# South Yellowstone Summer Bear



## super chicken (Nov 5, 2014)

That was one eventful evening last night


Let's back up a little bit before last night. All the bears on my bait sights have been just before shooting light, the last hour of light or nocturnal. I haven't been able to get up to the sites every night because of work and other obligations so I took a couple of days off to finish out the season.

On Wednesday my friend Big Jer and I went and sat on my bait sight. We tried to stay till dark but had to leave early because we were donating to much blood to the mosquitos.

Friday my son in law and I returned to the sight of the blood letting with some additional attractants donated by Mr J Hansen. When we arrived, the site had been destroyed by the bears. When I checked the camera and it had failed to record anything because of an SD card failure. We put down the attractants and hightailed it back to the truck for my last 30 pounds of donuts. This time we sat on the bait for 9 hours with nothing appearing. We also didn't donate any additional blood because we came prepared.

Now for last night, we arrived at the bait sight at about 530 and it looked undisturbed. I figured if they had not hit it since Thursday tonight would be the night. JAKE (son in law) was prepared and brought a little hiking-camp chair and got set up. I assumed the position of repose and decided since he was watching I would sneak in a little nap.

About 740 I heard Jake shift his feet and thought he was adjusting his position. He moved his feet again and whispered bear!!!!!!!
Now this is his first bear hunt and only his 3 night sitting on bait. This was also my first year of hunting over bait.

I slowing assume the shooting position and waited for a good shot. About 10 minutes later BOOM! No sound of a solid hit and no death moan and the bear disappeared.

Less then 1 minute later the same bear reappeared was on the bait. Then all of a sudden there was another bear. Jake and I watched as the bears moved around and we discussed my options. All of a sudden we see a third bear and this was the first one Jake said he saw. It was a blonde toad. we had 3 bears on the bait.

So for the next 15 minute I tie my hands and decided I am going toad hunting. Finally the toad offered me the classic broadside shot. BOOM! Again no resounding thud or death moan. No biting at its side, it just ran off.

I decided I needed to confirm the clean miss so we snuck up to the bait. As we approached a 5ft chocolate trotted across the old logging road at 40 yards. We looked for blood or any other sign of a hit bear. NO LUCK AND NOW IM BUMMED I MISSED THE TOAD about 6 to 61/2 foot bear. As we were looking for blood Jake saw another 5ft chocolate downslope trotting away. 

I said to Jake let's go back and sit until dark they might come back. We were sitting there for a few minutes and I said we have about 40 minutes left. Not 5 minutes later Jake said theres a bear on the bait. We watched for about 10 minutes and I knew it was now or never. It was the chocolate that trotted across the logging road.

BOOM!!!!!! THUD!!!!! DEATH MOAN!!!!!!! We approached the site and the bear was laying on the bait. A dispatch shot and the work began.

This is my 5th bear and first color phase. It isn't my biggest or my smallest but it is my first Utah Bear and first over bait. Anyone who says hunting over bait is unfair or easy is on CRACK.

Yeah I am bummed about missing the toad but I choose to be grateful that I learned a lot, spent time with family and friends and really enjoyed busy my 59 year hump and I harvested a bear. OH YEAH I ALSO KNOW WHERE THERE IS A TOAD FOR SOMEONE TO KILL NEXT YEAR.


----------



## goosefreak (Aug 20, 2009)

Awesome!!! I have the Fall tag for that area! Can’t wait! 

Nice Bear!


----------



## CPAjeff (Dec 20, 2014)

Congrats!


----------



## johnrr65 (Nov 7, 2019)

Awesome


----------



## AF CYN (Mar 19, 2009)

Great job! That looks like a solid bear!


----------



## 35whelen (Jul 3, 2012)

Way to go!


----------



## Ray (May 10, 2018)

Out of curiosity, were you able to access anything along the mirror lake highway side that time of year?


----------

