Shooting the Bear

by William Manchee

It was my summer vacation of August, 1959 we were headed up State Highway 97 near Ft. Klamath, Oregon. My Dad was driving our 1956 Nash Rambler that was loaded to the hilt with suitcases, camping gear, and all the other paraphernalia that one needs on a vacation. It was hot and my father had his eye on the temperature gauge as the Rambler was prone to overheat. My Mom, Wilma, was riding shotgun and handling navigation. My sister, Darline, was nestled in the front seat between Mom and Dad. My friend Steve and I were in the back seat planning our next adventure which would be at Crater Lake less than 30 miles ahead.

Our ultimate destination was Portland, Oregon where my great grandmother, aunts, uncles and cousins all lived. I liked visiting my Mom's family but the adventures along the way were always by far the most fun. Crater Lake was of particular interest because of the abundance of black bear around Crater Lake National Park. Bears had always fascinated me and since I had taken up photography as a hobby I was ready this time to record everything I saw on film. Steve hadn't had much experience with bears so he was a little leery of some of my planned photo shoots.

"How much farther, Dad?" I asked.

"I think it's about 25 miles but its all up hill so it will be pretty slow," Dad replied.

"Do think the car will make it Ted?" Mom asked.

"Oh yeah, we're still a quarter inch from the red zone," Dad said. "It'll make it."

"Maybe we shouldn't have brought so much stuff. We're pretty loaded down. Do you think it's going to overheat before we get to Crater Lake?"

"Relax, we'll make it," Dad repeated with a note of irritation.

Mom wasn't the worrying type so when she started asking Dad if we were going to make it, we knew things were not looking good.

"We just have too big a load for these steep grades. You know with you and me and the kids and all this camping gear its pretty tough for this little six cylinder engine. But we'll make it, don't worry."

Dad kept staring down at the temperature gauge which was making me nervous. I got a pencil and started calculating in my mind the weight we were carrying in the car. Let's see, my Dad weighs about 185 lbs. and my mom, well, my mom had always been pretty big, maybe 250 lbs. Darline weighed maybe 115 lbs, Steve weighed probably 130 lbs and I weighed 150 lbs.

"How much does our cargo weigh Dad?" I asked.

"I don't know, maybe 250 lbs." Dad said.

"Then we're carrying a little over 1000 lbs."

"Shoot! This baby will never make it with that kind of load."

"Ted! What are we going to do?" Mom moaned.

"I don't know but we're already barely crawling up this grade. Damn! The temperature gauge is hitting the red zone."

The car began to sputter and steam began to roll out from the seams in the hood. Dad pulled over to the side of the road. Mom jumped out of the car and just as soon as she hit the pavement and was free of the car it began to take off like a sprinter getting a second wind.

"Dad you're leaving mom behind!" I yelled.

"Well if I can just get to the top of this grade then I think we'll be alright the rest of the way."

"Dad, you left momma!" Darline screamed.

"It'll be alright Darline, she'll meet us at the top of the hill."

Darline began to cry and Steve and I just looked at each other. "Bill, stick you head out of the window and tell Mom to meet us at the top of the hill."

"Okay." I quickly rolled down the window and stuck my head out toward Mom who was standing by the road looking rather bewildered. "Mom. Meet us at the top of the hill!" I screamed.

Mom began to walk slowly up the hill looking rather disgusted. Soon she had disappeared behind us.

"Dad! I can't see Mom any more!" Darline screeched.

"It's alright honey we're almost at the top of the grade."

When we reached the summit Dad pulled over and put up the hood to allow the engine to cool down.

"Bill, you and Steve hike down and escort your mom up here. Take some water she'll probably be pretty thirsty."

"Can I go?" Darline asked.

"No, you stay here with me. There's no use all of you going."

Steve and I started hiking down the grade toward where we had left Mom. It was very hot and I began to worry if she was going to be okay. Pretty soon we spotted her slowly making her way up the road. We began to jog toward her and finally began running full speed. With the help of gravity we quickly reached her.

"Mom, are you okay," I asked.

"Yes, but I can't believe you're father left me behind."

