The one bear is definitely tiny, but the game and fish guy thought the cinnamon bear was roughly 3-4 years old. I'll be waiting a while until I get the official age. She still had a small body. While I had intended to find some old bears, I'm pretty happy with my first two bears. And always glad to help out the deer and elk. Thanks for watching!

I appreciate it! Easier pack out for sure. I'm getting the cinammon bear's hide tanned, and it should really tie the room together. Thanks for watching!

Thanks Derrick, I appreciate it! I'm glad I finally discovered bear hunting after so many years of ignoring the opportunities. Sounds like you have some good experience yourself!

Lol. Always a good time. I was surprised how far I would sink down into that slushy snow as I don't usually take on many spring adventures. Thanks for watching!

Thank you! Haha, yup, post-holing is a memorable and very annoying experience.

I think this has happened to a fair share of hunters. I'm glad that others like yourself can relate and the film is still liked. Thanks for watching!

I'm glad it felt genuine. Thanks for watching!

Thanks! Oh man, that should be a good time! After decades of ignoring bear hunting, I'm glad I finally tried my hand at it. Good luck!

I appreciate it! I definitely intend to put out another set of cool videos this fall. Thanks for watching!

I appreciate it! I used a GoPro 11 with selfie stick, Rode Videomic Go 2 mic (until the connection broke), my S22 Ultra phone, and Adobe Premiere Elements. I still have some tweaking to do, and really like what DSLR's can do. Thanks for watching!

Hey mate! I appreciate it. It's cool that my film has made it around the world. I definitely earned my bears, but I'll be honest, I feel cheated if I don't have a hard pack-out. The bear meat is great and I honestly would take it over deer and elk meat. Thanks for watching and good luck on your next hunt as well!

I appreciate that! Thanks for watching! I was looking for an adventure, and I believe I got one. The weather could've made things more interesting, so I got lucky on that front.

Thanks a lot! I was outside of grizzly country, so I wasn't too worried overall. I ate by my tent, spit toothpaste maybe 10 yds away, but did hang all of my food and smelly stuff 20 yds from the tent (10' up off a branch with thin paracord) when I slept/hunted so black bears/coyotes/small critters didn't get into them. As for the bears, I immediately packed out the entire first bear to the truck since it was more energy-efficient rather than going back up to the tent. I keep a 2nd set of gear at the truck and slept there that night. I laid the hide out to air overnight as recommended by Brian Call and it worked well. I could've kept the meat and hide in the backcountry for days, hung in the canyon bottom near the cool creek (or submerged in contractor bags) if it made sense. The first bear's meat and hide remained in the cooler while I continued hunting.

Thanks! Yup, I specifically chose that area because it is rugged, and may hold old animals.

Sissy Stix Backcountry Pro from Peax. They've taken a beating and keep on going. I put the Wiser Precision Quick-StiX adapter on them to shoot off them.

My hunt was definitely a learning experience and those were my first two bears. I've really enjoyed the meat, just wish there was more of it. Both pelts were really soft. Enjoy your bear hunting adventures! Thanks for watching!

@@JSmithHunter I've been bowhunting my whole life and you've gotten two more bears than I've ever gotten!! I was pretty confident I could judge age as well but thanks to your video I will try to use other methods especially with the elevation changes and the heat waves...thanks for taking us along! You definitely could have acted like you just got one decent bear!! Your honesty probably saved a lot of little bears! Not that orphan bears wouldn't have met probably a worse fate with a wolf or a bore. Best wishes to ya

@@JJPaulson777 Sounds like you're on the verge of putting some bears down! Of course archery bear is quite a bit harder, but I can only imagine the thrill that would be. Happy Hunting and good luck!

