Jim's Blog
First Russian Bear Meets .338 Win. Mag.
We stayed in until 11 a.m. this morning because of the fog. We were just sort of hanging around grumbling away and then suddenly it lifted just like magic. Incredible blue skies, you could see forever. These bears seem to travel the high ridges. We saw 10 different bears, five sows and cubs, and then the last bear of the evening ... the 10th bear ... came over a ridge far, far away you could see a trail and then a big black blob on the trail.
We worked all the way around the ridge, came in on him and actually couldn't find him. Then all of sudden, boom, he popped up close like 80 yards away stood up. We had gone by him. Got up aggressive like ... sort of bluff charging a couple of times and then just started walking away. We got him on and, boom, shot him three times with my .338. He was lunged the first time, but I don't get to shoot a gun that I can reload that quick, so I reloaded and shot again and again. He'll square about 8 1/2 feet. He's magnificent. Has about a 25-inch skull. He's ancient, and almost black in color.
We still get to hunt now for a second bear!
The Day Before ...
Today was a good day; saw 14 different bears. It cleared up in the afternoon, so we could get up high and see a long way. Eight of them were sows and cubs and six of them were males, one was big. The guys wanted me to shoot at it at 400 yards, but that's too far and I wouldn't shoot. One of the other guys in camp got a really nice bear today and they're working on it right now as I'm calling in my blog ... more to come from Russia!
5/9/2010
