Bobcat
Lil-Rokslider
Having a three-year-old and a six-year-old I knew if I was going to have a spring bear season it would have to look different Than previous seasons given social isolation and school closures. My wife and I Work full-time and now our “ days off“ are spent taking care of the kids. With that said, The smile was priceless when I asked my wife if I could take the kids camping/hunting for a few days.
If you’ve ever hunted with little kids you know success takes on a whole new definition. One trip turned into another and another. With each trip we returned with stories of how one of the kids blew up an area like the evening we “crept” into an area And I show the boys a small lizard. They thought it was the coolest thing so I told him to watch the lizard while I glassed for a bear. I moved about 20 feet away and pulled out my binoculars only to hear the shrill Screams of a three-year-old. It sounded as if someone was dying for sure, but oh no it was only that he had spotted a second lizard and for some reason this one seems scary. Oh did I mention we didn’t see a bear after that. My older son nickname that Maddow “scary lizard Meadow”. Then there was the evening I decided to cut down the walking distance and drive a little closer to a spot. We were about a quarter of a mile from the Where I thought we might see a bear and I inform the kids to stay in their seats and I would open the door and let them out one by one and close the doors so to decrease the possibility of slamming doors. I got my older son out and turn my back only to hear the horn in the forerunner go off as my younger son has climbed over the seat and has fallen onto the horn horn. That became “honk your horn Meadow”.
After five trips of three days each I asked my wife if I could have a weekend to hunt by myself because I needed a break. She thought it was a great idea. I was excited. I needed some alone time. It was time to leave And and I fought the urge to load the kids and Dog again. I realized it was already a successful hunting season because I have been spending time with my family in the woods.
I was actually lonely on the 3 1/2 hour drive and longed to have my kids at my side. I hiked in a couple of miles to the Spot or my kids had been Excited seeing their first fresh bear tracks in the snow. Then I hiked further to snowmelt stream that had made a little waterfall that mesmerized my older son. I wished my kids were with me to see the changes. The little stream was all but a trickle. The snow where a bear had sat and rolled was melted.
As the sun got lower I picked up my pace because I had a place I wanted to be for last light. I thought of how anxious to kids got As the sky grew darker in the evening; the time I like to call bear-thirty. How somehow Their footsteps were louder and they seem to scuffed their feet more. I asked myself if I push them too hard and they were tired or was it a natural response to fear and wanting to make a little noise.
I arrived at my Destiination right on time at 7 o’clock and I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw a glimpse of a bear moving through the old Cutting meadow. He was moving and feeding quartering away. I was only catching glimpses in range Tim at about 330 yards. From what little I could see he was moving like a larger bear but I wasn’t convinced until he stood to rub on a tree. I noticed I was shaking like a kid again and wished my kids were there to see him. He dropped down to all fours and continued on his way out of sight.
I waited to see if he would pop out to provide an opportunity for a shot. Then decided I needed to put a stock on and try to cut him off. With soft ground and thermals in my favor I was able to make good time Skirting The meadow through the woods.
I arrived at a good vantage point to see where he he has been and spotted A glimpse of him About 150 yards and still moving away out of sight again.
Pushed on quickly and then crapped out to where I thought he would be. This is when I realized he was a shooter. About 80 yards away still grazing and moving away I crept further out into the meadow but behind a large old growth cut down. With my rifle resting across the cut down I waited for him to turn broadside, but again he disappeared.
I again, used the enormous Tree as cover and crawled further out into the meadow. When I peered up from behind the tree I saw him quartering away. Again I rest in my rifle on the tree and again noticed I was shaking like a kid on his first deer hunt. I thought of my children and wished they were at my side.
My crosshairs were on his vitals but I was seeing a lot of bear and hadn’t picked out the hair I wanted when he turned more sideways to give me the moment. I squeeze the trigger he Lurched
and bolted out of sight. Then there was silence. I listened for the crashing or the death moan. But still there was silence
I went to where he was When I shot. No blood. I went in the direction he was going. no blood. WTF I thought. My rifle sighted in at 200 yards. He was about 80 yards. I thought that puts me about 2 1/2 inches high. Could I have hit too high or missed altogether? Did I have buck fever? I kicked myself For grabbing the opportunity and not settling in to the shot more; For looking at too much to bear and not picking the hair that I wanted to hit and seeing it through its exit point.
I came back to where he was standing and picked up his track. I only went about 20 to 30 yards when I spotted A little bit of black in a willow thicket. I knew it was him but I didn’t wanna get my hopes up too high for fear it might be a burnt stump. I had to crawl to within about 10 feet before I can confirm it was indeed the bear.
I wasn’t excited to have harvested another bear, but more relieved to have closure and know that my shot was true and he did not suffer.