@@JSmithHunter thank you!! I've been solo filming before KZfaq was a thing cuz I'm old LOL my hunts are on film and I just filmed them because I liked to film them... So I will upload them but I would prefer to bow hunt whitetail in Bear country and although I was invited on bear hunts and dated a bear guide I just was not interested in hunting bears over bait or with dogs.. but I like the way that you hunt bears and I've never been guided so now that I'm an Alaskan and federal subsistence I will be trying to take my three black bears and one grizzly bear LOL I've been trying to learn how to deal with their meat like hams and bacon for bear... I was a hog farmer and they say they use bears like hog LOL. I've never watched your videos before but I will watch some more because you seem like a decent guy that is in it for what it is worth.. a lot of these guys are arrogant and don't film the leading up to it.. I think we all enjoy the camping and cooking aspect of it whether you get anything decent!! Happy Trails, God bless u brother

I look forward to seeing some of your videos with all the cool stuff you get to do up in AK. Again, I appreciate it!

Thanks. I really like the set-up, and the sissy stix can really take a beating. I'm using a GoPro 11 on a selfie stick along with my S22 Ultra phone. I've thought a lot about relying on a DSLR for filming, but am not quite there yet. Thanks for watching!

I agree with you there. I've taken a few animals without ear protection and I regret it. No more. Thanks for watching!

I enjoy solo hunting as I feel more connected to my surroundings. I appreciate it, and thanks for watching!

Thanks! The hunt just isn't the same without a difficult pack out.

So you're the one who shot all the big bears there, eh? J/k. Thanks for watching!

@@JSmithHunter haha seems like others might’ve beat us to it

You're in for a treat! I'll admit I have no archery bear experience, but I do know their noses are very good, better than deer and elk from what I've heard. So, you must play the wind and thermals. So, that could mean waiting until the morning thermals shift upward around 9:30/10am to close in above the bear. I thought I blew out my second bear, but I got lucky because I was on the other side of a draw and my scent went up the draw just below the bear (storm was rolling in). Their ears aren't as good, so it's not like you're stalking in on a mule deer, and their eyes aren't great either. Bears can be very unpredictable, so if it takes you a couple hours to get to the bear, it could be gone by then. I've heard that fall bears are really tough to hunt because they could be anywhere. Figure out their main food source and at what elevation-berries? acorns? Honestly, I've only done rifle fall bear once, and the 1 bear I spotted didn't stop moving away from me. I thought about ambushing (with a rifle it's much easier) but didn't try as dark was closing in. If I were you, I would be thinking hard about vantage points, ease of navigating the terrain, and if I saw a bear get there as fast as I could. During my fall bear hunt in CO, it was a bad berry year, so the biologists said that bears were eating acorns, which are found at lower elevations. That's where I found the bear. At the end of the day, enjoy the hunt! Don't get injured (have an InReach beacon for emergencies), overcome any negative self talk (being solo and all), and learn as much as you can! Let me know how it goes. Ttyl.

@@JSmithHunter thanks for the info. I've been watching some guiding videos and doing my best to learn about thermals and wind, and researching e-scouting bear. I will have three weekends in a row to be out in the woods (working during the weekdays) so I'm planning on taking things slow and steady. Baiting is allowed in Idaho, should I even bother with bringing scent/bait if I'm going to be moving in and out of territory? My setup looks similar to yours. Full sized frame pack, sidearm, bear spray, and bow. How much of a difference do you think it made having a tripod for your binoculars? What did you use to store food in bear country?

Weekend warrior! Nothing wrong with that. I thought about the baiting and it definitely wasn't for me since I tried to be mobile in a short period of time. Not a bad idea for you since you could bait, let the bears find it during the week, then come back the next weekend and try to catch a bear there (maybe set up a game cam too). I know very little about baiting or how effective it might be in most areas. For the way I glass from vantage points up to a couple miles away, the tripod is one of my most valuable pieces of gear. I often pick up animals by movement alone, which is hard to do handheld. But, it comes down to how far you're looking and the terrain you're in. I just hang my food from a tree branch with thin 2.3mm Lawson Ultraglide line. I didn't hunt in grizzley country, so if that is a concern, be more particular about your tree.

Heh. It was a young one for sure. I don't think I'll make that mistake twice. Thanks for watching!

​@@JSmithHunter I'm not mad for the young bear. But I'm annoyed that you don't share any of your methods to stash the first bear before packout. Did you sink it in the creek in trash bags? Or drag it up and bury it in snow?