"Well, I think he had to so the car would make it to the top of mountain."

"Yeah, well just wait until I have a chance to give him a piece of my mind!"

Mom was pretty upset and I was afraid of the conflict that was sure to erupt when we got to the top of the mountain. Mom and Dad didn't fight too much and if they did it was usually over money. I didn't like it when they fought, so I tried to smooth things over as we climbed toward the summit.

"You got to admit Mom it was kind of funny what happened."

"What do you mean?"

"Well the car was dying and just as soon as you got out it took off like a rat out of a burning barn."

"Bill! Are you insinuating that your Mother is fat."

"Well, pleasantly plump and I wouldn't have you any other way."

"Hmm...I guess it was kind of funny wasn't it," Mom said.

"Yeah, but it scared Darline. She cried."

"Did she?" Mom replied. "Well I guess somebody loves me."

"We all love you Mom."

We didn't have any trouble with the car the rest of the way to Crater Lake. Mom told Dad she would never forgive him for leaving her on the side of the road the way he did and she was seriously considering calling the family attorney to arrange for a divorce when we got home. Dad responded with a detailed analysis of how much trouble we would have been in if we hadn't of made it to the top of the summit. He said he was sorry but he had no other choice.

That night at dinner over the campfire we all had a big laugh about the incident and it was soon forgotten. After dinner Dad informed us we were going to the Park Headquarters for a lecture on Crater Lake. These lectures put on by the National Park Service were usually pretty good so we were anxious to go. We arrived at Headquarters at 6:50 p.m. and took our seats. Precisely at 7 p.m. a Ranger showed up and started the lecture. He talked about the history of the U.S. Park Service, the facilities that were available in the Park and escorted hikes that were available. The lecture really got interesting when he began to discuss the American Black Bears that frequented the Park.

"Now I want to warn you about the many bears that you will be seeing at Crater Lake. I know the bears look nice and cuddly but remember that with one strike of their powerful front paw they can kill even large animals such as cattle or deer. One of the problems with bears is they do not fear man. You will see them stroll right into your camp searching for food. It's very important that you do not feed them as they are very short tempered and if they think you have food they will come after you," the Ranger warned.

"The black bear you will see around here aren't actually very black. They are actually a more cinnamon color. They weigh 200 to 300 lbs and are about 5 feet long. They look much larger because of their thick long fur. These bears are fierce fighters and they are very strong. If they are pursuing prey they can run up to 25 miles per hour and they are great tree climbers. Don't think you can get away from them by climbing a tree as they are much better at it than you'll ever be," the Ranger said.

"I am not trying to scare you. I just want you to be careful around the bears. Most of the time they are pretty even tempered and would rather run than fight. If you just keep your distance and don't provoke them you'll be fine. Thank you all for coming tonight if there are questions I'll be here for about 10 more minutes so feel free to stay and ask any questions."

After the program Mom, Dad and Darline went back to camp but Steve and I stayed to ask the Ranger some questions.

"Sir. What should you do if a bear attacks you?" Steve asked.

"There isn't a lot you can do. If you run they will think you are prey and they will pursue you. Like I said before you shouldn't climb a tree because they'll be all over you before you know what happened," the Ranger replied.

"What about a gun or a knife?" Steve persisted.

"No guns are allowed in the Park and a knife will have little impact on the bear other than to make him raging mad."

"What do you do then?" Steve persisted.

"The best thing to do when confronted by a bear is to be perfectly still. If you have any food throw it far away from you. Bears have a strong sense of smell but don't see so good. They'll follow the smell of food so be sure you don't carry any around with you. If you don't have food and the bear doesn't run away like he will usually do, then I've been told if you pick up a large stick and hold it above you head he will think you are a much larger animal than he is and possibly retreat."

"Possibly?" I asked.

"I don't know anyone who actually used that technique successfully but I've been told that sometimes it works. You see a bear doesn't have the ability to distinguish a man from an animal so they will instinctively retreat from what they perceive to be a larger animal or one that is not their usual prey."

"Has anyone ever been killed by a bear here at Crater Lake?" I asked.

