Survived day 1

[Pappy]

Rough day that started at 2 am....


Close enough?
http://kenhill.smugmug.com/Other/Private-Gallery/EDT9180/734728778_4nBEM-O.jpg

Big enough:devil:
http://kenhill.smugmug.com/Other/Private-Gallery/EDT9458/734730280_i5Gt8-O.jpg


Food, rest, reload and head back out tomorrow

[SRH]

how do those deer keep there fur looking so white

[J.Brown121]

pappy gives them baths before he takes pics of them;)

[Tommy Warren]

awesome pics....whats the weigh in of winnie tha pooh?

[Pappy]

360

[JackA450r]

Don't tell me your with that Sturdivant boy again!:eek2: :devil:

[jesseweaver]

Originally posted by Pappy
360

very nice thats a big bear. you get him?

[swamp]

thats no fair

[Glamis400ex]

no kidding...what's the point of shooting a bear? The meat is greasy as he ll.

[Quad18star]

360? That's just a baby ... you shoot winnie's baby brother or something? LOL

Looks like you're having a good time ... how's the snow?

[Quad18star]

Originally posted by jesseweaver
very nice thats a big bear. you get him?

Playing with the paws ... I think it's safe to assume he bit the bullet. :p

Pappy may be a brave man .... but it would take a HUGE pair to handle a live bear's paw. LOL;)

[Tommy Warren]

think he was asking who shot it.....;)

[Quad18star]

Originally posted by Tommy Warren
think he was asking who shot it.....;)

No I really think he was questioning the size of kenny's Kahoonas . ;)

[Quad18star]

Thought this may be appropriate for the situation Pappy is placing himself in .....

http://images6.cafepress.com/product/61964996v3_480x480_Front_Color-White.jpg

[Tommy Warren]

This is how he gets close enough the shake the bears hand...

Originally posted by Quad18star
Thought this may be appropriate for the situation Pappy is placing himself in .....

http://images6.cafepress.com/product/61964996v3_480x480_Front_Color-White.jpg

Lmfao

[godzilla]

I dont want to make this to an anti hunting thread, but I can understand deer hunting and stuff for the meat...but why the bear? Whats the point?

[Quad18star]

Originally posted by godzilla
I dont want to make this to an anti hunting thread, but I can understand deer hunting and stuff for the meat...but why the bear? Whats the point?

Same as deer and any other big game ... for the meat. A lot of people say the meat is too tough and fatty , but if cooked just right , it's very tender and tasty.

I'm an avid hunter , and I don't agree with killing an animal just for their fur or for a wall mount . If you shoot you, you eat it. Natives actually use every little bit of the animal they kill ... they'll eat the meat, use the hide for boots, mitts , blankets , and then use the organs for traditional medicines and remedies. Bones are used in traditional natives crafts. It's the way it should be.

[godzilla]

Originally posted by Quad18star
Same as deer and any other big game ... for the meat. A lot of people say the meat is too tough and fatty , but if cooked just right , it's very tender and tasty.

I'm an avid hunter , and I don't agree with killing an animal just for their fur or for a wall mount . If you shoot you, you eat it. Natives actually use every little bit of the animal they kill ... they'll eat the meat, use the hide for boots, mitts , blankets , and then use the organs for traditional medicines and remedies. Bones are used in traditional natives crafts. It's the way it should be.

Its honestly the first time I have ever heard that bear meat is edible.

My second question is...why a cub? at 360 lbs, that thing is tiny. Something tells me it was shot for something other than meat. :(

[Pappy]

Originally posted by godzilla
Its honestly the first time I have ever heard that bear meat is edible.

My second question is...why a cub? at 360 lbs, that thing is tiny. Something tells me it was shot for something other than meat. :(

Yes, the meat is very good, and 360 pounds for a bear in this state is big...very big. State minimum is 70 pounds.

Please dont geuss and make assumptions, it makes the sport look bad, sort of like saying atv riding is done just to destroy the ground and make noise and has no useful purpose.

I had to run home late last night to take a dog to the vet and grab another rifle....broke the bolt on mine:grr:

The big bear isnt mine, it is one of 3 we killed as a group yesterday. The whole story will be written and on the home page in the coming weeks....till then I gotta do some things here then head back to the mountian.

[godzilla]

Originally posted by Pappy
Yes, the meat is very good, and 360 pounds for a bear in this state is big...very big. State minimum is 70 pounds.

Please dont geuss and make assumptions, it makes the sport look bad, sort of like saying atv riding is done just to destroy the ground and make noise and has no useful purpose.

