1200 lbs of Attitude
We just stopped in for supplies from our month long moose camp. So far my little wife is glowing in the fact she got the first and maybe only moose.
I have never had so many close encounters with bears and wolves. I know, you have heard that wolves NEVER attack people. Well, what is a hungry pack of wolves to do?
Between them and a hoard of grizzly and black bears, the moose population is at about 20% of what it was the last few years.
Two of the grizz measured at 16 inch long by 10 inch wide footprint. I think they are as big as they can get with an attitude to go with it. They certainly don't "shoosh" very well.
The wolves have footprints 7 inches long. This morning I took a little stroll and found that two wolves came into our camp .The critters will go at least 10 feet from nose to tail. I don't feel real comfortable hiking around with them following not far behind.
The black bears have visited at our camp twice. The first time was just after dark and it put the gals a bit on edge. The second time they were playing cards when a big "woof" sounded not more than 30 yards away. It could have been one of the medium sized grizz ( only about 700 lbs) that have been hanging around.
So far we have two huge grizz and two big grizz, along with a few large black bears hanging too close around.
Lin hasn't healed from her spine-fusion as of yet, so there are days when I have to go alone.
We are always careful, but some times the brush is thick with no room for war.
My brother, Gib, and his wife Linda, have been hunting with us until two days ago. Gib had to get back to the North Slope for work.
Lin and Linda drove up on a large sow grizz with three big fuzzy cubs standing in the road. All four scooted off into the brush without incident.
I suppose that it may have crossed your mind why we take some shaky chances to get the winters moose meat.
Lately I have had to question it myself. We still have a week of hiking the brushy trails and swamps. Packing out 200 lb hind quarters of moose in "hungry bear" country, will also make one take inventory. By the time you get the pack off, the bear can have both you and the pack in it's mouth, running off into the alder thickets.
Unfortunately bears don't just come into camp and prowl around looking for something to eat. They grab things and run into the brush. Sometimes the "something" is people.
During my "Bear Attack Siminars", I teach people to tie a "lanyard cord" or strap around their arm, and tie it to their weapon. At least if you get dragged out of your tent, your gun will be dragged with you. Then maybe, just maybe, you can defend yourself before the bad things happen.
I heard that last week a lady was mauled while jogging at the edge of Soldotna. When I say edge, I mean a few hundred yards from the busiest intersection. Several maulings have happened this summer within the city limits.
Tomorrow we'll be headed back to moose camp. Hopefully we'll bring home the moose, not some bad story of a disagreement with 1200 lbs of attitude with claws.