Last spring I had a similar experience. Ok, Ok, it wasn't a polar bear and it wasn't exactly in the line of duty, but it was a bear and involved puckering so I'm gonna tell my story.
I was cruising timber on the Washington coast last March in some of the thickest brush I've ever seen when I started hearing something bawling/squalling every minute or so. Sounded like a bear cub so I clawed my way over there to see what was going on. Pretty soon I popped out into a small area where all the brush was mashed down around a giant old cedar stump and I could see a tunnel leading underneath. The bear cubs were in there still squalling.
I stood there and had a little debate with myself. I wanted to crawl in there and see the cubs but didn't really want to meet ma if she was home. Finally I convinced myself that the cubs wouldn't be making all that racket if the sow was in there with 'em so I started to crawl in. I was about waist deep and wedged in pretty tight in total darkness when a thought occured to me. You see, my stupidity is sometimes punctuated by flashes of brilliance. Anyway, it occured to me that if I was wrong and the sow was in there it could get ugly. So I backed out. Then I was standing about 6 feet from the den entrance wondering what to do next when that big ol' sow popped out of the den like a cork and shot past me doing 60 miles/hour. She practically brushed up against my leg and just kept on going!
Several minutes later, after my body allowed my heart to start beating again, I realized it was now safe to crawl into the den. So I ran back to the truck, grabbed my camera, crawled in and took a few pictures of the cubs.
Buckshot, You have bigger ones than i do !!!! You have got to get out and play a game of"who can keep the bear up the tree with a stick the longest". Our bear season runs from sept through oct if you are interested.
Can I play Cool Pic.Buckshot.
I had a bobcat hound leave a cold track one time and start diging in a brush pile,Stuped me when i got there I thought he was diging for a Bobcat.When he got hind quaters deep and started Baying I puled him out and whent in head first with my 22 to shoot the cat.I sure was glad to see the bear hadent fully woke up yet.
George P: I'd love to come play a round of "stick-bear" with ya, and hopefully will one day. But I'll tell ya, it seems my stick always breaks at the worst possible moment, whether it's a charging beaver (that's a whole 'nother story) or a bear in reverse.
Muledeer4me: I'd like to take credit for the "nerves of steel" but honesty compels me to admit that it's more likely due to my "brain of peanut"!
That's a good story Tobey. I'll bet it would have been worth the price of admission to see you a'coming out of that hole!