I had to run home late last night to take a dog to the vet and grab another rifle....broke the bolt on mine:grr:

The big bear isnt mine, it is one of 3 we killed as a group yesterday. The whole story will be written and on the home page in the coming weeks....till then I gotta do some things here then head back to the mountian.

I didn't assume anything...I just asked.

I also have an opinion on calling hunting a "sport", but thats another topic that Im not going to bother with.

[jesseweaver]

Originally posted by Quad18star
No I really think he was questioning the size of kenny's Kahoonas . ;)

haha nope theres no need to question that. i can't see pappy playing with even a rabbits paw let alone that bear.


nah jk pappy lol. and 360 being a cub??!! thats a big bear. i guess i was just comparing them to PA, theres not a lot over 360 shot every year. (but usually theres at least 1 in the 800s :eek2: )

[Pappy]

After seeing that bear take 3 rounds from a 44 at less then 30 feet and walk away ...I have a very new found respect for just how strong large GAME animals are. Thankfully the tracker did his job and one of the shooters was able to quickly dispatch him with another solid hit from a rifle.

I would have been in the perfect position for a shot but with a broken rifle, I became a photographer again and was riding shotgun as we tracked the dogs.

Watching the weather right now as I try and figure out when to head back...ice storm is on the agenda for tonight. I called down to the hunt earlier and they had just dumped the dogs on another one! That area is flat over run with bears and I cant wait to get back on them!

[bens250ex]

i wanna go bear huntin

[Quad18star]

Originally posted by godzilla
Its honestly the first time I have ever heard that bear meat is edible.

My second question is...why a cub? at 360 lbs, that thing is tiny. Something tells me it was shot for something other than meat. :(

No bear meat is actually very tasty when cooked right.

A 360lbs black bear or brown bear is actually a normal size for a full grown bear. Now if you were talking about a grizzly bear, well then that's a different story.... but 360 is an average size.

[tayyo789]

Originally posted by godzilla


I also have an opinion on calling hunting a "sport", but thats another topic that Im not going to bother with.

he has obviously never been actually hunting. maybe the lazy*** road hunting, but not real hunting. road searching is different than road hunting. shooting out of a vehicle is inhumane in my eyes, but utilizing vehicles to locate animals is fine by me

[SRH]

a big black bear around here is in the 250 pound neighborhood

you could eat any animal...hell if i could crush up marbles with my teeth and desired to eat them i could

i dont think its normal for anyone to be anti hunting or anti anything that doesnt hurt them thats kinda strange especially when your so uneducated on the topic...i personally would rather go out and hunt rapists and child molesters, id have a much easier time shooting them than an animal but my family never hunted so its not in my bloood like it is some guys, plus i dont think id want to eat human :p

[jesseweaver]

its like someone on here said before...

wait till you hit 3 deer on your way to work, then complain about hunters.

or something along those lines

some people need to realize that needs to be done and is actually very humane (ever see a deer starve to death?)

[Pappy]

Im a little upset with the way our state dropped the size requirement for bears this season, but they have a handle on what needs to be done to thin the population. The DNR said almost verbatim..."If you want to see them starve then dont kill them". I dont like the idea of shooting a 75 pound bear but being a hunter these days means doing your part to help keep numbers in check while filling the freezer and having a memorable hunt.

As far as running these bears, I can tell you that many of these boys are putting in 20 + miles each day tracking with the dogs. It is an amazing feat considering it is some of the most inhospitable terrain you can imagine. Just walking through some of it is hard enough, having 3 dogs strapped to you is a workout plus. My hats off to them, 20 years ago I would have been right in there with them, but I will stick to being a shooter.

As far as anti hunters.....I dont waste my time with them.

[Pappy]

Here is a shot from the first spot I took up a stand on. They had bear on the move and were trying to figure out where it was headed. This is about half way down the backside of the mountain we are hunting.

Everything you see in this picture was huntable, including the mountain range in the background

http://kenhill.smugmug.com/Other/Private-Gallery/EDT9326/735795630_VkU5g-O.jpg

[Pappy]

Same spot, just looking directly out over the area. It would take 30 minutes in a SxS to get to the bottom

http://kenhill.smugmug.com/Other/Private-Gallery/EDT9327/735799689_5JXxL-O.jpg

[Pappy]

The work begins all over once a hunt ends successfully. Thankfully the big boy was killed in an area where we could get a Rhino in close enough to help get him out.

http://kenhill.smugmug.com/Other/Private-Gallery/EDT9494/735807665_GChNL-O.jpg

[631kfx400]

Originally posted by Pappy
Same spot, just looking directly out over the area. It would take 30 minutes in a SxS to get to the bottom

http://kenhill.smugmug.com/Other/Private-Gallery/EDT9327/735799689_5JXxL-O.jpg
probrably one of the coolest pictures ive ever seen from you IMO
can u enlarge it so i can make it my desktop backround?

