Incredible place to be so close to home.
I was walking out from that wallow, just getting dark. Saw some movement ahead, looked like a porcupine so I kept moving, slow and quiet. Got about 40 more yards, saw the movement again and it was a bear cub, really small too. A little to the right, a second cub!
Cool for about 1.87 seconds, then you know mommas nearby and you are only 20 yards from her kids. No kidding, within 2 seconds of spotting the cubs, they spot me, make a little yelp and go climbing up a couple aspens. That’s my que to exit, and I start quartering away from the cubs, quick and looking everywhere.
Got about 40 yards from the cubs and hear limbs breaking behind me, momma bear had come from the direction of my wallow. I must have walked right near her. She stopped at the aspen trees the cubs were at, got up on her hind legs and stared at me. I’m backing up, thinking how Can I shoot her if I have to. Fucking bear spray, got left in camp. Anyway, she never chased me, I got out of there PDQ.
Damn good times up there.