"Oh yes. Just last year two campers were killed over a pound of bacon they were trying to feed to a bear," The Ranger noted.

"Damn," Steve said.

"Well, it has been nice talking to you boys but I've got to go now. Have a good time here at Crater Lake."

"Okay, we will," I said.

When the Ranger had gone we left the Park Headquarters and started to wander back to camp.

"It doesn't sound like we want to mess with the bears." Steve said.

"Oh don't let the Ranger scare you I've seen lots of bears and they never hurt anyone," I replied.

"I don't know, you heard what he said about the two campers that were killed last year."

"I think he was just trying to scare us. All the bears around here are pretty tame. They've seen so many campers they don't give them a second thought. The only thing the bears are interest in is food."

"So when do you think we will see a bear?" Steve asked.

"We're going to see one tonight," I replied.

"Tonight?"

"Yeah, and I am going to take his picture."

"Take his picture?"

"Yeah."

"How are going to do that?"

"I'll show you tonight when we go to bed."

After we got to camp my Dad had a campfire raging so we all sat around the fire and talked. I always loved it when we had a campfire as it seemed to make everyone feel good. We always had great conversations, told jokes and even sang a song or two. Tonight was no exception as we talked well past midnight. Finally, Dad said it was time to go to bed so we doused the fire and Steve and I got our sleeping bags and backpacks and started looking for a place to sleep.

"Where are you boys going to sleep tonight?" Mom said.

"We're going to sleep under the stars," I replied.

"You're not going to set up a tent?" Mom asked.

"No. We have to be mobile tonight."

"Mobile?"

"Yeah. We've got to be ready to move in a hurry when the bears come."

"What bears?"

"You know the bears that come at night and raid the trash cans. I am going to get a picture."

"Oh, well be careful honey," Mom said.

"I will. Good night."

"Good night."

Steve and I picked up our gear and started walking toward the road where the trash cans were located.

"Are you sure the bears will come tonight?" Steve said.

"Positive."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because I am going to lure them over to the trash cans."

"How are you going to manage that?"

"Bacon."

"Wait a minute. Wasn't bacon what got those two campers killed?"

"We're not going to hold the bacon...we're just going to use it as bait."

"Bait?"

"Yeah, the bears will be coming into camp tonight to rummage through the trash cans. Were going to sleep right next to them so we will be sure to hear the bears when they come."

"How are you going to take the bear's picture in the dark?"

"Flash. I've got my flash attachment all ready."

"Huh. Let's not sleep too close to the trash can."

"Just close enough to be sure we are awakened when the bears come."

"What if they trip over us?"

"They're not going to trip over us. Come on don't be a chicken."

"I am not...I just don't want any damn bear walking over me."

We took our gear and walked over to the nearest trash can. It was about 20 yards from our camp and was situated next to the gravel road that wandered in and around the many campsites.

"This looks like a good spot," I said. "These trees will protect us from any bears accidentally tripping over us on their way to the trash cans. I'll just stack some tin cans on top of the trash can and then open up the bacon and set it next to them so we will be sure to hear the bears when they grab the bacon and knock over the cans."

"Okay," Steve said warily.

"Now all I have to do is get my camera ready and put in a flash cube so I'll be ready when the bears come."

"Are you going to go to sleep?" Steve asked.

"Yeah, the cans crashing to the road will wake us up,don't worry."

"Okay. Good night," Steve said, and then scooted way down into his sleeping bag.

"Good night."

I placed my camera and flashlight in my backpack right next to me so they would be ready when I needed them. I went to sleep. Several hours later I was rudely awakened by the sound of tin cans crashing to the ground. I jumped up quickly and grabbed my camera and flashlight. It was dark but with the flashlight I could see a bear leaning over the trash can enjoying the pound of bacon I had left for him."

"Steve, get up," I whispered. He didn’t stir."Steve, wake up."

"What?" Steve muttered.

"A bear is here."

"What? A bear."

"Yeah, the bait worked. Come on I am going to go take his picture."

