Adam Schnell

Unfortunately, a real bear attack is not a showdown you can prepare for with an over abundance of ammunition. You hear some crashing, turn and see a black or brown streak of motion coming impossibly fast, and then you’re on your back or stomach with 400-800 pounds of pressure pinning you down. There’s a lot of pain and chaos. You have no strength nor dignity in this moment, and nothing you can do will affect your fate. You’ll make it or you won’t.

I heard the snap of a large branch and a heavy tread approaching. I set down my phone, picked up my bow, and faced it toward the oncoming racket. I saw the first movement at about 80 yards away. At 60, I could see it was an elk. At 50 I could see it was a legal bull, and he was coming in fast.

I got word from my neighbor there’s a bobcat haunting my woodshed. Curious, I chucked a few deer skulls in there and deployed one of my game cameras to see if I could catch him when he came calling again. And what do you know…