I rolled and dragged him out of the ticket so to begin a late night of breaking him down alone. A night of longing to have my children at my side; A night of gratitude for the life of the bear and the cycle of life.
If you’ve ever hunted with little kids you know success takes on a whole new definition. One trip turned into another and another. With each trip we returned with stories of how one of the kids blew up an area like the evening we “crept” into an area And I show the boys a small lizard. They thought it was the coolest thing so I told him to watch the lizard while I glassed for a bear. I moved about 20 feet away and pulled out my binoculars only to hear the shrill Screams of a three-year-old. It sounded as if someone was dying for sure, but oh no it was only that he had spotted a second lizard and for some reason this one seems scary. Oh did I mention we didn’t see a bear after that. My older son nickname that Maddow “scary lizard Meadow”. Then there was the evening I decided to cut down the walking distance and drive a little closer to a spot. We were about a quarter of a mile from the Where I thought we might see a bear and I inform the kids to stay in their seats and I would open the door and let them out one by one and close the doors so to decrease the possibility of slamming doors. I got my older son out and turn my back only to hear the horn in the forerunner go off as my younger son has climbed over the seat and has fallen onto the horn horn. That became “honk your horn Meadow”.
After five trips of three days each I asked my wife if I could have a weekend to hunt by myself because I needed a break. She thought it was a great idea. I was excited. I needed some alone time. It was time to leave And and I fought the urge to load the kids and Dog again. I realized it was already a successful hunting season because I have been spending time with my family in the woods.
I was actually lonely on the 3 1/2 hour drive and longed to have my kids at my side. I hiked in a couple of miles to the Spot or my kids had been Excited seeing their first fresh bear tracks in the snow. Then I hiked further to snowmelt stream that had made a little waterfall that mesmerized my older son. I wished my kids were with me to see the changes. The little stream was all but a trickle. The snow where a bear had sat and rolled was melted.
As the sun got lower I picked up my pace because I had a place I wanted to be for last light. I thought of how anxious to kids got As the sky grew darker in the evening; the time I like to call bear-thirty. How somehow Their footsteps were louder and they seem to scuffed their feet more. I asked myself if I push them too hard and they were tired or was it a natural response to fear and wanting to make a little noise.
I arrived at my Destiination right on time at 7 o’clock and I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw a glimpse of a bear moving through the old Cutting meadow. He was moving and feeding quartering away. I was only catching glimpses in range Tim at about 330 yards. From what little I could see he was moving like a larger bear but I wasn’t convinced until he stood to rub on a tree. I noticed I was shaking like a kid again and wished my kids were there to see him. He dropped down to all fours and continued on his way out of sight.
I waited to see if he would pop out to provide an opportunity for a shot. Then decided I needed to put a stock on and try to cut him off. With soft ground and thermals in my favor I was able to make good time Skirting The meadow through the woods.
I arrived at a good vantage point to see where he he has been and spotted A glimpse of him About 150 yards and still moving away out of sight again.
Pushed on quickly and then crapped out to where I thought he would be. This is when I realized he was a shooter. About 80 yards away still grazing and moving away I crept further out into the meadow but behind a large old growth cut down. With my rifle resting across the cut down I waited for him to turn broadside, but again he disappeared.
I again, used the enormous Tree as cover and crawled further out into the meadow. When I peered up from behind the tree I saw him quartering away. Again I rest in my rifle on the tree and again noticed I was shaking like a kid on his first deer hunt. I thought of my children and wished they were at my side.
My crosshairs were on his vitals but I was seeing a lot of bear and hadn’t picked out the hair I wanted when he turned more sideways to give me the moment. I squeeze the trigger he Lurched
and bolted out of sight. Then there was silence. I listened for the crashing or the death moan. But still there was silence
I went to where he was When I shot. No blood. I went in the direction he was going. no blood. WTF I thought. My rifle sighted in at 200 yards. He was about 80 yards. I thought that puts me about 2 1/2 inches high. Could I have hit too high or missed altogether? Did I have buck fever? I kicked myself For grabbing the opportunity and not settling in to the shot more; For looking at too much to bear and not picking the hair that I wanted to hit and seeing it through its exit point.
I came back to where he was standing and picked up his track. I only went about 20 to 30 yards when I spotted A little bit of black in a willow thicket. I knew it was him but I didn’t wanna get my hopes up too high for fear it might be a burnt stump. I had to crawl to within about 10 feet before I can confirm it was indeed the bear.
I wasn’t excited to have harvested another bear, but more relieved to have closure and know that my shot was true and he did not suffer.
I rolled and dragged him out of the ticket so to begin a late night of breaking him down alone. A night of longing to have my children at my side; A night of gratitude for the life of the bear and the cycle of life.
