My brother-in-law’s and my backcountry hunt started on Friday the 13th at 3:00 pm after a long drive from B-ham. We managed to get 4 of the 10+ miles completed before darkness came. We hacked (literally) out the hillside to make a level spot for our tent. The remaining 6 or so miles were HOT and we managed to slog our way to our 7000 foot perch just in time to watch a bruiser of bear trot off 60 yards from our camp! First of many encounters…more on that! Spent the evening glassing two basins, mine fruitless, however, Mike’s had two legal bucks roughly 1000 yards away! Sleep was not easy with bucks located and ideas of a great opener preoccupied our minds. Opening morning we woke to the lovely GPS alarm at 4:30 and got to our planned rocks to possibly catch our bucks prior to them bedding. The ‘golden’ hours passed and no bucks had been located. I took a break from glassing since I felt I was becoming permanently cross-eyed when I heard a twig snap to my right, then another, followed by some huffing. Being 10-15’ off the ground on a rock outcropping I couldn’t make out what was 20 or so feet away until I start seeing a tree swaying next to me. A few seconds later I’m watching a bear climb a tree 20’ away and he has not the slightest clue I’m there! I uttered a few “holy ****” and grabbed my gear and moved back to Mike’s position! No more than 30 seconds after retelling my encounter I put my pack down only to see another bear (#3) walking up the hill 30 yards from us, it winds us and bolts. We marvel at our ironic predicament since neither him nor I bought a tag this season and have seen three bears all within 60 yards! We concluded our bucks had bedded and decided to close the gap and get within 500 yards “in case” they were there and presented a shot later in the day. Seven hours passed and as if by magic a buck appeared, then another, followed by two more! Except the first seemed to be staring directly at us and locked up. He moves back into the timber and pulls #2 with him while #3 and 4 browse out into the basin. #3 buck beds in the grass while #4 continues to browse until he too locks up and stares directly at our position. I inform Mike they are 448 yards out and the bedded buck is legal and if he can take the shot to do so quick since #4 looks nervous. Mike sets up and just before he is able to shoot #3 stands and trots off with #4 into the timber, none of the 4 to be seen again. More excitement came Monday night, or was it Tuesday (amazing how the days blur together), in the form of a crazy ass thunder storm. At 11 pm we had 00 buck size hale, followed by lightning on either side of our ridge, and at 1:30 am it took all we had to keep our tent on the ground as we had 40-50 mph winds rip over our ridge! The whole time we wondered if we were going to ‘get it’ by way of lighting or one of the many surrounding trees succumbing to wind. We woke in amazement to be alive and yet realized our entire world was wet…packs, sleeping bags, clothes,…everything! The temperature never climbed above 50 degrees and we either spent the day being sleeted or snowed on. We tried locating the four bucks that gave us the slip; however, believe they decided to go ‘low’ due to the storm (smart deer…stupid humans!). Wind was awful and decided to glass hillsides out of the wind. Once again Mike and I separated to get different perspectives. He stayed low while I climbed, during which I stopped and glanced over my shoulder only to catch a bear walking near where I saw Mike last! An hour later at our first communication check Mike informed me that a bear walked within 15 yards of him and that it was a nice color phase 250-300 pounder; which never saw or detected him. Wednesday we attempted to find the four bucks but only managed to jump a group of five young bucks, but nothing over a 2 point. We spent some more time glassing and still hunting bumping a plenty of does and small bucks but nothing that was shoot-able. Mike’s bear encounters continued to occur the last of which caught him off guard holding his prized “gun” with his rifle propped out of arms reach! He took a piss break 10’ away from a sleeping bear, fortunately nothing more transpired, and both ran their separate ways! We wrapped up our high hunt Thursday by still hunting our way back out; which became almost unbearable with all the new blow downs…hundreds, yes hundreds of trees littered the 6 or so miles of trail! We managed to get back to the truck by 4:00 pm and were completely dead. Saving grace was East Pizza on Hwy 20…man that is some good pie!
Overall great trip, we managed to achieve 2 of our 4 goals – stay out longer and find more deer. However, we failed on packing lighter and harvesting, but in hind sight the additional weight in clothes was welcomed when I needed something dry and warm! In true Bears fan fashion – “there is always next season!” Maybe fourth deer season will be the charm?
