Spring Bear 2000

The snow clings to our boots and pants as we fight our way through waist deep snow to a bare place where we can drop our packs. The view ahead is pure white forcing us to give up on our attempt to get the cabin- wrecking- Ceaser- Lake bear and head back down to Lowell Creek. This change in plans is the fourth major set back caused by an unusually late spring in the Yukon. 

The first hunter Jim Diamond arrived May 5th. We spent that night at Pike Lake and next morning head up to Joel Creek. The ice is just breaking up so we wait a bit and then launch the boat and get to the cabin. Joel and Jim then go hunting while I return to get the rest of the gear. They power upstream until stopped by a ice dam. Next day we again try upstream, are able to get past the one ice dam but only for a way until we hit another and again are forced to drift back down. This time Joel spots our first grizzly on a clay bank but we decide to let it grow.

Next morning we head down to the Rock. That evening we count 16 moose but no grizzly. In the morning we move up river, set up camp and then go for the evening hunt. This time we count 26 moose and a wolf, some fresh grizzly tracks but nothing that we wanted to wait around for although Joel is now pressuring Dad to get the hovercraft so he can be the first to hunt this moose paradise. We then drift back to the Coal and power up to Joel Creek.

6 inches of snow greet us in the morning so we decide to change camp and try the La Biche. It takes us all day to get there but do get in an evening hunt. One set of big grizzly tracks and several buffalo makes the days count. Next day Jim and I do a day trip but only find more buffalo and a small black bear. In the evening Joel and Jim go out by ATV while I try to get up the river by boat. The river was just too low and rough and the bear sign just too poor so we head back to the Coal.

That evening Joel and Jim find where a moose has drowned and a bear has dragged the carcass up on a gravel bar. The next evening we are all set up waiting for him. At 7.30 he shows up but is quite nervous. The swirling winds must be giving him a touch of our scent. He moves into about 250 yards and then is gone. The next day we are there early but he has already dragged the whole moose into the willows. We wait and wait. At about 7.00 a black wolf shows up and awhile later a grey black. We watch and a couple times Jim could have knocked them both of with one shot but the government in its "wisdom" has closed our spring wolf season. The wait is not in vain though as soon Mister grizz comes lumbering out, makes a pass at the wolves shows Jim his rear. After a bit he turns, faces us and then looks left. The 375 H&H speaks and Jim has an exceptional 8 foot plus mountain grizzly. 

This bear had an old bullet scar high on it's chest confirming my suspicion that it was the same bear wounded in 95. 

Robert Strebel from Switzerland was our next hunter along with Christina and Wolf. Our plan was to try for a big boar that had wrecked our Ceaser Lake Lodge last year but the road was washed out so we went to Joel Creek first. They could have taken a nice wolf the first night but the season is closed. The moose and bear are about cleaned up by ravens so a long trip up the Coal is planned. We are about to turn back at Bob's Canyon when a nice boar is spotted. Wolf was able to capture him on video but Robert didn't want to stop hunting yet so we let him go.

Word reaches us that the road is now open so we head up to Lowell Creek and Ceaser only to run into the snow as per the opening paragraph so our plans are changed again. Most of the bear sign is high so we go to Ernie's Cabin. The first day we spot many caribou and moose with their calves but no bear. Next day we hit the hot springs for a good soak and that evening turn down a small boar who is right on the trail.

Time is running out but Wolf spots a bear on the mountain opposite camp, then there are two. It appears to be a mating couple so a stalk is planned. Robert is just shy of being 70 years old but I know he can hike as he carried his 40lb pack up the hill on our attempt to get into Ceaser so off we go. I am expecting about a 2 to 2 ½ hour hike but 1 ½ hour later we are up there. Closer inspection revealed the one bear to be a 3 year old so I am concerned the other bigger bear might be momma. We ease on up but only find fresh tracks heading with the wind into another valley.

Tracks indicated a 7 ½ foot bear and combined with actions we are quite sure it is a boar. We want to head over but walking with the wind is not the way to hunt bear so we drop back down. Later that evening Joel spots the bear right where we wanted to be but we decide to let him grow an extra year thus ending our 2000 spring bear season.

Terry