Predator to Prey

 

Written by: Tina Chin (Calgary, Canada)

 

It was the last day of my hunting trip, and I was preoccupied with trying to pick my morale off the

floormats. I could count the number of animals we’d seen in the last few days on one hand, despite the

long days and commendable, albeit failed efforts to battle ferocious pines.

 

We were tracking an elusive, Super Pooper – I couldn’t believe how many turds I’d picked apart and inspected for freshness – but all

trails turned cold. 

 

I had barely taken my first sip of instant joe, when suddenly –

“We have to move! I see him. Let’s go, let’s go!”

In a panicked flurry of events, I grabbed the rifle and scurried after him. He was already a hundred yards down the powerline right-of-way. My heart and thoughts were racing.

 

Should I tell him that I forgot to change my sandals into hiking boots? Should I tell him I forgot my

earplugs, and had stuffed a wadded piece of used tissue from my pocket into my right ear? I’ll say

something, but maybe when I finally catch up to him.

 

As I huffed and puffed myself onto a grassy knoll next to him, I finally get my first glance of the dark

shape moving about 50 yards down the line. As my mentor gently sets up the tripod, the bear does as

wild animals do… He bolts.

 

We give chase.

 

I nearly lost a sandal in the squishy wet mud. 

Amongst the dense pines, the bear stops and stares back at us. I took a kneeling position, but couldn’t

see him in the scope.

 

“I can’t find him! I’m also not confident in this kneeling position.”

 

I hated to disappoint him, but I was still a novice shooter and hunter. Afterall, this was only my second hunt in my life. My mentor placed his hand on my shoulder firmly.

 

“If you’re not confident, don’t take the shot. Only pull the trigger if he gives you an opening. We don’t

want to injure him, and lose him in this kind of forest.” 

 

A few seconds later, the bear turns and disappears into the green.

 

The hike back was a painful one. My hanging head, drooping shoulders and soaking socks were clearly

not missed by my mentor, as he chuckles and rambles on about how “this is hunting, not shooting.”

 

As we clear the trees, he stops abruptly in front of me and signals me to get down. There was a second,

bigger bear sauntering towards us, nose up in the air. 

 

Was he stalking us the whole time? Chills ran down my spine, while fear and adrenaline set fire to my

limbs. I could hardly chamber the bullet. 

 

But at 30 yards, I was set up in prone position, trying to steady my breath. 

At 25 yards, he turns broadside. 

 

Split second later, I squeeze the trigger once and the bear crashes belly to grass, four legs splayed. My

mentor takes the rifle from my wildly trembling hands and claps me on the back. We laid in the wet

grass, waiting for him to take his final breaths and I tried to control my fearful breathing. I hadn’t

mentally prepared to be anyone’s breakfast this morning, and it felt too close for comfort.

 

Nothing prepares you for the spectrum of emotions felt during hunting. As I put my hands on the bear

for the first time, I felt overwhelming elation and a sense of achievement. I was just a city girl, who had

discovered that all her excuses and “I can’t’s” could be defeated by simply getting out there and trying. 

 

It has been months since the hunt, I continue to think about that day – the chase, the disappointment,

the fear, the joy. 

 

 

The bear skull now sits on my coffee table, reminding me every day of the lessons and hard work of the

adventure. It reminds me of my mentor’s patience in teaching me how to shoot, how to handle the rifle

safely and how to uphold the highest standards in hunting ethics. I went on to notch 5 more hunts this

year, and I can’t stop learning. Each adventure has been humbling and knowledge-filled in its own way,

and the mentors I’ve met along the way have been the most incredible, inspiring human beings.

 

Dreaming of the next adventure (and full freezer) already.

 

Thank you for reading!

 

後記

Tina寫了一篇文章，記錄獵熊的經過，參加「Women Hunt」徵文，獲勝，得到一把Weatherby Model 307 Range XP的來福槍，口徑7 mm PRC，價值美金1200元。

她在佛羅里達坐遊輪的最後幾天發現贏了競賽，12月23日回到家，剛好她的PAL也到了，她非常高興。