# Big Jim Buffalo meets the bear



## coaster500 (Sep 15, 2010)

I am posting this because my favorite Bowyer is one of your own......

Bear with me a story teller I am not……..

I kind of did this hunt with little planning. I had a time slot at work that gave me a small window to work with. I hooked up with an outfitter that ran an operation in the panhandle of Idaho. I would have liked to have hunted with an outfitter that I had hunted with before but he was booked up. This outfitter was not really set up for Traditional bow hunters but given my time restraint I had to make do with what I could find.

My camera is one of the first digitals ever made I think so my picture are not very good. 

I flew into Spokane and rented a car for the five hour drive to camp.

The beauty of these mountains is amazing. I stopped in the small town of Avery and went to the local pup for a beer and a burger. It is a really colorful place to say the least. I was enjoying my lunch and happen to glance across the room and I had to refocus my eyes as I thought I was seeing human remains in a glass case on the wall!! I walk up and sure enough this is what I saw.


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## coaster500 (Sep 15, 2010)

It took about 2 hours from Avery, Idaho on dirt logging roads to get to the camp. The camp rests in the Bitterroot Mountains close to the Montana border. This place is absolutely beautiful!!! I arrived at camp on Wednesday the 8th and settled into my new home away from home. The country here is about as steep and rugged as I have seen in my 58 plus years. I thought about an elk hunt here in the future but after hiking around these mountains for a few days thought better of it 


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## coaster500 (Sep 15, 2010)

For the first three days I would be the only hunter in camp as the camp was supposed to be up and running a week later. The outfitter only had time to set up a couple of bait stations but because of my time restraint I decided to risk it. I had communicated to the outfitter that I would be using a Long Bow and would like to be 20yds or less for the set-ups. Well that did not come thru as my bait site was 30 yards plus from the bait and the stand was made for a rifle hunter with a small platform, a rest to get in the way and a 8” limb about 8”s above my head? Hmmmmmmmmmm, this is going to be interesting ? Oh well short notice, we’ll figure it out……..


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## coaster500 (Sep 15, 2010)

I have always been the Kind of hunter that seems to close the deal in or on the last day and the last hour of the hunt but that was not to be the case this time. I could not have been in the stand more than two hours and a 225 to 250is pound Bear made an appearance. He came in directly under my stand and was hidden except for his head. I waited and could not believe my luck as the bait pile was 30 yards to my right and the bear chose to come in from my side. My elation was pre-mature though as the bear smelled or heard something and ran toward the bait. He stopped about 29 to 30yards on the downhill side of the bait and stood there, nose in the air. I got into position (left foot on the second to the top step of the ladder, right knee on the seat to get bow clearance) amazingly I felt pretty good with the shot and let it go. My arrow flew in a perfect ark hit behind the last rib and exited behind the shoulder on the offside leg, a perfect pass thru. I practice at home to 40 yards but would have felt better with a 20 yard shot, it just felt right and it worked. I knew I had made a good shot as the very instant the arrow hit I could see a fist sized blood mark on the entry side and the arrow on the ground on the exit side. The bear expired 25 yards from the hit!!! 

I have to say that I was a little worried about my set up. I shoot a Big Jim Buffalo Bow 45@28 and I draw 27 ¼â€¦I spent some time getting my arrows to fly right and ended with GT 35/55 trads full length RW Helical 4â€� feathers, 100 grain insert and a RW 100 grain Strickland Helix single bevel broadhead. Penetration was not an issueâ€¦.


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## coaster500 (Sep 15, 2010)

The good thing about getting my bear early is I had time to explore and fish a bit. These are great fishing rivers and streams!!!






Cutthroat any one?






How about some Grouse for lunch. Maybe some fish and fowl?


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## coaster500 (Sep 15, 2010)

All in all I had a great hunt and met some good folks. 

Here is a slide show with all the pictures I took of the hunt. 

http://s28.photobucket.com/albums/c210/coaster500/2010 Bear Hunt Idaho/?albumview=slideshow


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## coaster500 (Sep 15, 2010)

Thanks Jim !!! I love my Buff and can't wait to get hold of the Thunder Children


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## rastaman (Sep 15, 2010)

Congratulations again!


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## DAGATOR16 (Sep 15, 2010)

Not sure who you are, but I thank you for the fine thread. I loved the story and the pictures. The great West is truly awesome!
Clay


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## T.P. (Sep 15, 2010)

500,

 Awesome, simply awesome. That looks like some beautiful country and a trip to remember. Congrats on a fine bear and a fine hunt. That will make a lot of folks jealous.

