Wounded bear in a den. What would you do?

[chris lavoie]

Long time ago we shot a bear as it crossed a field with the hounds close behind. The bear just kept running. The chase took us right to a bear's den. From what we could tell the bear was inside. The problem was we were not sure if it had died or not. We tried digging from the top, poking sticks inside but the den was quite a crawl inside. This was maybe the third bear hunt I had been on in the late 70's. I was about 15. Being young and dumb I volunteered to crawl in to look. I had my flash light and had to crawl as far as I could with them holding my ankles. Thankfully the first glimpse of the bear told he had expired. What do you do in this situation.

[Ker_man]

I guess I would hold your feet Chris lol.

[FullCryHounds]

Here's a lion that went into a mineshaft that wasn't wounded. The bow hunter we had that day refused to go in after it, so another guy with a pistol did.

http://trophyroom.com/video/lls8ViwJcT

[come-hunt]

[Daisyshooter]

[outlaw13]

Poke it with your 30-30 first lol.

[krk hunting]

That is what we have rtard for and we throw him in first. If he fights we run like hell. lol Just kidding. Crawl in with my 458 and hope I don't have to shoot.

[chris lavoie]

I do wish we could own pistols here just for the tracking of wounded bear's. I have since crawled into bear's dens but I now make sure no ones home first. I have taken some real neat pictures!!

[kordog]

usually reading the hounds tell me how i need to handle it in those type situations.they take out the guess work .i dont worry about skull measurements as a pleasure hunter.i do prefer headshots for safety of the hounds.a bear shot in the boiler room on a bayup can still live long enough to do alot of damage.sh&t happens and doesnt always go according to plan.dean that was an awesome video ,no offense but the pistol shooting was pretty sketchy.lol.

[red owl]

You used to be able to buy m-80 smoke bombs- might come in handy. Agricultural (feed & Grain) stores used to have them.

[Brianshounds]

Go in after the bear, i haven't been killed yet. been touch and go a few times but the bear just wants to get away most of the time. hopefully my luck don't run out any time soon. once we had a client that wounded a cougar that ran in a hole, it was hit pretty good through the shoulder. Anthony,a guide who worked for us, and at the time was very green, this was his first year guiding lion hunters, and had never seen anything like this before in his life. I told Anthony to hold on to one of my legs and yard me out if he herd screaming...... i am 140# 6 ft ..... Anthony is 220# and built like a line backer, I went in with a dog leash to put on the cats leg to pull it out with and a stick about 20 inches long to pock it with to make sure its dead. well i poked the cat and the cat lifted its head and i stared to say " its still alive " but all i got out was ".....ITS......" Well the dog leash and the stick got left in the hole... I was flying threw the air down the hill like i had been shot out of a canon. apparently Anthony was a little excited. I hit a tree about 8 yards down the hill, I was in more pain then if the dang cat would of got me.. After gathering my self up and telling Anthony that he needed to calm down a little and not to touch my legs, unless he hears screams, i went in the second time i substituted the stick for my pistol. the cat was dead on this trip and i tied the remaining dog leash to its leg and we pulled it out. this was one happy hunter