Bear!

 

Sitting in my room, I hear munching sounds right outside my window under the apple tree. Its the bear again I thought.

  For a couple of weeks now bears have been coming to our apple tree. One really big bear (the momma we supposed) and a smaller on.  Over the weeks they have been gorging themselves on our apples. Leaving massive piles of poop to dodge and skip over in our front yard. I had just got my black bear tag, so timing was perfect. First few nights that I had a chance, I sneak out only to have the bear be scared off by my flashlight when I try to get a shot off.

  This ends tonight. I jummped up and grabbed my gun and flashlight and loaded a few rounds as I walked towards the door. Barely daring to breath, I walk silently towards the sound of the bear feasting. In the darkness all I see is shapes outlined from what light is around. I turn on my flashlight quickly hoping to see the broadside of the bear for a good shot. Glowing eyes look up immediately, then before I even have time to aim, its gone!  Backing into the shadows and tuning off my flashlight, I stand for a couple of minutes. Listing to sounds and trying to make things out in the dark. Like ten minutes later, I here the bear coming back slowly I could tell from its frequent stops. Standing in the blackness not being able to see much even after my eyes have become accustomed to the dark, I make out a black shape emerge from the woods. Its stops, I here breathing and sniffing which sounds like a huge bear standing very close. And I imagine feeling its hot breath on my legs. I stand completely still, heart beating fast. Slowly I raise my gun, and turn on the flashlight. Not more then ten feet in front of me the bear stood facing me head on. Oh man! I dont want a head-shot. I thought in that split second. Then it was gone. This isn't working, I need to be able to see the bear to shoot at it, but cant if I keep startling it like that. Switching my headlamp to its soft green light, I leave it on and settle down on the ground to wait for the bear to come back.  Few minutes later, I hear the bear returning. Sitting on the ground I stay as still as I can. Listing to the bear come closer from out of the underbrush. The bear walks out into the open and into view of my light. Raising my gun slowly once again I aim and wait for the bear to get in a good position. I push my safety off and it makes a small click...the bear looks over and then heads for the woods! Seeing the perfect shot at the bear as it tuns to run, I shoot. I see the flash of the gun and a ear splitting bang rings fourth. The bear crashes off wildly through the bushes and I hear it moaning in the distance. My ears singing away, I get up to go look for it. I find him completely dead not more than a few hundred feet away...with a perfect shot in the vitals. It ended up being the smaller bear I shot not the bigger momma bear I had hoped to see that night.  Aaaannnnddd the rest is not all that interesting as you may know if you have processed a bear before.