Last year was the first year bear permits were issued in KY, no bears killed. This year there were 2 kills made, one in Pike co, the other in I believe they said Hazard co, all way East of me, other side of the State. The KY life tv program had both hunters there and interviewed them both. One guy tracked his for miles in the snow and finally saw it going up a ridge and took the shot at about 250 yds with a scoped 270. He hit the bear but it ran and later climbed a tree, he dropped it with a 2nd shot at 80 yds, it weighed 275 lbs. The 2nd guy had seen nothing opening day and decided to hunt a different area. He drove down an old road and saw where one had crossed the road and figured it would cross the ridge and about where it would come out so he drove his jeep around the mtn and stopped and got out. Before long he saw his bear. He dropped it with 1 shot from his scoped 308, bear weighed 280 lbs, no distance was given. Not sure what black bears usually weigh but they looked to be decent sized bears, although I always thought that black bears were much larger. HEH, still no bear tracks around here. Seems to be a real lack of game now. Several walks in the snow have found several coyote tracks, one fox, one squirrel, one rabbit, and one turkey. A month ago I found where 8 turkeys came out of the woods. I reckon the critters have moved out. POWDERMAN.
