| There are times when the hunters will face | | | | |
| some danger, specially the danger from the | | | | Pointing my gun barrel ahead, I cautiously |
| wild animal's attach such as bear. What will | | | | peered into the cave. My heart came into my |
| be the best way for him to do? | | | | mouth for I detected movement in the dark |
| | | | recesses. I did not lose complete control, |
| My companion looked at me, I looked at him, | | | | however, although the gun barrel wobbled so |
| and the same idea hit us at the same moment. | | | | that I could not center the sights on the |
| What would have happened if we had hit that | | | | animal. I don't like to shoot unless I am |
| bear? Would we have killed it or would we | | | | reasonably certain of my target, and by the |
| have wounded it? In either case it would have | | | | time I had settled down enough to do serious |
| fallen and landed in or near our canoe. A | | | | work with the gun, I had recovered composure |
| dead bear would have broken the canoe in | | | | enough to identify my game as a porcupine. |
| half, falling from a hundred feet. But | | | | What a letdown! I never saw a bear or a deer |
| suppose the bear had been wounded? Think of | | | | that day, although I found a wild bee tree in |
| the situation. Two men and a wounded bear | | | | a swampy area that I could use as a bait at |
| struggling in the water within eight feet of | | | | some later date, to attract a bear to me as I |
| each other. What a scene for a movie shot! | | | | waited in a stand nearby. I never did. |
| | | | |
| The best of us will make mistakes of judgment | | | | You probably don't know it, but I am a |
| at the unexpected sight of game. Luckily we | | | | reformed poacher. No, the wardens didn't |
| both missed the bear. It took us nearly an | | | | reform me. I woke up to the fact that such |
| hour to find a landing place and to climb to | | | | actions are not fair to you boys, to the rest |
| the spot where the bear had been. We didn't | | | | of the guides, or to the people of Maine. I |
| go deer hunting that evening. | | | | have even stooped so low as to sell deer to |
| | | | unsuccessful hunters, but in some of these |
| Another time a small group of us went on a | | | | cases it was sympathy for them rather than |
| combined deer and bear hunt near the town of | | | | money that influenced me. I hate to see any |
| Emden, down state, where bears had been doing | | | | hunter who has hunted diligently for a week |
| some damage. Now bear hunting is a great | | | | or so go back home without his deer. Again, I |
| sport, but hunting Maine bears is a tough | | | | believe that any man who is willing to spend |
| proposition. I am not good enough to risk my | | | | his money here hunting should have some |
| guiding reputation by handling bear hunters. | | | | concrete return. I have no sympathy for the |
| If you think our bears are no different from | | | | man who sits around camp all day, drinking |
| other bears, just ask some of the best bear | | | | and playing poker instead of getting out into |
| hunters in the south what they think of our | | | | the woods and enjoying our great |
| product. There are some pretty cagey animals | | | | out-of-doors. I don't care whether he goes |
| in the Maine woods-and they are not all wild. | | | | home empty-handed or not; he has got just |
| | | | what he came for. But the case of the |
| We split up and started to hunt, each in his | | | | unsuccessful one who has hunted diligently is |
| own individual manner. I was not too | | | | different. |
| experienced with- bear hunting, yet I knew | | | | |
| the chances of seeing a night-loving bear | | | | If a hunter see the threat from a wild |
| roaming around in the daytime were pretty | | | | animal, it is better for him to keep himself |
| slim. Traveling through the woods, I checked | | | | in a hiding place until the threat pass. It |
| signs of both deer and bears. There were | | | | is better than if he has to face the wild |
| plenty of both and the strong, unmistakable | | | | animal face to face which can cause him into |
| smell of bears was in the air. I poked around | | | | trouble. Deer hunt is a hobby which is |
| in the likely hiding places, finally coming | | | | exciting to the people who can enjoy it and |
| to a large boulder where there was a | | | | take the great fun of it, even he can get the |
| good-sized cave under the rock. | | | | deer or not for the day. |