out2hunt Report post Posted June 13, 2014 I helped 73 year old Ray Williamson take this 6'9" nose to tail (20 and 14/16 skull after drying period) Arizona Black Bear in 3c on october 15th 2013. He was after the meat and the skull and gifted my son Matthew and I the hide. The Bear was aged at 13-16 years old and was found on my son's youth elk hunt. We videoed the bear for a bit and decide we should hunt him. The bad news was all my PTO had been used so I risked losing my job if I missed the 15th. Ray had a cow tag following matthew's youth hunt and so I decided that I would give him the opportunity to sit the ridge where I thought he stood a chance at seeing the bear return. He said "why not" and drove into heber and bought the tag. By 130 pm I had walked him via cell phone to his spot and he began his wait. By 400 p.m. I received a call from Ray asking if I had a sharp knife, he had killed the bear and could not move it, let alone had any knowledge of how to skin or quarter it. I had promised if he downed the bear I would assist, so after a criminal speeding ticket outside payson (Thank you for bringing me off my adreniline high officer) I made it to Ray within 90 minutes. My son and i packed into the canyon to find the biggest bear I had seen on the ground, and so jet black it was surreal. By 1030 pm we had the meat in forrest lakes and I had the head and hide headed back to the valley to have the bear checked by fish and game. Chris Krueger with Krueger's Creations did an amazing job with this mammoth. I wanted to do a full mount but listen to my fiance when she said "Save the money for your trophy" which seems to me a worthy option. Thank you all for reading about the Hunt! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
out2hunt Report post Posted June 13, 2014 Pics from the evening of WORK! And one of my son getting a REAL bear hug 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
5guyshunting Report post Posted June 13, 2014 Thats an awesome bear , I just can't unerstand how chris krueger finished this bear in 8 months. My bear was there for almost 2 years. I had a badger there for almost 2 years. I could go on , I didnt meen to hijack your post on that great bear. Chris does do great work. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
capoeirajosh Report post Posted June 13, 2014 What an AWESOME story! Great bear too!! Do you know how much it weighed? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Flatlander Report post Posted June 13, 2014 Look how short the legs appear compared to the body. That thing is a beast. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Big Browns Report post Posted June 13, 2014 I think your son might take the sexy Bear pic award from Kidso:) Awesome Bear! 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
out2hunt Report post Posted June 13, 2014 LOL^^^^^^ Yes Josh It was approx 450lbs. Thanks Flatlander, he physically choked me out trying to hike the head and hide out of that canyon. I actually had to call a friend who lives in heber and we carried the pack out like a strecher. When the bear was checked at game and fish on carefree highway, the biologist open the 40 inch long cooler and immediately wheeled back around and went inside. Out come about 14 - 16 officers that were in a class to see the big boar. He then proceeded to give a class on aging and identifying traits through the use of dna and a tooth. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
out2hunt Report post Posted June 13, 2014 Thats an awesome bear , I just can't unerstand how chris krueger finished this bear in 8 months. My bear was there for almost 2 years. I had a badger there for almost 2 years. I could go on , I didnt meen to hijack your post on that great bear. Chris does do great work. Actually he finished this bear for me so quickly because I asked him too. He first said approx 10-12 months, but I did turn in an elk and a fox with quail at the same time. He may have done the bear first due to the amount of time the other pieces will take, especially the fox. Wait till you see what he is doing for me! I will just say that I have never balked at the time or expense for his work because I have never seen a bad piece with his name on it. No offense taken! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ready2hunt Report post Posted June 13, 2014 Awesome bear! That thing was the king of his castle geez. Great story! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
camoremi Report post Posted June 13, 2014 Wow what a beast 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tjhunt2 Report post Posted June 13, 2014 Congratulations to Ray and BIG KUDOs to you for guiding Ray to the spot along with returning with your son to help get that beast out of the woods. He certainly is a big bear and a great story to go along with some nice pictures. Thanks for sharing. TJ 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
out2hunt Report post Posted June 13, 2014 Congratulations to Ray and BIG KUDOs to you for guiding Ray to the spot along with returning with your son to help get that beast out of the woods. He certainly is a big bear and a great story to go along with some nice pictures. Thanks for sharing. TJ Thanks TJ! I took some heat from a few of my hunting buddies for not waiting till the weekend and going after him myself, or even with my son at the helm of his sig sauer SHR970 270.cal with tag in hand. I am proud to say I never even thought about the option, hopefully due to the desire to give Ray the shot of his lifetime. At 73 he was diehard about his cow hunt and scouted right through the youth hunt, always a gentleman and willing to trade stories at the end of the day when we returned to camp. His genuine elation at Matthew's successful cow hunt really stuck out in my mind on the drive home. Did I know he would kill the bear? No absolutely not, but I had great faith that if presented the opportunity, he could do it. Thanks again for your kind remarks. Ken 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
madx250 Report post Posted June 13, 2014 Awesome bear! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Thegrayghost Report post Posted June 14, 2014 Great bear! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kidso Report post Posted June 18, 2014 I remember that bear when you posted it last year. It was definitely a brute. Rug looks like a great wall cover! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