@@sasquatchrosefarts I'll admit, that is a gap in my story as far as explaining things. I immediately packed out the entire first bear to the truck since it was more energy-efficient rather than going back up to the tent. I keep a 2nd set of gear at the truck and slept there that night. I laid the hide out to air overnight as recommended by Brian Call and it worked well. I could've kept the meat and hide in the backcountry for days, hung in the canyon bottom near the cool creek (or submerged in contractor bags) if it made sense. But then I would have to make 2 trips anyway with the 2 bears and gear. The first bear's meat and hide remained in the cooler while I continued hunting. Thanks for watching and following up.

Hahahaha......

Thanks a lot! It's definitely a skill I'm continuing to work on.

It's a Seek Outside Cimarron (Dyneema fabric) with a Seek Outside large u-turn stove. The cheaper nylon version is a great option as well. The stove is soooo nice for those cold snowy hunts. The bivy is made by Borah Gear. If you're set on a tipi, also look into the new one from Peax and from Argali. Thanks for watching!

@@JSmithHunter awesome, thanks. I have looked at Argali, almost ordered it but thought I just haven’t looked enough at these yet.

​@@JSmithHunter😅

Awesome! Did u end up finding any bears? I'm sure you had a great hunt regardless. And filming a hunt takes some dedication- I can only imagine what Brian Call goes through. Anyway, thanks for watching!

@@JSmithHunter saw more hunters than bears, surprising for how far back i had gone. had a light pack on the way out. next season perhaps!

@@bd7495 That's too bad. Guess I picked the less busy area. Yeh, there is always the next hunt.

Sorry, can't tell you the state out of respect for those who call this area their home hunting ground. It's a 7mm mag, shooting a 175gr Berger Hunter Elite bullet. I didn't carry a backup pistol due to weight, and there weren't grizzlies in the area. I had a bear spray at the truck for if I had to make just meat shuttling trips (much lighter than a gun), but I never packed it. I've thought a lot about packing a compact 10mm, but am not to that point. Thanks for watching!

Both bears were about 200 yds. In hindsight for the first bear, had I tucked my pack until my right arm for support, I think I would've been better off. Although after reviewing the footage many times, I'm still not totally sure the bullet missed the bear. Thanks for watching!

Thanks for watching!

That's too bad about the wildfires. It hate it when my areas burn up. Thanks for watching.

Thanks, I appreciate it! I definitely should've filmed the canning process with the bear meat, but maybe next time. I opted to pressure can all of the meat due to the likelihood of trichinosis being present, and the resulting meat is very tender and delicious. I highly recommend it, if you have access to a pressure canner. Check out Brian Call's bear canning video for more info: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/fZ2ngtGJ2tLVZIU.html .

Thanks! I use a GoPro 11 (with MediaMod) with an extending selfie stick, a Rode Videomic external mic (couldn't use after the 1st day of this hunt), and my S22 Ultra cell phone. It's pretty basic entry level stuff, but also light. I'm thinking about upgrading my audio to a Rode wireless lavalier mic system as my audio is crap.

Thanks for watching!

I really appreciate it! It may not be the most polished footage, but I'm glad you and others find it authentic. I'm just happy to share my hunt and inspire others. Thanks for watching!

Thank you! Remington 700 XCR II 7mm mag with 175gr Berger handloads. Overkill for bears, but I use this gun for everything I hunt.

Out of respect for those who call this state and area home, I can't tell you the details on here. In this area you can have 2 bear tags since the bears are over-populated. Thanks for watching!

Heh, I hear ya there! I appreciate that. And the meat was really great, just not much of it. Hunting provides us with many lessons, many emotions, and ultimately many cherished memories. Thanks for watching!

Sorry man, I can't give out that info out of respect for other hunters who love this area/state like I do. You should be able to figure it out based on a few details... Thanks for watching!

New Zealand

@@JSmithHunter potatos arent the only thing that they grow 😎

It rhymes with Idaho

@@Greg2112 Youdaho ?

Up north somewhere! Out of respect for those who call this place home, I can't give that away. However, I will say that you can find places like this in a few states with a little research- tons of adventure out there!!! Thanks for watching!

7mm mag with 175gr Berger handloads. Definitely overkill for bears, but I shoot everything with this gun. Very tasty bears indeed. Thanks for watching!

