hunt hog in OK.

A previous post made me wonder about the most used shot size. So let's see how it plays out?

Hi KT, I haven't had the time to keep up with everything so I'm not sure what happened with dakota. Whatever you all want to do is OK with me. The contests just add a little more fun to the hunting for me. Not really concerned with winning. Went out Friday morning trying to fill my second tag. I had a gobbler coming in and then a hen came up behind me and busted me. She took off and stole the gobbler. Going in the morning for my last turkey hunt for the year. Hope I can manage an upgrade.

Thanks for the tips all. Funny that the article stated 6's were the "best" size and yet not one person here indicated they use 6's. Seems 5's are what the majority go with. I'm with you Alan, I like to shoot 20-40 yards, but would like to know I can ethically take a bird at 50. I'll give #5 heavy shot a try and see how it patterns compared to my number 4's.