We had a Great experience in the Jim Bridger NF, near Alpine, WY. Spotted 100s of elk and deer, a good number of moose, double digits of lions and enough bears to come home with a good one.
I was the only one of the 5 in the group to actually spot a bear... 3 separate sightings over 3 days, 2 different bears.
Unfortunately, I got bear fever, pulled the shot, and missed a beauty of a modest sized cinnamon bear, likely a sow due to spotting her in the same canyon as 1593, this big boar that my huntin buddy made a perfect shot on.
You're not required to take bear meat in Wyoming (at least during spring season for sure), but we packed out all 4 quarters, the backstraps, and the neck trim of this 10yo brute. The locals and even the Game Warden seemed to find that amusing.
After I had seen 2 bears 2 days in a row, it didn't take much convincing to get a couple of the guys who weren't seeing bears to join me in "Bear Canyon".
I had been prowling around the area for the previous 2 days, so I set 2 of the guys up to glass specific spots while I kept hiking an old 2 track farther into the canyon.
The road was up high enough to get good views, through mostly tight windows, of the other side.
I had just left the eventual shooter at a spot and walked about 75 yards away from him down the 2 track when I spotted 1593 for the 2nd time in 3 days.
I don't know exactly what came over me in the moment. I could have gotten into position and taken the shot, but once I spotted him I quickly ran towards my huntin buddy and let him know what was up.
It was a thing of beauty. He got his rifle set up on a pack in the snow and we were both getting ranges and trying to figure out how to get a shot through a tiny window before the boar disappeared. I have never really experienced such a team effort in Western Hunting.
Anyway, he made a great shot. I saw the boar react through my binos and drop down low before he ran out of our FOV.
I volunteered to go track him while he went to get our other buddy. After falling cheek deep in the creek, I got on the blood trail quickly and found the boar piled up in thick pines 25 y away.
The shot rang out at 7:36pm. 3 of us packed out the hide and most of the meat that nite. Got to bed around 3am next morning
