Gutsy Leo

My first trip to the great land, many moons ago, took me to Haines, Alaska. There to cut timber for an outfit called Alaska Forest Products. And Leo Smith was in charge of us out there on the Lynn Canal.

Me and Butch stayed out there in a plywood shack. Leo's D-6 was barged there and a huge arch dragged the logs out on low tide and rafted to the mill. There was his supply trailer and sez Leo, "That's my 30-06 if the bears bother you." He rode his boat from town everyday. So one weekend we needed to get civilized and wash our clothes. I couldn't figure out that was more dangerous, the boat ride in the rip tide or the bears.

Anyway, Leo invited us over to his place for coffee and there on his floor was a griz hide. While I was admiring the claws, Leo sez, "That bear almost got me."

He went on to tell us about a moose hunt gone bad. Seems like someone got the moose he intended to hunt before he got there. Leo saw where they had dragged it out with one of them there Cushman tracker a few days before. While he was debating what to do, daily duty called.

So off to the side in the brush to take care of that. While in that compromised position, he heard a sound like a pig coming up the blood trail. Lo and behold there was Ol' Bruin com'n along nice as you please knowing there was a gut pile at the other end.

Not wanting to confront this menace, Leo ducked down while griz went out of sight - or so he thought. Leo didn't want to get caught with his pants down. As he pulled them up, he had that feeling all good hunters know - something was behind him!

Yup, there was griz sneak'n up on him. Leo's 06 was on his pack board. As he slowly picked it up and turned, griz stood up. Leo hoped bear would give it up and leave. No such thing. Griz charged.

Leo got off a snap shot hitting him in the shoulder. Leo managed to leap back, where his pants were I don't remember, and griz landed on his pack board. Bad bear, think'n he had Leo, mangled it to pieces. He showed it to us as proof. While this pack attack was going on, Leo shot bad bear behind the ear.

Sure enough, I looked. There was the bullet hole.

I didn't doubt him anyway. Working with Leo you learned this guy was a gutsy straight shooter.