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           The final week of the 2006 season came with 1 veteran hunter returning with two cousins of his. Steve Willey, Jon Harris, and Bill Baldwin had driven here from Michigan.  They were joined in camp by Gary Cole, Ronnie Davis, Bernie Rhea, and Randy Burkhalter from Ohio.  Of these hunters only Steve had any fall bear hunting experience.  We ate, had orientation, and some target practice where it was determined one potential archer needed to spend more time with a bow before I would let him hunt bear with archery equipment. 

          Monday found me running just a few baits as this was the last week, and it was time to start closing up bait sites.  After lunch we headed out for an afternoon of bait hunting. This day found Jon hearing a bear pop its jaws, and Bernie taking a nice dry sow with a muzzleloader.  No other bears were seen.

          Tuesday  we hunted and again Jon heard popping jaws and Bill did as well, but the bears were alerted to the presence of these hunters, and would not come in.  We headed back to the lodge and ate some good food, swapped a few stories, laughed at Bill and got some sleep.

          On Wednesday  the wind blew and it was a tough day to hunt bears and no one saw any.  By the appearance of some of the baits I was getting the feeling that something happening on the stands was spooking these bears.  We headed back to camp, for more food, story telling and a few laughs.

          Thursday afternoon found me placing the guys on new bait sites with hopes a change of scenery and fresh bears would help these guys out.  I went out and retrieved a few tree stands while I waited for the guys.  When I picked them up I learned that Steve had seen 3 bears, and both Ronnie and Randy had seen a bear.  As bears can do, they appear when you are not ready, and then while you try to judge them in low light, they disappear.  We headed back to camp without any bears, but higher spirits as the sighting of game tends to raise hunters spirits.

         Friday found us heading out with high hopes of taking a bear or two.  I again pulled a few tree stands while I waited for the guys, and then I  sat on a bait site to see what may come in.  After about a 90 minute wait, a nice bear came into the bait site.  I watched this bear for at least 25 minutes, when a second bear came from behind me, suddenly both bears bolted and then it was time for me to go pick the guys up.  Once again Steve had seen a bear, but the bear knew he was there and would not come into the bait.  Gary saw his first bear of the week as well.  Well the 4th week ended with 1 bear killed, and 13 bears seen or heard by the hunters counting the two I had seen.  We went back to the lodge and ate more food, told a few more stories and prepared for everyone's departure the next day.  The 2006 bear season was over.