Superb story too.


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## coaster500 (Sep 15, 2010)

Clay I'm just a Big Jim Bow junkie....Thank you folks I'm glad you enjoyed the story


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## SELFBOW (Sep 15, 2010)

Congrats!


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## stick-n-string (Sep 15, 2010)

What a great story! Thanks for taking us along! I took a deer Sunday with a buffalo bow.  amazing bows!
Congradulations on your bear!


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## Robert Warnock (Sep 15, 2010)

Great story thanks for sharing


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## Dennis (Sep 15, 2010)

Wow what a great hunt!


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## Al33 (Sep 15, 2010)

Congratulations on the bear and for making a difficult shot a perfect shot!

Thanks for sharing your hunt and all the beautiful pic's!!


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## WOODSWIZE (Sep 15, 2010)

Great pic's & story-thanks for sharing!


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## Barry Duggan (Sep 15, 2010)

Glad it all came together for you Kip. Thanks for taking us along.


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## fflintlock (Sep 15, 2010)

Ahh man, I think I'm ruint now !
Great pics, great hunt ! Thanks !


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## HALOJmpr (Sep 15, 2010)

Very nice pics and hunt!  Congrats and thanks!


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## hogdgz (Sep 15, 2010)

Wow, what a story and an awesome hunt, really enjoyed it.

Awesome pictures.


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## Apex Predator (Sep 15, 2010)

Great story!  Thanks for taking us along.  Now you can stay awhile, if it suits you.


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## devolve (Sep 15, 2010)

absolutely awesome story man!!

congrats on your bear!


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## BigJim Bow (Sep 15, 2010)

Coaster is the gentleman responsible for the bow slide show on my website. When ever someone posts pictures of there new bow from "Big Jims Bow Company", it magically appears on the slide show. I have received many compliments on the slide show. Unfortunatly, I think there are a few employers out there getting the short end while there employees sit back and mouse through the show.  It will help me achieve fame and fortune...oh,um, ah, must have been day dreaming there.   Thanks a bunch Coaster and again, a super bear!
bigjim


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## Jeff Kitchens (Sep 15, 2010)

Thanks for taking us along.


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## TNGIRL (Sep 15, 2010)

Thank you for your amazing story and pictures!!!!  I really enjoyed every bit of it. Maybe someday in my lifetime I can take a hunting trip like that...Awesome!!!! Beautiful country.
God Bless Mr.Hook McGuire and his bones!!!!! Hopefully he died doing something he loved.
And one of these days I'll have me a Thunder Child too!!!!!! I got it picked out......


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## dm/wolfskin (Sep 15, 2010)

Good bear and story. I know Big Jim is dancing in the streets. A few critters have fallen to the buffalo bow already this month. Can't wait till I get mine. Mike


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## Al33 (Sep 16, 2010)

I want to also say that I am impressed with your attention to detail regarding your set up. Shooting a grown bear at that distance with that poundage and getting a complete pass through is awesome. I am especially impressed that you used a helical head to match your fletchings. Not being familiar with it I checked out the Strickland Helix single bevel broadhead and it looks strong and wicked. I have always shot heavy poundage bows and never felt the need for helical heads but I definitely would if I were hunting really big game with a lighter poundage bow thanks to your report.

Again, congratulations all the way 'round!!!!


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## Tikki (Sep 16, 2010)

Thanks for the adventure! The landscape was amazing as was the hunt!


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## LongBow01 (Sep 16, 2010)

Congradulations on a great hunt!


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## coaster500 (Sep 16, 2010)

Thanks again folks glad you enjoyed the report 

Al, Jim built me a 50# Thunderchild so I will be shooting a bit heavier  I shoot lite because of a bad shoulder and by doing so I can still hunt and shoot longer. I was impressed myself at the complete pass thru 

It's amazing what a 489 grain arrow with a super sharp broadhead (11.3 Gpp, 18.6 FOC) traveling at 160 plus feet per second can do


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## GAGE (Sep 16, 2010)

Hunt of a lifetime, congrats and thank you for posting!


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## FireHunter174 (Sep 16, 2010)

Awesome story and pics...And congratulations on your bruin


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## sawtooth (Sep 16, 2010)

man that was awesome! thank you for posting that... D.


