The unfortunate bear attack down in the U.S. reminded me of a time I was deer hunting a couple of years ago.
I was on a watch known as ‘the hump’. It is a high rise of evergreen bush that is surrounded by swamp on 3 sides. On this day, the swamp was snow swept with icy patches amongst vast yellowing grasses. When I had just gotten to this watch I saw across the swamp, on another high piece of land, 4 pairs of dark legs slowly walking broad side to me. The distance was just over 100 yards and large tree branch hid their upper bodies so I could not make out if they were deer or moose legs. I had to watch the spectacle with my gun ready hoping to get a clear view of the animals.
It never happened.
All I could do over the next several minutes was watch those legs dissapear into the undergrowth. After the current hunting ‘run’ was over, I picked my way along the swamp to where I had seen this strange site. Half-way across the swamp I crossed a large, fresh bear track heading straight north from me. It must have just crossed before I got to this swampy watch. I took a cautious look around and kept walking. I got to the spot where I had seen the legs and quickly determined they were moose tracks.
Looking at my watch I thought I would take a snowmobile trail to another area called “the Pines” and watch there until supper. This trek was uneventful except for my return trip back to deer camp.
When I hit a straight stretch in the trail I noticed in MY snowy track (these were the tracks I left an hour and a half earlier) a bear track very similar to the track I had just seen earlier in the day. I got the strange feeling (if only for a moment) what it may feel like to be the hunted. Taking another good, long look around me, I continued my trek back to the deer camp.
The lights of the camp look pretty good that night.
Bill Anderson
Muskoka Outdoors
