After killing 2 bulls last year, we retired early for the pack out the next day. We had an open air camp in the back country. The bushes began to wiggle next to my sleeping bag when out popped a bear who had come in for a quick meal of elk meat. There stands 3 guys in their underwear on their sleeping bags at full draw. Needless to say, we had bear meat hanging in camp that night.

Several years ago I was stalked by a large cougar. After several seconds of screaming and clawing action, the cougar layed down and went to sleep. It now hangs on the wall of my den. It was 7 foot 2 inches and met its demise not 15 yards from me. What a feeling that was as you only have a 2% chance of surviving a cougar attack.

I was scouting for elk a couple of years ago and had 2 close encounters with bears that day. One gave way after some shouting and bluff charges by myself. The other would not move and I had to make way for the large boar to get by me on the trail. I only had a large stick and he was standing about 20 yards from me. The only plan I had was to ram my walking stick down his mouth if he tried to charge me.

Usually when we make an evening kill on elk, the mountain comes alive with sounds as we walk out with the meat. I have heard some of the god awefullest screaming coming off the mountain as the scavengers fight over the scraps as we are walking out. I love every minute of it. The mountains have a way of humbling even the toughest of men.