Great story. Thanks for tagging me. Was the pack out any better than mine? 😂

Haha. That’s how I knew the road to yours. Brought mine out the same! You were definitely just deeper in the mess. Hope to see you guys again soon. I’m hearing it didn’t scare you guys off and want another dose that’s awesome. Congratulations on your bear! 

December 4, 2017 memories were made for me. Since around 2003 I had hunted with @Heath Hyatt, I  loved going but never owed any hounds and loved the anticipation of learning what was going on, man I loved to listen to those dogs and had no clue what they were doing lol. Throughout all of those years heath an I had  seen several bear, nothing like it is now for sure, however I also believe dogs were a different breed in those times and bear were scarce. He speaks of them often Ring, Bell, Clyde. They were the dogs that stuck out to me then and seldom we have a conversation today without one of them coming up. Everyone had to hunt harder then, Ourselves and the hounds. He took another job in a neighboring county within those years and I wasn’t able to go as much as I would have liked, Kids came things settled down a touch in the hunting world lol. 2016  I started to gather what dogs I could find not knowing I was picking up culls from my hometown to 500 miles away. I reached out to heath about a litter of pups he had, I wanted one and went and got it walker gyp I called Memphis out of his Jill and Charlie dogs That’s really where my hound career started. Talked about coming back and hunting with him and I got the invite of where and when to be there. OPENING DAY 2017 my first real hunt with me leading my own hounds I was wound tight the night before, I got there like two hours early that morning and he introduced me to some guys who he hunted with at that time @Forest Redd and fuzzy. I had 4 dogs at that point one of which I still have today (ann) a walker gyp, The first time I saw her run and do what the other guys dogs did I was absolutely hooked for sure. Today she’s more of a dad I’m going too! She will still start tracks and tree em’ She’s roughly 9 at this point but I still let her stretch her legs (current day). Forest was truck man that day so the 3 of us took off into a spot We had hunted back 13 years ago. About 2.5 miles in Heaths old dog Jimmy had split off and was opening, It Wasn’t but about 20 minutes she had this bear caught. Other dogs  were packed into the tree and here came the adrenaline dump! I told heath when we left the trail I didint really care to kill one well that changed when we snuck in a hell hole and saw it hanging 6 feet off the ground. They call me shakey in these podcasts for a reason lol, that day I shot every shell I had! first one or two shots connected at the first tree and the bear was not able to bite dogs because I was off my mark with a lower jaw shot. Out came the bear and a ball of dogs rolling over the hill about 75 yards it treed agian. At that point I was out of ammo and had to borrow heaths 41 magnum. Well, i shot all of his rounds too lol. I was absolutely tore all to pieces and almost needed to borrow forests 454 as he had came in once we got it treed but expired shortly after. I had done it. @Brad Luttrell  maybe 300 yards from yours! I’ll never forget this day And the new brothers I acquired 

Memories of Opening Day 2017

Wesley W

Are you sure?

Black Bear

Gear tagged in this post

Gear tagged in this post

Brad L

Wesley W

Brice H