I'll start off with the disclaimer , NO ANIMALS WERE HARMED .
I've often said everyday out in the woods is a new experience , yesterday was just that . it was a normal morning , I left the house shortly after daybreak to go check my traps . well I'm checking and get to my next one,. work my way through the woods , get on a fairly fresh logging road . I walk the road a short piece and I think , my set is right around this corner . I round the corner and OH my , what a surprise , it was a BEAR . I back out and think a second . I sneak back in thinking it was eating a rabbit or something out of the trap , and it will be gone . no such luck . I did notice it was a small bear , probably 50 pounds . I study the situation a little and quickly decide , I need help . I'm on my way out to get help , there's a game commission building about 2 or 3 miles away . I'm almost out to the highway , and here comes a truck in . I think , that looks like a wardens truck , and it was . I wave him down , and tell him the story and we go back in . he looks at things and says , we need help . I have little bear experience . he calls for a warden with more experience . the second warden shows up and he looks things over . he sends the first guy for a tote or something similar , from the near by commission building . so we can cover the bear, release the trap and set him free . the first guy is just gone , the second guy says lets get him out , are you up for this ? yes , I am . he uses his catch pole gets the free front leg and head in the loop , and he could pin him down . he lets the bear back up , and calm down . he says I'll do this again , and you step on the trap to open it . well with the bear on it's side , the trap was on it's side . when I'd try to step on it , it was twisting the ankle a bad way . I said , I don't want to hurt him , give me a second . I get my trap setting levers from my truck , these give me a lot more leverage . he pins the bear down . I get the setters on the trap , get the trap against my knee and open the trap by hand . I squeeze and feel his paw, and look it over . I couldn't feel anything that felt broke , no fur damage , no blood . I say I think he's in good shape . he tells me to step back while he releases the noose . he releases the noose , and the bear comes towards me , he gives it a little swat on the butt , and that bear turns runs past him , and up the closest tree . after all is done me and the second warden get out to the trucks and talk for a while . he has me get Sally out of my truck . He's a dog lover and has a yellow lab too . while we were talking , he says about how well the release went , and I agree . he said about , IF he had darted it , he would have had to red tag the ear . the tag means the bear was darted , and not able to be eaten for a certain amount of time . bear season is only about 2 weeks away , if it got shot during bear season it would not be consumable . all bears taken in PA , must be checked at a check station . this is where the red tag would have brought up the darting information . I ask him if I would keep catching the bear , and should I get that trap out of there . He chuckles and says , no , that bear will not get back in that trap , go ahead and remake the set . after while he says , lets get out of here , moma should be near by . lets let them regroup . the two wardens were very professional . I was expecting a hard time , but it was a pleasant experience . He thanked me for getting their help , and boy did I thank Him . I don't know if they looked my equipment over after I left . PA has a trap size limit , and it needs tagged . I play by the rules , and my stuff is legal . after all is over and I'm on my way out , I think ; the first guy never came back .
as the ole saying goes ; all's well that ends well .
a couple pics . I'd liked to have been able to video the release , it went so smooth and easy .
to be animal friendly , I edited the trap out of this pic .
I've often said everyday out in the woods is a new experience , yesterday was just that . it was a normal morning , I left the house shortly after daybreak to go check my traps . well I'm checking and get to my next one,. work my way through the woods , get on a fairly fresh logging road . I walk the road a short piece and I think , my set is right around this corner . I round the corner and OH my , what a surprise , it was a BEAR . I back out and think a second . I sneak back in thinking it was eating a rabbit or something out of the trap , and it will be gone . no such luck . I did notice it was a small bear , probably 50 pounds . I study the situation a little and quickly decide , I need help . I'm on my way out to get help , there's a game commission building about 2 or 3 miles away . I'm almost out to the highway , and here comes a truck in . I think , that looks like a wardens truck , and it was . I wave him down , and tell him the story and we go back in . he looks at things and says , we need help . I have little bear experience . he calls for a warden with more experience . the second warden shows up and he looks things over . he sends the first guy for a tote or something similar , from the near by commission building . so we can cover the bear, release the trap and set him free . the first guy is just gone , the second guy says lets get him out , are you up for this ? yes , I am . he uses his catch pole gets the free front leg and head in the loop , and he could pin him down . he lets the bear back up , and calm down . he says I'll do this again , and you step on the trap to open it . well with the bear on it's side , the trap was on it's side . when I'd try to step on it , it was twisting the ankle a bad way . I said , I don't want to hurt him , give me a second . I get my trap setting levers from my truck , these give me a lot more leverage . he pins the bear down . I get the setters on the trap , get the trap against my knee and open the trap by hand . I squeeze and feel his paw, and look it over . I couldn't feel anything that felt broke , no fur damage , no blood . I say I think he's in good shape . he tells me to step back while he releases the noose . he releases the noose , and the bear comes towards me , he gives it a little swat on the butt , and that bear turns runs past him , and up the closest tree . after all is done me and the second warden get out to the trucks and talk for a while . he has me get Sally out of my truck . He's a dog lover and has a yellow lab too . while we were talking , he says about how well the release went , and I agree . he said about , IF he had darted it , he would have had to red tag the ear . the tag means the bear was darted , and not able to be eaten for a certain amount of time . bear season is only about 2 weeks away , if it got shot during bear season it would not be consumable . all bears taken in PA , must be checked at a check station . this is where the red tag would have brought up the darting information . I ask him if I would keep catching the bear , and should I get that trap out of there . He chuckles and says , no , that bear will not get back in that trap , go ahead and remake the set . after while he says , lets get out of here , moma should be near by . lets let them regroup . the two wardens were very professional . I was expecting a hard time , but it was a pleasant experience . He thanked me for getting their help , and boy did I thank Him . I don't know if they looked my equipment over after I left . PA has a trap size limit , and it needs tagged . I play by the rules , and my stuff is legal . after all is over and I'm on my way out , I think ; the first guy never came back .
as the ole saying goes ; all's well that ends well .
a couple pics . I'd liked to have been able to video the release , it went so smooth and easy .
to be animal friendly , I edited the trap out of this pic .
