Old story here but I’m bored this evening and don’t feel like cleaning the kitchen so thought I would share one.
Went bear hunting in Idaho a few years back with a great outfitter who, unfortunately, is no longer offering guide services. We flew into to Washington and drove east to the hunting camp near Coer d’Alene. If you’ve never been there, I’m here to tell you it is absolutely beautiful country. They had a really nice walled tent, stove, cots and field privy at base camp and pre-set tree stands with bear bait stations. That same afternoon we were able to go out for a hunt, but no luck on the first day.
Next morning I’m out there again and a whitetail doe shows up not thirty feet away from me. She’s just milling around, grazing and enjoying herself. So as not to spook her, and because I’m glad to have something to look at besides trees, I try to stay as still as possible. Too still, because in the hour since she arrived she hasn’t moved more than fifty feet away in a big half circle out in front of me. Now I’m cramping up, getting fidgety, and my eyeballs are burning from trying not to blink too much. At this point I start shifting my weight around to get my blood flowing again.
Next thing I know she’s looking straight at my tree, stomping and snorting. I’m thinking, dang! She’s going to scare off anything that might be around. Hoping to settle her back down I try to slowly bend my head down so I’m not looking straight at her. As my eyes move towards the trunk of the tree I’m in, who do you think is standing there at the bottom under my tree stand? Yup. The doe wasn’t snorting and stomping at me…it was at a bear. And here I was thinking the deer would scare the bear? Duh!
Teddy starts mock-charging the doe, so she stomps and snorts even louder than before. I’m thinking 1) hope he doesn’t decide to come up my tree and 2) hope he moves the heck out more in front so I can get a shot.
Happy ending: He rushes at the doe, who hauls butt. When he gets about 30 yards from me he stops and roars at her. At that moment I shoot him with my 300wsm bolt gun; he takes two steps and drops.
Didn’t know that bears actually have a death moan but this one sure did.
(Oh yeah, my husband got his bear too but his story isn't as good and his bear wasn't as pretty.)
Went bear hunting in Idaho a few years back with a great outfitter who, unfortunately, is no longer offering guide services. We flew into to Washington and drove east to the hunting camp near Coer d’Alene. If you’ve never been there, I’m here to tell you it is absolutely beautiful country. They had a really nice walled tent, stove, cots and field privy at base camp and pre-set tree stands with bear bait stations. That same afternoon we were able to go out for a hunt, but no luck on the first day.
Next morning I’m out there again and a whitetail doe shows up not thirty feet away from me. She’s just milling around, grazing and enjoying herself. So as not to spook her, and because I’m glad to have something to look at besides trees, I try to stay as still as possible. Too still, because in the hour since she arrived she hasn’t moved more than fifty feet away in a big half circle out in front of me. Now I’m cramping up, getting fidgety, and my eyeballs are burning from trying not to blink too much. At this point I start shifting my weight around to get my blood flowing again.
Next thing I know she’s looking straight at my tree, stomping and snorting. I’m thinking, dang! She’s going to scare off anything that might be around. Hoping to settle her back down I try to slowly bend my head down so I’m not looking straight at her. As my eyes move towards the trunk of the tree I’m in, who do you think is standing there at the bottom under my tree stand? Yup. The doe wasn’t snorting and stomping at me…it was at a bear. And here I was thinking the deer would scare the bear? Duh!
Teddy starts mock-charging the doe, so she stomps and snorts even louder than before. I’m thinking 1) hope he doesn’t decide to come up my tree and 2) hope he moves the heck out more in front so I can get a shot.
Happy ending: He rushes at the doe, who hauls butt. When he gets about 30 yards from me he stops and roars at her. At that moment I shoot him with my 300wsm bolt gun; he takes two steps and drops.
Didn’t know that bears actually have a death moan but this one sure did.
(Oh yeah, my husband got his bear too but his story isn't as good and his bear wasn't as pretty.)
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