So, the story goes...
I was out archery elk hunting near clockum pass this last week. I hear an elk bugiling in the near distance, across a little gully with a small spring and trees down it. I call my calf call (as I didnt have my cow call on me....lol) and the elk responds...I figure cool, cause I called in a 7X6 in Nooksack the week previous with the same call....I hear crashing in the gully...but it seemed closer than the elk, so I figured perhaps there was another one in the gully...It was feasable that it could be the elk bugiling though....
He calls back...but he still sounds like he is on the side hill on the other side...but after a few back calls back and forth, I get to thinking this is another hunter, as the animal is not coming down or crashing around ...but I still hear a few sticks snapping in the gully below...the wind was in my favor...
I get ready by crossing the closed road I am on (by the way....too many people cannot read red signs that state the road is closed to unauthorized vehicles....MORONS!)...the gully/trees is just to my right..I position myself, behind a 4/5 ft stump with some smaller trees surrounding it...the crashing is more apperant..I quickly shoot with my range finder where I think the "elk" will be coming out at....28.5 yrds...I crouch down ...now something is definetly coming close...and quick...believing this still to be an elk (assuming...sigh ) I pull back and hold my bow chest level of where this guy will pop out (of course I wouldnt release the arrow until I was sure of my target, but I wanted to be ready...just wanted to point that out)...and BOOM!...a gorgeous black bear barrels out of the smaller trees, ontop of the road, a bit closer than the 28.5 yrds I figured...I would say about 25 yrds or so...
I was so shocked I paused for a sec...the bear reached the road from the gulley, rested for a split second and then barrelled into the brush across the road...I never did shoot as it happened so fast and by the time I realized what was going on, the bear was headed slightly down the road and up the embankment...making a poor shot....It was a blast and freaked me out for a second as I thought he might come eat the little calf sound I was making...
(my .45 was in camp...stupid law...
Anyway...so ya..my first confirmed bear calling....and I totally wasnt ready...at least I lived to tell about it.
I will post pics of the elk hunt once I get the pics up...I found a 5pt elk shed matching pair too!
Cheers,
Saylean~
