This past August my 11-year-old son went to Scout camp in northern WI. The preparatory meetings including lectures on bears. Lock away all food, toothpaste, and any clothes you may have spilled food upon. Never confront a bear, never chase a bear. The Troop's campsite had a huge bearbox that was a 7 foot tall steel cabinet that once held traffic control equipment.
I spent one night at the camp before taking my son home. I was walking around the larger camp and there were Scouts everywhere with Merit Badge stations, foot trails, a paved road, parking areas, and plenty of people. I figured, "Bears? What a load of hooey. There are no stinking bears around here."
Five minutes later I am back at the Troop campsite and the Assistant Troop Leader says, "I just heard from a guy. Last night a couple leaders who are sharing a tent went to sleep. One guy had to get up, came back, and found a bear had clawed through the tent and was chomping on a duffel bag. The Leader yelled at the bear, the bear took off with the bag, and both Leaders chased the bear."
I then heard that when the Troop first got to camp and dropped off their equipment they were shuttling the cars to a remote parking area and had to stop and wait for the bear sleeping in the middle of the road to wake up and move. Earlier that summer a third bear had to be tranquilized and moved.
5 comments:
Here I sit
Cheeks a flexin'
Givin' birth
To another Texan.
I read that one inside an outhouse at Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico.
Scouting is so educational.
This past August my 11-year-old son went to Scout camp in northern WI. The preparatory meetings including lectures on bears. Lock away all food, toothpaste, and any clothes you may have spilled food upon. Never confront a bear, never chase a bear. The Troop's campsite had a huge bearbox that was a 7 foot tall steel cabinet that once held traffic control equipment.
I spent one night at the camp before taking my son home. I was walking around the larger camp and there were Scouts everywhere with Merit Badge stations, foot trails, a paved road, parking areas, and plenty of people. I figured, "Bears? What a load of hooey. There are no stinking bears around here."
Five minutes later I am back at the Troop campsite and the Assistant Troop Leader says, "I just heard from a guy. Last night a couple leaders who are sharing a tent went to sleep. One guy had to get up, came back, and found a bear had clawed through the tent and was chomping on a duffel bag. The Leader yelled at the bear, the bear took off with the bag, and both Leaders chased the bear."
I then heard that when the Troop first got to camp and dropped off their equipment they were shuttling the cars to a remote parking area and had to stop and wait for the bear sleeping in the middle of the road to wake up and move. Earlier that summer a third bear had to be tranquilized and moved.
Good thing I did not bring a pic-a-nic basket.
Or a duffel bag.
The article missed two of my favorites--both recited at funerals:
Houseman's To an Athlete Dying Young in "Out of Africa".
Auden's Funeral Blues in "Four Weddings and a Funeral".
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