[arteacher]

For newbies, I took this bear last spring in Idaho with my 18inch WOA 6.8 with H335 powder and 110gr Barnes triple shock. As far as I know it was the first bear with a 6.8

The bear is a hair short of squaring 6 foot. Front claw to front claw exactly 6 foot. Nose to tail 5foot 10 inches. It is a beautiful rug and a charished memory because my son was guidling for ElkSprings Outfitters and he gave me the hunt and guided me and we took it together.

 

[paulosantos]

Beautiful.

 

[Equalizer_2]

It looks like it was worth the wait. I bet the pictures really don't do it justice and the pictures look good.

 

[sharpshooter08]

Hmm thats funny thought the 6.8 could only take down small animals

Nice rug!!

 

[Raph]

Where was your shot placement, and did you try and recover the round to see the damage inflicted?

 

[arteacher]

Where was your shot placement, and did you try and recover the round to see the damage inflicted?

I hit the heart with the first shot at 100 yards, He ran a short distance then started to stagger and walk slowly. I put him down with a second shot. I have the first bullet that I found in the far shoulder, the second was a pass through.
I have killed alot of hogs and the bear was quite a bit thicker and more muscular and probably weighed 350 or so. The thing that bothered me was a clean, perfect small hole thru the heart. Not alot of mass destruction. The second bullet blew a golf ball size hole in the sternum on exit. I am no expert but I was not overly impressed with the Barnes except when it hits bone and then it makes a mess. Almost surgical precision on the soft tissue of the bear.

 

[Raph]

Though the second shot was the humane thing to do, do you think you had him with the first shot then, even though he didn't drop on the spot? Where about was the second shot that it was a pass through? Guess that just leave a moose for someone now!

 

[arteacher]

Though the second shot was the humane thing to do, do you think you had him with the first shot then, even though he didn't drop on the spot? Where about was the second shot that it was a pass through? Guess that just leave a moose for someone now!

He was good as dead with the first shot. It was almost dark and I just felt like it was the right thing. He was headed up hill so the second shot went thru upper back and out the sternum roughly 160 yards away.

 

[ArtFWTx]

Congrats on the trophy rug. That is so cool. I remember reading the thread when you first posted about the hunt.

 

[marinesg1012]

Bear rugs are beautiful, I hope to have some time to hunt them this fall, I have three that come into my backyard roaming around every few days that we see, there is always sign around.....

That kinda reinforces the idea that those TSX's need to be moving pretty fast to reliably open up.... HTR has said he had the same issue with those until he switched to the 85's.... He said he never has that issue with the TTSX's.... I wish barnes would listen to us and make a 99 grain TTSX.....

 

[BISCUT]

Great bear! I have had the same experience with TSX. Hit bone and they are very destructive. I found the Accubond to be fantastic.

Kudos for using the 6.8. I'm going to Northwest Territories CA next spring looking for a cinnamon bear. I hope I am as lucky as you. What was the skull? From the photo looks like 18"ish. That great.

 

[sigpros]

Nice rug. My wife wants to go bear hunting. She really wants a cinnamon. so i figure we could each get one and get them mounted fighting each other. So I guess I should have no reservations about using the 6.8 on antelope and deer then!

 

[shooter_gregg]

Nice rug, did it come with a fireplace? Bet the wife likes it. Way to go.

 

[arteacher]

Great bear! I have had the same experience with TSX. Hit bone and they are very destructive. I found the Accubond to be fantastic.

Kudos for using the 6.8. I'm going to Northwest Territories CA next spring looking for a cinnamon bear. I hope I am as lucky as you. What was the skull? From the photo looks like 18"ish. That great.

The skull is on the way. The taxidermist said he forgot to send it! Yes, it should be 18ish. My son and his outfitter friend said if I would have used a bow it would probable made Pope and Young and I think 18 is the minimum. Funny you talked about a cinnamon. I almost shot a beautiful cinnamon and this one came in and it was quite a bit bigger. I hade two tags but I had no interest in taking two. It took most of the night to get this bear off of a steep rock slide, skinned, boned out and packed out on mules. We were in the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness Area in Idaho (biggest wilderness in lower 48)

 

[babirl]

Congrats and that's a superb bear!

We have some pest "fatties" around here but yours is truly a record class wilderness blackie.

 

[THellURider]

Congrats! I took my bear in Idaho as well; though not with a 6.8. I was in the Frank Church Wilderness.

 

[BISCUT]

The skull is on the way. The taxidermist said he forgot to send it! Yes, it should be 18ish. My son and his outfitter friend said if I would have used a bow it would probable made Pope and Young and I think 18 is the minimum. Funny you talked about a cinnamon. I almost shot a beautiful cinnamon and this one came in and it was quite a bit bigger. I hade two tags but I had no interest in taking two. It took most of the night to get this bear off of a steep rock slide, skinned, boned out and packed out on mules. We were in the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness Area in Idaho (biggest wilderness in lower 48)

Musta been one hell of a great trip. I take it you went with your son? Even better. My boys are only 16mo and 3 so I got a few years before I can take hin hunting...3yr old already like to help take part AR's.

 

[FB68]

Excellent trophy ,well done.