Noodles for a picnic lunch!
Bear Scat!!!!
Kristie's ready for the bear!Mike and I went hunting today. We were in search of "The Big One." You know, that moose with the 60 inch rack that will fill our freezers for 5 years. However, before we get into the actual hunt, let's first talk about hunting: Mike's version of hunting and Kristie's version of hunting.
Mike has been looking forward to moose season all year long. While I've been dreaming of rain drops on roses and whiskers on kittens, Mike has been dreaming of tromping through the woods with a big gun with big bullets and shooting a big moose. His dream includes sleeping outside, eating freeze-dried meals, and smelling like Chuck Norris. His dream also includes getting up at the crack of dawn and tracking down the largest member of the deer family, shooting it, field dressing it, and bringing it home so that his family won't starve during the bitter cold winter of Alaska.
After my dream of cute kittens with tickley whiskers, I've thought about moose season, myself! I've thought of how nice it would be to have a freezer packed with moose meat. While technically I have not dreamt of hunting for a big moose, I have thought that it would be nice to go out to woods and hunt with Mike.
Here is my version of a good hunt:
1. Wake up at 8:00 a.m.
2. Drink a cup of tea and/or coffee.
3. Love the kitties for a while.
4. At about 10:00, leave home to go hunting.
5. Get to a good hunting spot and have a picnic lunch.
6. Hike along a well-maintained trail with a gun.
7. After an hour or two, hike back to the car and go home.
Needless to say, mine and Mike's version of hunting are VERY different. Mike envisioned us getting up at 4:00 this morning and head out to our "site." I softly encouraged him that my way would produce better results. He relented and let me have my way.
We left home this morning at 10:00 a.m. We got to our hunting spot around 11:00 a.m. We had a nice al fresco lunch in the woods. Mike gave me the shot gun and then provided me with two shells. I wanted to put the shells in the shot gun, but Mike made me put them in my shirt pocket. Mike loaded his rifle with really big bullets and then we were ready to go.
We were on the hunt for a moose! I was so excited, because I wanted to be a part of providing for our winter's harvest! I walked around with my "unloaded" gun watching for any trace of a moose.
Mike spotted the first thing of interest. It was scat. However, it was not from a moose. It was from a bear! Curious as to how fresh it was, I took a stick and poked around inside of it. It was pretty mushy. So, I assumed it was fresh. I started to get a little nervous thinking about a bear being in the area. I really wanted to put my shells in my gun, but Mike wouldn't let me. So, we kept walking. Mike and I finally reached a clearing that appeared to be a good spot to watch for moose. We took off our packs and got ready for our winter's meal to walk right in front of us!
Since I had heard from other hunters that a bull moose will often respond to the sound of other bull's fighting or rubbing their antlers against a tree, I decided to find a really big stick and imitate a bull moose fight and antler rubbing. I searched around for just the right stick. It didn't take long. I found a nice big tree and started hitting the tree with my big stick (imitating two bulls fighting). Then, I scraped the stick up and down the tree (imitating an antler rub). I did this for about 10 minutes and what do you think happened? Nothing! I tried again and again. Still, no moose.
Finally, Mike and I both heard something. However, it did not sound very moosey. I stopped hitting the tree to listen to this very odd and strange sound. It went "huff, huff, huff." I looked at Mike and he looked at me. The only thing I know that makes that sound is a bear. Mike walked over to me and immediately noticed the VERY fresh bear scatwithin six inches of where I was standing.
Mike took my shot gun and loaded it up for me. We stayed put for a few minutes and the huffing stopped. Of course, by this time I was so nervous that a bear could be that close to us, I wanted to get out of there FAST! Mike said, "Sweet Pea, don't worry. The bear won't come near us." Nevertheless, I kept my gun loaded and ready to go, just in case. While Mike reclined against the tree, I stood up and kept guard. If any bear was going to come our way, I was going to be ready!
Then, it struck me. I wasn't there to hunt moose. I was there to protect Mike. He needed me. The only thing that kept him from getting eaten by a bear was me (and God, of course). I saved his life by keeping watch. So, now each time Mike goes hunting, I have to go with him. I will carry the loaded shot gun and be his bear protection. When I shared this epiphany with him, he didn't seem as excited as I was. However, he'll warm up to the idea!
