This last Utah Archery season; ended up taking a mid morning nap in the pines for about 1/2 hr-45 min. We get up and about 20 yards away I see extremely fresh scat (flies, no oxidation etc) on the ground. We know there are bears, but we turn and start to go up the trail. My dad is busting brush and for some odd reason I decide to stay about 10 yards back and look around and no sooner than I have those peaceful tboughts; the trees erupt shaking and bushes start rumbling and making alot of noise. My bow in my left hand and my instinct and quick draw, pulls out the 44 mag knowing I will only get one shot. Turns out, it was a big ol' chocolate Black Bear and my dad busting the undergrowth woke him from his nap, just 25 yards from where we were napping!! He had this spot that was dug out into the cool ground and pretty enclosed by undergrowth. Got lucky that he was probably as shocked as we were!!
Year before last (I'm thinking the same bear), coming super quiet down the elk trail I hear a huff. Thinking it was some Elk and knowing thier beds were right there, I instinctively drew my bow. Long behold it was Mr. CHOCO Bear. He ran up about 30 yards and then turned back. Standing on a little rise looking down on us with his chest puffed and legs stiffened with a "Hungry" and disturbing look in his eyes....he all of a sudden flexed and got that look like he was gonna charge.
In my mind I knew with a bow I would realistically only have the slimmest of chances and Zero room for error, while my dad gathered his wits to throw a round in the chamber and gather composure, I started to think that this is where all the bow practice matters, this is what separates the men from the boys. That pistol seemed to take an eternity to to get a round in and take aim and I was still drawn on my bow, frantically calm without my 44 mag pulled. Just as I thought I was going to have to set the arrow on its way to the little chest diamond on the bear after he flexed like he was going to rush down full bore....he shook that look out of his eyes, meandered up another 15 yards, looked back one last time and knew he met his match as he Disappeared into the timber.
That's 2 out of the 3 bears I have had under 40 yard experiences with in the last 4 years, with 2 of them being under 20 yards and pretty damn scary - Ha!! Gotta love being all camoed out in Archery Season in Utah!!
?-ERock-> ?
