So, truck was loaded, gassed up, and wife and kids kissed good bye and told I would see them in 10 days. Hit hwy with high hopes of bagging Mr. Big Boar early Monday morning. Have been scouting and seeing couple of bears on each trip, one being very respectable, so confidence was high. I pulled into get ice and final few items and I receive text from buddy.
“Hey, did you draw some kinda special tag I don’t know about?” Finding this odd question, as, we applied as partners for our tags, I texted back
“HUH? Don’t understand question” . He calls me and informs me the area I’m headed did not open till 15th

…Talk about letting air outta guy..This is first year I have gotten serious about bear, and others I’ve been talking to all hunt different area, and opener is 1st..Glad he gave me call. I know I should have looked, and its my responsibility to know regs, but, it hurt. It would have been bad deal to have gotten bear I’m hoping to harvest, only to lose it and considerate amount of money and time in fines and court dates. Definitely lesson learned..