Idaho bear hunt (take two)


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  • 2 weeks 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

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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.

1st bear.jpg

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Bear 2.jpg

Bear 2 in sled.jpg

12 year old girl.jpg

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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!;)

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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!

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You can see a pic. of Randy's bear from Idaho on his camospace, in his gallery on page 3. i do not know how to put pics. on anything! :)

I think you can get there by clicking on www.camospace.com/randyoitker and the gallery is at the top of the page.

He shot is with a Mathews bow. He had it made into a rug.

Yes,

It is mom here, Randy is on his way to Rhode island to perform at a luncheon for some show promoters.

It is not open to the public.

Orlan, If Randy gets back to idaho to hunt, he will give you a call for sure. You have been a friend for many years to all of our family. He went to idaho again a couple of years later on an elk hunt but was unsuccessful. It was near Pierce,ID. He said he would love to live there.

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Thanks William,Here's a funny story from Linn "A Local Mountain Man" that helped us figure out the mountain. I met him near the end of my 08 bear hunt and he said if we ever came back to contact him and he'd help us out. What a great guy! He was at our camp at least half of the 10 nights we were there helping us figure out how to hunt mountain Idaho bears. The first night Linn told us he shot a bear the preceding week in his fenced yard. He said a bear had broke into his fence and was chasing his pack mule. Linn also told us that one night some years ago he heard a noise in his house (he has a small older house in the mountains near the Idaho/Montana border - he packs in water). Figuring it was a raccoon he grabbed a flashlight and broom stick. Walking to his kitchen hallway (naked) he shined the light in a closet where his dog food was kept and there was a 6 foot bear eating the dog food! He exclaimed to us... "Boys, realizing I was outgunned I went back to the bedroom and grabbed my 308 pistol while the bear went back to eating. I shinned my light right in his eyes (shinning a light in a bears eyes will cause him to hold still) and shot him at 5 steps. Dang bear bleed all over my house!" Linn is the tall guy in the middle. He was an alternate wrestler for an Olympics held in the 70's.

hunting friends rt.jpg

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We left Idaho with temps in the low 30's to 97 and high humidity in IL! Major bummer since I hate the heat.

My last funny story...

The first morning in my rather small travel trailer I thought I'd give my hunting buddies a nice wake up call. At 4am I broke out the bag pipes and started playing scotland the brave. They had no idea I even played. Must have been disorienting to say the least. After driving 33 hours, sleeping in strange bed and in complete darkness on a secluded mountain.:D

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