The first time you ever hunt, is exciting in a way that nothing else can match. The anticipation, the unexpected, the learning, the experience, no matter what happens, it's a trip of a lifetime.
Not having enough seinority at work, my vacation fell on the final week of a 2 month hunting season here. We arrived in the Mendocino National Forest to set up camp with enough time for an evening hunt. I pulled on my "Hardwoods HD" clothing and backpack, clipped the Garmin Rino 530HCx GPS/Radio to a pack strap, slipped the Steiner C5 Predator 10x40 binoculars around my neck, loaded "Thumper's" 5 round factory magazine with Hornady .450 factory ammo, and checked the lenses of the Zeiss 3-9x40 scope. I don't make a lot of money. It has taken years of saving, and carefully watching sales and specials to assemble my gear.
Over the 5 days we followed trails, tracks, and bear scat, through tree cover thick enough that visibility was usually 20-30 feet ... not yards, feet. In cover like this, any bear definately had the advantage, but I had "Thumper", and my determination. Occasionally we found a small clearing of trees filled with vegetation, and a trickle of creekwater. We would set up to watch for activity. With the wind in my face, and sun at my back, I scanned the treeline and held "Thumper" at the ready. As the sun set and the circle of darkenss constricts, every shadow is a bear. Every shadow must be scrutinized with the binoculars, but slowly so as not to give yourself away. Nothing.
We hunted morning and evening, but beginners luck was not to visit me. The area had already been hunted heavily for 2 months. All of the bear scat was dark, and the tracks were not fresh. Most likely all of the bears had moved far out of range, into an area where the season had already closed.
In summary, I didn't see the biggest bear I never shot at infinate distance. It was the trip of a lifetime.
Bill
