Lets count my nine lives, most where while working "forestry worker".
1. spring bear hunting, bluffed 3 times by a sow black bear with a cub. 2 shots fired.
2.followed for 5 hrs working in a cut-block by 2 young wolves.
3.chased out of a cut-block by a young black bear that didnt mind bear spray
4.quading down a old road, came around a corner and was face to face with
a sow grizz with 2 cubs, the cubs took to the trees and the sow chased me, i didnt have time to turn around so i grabbed a gear and flew by her at less then 5 yards. she procceded to follow me over 1km. She had no problem staying within 25yards for the first 500m.
5. walked over a knoll in a cutblock in the winter, looked down and saw a hole with grizz tracks and a pleasent smell, i was walking away and looked back to see a young grizz sniffing the air, i was about 400yds away by then.
6.cougars are scarey when the follow you...air horns work well on them.
7. surveying a 8yr old cutblock, walking with my head down cresting a hill, i looked up to see a large dark back, thinking moose i grabbed my bear spray and air horn and yelled. A large grizzly stood up at 50yds, i dropped the air horn and grabbed the large knife out of my cruise vest. The bear sniffed the air and dropped to all fours and walked away, This was the biggest grizzly i have ever seen, i estimate his weight at well over 900lbs.
8. walking the edge of a cutblock i heard footsteps coming my way, i quickly grabbed my bear spray and faced the noise "mature forest was 5m away" Soon a huge black wolf with yellow eyes came running out! it stopped at what seemed a mere 6 feet away. i just looked at me for 5 seconds, those yellow eyes...just looking into my soul, it was a feeling i have never felt before. As the black wolf turned back to the trees i looked behind me to see 4 more wolves running off in all directions.. i was set up, if i ran i was dead....
9.Needless to say bears, wolves and cougars are dangerous, but moose top the list by far in rutting season and with young. I'v been chased by so many damn bull moose its not funny. They will charge any noise... this past elk rut i was in my hotspot, i was calling in 2-6 bulls a day earlier in the week. So i was hot on a bull elk, he was 75m a going hard but the bush was thick. i begain putting the slip on him, all of a sudden a heard footsteps and trees breaking, i got ready for the shot when a large bull moose came out at 5 yards!! tilting his head side to side, i could see his eyes where rolled back and white looking (moose hunters know) as soon as he started raking trees i RAN like i RAN FAST. i looked back once across the steep creek, he was at the top fighting with another bull! i began the walk back to my truck about 2km away...all i could hear was moose grunts antlers clashing and trees breaking..it was dusk and i was trying to tip-toe inbetween what seemed like 12 bull moose full of rage juice and ready to fight...
well needless to say i just quit my job!! only to get a new one as a cameraman...going to zimbabwe..gunna hunt some lion and elephant...i hope thats a little bit safer?
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