[400exrider707]

I cant believe no one else asked.... Ken, how did you manage the very first pic of the deer almost licking your lens? That's clearly no trail cam... It's an awesome pic!

[Pappy]

They had me so far back in the hills that the deer hadnt ever seen people:p

[Pappy]

Originally posted by JackA450r
Don't tell me your with that Sturdivant boy again!:eek2: :devil:

Yup, I kinda figured we would just chase them down on a few of the Pro quads and spear them.....they said maybe on thursday LMAO!

[sturdivant58]

Treed 2 today......raining real hard here now not looking to good for tommorrow but thursday and friday look better.

[Pappy]

Call me tomorrow and let me know when I should get down there.


BTW....them boys running the lumber trucks into Parsons are insane....2 passed me last night doing 60 easily in the snow:p

[sturdivant58]

Will do...as for the log trucks they dont bat an eye when the snow hits!! Just plain crazy!!

[Pappy]

Well, I figured they knew them roads alot better then I did, so I tipped my hat and watched'em roll out:p

Daybreak on the ridgetop

http://kenhill.smugmug.com/Other/Private-Gallery/EDT9265/735828529_AXTJ8-O.jpg

[Pappy]

The ice and snow on the trees was awesome.

http://kenhill.smugmug.com/Other/Private-Gallery/EDT9222/735835559_8284k-O.jpg

[Pappy]

I witnessed an ice storm years ago that was insane as the sun came out setting the stage for something I will never forget. I was hoping for a repeat seeing i had the gear with me but it wasnt meant to be.

http://kenhill.smugmug.com/Other/Private-Gallery/EDT9210/735838074_ngY9D-O.jpg

[Pappy]

The views were a sight to see

http://kenhill.smugmug.com/Other/Private-Gallery/EDT9168/735841940_r9JWp-O.jpg

[Pappy]

The Canaan Valley is an excellent place to visit...lots of wildlife and ski resorts

http://kenhill.smugmug.com/Other/Private-Gallery/EDT9140/735844610_M3thK-O.jpg

[Pappy]

The weather changes so fast in the mountains....one minute sunny, the next a snow storm

http://kenhill.smugmug.com/Other/Private-Gallery/EDT9137/735847080_4PSTj-O.jpg

[Pappy]

Blackwater Falls

About 3/4 of a mile above these falls is the infamous Highway 93 hill climb and crossing from when they ran the Blackwater 100 here.

http://kenhill.smugmug.com/Other/Private-Gallery/DSC2643/735850690_7qaDf-O.jpg

[Pappy]

One of the many "Wind Energy" windmills that are in several areas now

http://kenhill.smugmug.com/Other/Private-Gallery/DSC2767/735854238_qwknP-O.jpg

[Pappy]

This spring I would like to get back in there and trout fish, the water looked killer!

http://kenhill.smugmug.com/Other/Private-Gallery/EDT9209/735862610_jY8Uz-O.jpg

[Pappy]

Thats all of the scenic stuff I can post.....I will get started on the Deer pics next:p

http://kenhill.smugmug.com/Other/Private-Gallery/EDT9214/735866367_Lg7qy-O.jpg

[Quad18star]

Very nice landscape .... where abouts is this?

Oh and the loggign trucks fly around here too. I always seem to meet them goign up over a hill or on a corner ..... can't count how many times I squeezed right as tight as I could and how many times I thought about taking the bush.

[Pappy]

This area is about 3 hours by road from my house, still in WV. Davis, Thomas, Elkins areas

[Quad18star]

Originally posted by Pappy
This area is about 3 hours by road from my house, still in WV. Davis, Thomas, Elkins areas

Wow ... very nice area. If you guys would get a few feet of snow every winter, that would be PRIME sledding landscape.

[Pappy]

Ok, time for some deer from that area.

