Despite the heat, headed out and got under one.
Early in the day I freecast into a nice timber pocket along the river and shortly after had one going but had it headed into a place I've been before and never want to go again so cut them off and pulled them (saw the bear and it was 75lbs at most)
Half hour later I had a weak strike I hoped would be a cat so put one down and it took a good ten mins to get started and Harlo had ranged out 200 yards before opening, which is when I fed in ben daisey and a friends redbone Boomer.
Harlo already swam the first river and had a 700yd start by the time the others found the start.
We were able to follow along in hearing for well over an hour before he looped back exactly to where they started and followed the river towards us.
He actually swam/waded 4 half running rivers (2 creeks twice each way) and where they crossed the only road there was no running marks so I'm certain this was a long feeding trail.
He came to another road on the other side of the head of the lake and it took a while to figure out (watching on the astro) so it was nice watching good dog work. The other 3 who were balled up nicely at that point also all split up for a short time at the same spot.
Anyways after doubling all the way back he had it up in the bluffs and his trail crys soon turned to yard dog barks so he was likely facing it.
He stuck it for a while and the astro showed 'donuts' til the cavalry then showed up 15 mins later and they all took it another couple hundred yards before falling in treed.
Took about an hour to get around the river and up to the tree.
He'll be a nice bear in a year or two and was maybe only ten-twelve feet up, good for the young dog who is still a little unsure of treeing and other dogs I think, but well on his way.
On the way up the bluffs there was blood sprayed everywhere along a game trail, but none of the dogs had been there so whether a cat had diced a deer earlier on or a deer had poked itself running from the chaos I'm not sure...
Walking back to the truck I freecast them along the swamp hoping to find the answer to the blood but no luck. While loading up Harlo started another bear but I pulled him, it was approaching 25C and they were done for the day.
Little bonus from the other day, here's what I assumed was an old coon track while out roading that I let them take, on the river in the late morning. Things are going well considering how hot it has been, I should lay them up and let them get fat more often I guess.
Back to camp tuesday so thats it for me for a while again
