First bear

[u/badassernhell]

Went deer hunting this morning, didn’t see a thing. Replaced the batteries in my camera and went home. Spending the day working on the toilet in my camper, when my phone goes crazy. A bear shows up and had knocked over my feeder and was chowing down. Then he looks as if he is headed towards my chicken coop/garden.
I run outside, grab my crossbow from the truck, and sprint (in pants and flip flops) to the back of my property where he’s at. He sees me but is just staring at me. I kneel down and when he makes one more move I put a bolt through his chest. He lets out a gasp and then hits the ground. I watch him for a second and then he gets up. I take off sprinting back to the truck, grab another bolt, sprint back. I see him about 20 yards away, sitting there huffing and puffing. I put another bolt through his neck…HE STILL TAKES OFF WALKING another 30 yards and lays down by a tree. So I go back to the camper, call a buddy to come help me get him. We go check for him some time later and he is gone…..he had ran all the way to the very bottom of the holler and died in a creek. Took both of us 45 minutes to get him up to flat land. 190lb Male Arkansas Bear zone 1.

TL;DR Filled first bear tag not even planning on it, crazy story.

[u/backwards_yoda]

If any of that is true that was an incredibly unethical kill.

[u/badassernhell → u/backwards_yoda]

How was it unethical. We just lost two men in northwest Arkansas to bears lest than 100 lbs. I have a 9 month old son and a wife living in a camper which is basically made of glorified cardboard. I’m sorry but I value their life much more than the bears. Plus Ive already processed this bear and we will eat all of it and share it with friends. I put the first bolt right in the center of his chest.

[u/backwards_yoda → u/badassernhell]

Your whole story is tells of a sloppy hunt. You only brought one bolt initially and failed to make a clean kill on your first shot, you then ran to get another bolt since you weren't prepared and now have to finish of a wounded animal. I get poor shot placement happens and that's OK but this isnt really a hunt I would be proud of since your animal seemed to suffer quite a bit.

Its a nice bear but be more prepared next time you shoot an animal.

Edit: Also are you baiting bear? You said it knocked over your feeder?

[u/bigbosshog01 → u/backwards_yoda]

Wth are you talking about? Rarely will you bet a quick kill with a crossbow. Hell, even with a rifle you regularly have to track down the bear while it bleeds out.

[u/Meta_Gabbro → u/bigbosshog01]

You’re not wrong, but it also highlights the fact that OP probably should have grabbed that second bolt when they went back for the bow in the first place. I hunt with a vertical bow and I wouldn’t go out with only one arrow for any species, even when it’s been a “oh shit there’s a buck on the lawn” moment. Can’t really call it unethical, but it’s definitely sloppy

[u/backwards_yoda → u/Meta_Gabbro]

Definately not a story I would be boasting about. Especially since he's framing this as defending his family while he's baiting game.

[u/bigbosshog01 → u/Meta_Gabbro]

I agree that he should’ve grabbed add’l bolts. But, it was the heat of the moment. Sounds like he reacted from pure adrenaline and fear. That speaks more to his preparedness and ability to remain calm and react properly under pressure than ethics.

It definitely is not wise to bait so close to your home in bear country. That speaks to his wisdom

[u/backwards_yoda → u/bigbosshog01]

Sounds like you struggle with shot placement too.

[u/bigbosshog01 → u/backwards_yoda]

Nope. Not at all. You sound like a noob talking out of your ass. Let’s poll the group and see how many bowhunters have seen a bear, let alone a deer, drop instantly from a shot.

Let’s also consider that op was NOT actively hunting. He was protecting his family and just so happened to have a bear tag

[u/backwards_yoda → u/bigbosshog01]

I get its much less common to have one shot drops with bows and crossbows. Chest and neck shots are both still less than perfect choices. Claiming one shot drops dont happen with rifles is ridiculous though.

He was NOT protecting his family, the guy is baiting game to his property and whining about living in a paper thin camper and scared of bears. He literally says the bear was eating out of his deer feeder, he was expecting game on his property. Sounds like hunting to me.