Big Alaskan Bowhunt by Monica Roe

Author:Monica Roe [Roe, Monica]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: ages 9-12; books about outdoors; chapter books; diverse books; hunter safety; Hunting; Jake Maddox; outdoors woman; outdoorsmen; own voices; sportsmen; sportswomen; Hunting; chapter books; outdoorsmen; outdoors woman; sportsmen; Jake Maddox; own voices; sportswomen; ages 9-12; books about outdoors; hunter safety; diverse books; bow hunting, bowhunting; deer hunting; hunting season; books about hunting; kids books about hunting
Publisher: Capstone
Published: 2021-10-28T00:00:00+00:00

The bear paused, looking at us both like it wasn’t sure what to think. It backed off a short distance, snuffling.

“Don’t stop!” I shouted at Ben.

Did we do it? I dared to ask myself.

Then the bear suddenly changed its mind. It growled, low and menacing. Before I knew what was happening, the bear charged straight at us!

CHAPTER SIX

Truce

“Juniper!” Ben shouted. “Look down!”

I looked down just as Ben kicked the can of bear spray over to me. I had to move fast.

My heart pounded as I swiftly scooped up the can. What if the trigger is still stuck? I thought frantically. The bear was so close now I could see its round, brown eyes.

I took aim. Please work, please work, please work!

I used both trembling hands to keep the can steady and jammed down the trigger.

Whoosh! A cloud of spray shot out of the can, straight at the bear.

The bear stopped in its tracks and shook its head. Ben and I both held our breath, frozen.

Then, as suddenly as it had charged, the bear turned and galloped off into the woods.

Still shaken, I watched until the bear disappeared down the mountain, out of sight. Then I turned back to Ben. He swallowed hard a few times, still cradling his injured hand.

“Nice work,” he said after a minute. We were both breathing hard. “Good thing we were upwind, right?”

“Seriously,” I agreed. “But you’re the one who saved the day. If you hadn’t thought to kick me the spray… .” I shook my head. “I never should have left mine buried in my pack.”

I kicked myself mentally. I always kept my bear spray close at hand when we hiked in Colorado. How could I have made such a simple mistake?

The answer hit me like a cold shower. I’d gotten careless, plain and simple. I’d assumed that everything in Colorado was bigger, more challenging, and more dangerous. But that bear had proven me totally wrong.

Come to think of it, so had the terrain. It wasn’t as high as what I was used to back home, but the hiking here was plenty hard— especially wearing heavy rain gear and trying not to fall into the boggy muskeg!

“I think,” I said slowly, “that I’ve been underestimating a lot of things since I got here.”

To my surprise, Ben smiled. “You wouldn’t be the first,” he said.

“I’ve wanted to come to Alaska and see my aunt and uncle since I was little,” I told Ben. “I never meant to insult anyone. I just honestly thought everything would be bigger. More dramatic, you know?”

Ben didn’t get angry. “Lots of people are surprised at how different Southeast Alaska is from the rest of the state,” he said.

He paused, then grinned at me. “Maybe you’ve got bigger mountains and more sun, Colorado. But your fishing has nothing on ours!”

I laughed, thinking of the loaded crab and shrimp pots I’d pulled from the water earlier in the week. Not to mention the salmon and halibut I’d caught.

“I guess I’ll give you that,” I teased.

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