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## longbowdave1 (Sep 16, 2010)

coaster,

 fantastic hunt and pictures to match! congrats on the bear and thanks for taking us along on your hunt!

dave


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## BOFF (Sep 16, 2010)

Absolutely nothing wrong with the pics. 

Congrats on the bear. 


God Bless,
David B.


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## johnweaver (Sep 17, 2010)

Sir, We appreciate you taking us along.  I have heard that the  Idaho Elk heard  has been pounded by the restocking of Wolves.  After spending time in the woods there what is your opinion?


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## schleylures (Sep 17, 2010)

I was able to go west and never left my chair. Thanks for the adventure


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## coaster500 (Sep 17, 2010)

John you could not be more right the Wolves have decimated the Elk herds in this area. This outfitter used to guarantee a shot, then an opportunity now he guarantees 100% effort. The bulls are less vocal (the survivors are smart) and while I was there I saw only one cow!!! The wolves are starting to feel it also as they hang around camps sometimes trying to pick off a stray dog!!

Pretty sad thing for the elk the wolves and us....they need to issue more wolf tags to control the numbers like anything else?


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## coaster500 (Oct 6, 2010)

John this is an article from the Bozeman Chronicle dated Wednesday, September 29, 2010 . It's a call to de-list Wolves as an endangered species....

After seeing what they can do to game populations both elk and deer something needs to be done...


*----------------------------------------*

Montana Senators want wolves written out of endangered species law 

Montana's senators have become the latest lawmakers in Washington who want to change federal law so gray wolves in Montana and Idaho won't enjoy the protection of the Endangered Species Act.

Sens. Max Baucus and Jon Tester, both Democrats, introduced late Tuesday their legislation that seeks to give Montana and Idaho wildlife agencies control over the gray wolf.

Earlier this month, Idaho Sens. Mike Crapo and Jim Risch, both Republican, introduced a bill to do largely the same thing, and Montana Rep. Denny Rehberg has released a similar draft bill, though it has not been introduced yet.

More than 1,400 wolves live in the two states.

The flood of bills come in response to a federal court ruling in August that found wildlife officials violated the Endangered Species Act when they designated wolves in Wyoming endangered while saying wolves in Montana were Idaho are not.

The federal Fish and Wildlife Service tried that approach because of Wyoming's stated plan to allow wolves shot on sight in most of the state. Splitting up the states allowed the feds to protect wolves in Wyoming while allowing Montana and Idaho to take over control of the wolf population, which biologists consider recovered.

However, the ruling put the wolf back under the control of the federal government and brought to a halt hunts that many in Montana and Idaho hoped would reduce the wolf population and curb the predator's impact on livestock and elk herds.

The "Resorting State Wildlife Management Act of 2010" runs three pages and states that the Endangered Species Act "shall have no force or effect" on wolves living in Montana and Idaho. Rehberg's draft bill takes a similar tact, prohibiting the government from treating wolves in Idaho and Montana as an endangered species.

The Idaho senators' bill goes farther, calling for gray wolves in Washington, Oregon and Utah to also be put under state management.

Baucus and Tester's bill drew immediate criticism from groups that sued the government over its de-listing plan.

In a written statement, Mike Clark, executive director of the Greater Yellowstone Coalition, said Congress "is only further polarizing the wolf issue."

"GYC has made it clear we're willing to come to the table and talk about how to resolve the issues surrounding wolves in the Northern Rockies," he said. "Now is the time for all stakeholders in the region to work together within the parameters of the Endangered Species Act to come up with solutions that eventually return wolf management to the states."

Supporting the bill was Errol Rice, executive vice president of the Montana Stockgrowers Association.

"Our goal, along with Sen. Baucus, has been to ensure that Montana ranchers have the necessary tools to protect their cattle from wolves," he said in a statement. "Wolves are fully recovered in Montana and it is time they are removed from the list of endangered species."


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## coaster500 (Oct 6, 2010)

Here's a poll where you can vote if you think wolves should be removed from the endangered species list...

http://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/opinions/polls/


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## fishfryer (Oct 6, 2010)

You said at the beginning that you weren't a storyteller,I beg to differ.Your story,with all the beautiful pictures flowed along like the trout streams.If I were a school marm,you'd get an A on that one.


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## blocky (Oct 6, 2010)

Thanks Coaster, great story of a great hunt. I got to see Idaho on an elk hunt years ago and it is beautiful country. My hunt didn't turn out that good but the memories are still vivid.
Congradulations on your bear!


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