I'm runni'n a small trapline on state land in western NY.

Today I was checking my traps as usual and the sun was going down as I was in the middle of my trapp line.

When I got to my last foot hold I saw that there was a front leg of an 'possum in the trap....no meatparts, no fur...not anything but a lot of blood and a lot of really big bear foot prints.

I reset the foothold and started to walk back to my car about a mile away.

After about a houndred yards I heard some noises sounding like heavy breathing behind me. I stoped but the breathing continued and as I walked back I could see bear foot prints just 10 yards away from where I'd just been walking.

Since I was just carrying a .22 rimfire I was starting to get concerned about my safety.

The 20 minute walk back to the car was a nightmare....everytime I stoped I could hear the bear take another step and breath down my neck....I tried to walk calmly not to raise his hunting instinct and I tried to force myself not to let my heart start galloping since I didn;t want him to know I was panicing.
As soon as I came to the car I loaded my slug gun and took a walk back to see if it was allimagination or a real experiance and sure enough there really was a set of bear foot prints right over my own almost all the way upp to my car.

Did anyone one of you guys ever got "stalked" by a bear?

Is this something I should worry about in the future or was it a once in a lifetime occurance.

I'm not easily scared bu5t todays event really got me shakey....from now on the slug gun is a new partner when I walk the "line".

swede1