After a tough Friday night football game with a couple touchdowns and some big defensive plays the boy shrugged off the soreness and threw on the pack one more time to find his first bear.
Our buddy had a camper set up in the area so we gladly accepted his offer of dry lodging and headed in Saturday afternoon limited to that evening and the next morning of hunt time. Saturday evening produce nothing but the wind.
Sunday was more wind and I was getting down. This kid has put a pile of miles on looking for a bear. We just have not been able to get it done with his busy school/sports schedule. As I laced up my boots pre-dawn I feared this would be another day of wind and no bears. The feeling of failure was creeping in - I had told him every bear story I had. At what point does a 16 year old lose interest? We needed a miracle. I needed to show him hard work pays off. The game plan was to head out before dawn and hike 3.5 miles into a basin full of chokecherries. Nothing to do but say a prayer, throw up the hood and march on.
About a mile in and right at daybreak we caught movement on the ridge above us. Finally a bear while the boy is with me! As he set up for the shot I glassed for cubs in the heavy brush. I struggle with bears but the muzzle and blockish head said boar to me. Told the boy he looked young but legal and had a beautiful coat, a great first bear, 150 yards, take him.
Right then the bear disappeared in the 8 foot brush and my heart sank knowing we may never get a look at him in that jungle. Soon after the bear started up a rock outcropping. I gave out a loud woof and the second he stopped broadside the boy hit him perfectly as I watched the bear roll off the cliff. Finally! Proud papa!!
Young boar stuffed full of berries and fat.
Eblerstock pack loaded down.
Our buddy had a camper set up in the area so we gladly accepted his offer of dry lodging and headed in Saturday afternoon limited to that evening and the next morning of hunt time. Saturday evening produce nothing but the wind.
Sunday was more wind and I was getting down. This kid has put a pile of miles on looking for a bear. We just have not been able to get it done with his busy school/sports schedule. As I laced up my boots pre-dawn I feared this would be another day of wind and no bears. The feeling of failure was creeping in - I had told him every bear story I had. At what point does a 16 year old lose interest? We needed a miracle. I needed to show him hard work pays off. The game plan was to head out before dawn and hike 3.5 miles into a basin full of chokecherries. Nothing to do but say a prayer, throw up the hood and march on.
About a mile in and right at daybreak we caught movement on the ridge above us. Finally a bear while the boy is with me! As he set up for the shot I glassed for cubs in the heavy brush. I struggle with bears but the muzzle and blockish head said boar to me. Told the boy he looked young but legal and had a beautiful coat, a great first bear, 150 yards, take him.
Right then the bear disappeared in the 8 foot brush and my heart sank knowing we may never get a look at him in that jungle. Soon after the bear started up a rock outcropping. I gave out a loud woof and the second he stopped broadside the boy hit him perfectly as I watched the bear roll off the cliff. Finally! Proud papa!!
Young boar stuffed full of berries and fat.
Eblerstock pack loaded down.
