Well I have been hunting since I was 12 years old I am now 65. I have hunted bear for many years but in 1982 it was my turn and here is my story. I had been hunting the same area here in potter county 25 yrs. My son Andy had a buddy Andy and we were hunting together the last day of the season, the year was 1982. We had been hunting the first two days and this was the last day, we had been out early in the mornig and at lunch we went back to the store to get some lunch (Fran & Hen' s coffee shop for the hunters that remember) after lunch the boys did not feel like going out because it was raining and snowing which makes for a very tough day but I talk them into going out. We went back to the same area and were walking up thought the hollow and when we got about half way to he top I spotted a bear tract and a few tiny drops of blood. Well that change the mood of everybody. I knew were that bear was heading and told the boy to head to the top one was to stop three quarter of the way up and the other to go to the top, and to hurry!!! I was going to do the tracting and was not going to stop and give the bear time to lay down because when they are pushed in that area they will cross at the same spot all the time. When I took up the tract it took me into the worst kind of laurel and hemlock anywhere. When we were near the top the bear turn onto a bench and headed right for the boys. The rain and the snow was terrible I could onlyabout 3 or 4 yards ahead of me, and the bear had laid down serval times but there was not a lot of blood. I started to go slowrching very inch ahead of me. I knew that the bear could make a charge at any time do to his wound and it would be very close. I always carry my 357 when hunting bear alway did always will I took out the 357 because it was very tight with laurel and the encounter could be very close not allowing me to raise the rifle(30-06) it got so bad I had to get out of it and go around to were the one Andy was. when I got to Andy and told him what had happen, as I was telling hime the bear stuck his head out of the laurel and Andy could not see him. I brought up my rifle fired into his chest at 30Yds he went down got up and quarted away from me I fired again behind the left front shoulder he went down, got up and turn down the hill unto a trail, he was about 60yrds away and still on his feet I put a round down into his back breaking it and that put a stop to him. He was hit with 3-180 grain bullets, he was 187lbs not big but gave me the thrill of a life time. The blood came from a shot that went in one side of his mouth and came out the other and took out a tooth. That same year I hit one with my car on denton hill and kill that one, so I had two bear in one year. hope you enjoyed the story. henry