Bittersweet moment, Patch is down.

[Thrudheim]

Pics and details to follow...

[NotJust22s]

Congrats

[MeatEater]

Congrats... save me a steak.

[BowhunterNJ]

Congrats!

[Hetley75]

Congrats. Can't wait to hear the story

[bwd172]

Shot at bear. Hit tree. Tree fell and killed bear.

 

Congrats!

[smoking gun]

Shot at bear. Hit tree. Tree fell and killed bear.

Congrats!

hahahaha christ I can't stop laughing Edited December 20, 2015 by smoking gun

[rgw]

[TheGreek]

Congrats!

[Thrudheim]

I have been after Patch since I first started getting her on the cam early in the year. I had her under my stand on 11/20 and hoped she would continue to come around and the weather would hold.

 

She was visiting my two stands regularly, alternating between the two. I saw her opening day of the season at 2pm but she winded me and took off. I blew out of work early that Wednesday and hunted the last two hours, nothing. In between checking the cam...last one out since the jagoffs stole my cards again and I pulled the other's in...she was showing up regularly at the one spot. I was out again Saturday with the old man and she came by at 8am, I missed, as you all know and saw, because I was impatient and my dumb ass should have just let her keep coming in like she was going to do.

 

Once they decided to extend the season I was back out Wednesday and in the stand at 2 because she showed up down low at 1145 on Monday and then returned at 4 and was back at 4 again on Tuesday so I figured it was a home run, saw the goose egg...

 

I was off yesterday and went in the woods yesterday around noon up top but I was not prepared and it felt "off" and said screw it and came in at 3. I went back out this morning and she came out right at 7 but the wind was everywhere at once, she winded me again and bolted. I got down at a little after 9 and pulled the card on the cam by the house and she was there at 8am, figures...

 

I grabbed more coffee, a bite, hit the head, and the store for more scent sticks (totally sold on them, love 'em) and was back out down low at 1030. My phone died around...3? 315? So no more Words with Friends, or arguing with idiots on fb so I had to guess at how much longer I had to go. The chances were looking slim, and I figured the cat and mouse game we played last week was going to have to wait till October where we would pick it up again.

 

I had the swamp to my left and when I turned my eyes and looked there she was, she started walking and making her to my front when she stopped. I thought she saw or winded me again and she made like she was gonna walk away but turned slightly towards me, I was already on her and pulled the trigger, she ran about 30yds to the other side of the swamp, stood on her hind legs by a tree and then ran back in the direction she came for about another 10, did the same thing and fell over into the swamp, at that point she was only maybe 20yds from me.

 

Had my FIL come help me drag her out and it's a good thing I was a) so close to home and b ) my bear weight guesstimating is as sh!@#$ as it is. Turns out I got her at 4 on the nose.

Took her to the station at Green Pond and was only the second one there for the day.

I put a lot of time and effort into not only my first bear, but her being that first. A lot of close encounters and cat and mouse and honestly it is just as I said, bittersweet, and I am just starting to come down from all the emotions.

I'll post the pics in a few.

 

Edited December 20, 2015 by Thrudheim

[230jhp]

Are you talking about the bear that walks on his hind legs?

[Rusty]

NICE!!!!  Congratulations!  

[NorthNJHunter]

Congrats! It all paid off!

[Thrudheim]

Many thanks to Jeff for taking the pics and MsGrit for recommending a butcher. I am taking her first thing tomorrow morning.

[Thrudheim]

Are you talking about the bear that walks on his hind legs?

 

 

No, that's pedals who was in fact seen in my neighborhood back on 11/21.