Hard Headed Bear

[U47]

Leaving the Camp Office on my current stalker run, I headed for the valley this side of Frozen Creek. I was hoping to find a deer or even better, a sapling or two I had missed the last time I was through the area. I planned to return by way of the Deadfall Area.

Finding two maple saplings made the already beautiful day even better but the two wolves in the area had other plans for my day. The first died to a well placed arrow to the head but the second ran away leaking big, fat drops of blood and my arrow sticking out from his shoulder.

Now I hate losing an arrow and with it being a few hours till noon and the weather still holding I decided to track that wolf and maybe get my arrow back. His trail led me to the ridge above the cave where the bear, by the Trapper’s Homestead, resides and the arrow was quickly forgotten when I see the bear heading toward his cave. My plans change and I decide to spend the day at Trapper’s and maybe get myself a bear.

As I follow the ridge further, a ninja wolf jumps me from out of nowhere but is quickly chased away with a lucky blow from my hatchet. With no lasting injuries from the encounter I continue along the ridge and stumble upon the wolf and my arrow. Lady Luck appears to be with me so I collect the wolf's hide, guts and meat and finish my journey to Trapper's with no further surprises.

The next morning I am blessed with another beautiful day and I decide to follow the ridge that leads to the rear of the bear cave. As I pass the cave leading to Milton I hear the bear but he seems to be far away so I continue toward the ridge. As I am creeping along the ridge I notice the bear getting louder but I still have not seen him.

Looking around I spot the bear through the trees coming along the ridge toward me and he is closer to me than I thought. A quick decision is made to run like the wind back the way I came. I hear the bear growl but I am already past the outcropping of rocks heading around to get up on the downed tree that is there, but I change my mind and chance it to get on the tree that leads up to the top of the outcrop of rocks. As I round the rock I see the bear heading to the place I was just moments before. I creep up the tree but a shot at the bear is blocked by the tree I am on so I throw a stone, hoping to lure the bear into a position that gives me a better shot. Three stones later the bear is close enough for me to get a good head shot. So I stand and aim and let my arrow fly. The arrow glances off his head and breaks. The bear runs off over the ridge towards Man's Last Stand.

I wait a few minutes before getting down off the tree and collect my arrow and a couple of stones. I see no blood so I am thinking I missed a perfect chance to bag a bear and at that moment here comes the bear back over the ridge. Again I climb up the tree and lure the bear even closer to me than before and again the arrow beaks on his hard head but this time lots of blood color the snow and red, fat drops of blood mark his trail.

A couple of hours later the bear died just a few yards from the place where I shot him and my run continues with plenty of bear steaks to sustain me for many days to come and remember that ninja wolf that jumped me? He died upon a rock that overlooks Trapper's Homestead and I own his hide and his steaks were added to the menu.