Kill Season
It was early, on a cold 1st Monday, in December, the official start of bear season in Virginia, hunters can hunt with hounds, and legally kill any bear over 100 pounds. Oliver is outside of his den, when across Stone Coal Gap Road, he hears the hounds beginning to open up and barking. The dogs sound to be right on top the mountain above Lucy’s and James’s den. He is terrified that they will either tree James or Lucy and kill them. He sat there and listened for a while; he could distinctly tell there were only 2 dogs barking. Neither one putting off a lot of mouth, but he could tell that one of them, is coming down off the mountain, towards Lucy’s den. He was hoping maybe another bear had crossed the top of the mountain, and the dogs were headed towards another bear. Oliver must do something, but what could he do. The dogs must be smelling James and Lucy. He could hear 3 people talking on top of the mountain, saying they hope this is a legal bear, to get this season started off right. These dogs hasn’t hunted since chase season, a kill will jump start the season, as the dog gets to pull some hair, and lick up the blood. Every bear hound loves the taste of bear blood.
Now panicked, Oliver knows he must do something, to help James and Lucy. He hears a truck in the road, and he figures out what he will do. I’ll run out in front of the truck, as he does, it’s a face, he recognizes its Rob. He knows Rob is an ethical hunter, and wont shoot anything too small. Only problem is James is now over 220 pounds, and Lucy is 180 pounds. I know if treed, which ever one is treed they would be killed. I hear Rob get on his radio, and tells everyone on top the mountain, get that last dog, and come to the road, don’t cut anything loose until you meet up with me. I just saw a bear, it will go over 500 pounds. He tells them the bear had come out on the road, and saw me and went back in the woods, the way he came from. I could hear that big bruiser, go down into the creek here. About then one of the hunters, said he had fallen and has broken his leg. He gives his dogs to the other hunters, and said don’t worry about me. I will make it down, I will just be a little slower. I’ll fix me a crutch to help me out of the mountains. Go kill that big son of a bitch. By now all dogs are on lead, and couple of them are now barking, and they are wanting to go to their left. Rob said no, don’t let them go, the big bear is down here. Rob said I’m going to kill that big bear today.
All the hunters made their way to the road, except for old cripple leg. He tells them over the radio, his leg hurts like a son of a bitch, but for them not to worry about him. Go kill that big son of a bitch for me. Rob said “buddy I will kill this bear for you.”
With everyone in the road, and dogs raising so much hell, you couldn’t here yourself think. Rob says walk 50 yards down the road, that is where the bear came out onto the road, and then went back into the woods, and went down into the creek. The dogs were pulling down the road, and then suddenly hooked left. Rob said turn them loose. The dogs go down into the creek, we heard a hell of a battle taking place. There were 6 dogs down in the creek with Oliver. Rob hears one of the dogs let out a big yelp and then the bear and dogs takes off, up the mountain, chasing this big son of a bitch. He didn’t like the sound his dog had made, so he walked down into the creek, he found one his dogs dead. He carries his lifeless body back to the truck. Now more determined than ever Rob, tells old cripple over the radio, he will make sure this bear is dead. The hunters, all except Rob heads up, to the top of the mountain, hoping to get on top of the mountain, before the bear and hounds do. The bear is going slowly up the mountain and the dogs are raising hell. We are now maybe 300 yards from them, they sound like they have stopped, on top of the mountain, could it be they have treed the big boy. Rob said he thinks they are bayed up, and fighting the bear on the ground. We hear another dog, it sounded like it got slapped, and then the dogs and bear are on the move again.
On top the mountain they find a 2nd dog that the bear had killed. Rob was extremely mad now. He radios Dale, which is sitting in his truck, near the old iron ore furnace, and Rob says he is on the way to him. The dogs and that damn bear are headed his way. Dale says he can hear them, but they are still high on the mountain. When Rob drives around to where Dale was. Dale said they are coming straight down the mountain, Rob to go kill this damn bear, that’s killing your dogs. Rob walks about a half mile on an old logging road, he can hear the dogs closing in on him, they are getting close to him now. About that time the bear bays up again and starts fighting his dogs. He sees the violent swipe that the bear made, he had swiped another one his dogs, and his lifeless body was flung over 25 feet through the air with no effort. The bear is now on the move again and doesn’t know Rob is there. The bear now with only 3 dogs left chasing him, steps out in the logging road 50 yards from Rob. Rob takes a shot with his 45/70 rifle, the bear didn’t seem to be slowed at all, with this shot. 2 more shots from Robs rifle, and as Rob is levering in his next bullet in his gun, is when he realizes his gun was empty. Oliver is now angry as hell, and is headed towards Rob. Rob knew this bear is going to kill him. Rob then hears 2 shots from behind him. Dale has come in behind him with his 30/06 rifle, and the bear is dead. Rob tells Dale he was so glad he came in behind him, or he would be dead.
James had gone and found Ben, when he realized that Oliver may be in trouble. The 2 of them are sitting up on the mountain now crying. They hear Dale and Rob talking about the damn bear [Oliver] that had killed 3 dogs, and they were glad that son of a bitch was dead. Rob says this bear must be over 500 pounds. We need to get more people to get this bear out. Rob then thinks about old cripple leg, and if he ever got out the wood. He then hears over the radio that he has made it to the road, and has been picked up. It was confirmed that his leg is broken.
Rob and Dale sit to wait for others to come to help, to get the bear out. They are petting their 3 dogs that were still alive, telling them how good of dogs they were. I was sitting there so angry; I have loss my dad. I tell James go back and protect Lucy until I return. I tell him I must stay here, as long as I could, to be close to his dad’s dead lifeless body. Rob said Well let’s go ahead and field dress this bear by removing its guts, heart and lungs. I watch in horror as this is being done. My thought is to go down and tear them apart. 1 problem they have guns, I would be dead just like Oliver, before I have a chance to tear them apart.
About 6 more hunters shows up telling Rob, that’s the biggest bear they have ever seen killed. They congratulated him like he is a fucking hero. I’m so angry, I wished I had some marijuana right now, I need to chill out before my head explodes, or maybe I need some laced with PCP. That would change the game a little. Going through my mind the thought of using laced PCP scares me. I have never wanted to be like Samuel was. The forest was such a dark time for everyone. I watch them as they drag Oliver to Robs truck. I know they will be taking him to the clubhouse at Robs house. I must go there; I need to be with my dad as long as I can. I’ll be safe, its after sundown now, and is illegal to kill a bear now. As much I hate Rob and Dale now, I know they are ethical, and I would be safe. I’ve been to Robs house before, our family would go by on occasion and raid Rob’s chicken house.
I beat them to the club house and set on the hill. Watching for them to come up the driveway. I see them come and watch as they unloaded Oliver’s body, and take him into the clubhouse. Rob says it’s been a hell of a day, and that they would weigh the bear now, but wouldn’t skin it out until tomorrow. I’m standing just outside the door listening to them. I hear a sound of some kind of tool, it was making noises. One of them said, OK the scale has been zeroed out, and before raising the hoist back up, they all need to put a 5-dollar bet, on how much it would weigh. I know I have never been so angry in my life. I hear Dale say 450 pounds, another one says 380 pounds I heard several more with 380 being the lowest and 495 being the highest. Rob said Well he knows live weight would have been more than 500 pounds but his field dressed weight will be 420 pounds. The whole clubhouse broke out in laughter as he said this. Dale said what’s this the marijuana bear. What would the weight be?
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Dale Thacker Aurthor 
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