Brian in Montana
Well-known member
Hunting alone on the edge of a secluded park. I was planning to stay until dark and hike out. At about 6:00, a cow and a calf trotted across the bottom of the park. Then a raghorn bull, I assumed the bull was chasing the cow. They all disappeared. Then another cow showed up also acting spooked. She too trotted across the park and was gone. I thought maybe there was another hunter, then I saw what they were running from. A huge bear sauntered across the bottom of the park nosing the ground, following the route the cow and calf had taken. Just to see what he'd do, I cow called a couple times. He stopped, looked my direction for a moment stuck his head back down and continued following the elk.
It was a very interesting thing to see, but then I started getting nervous. He was just a black bear but one of the biggest I've ever seen. And obviously hungry. I got to thinking, I'm smaller than an elk and much slower. I didn't have a gun, only spray. I thought maybe I didn't want to be out there after dark with a bruiser like that hunting in the area. I talked myself into staying a little while longer and headed in. Lame, I know. Every bear I've ever seen ran like he'll when it saw me, but those were also busy eating grass or berries. I've never seen a bear actively hunting before.
It was a very interesting thing to see, but then I started getting nervous. He was just a black bear but one of the biggest I've ever seen. And obviously hungry. I got to thinking, I'm smaller than an elk and much slower. I didn't have a gun, only spray. I thought maybe I didn't want to be out there after dark with a bruiser like that hunting in the area. I talked myself into staying a little while longer and headed in. Lame, I know. Every bear I've ever seen ran like he'll when it saw me, but those were also busy eating grass or berries. I've never seen a bear actively hunting before.
