I'm going on a spot-and-stalk black bear hunt in Montana this spring. Part of the strength of this site is the ability to learn vicariously from the experiences of other writers. To this end, if anyone is curious for the sake of their writing about any fact, experience, situation, or sensation that I am likely to run across in my research of the area, or during the hunt itself, let me know, and I will be happy to make a mental note to look out for it and to write it down soon after the fact for later sharing.
Posted by franc li (Member # 3850) on :
So does "spot and stalk" mean you are hunting with cameras? I guess another possibility is you run up and tag the bear with a spot of some kind.
I'm trying to remember what my most recent experience with almost dying was. It was probably in a car. I mean, whenever I have that thought in a plane I remind myself I'm much more likely to die in a car. I never think "is this it?" when I belt myself into my car. Though I do wonder if I'm going to back over someone's kid more often than is probably rational.
Posted by J (Member # 2197) on :
You stand in a high place with a good field of view (at least close to a mile) with binoculars, and you "glass" (survey the area) until you "spot" a bear. You then "stalk" close enough to the bear to get a shot. Usually the bear will have moved during the 20 minutes it takes you to get to where you last saw it, so you have to either keep your eyes on it, or, if as is likely, it strolls into cover, you have to follow it in, and try to find it again--hopefully without alarming it, as bears are exceptionally stealthy and difficult to find in cover. It's not rare to kind of stumble into close quarters with the bruin you originally saw from a mile away.
It's a great way to hunt.
Posted by franc li (Member # 3850) on :
Ah, so this is bear hunting then. Well, I can see how that might be exciting. I like fishing well enough. Perhaps someday there will be a ranch that will let you slaughter your own cow. One step from that to forcing meat eaters to kill their own meat.