Northwest Sportsman – August 2019

nwsportsmanmag.com | AUGUST 2019 Northwest Sportsman 119

HUNTING

By Douglas Boze

T

here is something magical

that happens to my soul when

it comes to bear hunting. The

allure is hard to describe to those who

have not experienced it. The sensation

seems to carry over regardless of

whether I pull the trigger (or release

the arrow) or someone else does. As

long as I am there, I have it.

If you have never experienced bear

hunting, well, let me fill you in a little

bit. There is a silent anticipation and

excitement that comes with trying

to spot one of these creatures. Once

spotted, there remains an almost

giddy joy at watching them focus

on whatever food source they are

devouring at the time, as their coat

glistens in the daylight. Watching

With expanded opportunities in one Northwest state, this year might be the one to

try your hand at bagging a bruin.

bears allows me to share for a brief

moment a part of their story of life

and get a glimpse of an animal that

deserves our respect and admiration.

BLACK BEARS INHABIT some truly

amazing country in Western

Washington, where I live, and across

the rest of the Northwest. The fall

hunting season also occurs during

a time of year when berries are ripe

for the picking, the days are long, the

weather is generally too hot rather

than too cold, and adventure is

always right around the corner.

It’s also different from deer or elk

season. Bears can hunt you, though

they’re generally reclusive and shy,

and they’re not a pack or herd animal.

They can be found anywhere, from

the low foothills just outside of town

Fall bears are a secondary thought for many

big game hunters chasing deer and elk, but

for some like author Douglas Boze they’re a

passion that takes them to the highest heights

and widest appreciations for the bounty the

Northwest offers. (JAMES SYLVESTER)

Hunting Fall Bears

As it is with salmon and baitfish, if you can find

the forage, it’s pretty likely you’ll find bears.

This time of year it’s ripening berries, and a

bowl full of them in the high country led to the

discovery of a hungry bruin for Boze and his

brother John. (DOUGLAS BOZE)