I hear Doug yell, not sure what all he is yelling but I hear the word BEAR! for sure several times amongst other garbled words along with my name.
I knock an arrow as I don't know if the bear is coming or going...but more yells ring out a little further away. I take my judo point out and stick it in the ground at last blood, move off to the right about 5 yards to try and stay off what I think is the blood line and I take off toward the ruckus.
I stop as I hear yet more yelling, barking, whooping and growling and I fear Doug is in a fight so I start carrying the mail myself in a panic for my long time hunting partner.
As I cleared the white pines and hopped up onto an old logging road I see Doug up ahead strutting around like a bantam rooster, much like Lawrence Taylor after a quarterback sack, still making victory war hoops as the bear laid dead just beyond him. And for good reason.....Doug done good let me tell ya!!!
Doug had spotted the bear laying facing away from him like a gator and its ears sticking up gave it away. Doug moved in and the bear stood and started to leave and he managed to get two more arrows into the bear. The 1st one entered the rear ham on the right side penetrating about 17 inches. Doug caught up to within 10 yards and it turned broadside, looked Doug in the eyes and growled. So, Doug let her have it passing the next Wensel Woodsman slap though it mid ship. Blacky was done,.... fell over stone dead.
The celebration was something special as Doug and I have been chasing bears for years in these special mountains, both pulling for each other as much as we pulled for ourselves. We'd surely hunt solo up there at times, but as Doug mentioned, if one of us was there and the other wasn't, something was missing. We'd shared so many memories over the years in the Wilderness together. So many chases, close calls, what if's, if only's and on and on and on. For us both to share in our 1st bear kill together was quiet poetic.....and probably fate. It was only fitting, ......and ever so sweet.
I don't know who was more excited......does it really matter?
What a ride!!!
What a Hunt!!!
What a memory between two life long friends!!!
Thanks Doug.....I love ya brother.