I got really lucky and a cold front came in sunday night, pushing temps into the teens as daylight approached. The deer could be seen literally everywhere and were more interested in a meal then if I would hurt them

http://kenhill.smugmug.com/Other/Private-Gallery/EDT9178/735972667_HzyUG-O.jpg

http://kenhill.smugmug.com/Other/Private-Gallery/DSC2761/735973413_aa2kf-O.jpg

http://kenhill.smugmug.com/Other/Private-Gallery/DSC2711a/735976668_ybTyD-O.jpg

[Pappy]

This area is loaded with deer and they really have overcome their natural fear of people for the most part. Between the ski resorts and the national wildlife refuge, they dont have much to worry about except getting plowed by a car or truck

http://kenhill.smugmug.com/Other/Private-Gallery/EDT9163/735972860_TZQJv-O.jpg

http://kenhill.smugmug.com/Other/Private-Gallery/EDT9158/735973035_YiAee-O.jpg

http://kenhill.smugmug.com/Other/Private-Gallery/EDT9150/735973228_gYALZ-O.jpg

[Pappy]

I did not see many Bucks....Buck season just ended saturday:p

http://kenhill.smugmug.com/Other/Private-Gallery/DSC2722/735973982_wzvBo-O.jpg

http://kenhill.smugmug.com/Other/Private-Gallery/DSC2751/735973584_SFbpu-O.jpg

http://kenhill.smugmug.com/Other/Private-Gallery/DSC2734/735973786_hpn3k-O.jpg

[Pappy]

Deer are probably my favorite subjects to photography, along with ducks and geese.

http://kenhill.smugmug.com/Other/Private-Gallery/DSC2692/735976806_ieQAC-O.jpg

http://kenhill.smugmug.com/Other/Private-Gallery/DSC2684/735976985_z64wk-O.jpg

http://kenhill.smugmug.com/Other/Private-Gallery/DSC2675/735978646_6gmhZ-O.jpg

[Pappy]

Some like to hide ...or think they are hiding

http://kenhill.smugmug.com/Other/Private-Gallery/DSC2452/735977120_3sevq-O.jpg

Others decided to just stay in bed

http://kenhill.smugmug.com/Other/Private-Gallery/DSC2458/735977213_HWERm-O.jpg

http://kenhill.smugmug.com/Other/Private-Gallery/DSC2468/735977398_qVEzA-O.jpg

http://kenhill.smugmug.com/Other/Private-Gallery/DSC2461/735978089_ZQyYY-O.jpg

[Pappy]

I had a blast. There was hardly anyone stirring that early and with it being that cold...just me and the Deers

http://kenhill.smugmug.com/Other/Private-Gallery/DSC2493/735977528_QLNZp-O.jpg

http://kenhill.smugmug.com/Other/Private-Gallery/DSC2498a/735977674_5QJPs-O.jpg

http://kenhill.smugmug.com/Other/Private-Gallery/DSC2612/735978484_pziRz-O.jpg

http://kenhill.smugmug.com/Other/Private-Gallery/DSC2501/735977900_Xqety-O.jpg

[Pappy]

Sometimes they just plain dont want to be around you and run off:p

Thats about all, hopefully I can get some more this week when I head back down for more huntin.

http://kenhill.smugmug.com/Other/Private-Gallery/DSC2568/735978312_uHnCm-O.jpg

[250x_kyle]

Originally posted by SRH
a big black bear around here is in the 250 pound neighborhood

you could eat any animal...hell if i could crush up marbles with my teeth and desired to eat them i could

i dont think its normal for anyone to be anti hunting or anti anything that doesnt hurt them thats kinda strange especially when your so uneducated on the topic...i personally would rather go out and hunt rapists and child molesters, id have a much easier time shooting them than an animal but my family never hunted so its not in my bloood like it is some guys, plus i dont think id want to eat human :p

or child molester or rapist for that fact.

looks good pappy. some guy up our way open fired on three guys bear hunting with his ak47. kinda sickening if you ask me. looken good pappy get some shots of a treed bear like u did last year or two years ago.

[godzilla]

Originally posted by SRH
a big black bear around here is in the 250 pound neighborhood

you could eat any animal...hell if i could crush up marbles with my teeth and desired to eat them i could

i dont think its normal for anyone to be anti hunting or anti anything that doesnt hurt them thats kinda strange especially when your so uneducated on the topic...i personally would rather go out and hunt rapists and child molesters, id have a much easier time shooting them than an animal but my family never hunted so its not in my bloood like it is some guys, plus i dont think id want to eat human :p

Uneducated? seems ironic to me that you are throwing out such a statement, but as far as eating any animal, take a bite into a skunk and come back to me on how you enjoyed it.

It has nothing to do with education. I agree that hunting to cater to the basic necessities, as Quad18star put it, definitely has its place in society. I am not a hypocrite; I eat meat, but I just dont hunt it. What I was referring to is the hunter to kills to hang another head on his wall in the living room.

If you want to eat marbles, it’s your prerogative, not mine. It has nothing to do with being uneducated as you so eloquently put it, but everything to do with my personal belief. If you don’t agree with it...fine, but don’t label me as being uneducated for not wanting to hang a dead animal over my sofa.