However, after two hours in the woods and seeing too much bear scat, I decided we should head back home without a moose. My perfect day of hunting had come true!
Mike has been looking forward to moose season all year long. While I've been dreaming of rain drops on roses and whiskers on kittens, Mike has been dreaming of tromping through the woods with a big gun with big bullets and shooting a big moose. His dream includes sleeping outside, eating freeze-dried meals, and smelling like Chuck Norris. His dream also includes getting up at the crack of dawn and tracking down the largest member of the deer family, shooting it, field dressing it, and bringing it home so that his family won't starve during the bitter cold winter of Alaska.
After my dream of cute kittens with tickley whiskers, I've thought about moose season, myself! I've thought of how nice it would be to have a freezer packed with moose meat. While technically I have not dreamt of hunting for a big moose, I have thought that it would be nice to go out to woods and hunt with Mike.
Here is my version of a good hunt:
1. Wake up at 8:00 a.m.
2. Drink a cup of tea and/or coffee.
3. Love the kitties for a while.
4. At about 10:00, leave home to go hunting.
5. Get to a good hunting spot and have a picnic lunch.
6. Hike along a well-maintained trail with a gun.
7. After an hour or two, hike back to the car and go home.
Needless to say, mine and Mike's version of hunting are VERY different. Mike envisioned us getting up at 4:00 this morning and head out to our "site." I softly encouraged him that my way would produce better results. He relented and let me have my way.
We left home this morning at 10:00 a.m. We got to our hunting spot around 11:00 a.m. We had a nice al fresco lunch in the woods. Mike gave me the shot gun and then provided me with two shells. I wanted to put the shells in the shot gun, but Mike made me put them in my shirt pocket. Mike loaded his rifle with really big bullets and then we were ready to go.
We were on the hunt for a moose! I was so excited, because I wanted to be a part of providing for our winter's harvest! I walked around with my "unloaded" gun watching for any trace of a moose.
Mike spotted the first thing of interest. It was scat. However, it was not from a moose. It was from a bear! Curious as to how fresh it was, I took a stick and poked around inside of it. It was pretty mushy. So, I assumed it was fresh. I started to get a little nervous thinking about a bear being in the area. I really wanted to put my shells in my gun, but Mike wouldn't let me. So, we kept walking. Mike and I finally reached a clearing that appeared to be a good spot to watch for moose. We took off our packs and got ready for our winter's meal to walk right in front of us!
Since I had heard from other hunters that a bull moose will often respond to the sound of other bull's fighting or rubbing their antlers against a tree, I decided to find a really big stick and imitate a bull moose fight and antler rubbing. I searched around for just the right stick. It didn't take long. I found a nice big tree and started hitting the tree with my big stick (imitating two bulls fighting). Then, I scraped the stick up and down the tree (imitating an antler rub). I did this for about 10 minutes and what do you think happened? Nothing! I tried again and again. Still, no moose.
Finally, Mike and I both heard something. However, it did not sound very moosey. I stopped hitting the tree to listen to this very odd and strange sound. It went "huff, huff, huff." I looked at Mike and he looked at me. The only thing I know that makes that sound is a bear. Mike walked over to me and immediately noticed the VERY fresh bear scatwithin six inches of where I was standing.
Mike took my shot gun and loaded it up for me. We stayed put for a few minutes and the huffing stopped. Of course, by this time I was so nervous that a bear could be that close to us, I wanted to get out of there FAST! Mike said, "Sweet Pea, don't worry. The bear won't come near us." Nevertheless, I kept my gun loaded and ready to go, just in case. While Mike reclined against the tree, I stood up and kept guard. If any bear was going to come our way, I was going to be ready!
Then, it struck me. I wasn't there to hunt moose. I was there to protect Mike. He needed me. The only thing that kept him from getting eaten by a bear was me (and God, of course). I saved his life by keeping watch. So, now each time Mike goes hunting, I have to go with him. I will carry the loaded shot gun and be his bear protection. When I shared this epiphany with him, he didn't seem as excited as I was. However, he'll warm up to the idea!
However, after two hours in the woods and seeing too much bear scat, I decided we should head back home without a moose. My perfect day of hunting had come true!
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