Keep your eyes open! September 2003

By Dan Metzgar, Ohio

Our 2003 hunt was a very exciting. It was an early season bugling hunt. 

On the second day a front moved through and things cooled down for a couple days. Not long after leaving camp, my partner and I gave a good bugle and got a response right of way. After several answers we set up in hopes of him coming in. I put my partner out on a rocky point and I sat behind a short ways. During my calling, I heard some kind of commotion to my right but whatever it was it never crashed off. It remained close. 

After what seemed like a long time I informed my partner we'd have to go to the bull. He just gave a tiny nod. I chuckled and whispered he could move - the bull couldn't see us. He moved very slowly and whispered "What about that bear?" I said "what?". He said "What about that bear?" I said "what bear?".  He pointed and said "That bear right over there". During my calling a small black bear came working up the rocky point and just about jumped in my partner's lap. Ben wasn't sure who was scared worse.

 I never saw the bear but that explained the commotion I heard. We passed on the bear as we both had bull tags and had a bull working. Passing paid off as we stalked in and killed the bull. A very nice 5pt. The bear came in on the carcass as the packer and I were packing out the bull. We still didn't get him. While bringing out the bull very late we encountered a mountain lion on the trail. He didn't cause any trouble. We just met on the trail at the same time. 

This will be one of my most memorable hunts if not the most memorable. It was Ben's first time to the mountains and what a first outing for a young man.