Hunting in Virginia has been good. I bagged my biggest buck here, and several great spring gobblers, too. My one real complaint has been the bears, this place is full of them!
Until recently, my only encounter with bears had been the few I'd seen in our old Forest Lakes neighborhood. One bear actually walked under Sam's swing set and down our driveway. And I don't mean small bears either; the bears around here can be huge, 200-300 pounds, some more than that. That's a big animal to be walking in your back yard.
These days I try not to think about bears while out hunting. I had a close encounter with several a few years back, I still get nervous just thinking about that day.
Bears Every Where
I was spring turkey hunting with my two great friends, Mark Hall and Bob Murray, in the Gathright WMA near the West Virginia border. We had chased a few turkeys that morning, but never really got close. Mark and Bob wanted to take a break, so I worked my way back down the mountain hoping to find a lonesome gobbler.
Near the bottom I found a small draw with good turkey sign. I set out two decoys and moved back about 15 yards. I was leaning against a large pine tree, completely camouflaged from head to toe, sitting very low with my Browning, 12-guage automatic shotgun resting on my knees. I started a series of soft yelps.
I had been working my turkey call off and on when I heard something behind me, it sounded like something big walking in the leaves. My first thought was Mark and Bob, then the noise got louder; whatever was behind me had started to run my way. I quickly decided it wasn't Mark or Bob. Then it hit me, a herd of deer was about to run over me. I decided to remain sitting against that big tree, camouflaged and motionless.
Whatever was coming my way was now making a terrible noise; crashing through brush, splashing water and wailing, which sounded like a death warning to anything in it's path. My herd-of-deer theory quickly went out the window. In its place came the gut-wrenching thought of bears. All I could think about was a movie Yvonne and I had watched in the mid 1970s at the Jesup Drive-In called, 'Grizzly", a movie about a huge bear that was stalking people in the woods. I started to have difficulty breathing.
No Good Options
My first reaction was to remain as still as possible. I knew bears didn't have the best eye-sight, and I didn't want to make it easy for them to find me. Within in few seconds I could see black bears out of the corner of my eye; they seemed everywhere, and spooked, too. I think they had just smelled where I had taken a leak, and that had them nervous.
One of the grown bears had three cubs with her; I knew my situation had just become 10 times more dangerous. She had stopped about 30 yards off to my right and was looking for me. This huge bear then stood up on her back legs and looked straight at me. I could see her lips curling, smelling the air. My racing heart was telling me I had to do something, fast.
I was still motionless and completely camouflaged; I think she could smell me, but couldn't tell where I was. I was afraid to even move my eyeballs.
Several ideas quickly flashed through my mind. First, I thought about hauling-ass out of those woods, but a bear can easily out run a man. I didn't want something dragging me down from behind. Next I thought about climbing a tree, but bears are good tree climbers. Then I thought about shooting the damn bear; however, I didn't think three No. 4 turkey loads could kill a large bear, especially one trying to protect her cubs. I was seriously worrying about what to do.
Finally, I decided to wait her out, knowing there wasn't much else I could do. My plan was to remain completely still. If she came at me I was going to put two turkey loads in her face, then run like hell. It seemed liked forever, but within a few seconds the bears were gone, heading straight up that draw. I started to shake.
My turkey hunt was over. I quickly got up and started walking back to the truck. I'd gone about 25 yards when I realize I'd left my decoys. I initially told myself to forget them, I wasn't going back towards those bears. Then I remembered how much I paid for those decoys.
While heading back to the truck, I kept thinking something was following me. I picked up the pace, it was a long walk back.
The Story Keeps Getting Better With Time
I've often retold this story, adding a little more embellishment each time, especially if I've had a few bourbons. Once I told the story and a friend ended up with a strange look on her face. She said, "Mike, I don't understand something. You said you were going to shoot twice, then run. But didn't you have three shells in your shotgun?" I looked at her with my best serious face expression and said, "That's right, I was saving the last shell for me." Her husband spit his drink out laughing so hard.
Yvonne and Sam even got into the act. For Father's Day, they gave me a coffee-table book with the title, "Do You Fear Bears?"
I'm just happy I didn't end up as dinner for three little bears!
Mike's Hunting Tip - Don't pee in the woods, the bears will find you.
Mike Griffin, an old Ludowici boy from way back.
PS - All of my stories are true, mostly true or maybe just made up :)
Mike Griffin, an old Ludowici boy from way back.
PS - All of my stories are true, mostly true or maybe just made up :)
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