[TCracin440ex]

Originally posted by Pappy
I did not see many Bucks....Buck season just ended saturday:p

http://kenhill.smugmug.com/Other/Private-Gallery/DSC2722/735973982_wzvBo-O.jpg



he is going to be a pretty nice deer in a few years. hes already got a nice spread on him to be a younger deer

[SRH]

Originally posted by godzilla
Uneducated? seems ironic to me that you are throwing out such a statement, but as far as eating any animal, take a bite into a skunk and come back to me on how you enjoyed it.

It has nothing to do with education. I agree that hunting to cater to the basic necessities, as Quad18star put it, definitely has its place in society. I am not a hypocrite; I eat meat, but I just dont hunt it. What I was referring to is the hunter to kills to hang another head on his wall in the living room.

If you want to eat marbles, it’s your prerogative, not mine. It has nothing to do with being uneducated as you so eloquently put it, but everything to do with my personal belief. If you don’t agree with it...fine, but don’t label me as being uneducated for not wanting to hang a dead animal over my sofa.


what ironic? you had no idea the size of black bears or that you could eat them.... and stated it might of been killed for the hell of it.... if you had no clue about bears and hunting in general you had no place in the discussion, especially when the input was only negative and based on false assumptions



back on topic....ken does get some amazing shots, the gf just commented how beautiful they were when she walked by the computer

[Pappy]

The real hero's on these hunts....

http://kenhill.smugmug.com/Other/Private-Gallery/EDT9383/736507007_8BbpV-O.jpg

[TCracin440ex]

Originally posted by Pappy
The real hero's on these hunts....


round here we hunt with the dogs we use them to run the deer, and imo theres no sound in the world like a pack of dogs running thru the woods raising hell burning up a deer

[Quad18star]

Ken , do you guys bait the bears or just use the dogs to track them?

[Pappy]

Baiting Bears here is illegal.

[Zakradu398]

I believe you were pretty close to Timberline Ski Resort. My dad's friend owns the place, it's awesome down that way.

[Pappy]

Yep, rode through there sunday morning to check out the snow making that was going on

[Zakradu398]

Did they have much? I'm going up for a 17th-20th for some snowboarding.

[Pappy]

People were ski'ing on the place that is beside them, so I would imagine with the cold weather the snow Timberline was making should be enough by this coming weekend. It was 17 degrees up there ...but it was a dry cold LOL:devil:

Tell yer pop to tell Timberline;s owner to buy some of these pics for the lodge wall....:D

[cletusEX]

How dare you shoot Pooh bear? And those deer pictures, I hope you got consent, those deer looked young!:D If it farts through fur or feathers we kill it! :D

[gcart2]

Originally posted by Pappy
The weather changes so fast in the mountains....one minute sunny, the next a snow storm

http://kenhill.smugmug.com/Other/Private-Gallery/EDT9137/735847080_4PSTj-O.jpg

pap can you send me this photo bigger, for a desktop. or post it. thanks bub.

[Sjorge450R]

Originally posted by Pappy
The weather changes so fast in the mountains....one minute sunny, the next a snow storm

http://kenhill.smugmug.com/Other/Private-Gallery/EDT9137/735847080_4PSTj-O.jpg

Wow. That picture is amazing. Rule of Thirds right there at its best.

[Quad18star]

I set that one as my background picture also. Thanks for the contribution Paps

[Tommy Warren]

thought of you guys when I seen this....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVS1UfCfxlU

[Pappy]

Well..almost struck again:p

We ran this big guy out shortly after daylight and he finally broke right in front of Brandons truck. We had dogs on him within seconds of him crossing the road and they put him up a tree in minutes. The dog handlers were worried he had stood his ground and used a Rhino to bust their way up a 4 wheeler trail to get closer. I was at a dead run but the bear had tree'd up in a small tree and was on his way back down when they got there so the Rhino driver had to shoot him. If the Bear had stayed tree'd, I would have had him in my sights within a minute and had my first bear:p Im happy we got another one, satisfied the hunt was a success and everyone (except the bear) went home safe.....them dogs are expensive:p

Here is my hand under the bears paw.....

http://kenhill.smugmug.com/photos/738366707_JQZ2u-O.jpg

[Pappy]

Originally posted by gcart2
pap can you send me this photo bigger, for a desktop. or post it. thanks bub.

Over the coming weeks, some of the landscape and animal stuff will be featured on the weekly wallpapers. We get to take so many and never get to use them here so we decided the hell with it, they will become part of the wallpaper routine seeing so many folks like them and ask or comment on our work.

Harlen has some killer stuff from out west that should be pretty cool for those of us who dont get to travel out that way!