Field Journal - Bear - Spring

08:39 AM | The First Glassing Spot There is no better time to open the journal than when you're waiting for the morning fog to lift. Right now, the mist is heavy, giving us only brief, teasing glimpses into the valley below. But the conditions are perfect for bear.

On the hike in, we already scored. Found a beautiful bolete mushroom right off the trail—and finally learned how to properly pronounce it. It’s a reminder that a craftsman is always on the hunt, even before the main target is in sight. Temperatures are right, moods are high, and the meat is out there. For now, we wait, getting by on a handful of walnut, almond, and chocolate chip trail mix. Let’s call it the Mountain Mix for now on our spring bear hunt. Check back soon.

01:10 PM | Moving Deeper Glassing, snacking, and shooting content—that’s been the rhythm of the day. One mule deer came out to play earlier, but no bears just yet. The fog didn't cut us any slack until about 10:00 AM, playing a game of cat-and-mouse until it finally burnt off.

We decided to switch up our vantage points, heading further into the valley to catch a sneak peek at some clear-cuts we couldn’t see from the first ridge. At one point, the adrenaline spiked—a heavy crashing sound in the brush made us think a bear was right on top of us. Turned out to be water gushing hard from an old culvert. Nothing like a sudden rush of sound to get the heart going.

Along the disturbed logging road, we found another gift: a fresh popping of puffball mushrooms. I managed to harvest one. The flesh is white, which is exactly what you want—if they’re turning yellow, they're past their prime. We're going to pack back to the original glassing spot soon and set up for the evening magic hour. And then, it’s time for the stir-fry.

06:21 PM | The Mountain One-Pot Patience is the entire game, and the mountain is testing us today. Still no bear on our ridge, though word came through that a bait station in another zone has one sitting on it right now. In the good words of Sturgill Simpson, "life ain't fair and the world is mean." But sitting out here still beats being inside any day.

While the light flashes across the ridgeline, I got the camp stove fired up for a Mountain One-Pot Stir-Fry, tossing in the wild bolete and puffball we scavenged earlier. It turned out incredible. I’ll get the exact recipe posted for you next week. All in all, a phenomenal day in the backcountry. There’s a little trail mix left, the vibes are positive, and the evening light is hitting just right. Here they come.

10:30 pm / Time for Sleep

No luck tonight but so much beautiful country. Spotted a hole necked grouse as well. Better luck next time and passing out till next time…

— The Larder | Crafted from the Hunt