May 18

You've probably seen the pictures on Facebook but if not, we got a bear! Last night, Mark brought down a very large brown bear and oh my goodness, what a sight. I got a radio call from Luke telling me to have Brad and Andy stay dressed once they returned from hunting, Luke and Mark were going to need help. So as soon as they pulled in, I told them about the call and they took off in the skiff to go find the other hunters. About 20 mins later, they were back at the boat telling me to get a coat and my rubber boats, I was going back with them to see the bear. Per Brad, who has been guiding and hunting for a long time, "you are going to want to see this, it's a very large bear". So there I am, at 11 pm, throwing on a sweatshirt and boots and grabbing the camera. I climbed into the skiff with the guys and off we went. Oh my goodness. It was fairly dark when we arrived at the beach, Luke used his flashlight to guide us in and off we went. As I climbed the first small knoll, I saw a huge mound of something in front of me. I also had a flashlight and I pointed in that direction. Again, can I say, Oh my goodness? I have never seen something so amazing, this bear was not only big but beautiful. His fur was full and his head was huge, he had big paws and long claws. It was awesome. We took some pictures and they graciously let me pose with Mark, the hunter. I was sitting next to a 900 lb brown bear guys!! I can't tell you how I felt. It wasn't sadness, which is how I thought I would feel. It was more of a wonderment and an appreciation for this great animal. The hunters weren't hollering or jumping up and down in excitement, they were very respectful and seemed to be in awe by the bear. Finally, they covered him up with a tarp so they could return the next day. And guess what? They woke me up at 5 am to go with them, this would be another first for me, to see the completion of the hunt. I captured it all on photos, from start to finish. Once the hide had been removed I asked how long before the carcass would be consumed. Brad said it takes about 2 days for the other animals to get it down to bones. How amazing is that? In fact, when we left the area on the boat, there were already about 15 eagles on and around the bear starting the process. I don't know much about animal life and their habits but I do know they are constantly in search of nourishment for themselves and their young. The bear has provided greatly for them today. I'm not going to stand on a soapbox and say YIPPEE, I believe in hunting. I will say that these men have shown me respect for the animal and reverence for the process. I appreciate them sharing with me their skill, desire and expertise. It has been a brand new experience for me, one I won't soon forget. Thanks guys.....dj