Steve slowly got out of bed and followed behind me as I moved toward the bear. When the bear finished the bacon he began rummaging trough the trash. As I grew closer the bear either didn't see me or didn't care that I was approaching him as he continued his search without looking up. I began to worry that my picture wouldn't be too spectacular if the bear didn't take his head out of the trash can and look towards me. I decided I needed to make some noise so the bear would hear me and look toward the camera.

"Hey black bear!" I yelled. "Look this way."

The bear didn't budge from his position deep inside the trash can so I yelled a little louder."

"Come on you big black mamma...look up and smile for the camera!"

The bear took his head out of the trash can to see what all the commotion was about. I closed in to about 10 feet from the bear, centered the picture and tripped the shutter. The flash exploded in the bears face and he seemed stunned momentarily. I sat motionless watching him as he slowly regained his eyesight.

"Let's get the hell out of here," Steve whispered.

"Okay, but wait a minute," I replied.

I shone my flashlight toward the bear to see what he was doing. When I spotted him he was walking slowly toward me.

"He's coming after us...let's get out of here," Steve demanded.

Slowly backing up I replied, "Okay...your right...let's make a run for it."

Steve and I began to move quickly back toward camp. The bear began to chase us. The faster we went the faster the bear pursued us. We looked back and the bear was only 10 yards behind us and gaining quickly.

"Where can we go!?" Steve screamed.

"I don't know...we can't out run him and we can't climb a tree," I said.

"How about the restroom?"

"Good idea."

We sprinted toward the public restroom, ran inside and locked the door.

"That was close," Steve said as he gulped for air.

"Too close," I said, my heart pounding like a Las Vegas heavy weight.

Just then the bear smacked the door with his powerful paw creating a deafening sound that echoed through the concrete structure. "Oh shit! He's trying to come in," Steve screamed.

"I don't understand why he's chasing us," I said. "I've never seen a bear chase anyone before."

Steve began to sniff the air. He moved toward me and took a deep breath near my hands.

"It's you. You smell like a pound of bacon!"

"What?"

"You didn't wash your hands after you took the bacon out of the wrapper and put it on the trash can," Steve noted.

"Oh no! The bear thinks we're food."

The bear continued to strike the door with his massive paws. Suddenly the small metal lock sprung open and the bear stood in the doorway glaring at us.

"Oh crap!" Steve said. "Now what are we going to do?"

"Should I wash my hands?" I said, trying to remain calm.

Steve shook his head. "It's a little late for that, don’t you think?"

The bear began to move cautiously toward us sniffing the air as he walked. We pushed ourselves hard against the concrete wall like maybe it would give way and let us escape. It didn’t.

"Look over there!" I said. "It's a mop and a bucket."

"So," Steve replied.

"Remember what the Ranger said?"

"What?"

There wasn’t time to explain. "I am going to get the mop."

Slowly I walked over to the corner of the bathroom and picked up the mop and the threw the bucket to Steve. The bear looked at us curiously.

"What's this for?"

"Stick it on your head. It will make you look eight feet tall. I'm going to hold up this mop so that black little mamma will think I’m Bigfoot."

Steve held the bucket high over his head as I swung the mop menacingly back and forth. The bear stopped and seemed confused. Then, much to my surprise, Steve let out a gut-wrenching wolf howl that scared the shit out of me and the bear. The bear quickly turned and ran out the door.

"Damn! Where did you learn to howl like that?"

"I don't know. I've never done that before...it just happened."

"Well I've suspected it all along...you're a werewolf."

"Damn, you found out," Steve said. "So do you think he's gone."

"Yeah, I think he's long gone after you scared the bacon out of him."

"Good, let's go back to camp."

The next morning Dad was up at the crack of dawn as usual and Mom soon joined him to make breakfast. When breakfast was ready Mom woke us up. "Come on boys, breakfast is ready." We reluctantly climbed out of our sleeping bags and sat down next to the campfire.

"Well Bill, did you get a picture of the bear last night." Mom asked.

"Yeah, we sure did and it's going to be a great picture."

"How did the bear react to his picture being taken? You didn't have any problems did you?"

"Oh no...no problems.

 1961

Crater Lake, Oregon

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