Thanks. Sorry, out of respect for those who call this state home and hunts here, I can't reveal the state on here.

Wow, I really appreciate you taking the time to write all of this! I learned a lot about bear behavior through podcasts and other YT videos so I was pretty confident I could pull off the camera shot as well as shooting the bear. Still a gamble, but much better odds than with deer or elk. I'm still working on that. I practiced a bit with my equipment before the season which helped, but I still have more things to perfect for sure. It seems like it's a never-ending learning process, but you have to start somewhere. Ultimately I really like sharing these experiences with people (especially family and friends since they don't usually understand what I do). Also, it seems that I'm horrible at judging bear age/size, so that's a big thing I'll work on before the next bear hunt. Fun stuff. Anyway, thanks for your comment and for watching!

Hey. I can't say on here out of respect for those who call this place home. A high bear population here allows you to have 2 bear tags... Thanks for watching!

I appreciate it! It's definitely a challenge to film yourself, so I'm constantly trying to improve.

Sorry, I can't give out that info out of respect for other hunters who call this home. I will say it was wilderness. There are a handful of sweet places like this out west that you can easily find with some research, especially using some details from this film. Thanks for watching!

I was wondering the same thing and thought of the same area. I'm very familiar with Frank Church area and have hunted for spring bear there for a few years. I'm pretty sure he is close by at least.

I would agree. However, with the 2nd bear had I known that young bears have the triangle nose with the different hair coloration, and I actually watched the bear long enough (I was excited), I would've easily passed on him. Thanks for watching!

Borah Gear, ultralight bivy, made right in Montana! Thanks for watching!

Nope. Sorry, I can't tell you the state out of respect for those who call this place home. Thanks for watching!

Hey Derek. Thanks! Remington 700 XCR II rifle 7mm mag shooting a reloaded 175gr Berger Hunter Elite. I would argue it was a hefty round for a soft bear, but this is my go-to gun for everything.

@@JSmithHunter Love my 7mmRemMag. I settled on the 168 Berger VLD over Retumbo. 3010fps, nice one hole 3 shot groups but ONLY if I seat the bullets exactly at same B-O length. Any deviation, even 2 thousandths, groups open to .2s to .3s, still acceptable inside 800 yards

@derekmcmurry4263 Wow, sounds like you have a real tack driver! I'm no expert reloader or shooter, but my setup will push the 175s about 2850 fps using 70.0gr IMR 8133, 0.010" off the lands well under 1 MOA. Of course, in the field I am sometimes a questionable shot...

@@JSmithHunter I'm 10 thous. off lands as well. 26" Krieger barrel, Stiller Predator action, McMillan stock, Jewel trigger at 1 pound

@derekmcmurry4263 Very nice. Eventually I'll get a nicer gun like yours. Good stuff.

Couldn't agree more! Thanks for watching!

Rugged mtns make for great hunts!

No matter the size, they taste much better than squirrels!

I really wish the cub/small bear had been hanging around the mother so I wouldn't have shot it. I never did see a sow and cub in this canyon, so maybe she was shot? Thanks for watching!

I own snowshoes but it's hard to justify packing them for light use. My goal was to stay below snow line, just happened into a snow field or two... Thanks for watching!

Predator management so that all species flourish.

Bear hunting is important for many reasons, some of them are: 1) bear meat tastes great, often better than deer and elk; 2) bears eat deer and elk calves, so keeping their populations in check benefits these animals and others; 3) bear hunting is very fun and challenging; 4) bears are often used for their hide (rugs, drapes) and fat (cooking, preservation oil, etc) in addition to their meat; etc. Ultimately the pros far outweigh the cons, and black bear populations are strong (especially where I hunted). I greatly respect bears and enjoy watching them even when I'm not hunting; this irony is common among hunters. To each their own. Thanks for your input.

@@JSmithHunter appreciate the mature response. Thanks for the insight. I had no idea bears had so much to give. Beautiful animal nonetheless. Thanks !

It's OK too go hunt your own food..

I hear ya, and I tried my best to capture the kill on film, but just bad circumstances. I intend to make that happen for sure with the next film. Thanks for watching!