[Guy]

Gene offers one more tip to those who hunt in bear country. Something he has noticed many times, but never told anyone until now, is how raven behavior ties in with deer hunting in bear territory. “When a raven flies over and sees you,” Gene says, “he’ll give a squawk or two. If you keep watching him, you’ll probably hear him squawk again and notice that he’s flying over another ravine. I figure if he squawks when he sees me, he’s squawking when he sees something else. When the wind has been in my face, I’ve sneaked over to see what’s there, and sure enough, I’d find a deer in that ravine. But you have to be careful. It could be a bear with a kill or cubs to defend. About half of the time, when I’d start to get close, I’d see a bear coming from the other direction. I don’t know for sure if bears are smart enough to catch on to raven behavior, but I take the possibility seriously. I’ve certainly had enough experience with rifle shots calling bears to dinner.”

Stay safe.