polarpete
Registered User
Fairbanks, Alaska
This doesn't have anything to do with cubs, although we flew the cub on skis just before the hunt and floats just after. I have been in Alaska 28 years now. My brother and I had been putting in for a permit to hunt brown bear on Kodiak Island for for close to 20 years. In 2002 we were finally drawn for the Aliulik Peninsula spring of 2003. After we were drawn I wrote this poem for my brother Mike before the hunt to let him know we had been drawn. He had gotten discougaged and thought we would never get a permit. Mike is 63 and I'm 57 years old now. This is the TALE OF OLD TEDDY
THE TALE OF OLD TEDDY
THERE ONCE WAS A GREAT WHITE HUNTER NAMED MIKE
HE TAUGHT HIS LITTLE BROTHER TO HUNT WHEN HE WAS A SMALL TIKE
OH YOU COULD TELL
PETE HAD LEARNED WELL
FOR IN A PINCH
HE COULD SHOOT WITHIN A FRACTION OF AN INCH
FOR YEARS THEY PUT IN FOR A PERMIT FOR KODIAK BEAR
BY THE TIME THEY GOT IT, THEY MIGHT NOT HAVE HAIR
MIKE WAS BEGINNING TO THINK WHY
AND PETE SAID WE HAVE TO TRY
THEY BOTH ALMOST SH......T
WHEN THEY FINALLY GOT THEIR PERMIT
IN THE SPRING THEY WOULD TRAVEL TO THE ISLAND OF KODIAK
IN THE HOPES OF FINDING A BIG BEAR TRACK
THEY FLEW OUT TO THE WILDERNESS JUST BEFORE DARK
AND THEY KNEW THIS WAS NO PARK
THEY HUNTED FOR DAYS WITH NO LUCK
AND WERE BEGINNING TO THINK THEY WERE STUCK
MIKE’S FEET WERE GETTING SORE
BUT HE WANTED A BIG BOAR
BACK AT CAMP PETE MADE UP SOME GRUB
WHILE MIKE SOAKED HIS FEET IN A HOT TUB
THEN ONE DAY ON THEIR WAY BACK
MIKE CAME ACROSS THE MIGHTY TRACK
IT BELONGED TO A MONSTER, MEASURING 10 INCHES ACROSS
THE HUNTERS KNEW THAT HE WAS THE BIG BOSS
IF THEY SAW HIM AT NIGHT
IT WOULD BE QUIT A FRIGHT
THEY DECIDED TO NAME HIM TEDDY
AND THEY KNEW WHEN THEY MEET, THEY WOULD HAVE TO BE READY
THE HUNTERS FOLLOWED THE TRACK FOR 9 DAYS
THE BEAR TOOK THEM THROUGH ALDERS THAT LOOKED LIKE A MAZE
THEN AS THE TRAIL GREW HOT EARLY ONE DAWN
THEY GOT A GLIMPSE OF THE BIG BEAR, THEN HE WAS GONE
HE WOULD BE HARD TO TRACK FOR MOST
FOR THIS BEAR WAS LIKE A GHOST
AS THE WEATHER SET IN
THE SITUATION STARTED TO LOOK GRIM
THEY KNEW IF CORNERED AT NIGHT
THAT HE WOULD SURELY PUT UP A FIGHT
AS THE HUNTERS ROUNDED A SMALL HILL
THEY FOUND SIGNS OF A FRESH DEER KILL
TEDDY HAD TAKEN THE CARCASS INTO THE ALDERS WITHOUT A CARE
THE HUNTERS COULD SMELL HIM AND WERE VERY AWARE
THE ALDERS WERE SO THICK MIKE THOUGHT HE WAS SEEING DOUBLE
THEY BOTH HAD A FEELING THERE WOULD SOON BE BIG TROUBLE
AS THEY SNUCK THROUGH THE ALDERS IT WAS IN THE CARDS
FOR THEY FINALLY MEET AT 20 YARDS
THE BEAR GAVE THEM A LOOK AND A SNEER
BEING SO CLOSE, BOTH HUNTERS FELT FEAR
MIKE AND PETE KNEW THE BEAR WASN’T FAKING
WHEN THE ALDERS STARTED BREAKING
HE LOOKED WIDE AS A BARGE
AS HE STARTED HIS CHARGE
WITH A FRIGHTENING ROAR
ON CAME THE BIG BOAR
IN HIS RUSH, HE LOOKED LIKE A BLUR
AND ALL THE HUNTERS COULD SEE WAS FUR
BOTH BROTHERS KNEW THEY WOULD HAVE TO HOLD STEADY
IF THEY WERE TO HAVE A PRAYER OF STOPPING OLD TEDDY
AS HE CLOSED THE DISTANCE TWO SHOTS RANG OUT
AND THE MIGHTY BEAR FELL ON HIS SNOUT
THE TWO HUNTERS WERE WHITE AS A SHEET
AS THE BIG BEAR LAY DEAD AT THEIR FEET
THEY BOTH SHED A TEAR
AS THEY GOT OVER THEIR FEAR
THEY HAD FOUND THEIR FOUR LEAF CLOVER
AND NOW THE HUNT WAS OVER
THE HUNT WAS FAIR
AND HE MEASURED 11 FOOT SQUARE
MIKE STOOD THERE LOOKING AT THE MIGHTY BEAR
WHILE PETE KNEW THERE WAS WORK FOR THE PAIR
THEY TOOK A FEW PICTURES FOR THE SCRAP BOOK
LATER THEY KNEW THEY WOULD WANT ANOTHER LOOK
BOTH OF THEM COULD NOT ROLL THE OLD BOAR
THEY NEW THAT THE SKINNEN WOULD BE A BIG CHORE
AS THEY LOADED HIDE ON MIKE’S BACK
HE HADN’T REALIZE IT WOULD BE A 120# PACK
THEY WALKED THRU THE TUSSOCKS AND TUNDRA ON THE WAY
EVEN THOU THEY WERE HAPPY THEY DIDN’T HAVE MUCH TO SAY
EVEN WITH THE BIG PACK MIKE KEPT ON A SMILE
FOR HE KNEW THEY WERE ON THE LAST MILE
AS THE LAST OF THEIR ENERGY HAD BEEN SPENT
IT WAS LIKE HEAVEN WHEN THEY REACHED THAT GREEN TENT
THEY WERE SO TIRED FOOD DIDN’T MATTER
WHEN MORNING CAME THEY WOULD MAKEUP SOME PANCAKE BATTER
IN THE MORNING THEY WERE UP AT EIGHT
AND CALLED THE AIRPLANE FOR A PICKUP DATE
PICKED UP WOULD BE THE FOLLOWING MORNING AT TEN
FLESHING THAT BEAR HIDE WOULD MAKE THEM TWO TIRED MEN
NEXT MORNING THEY HEARD THE WIDGEON A COMING
WITH BOTH IT’S BIG ENGINES A STEADLY DRUMMING
BACK AT KODIAK THEY ATE A BIG MEAL
FOR THE KNEW THAT AFTERNOON A NAP THEY COULD STEAL
PETE HEADED NORTH TO HIS HOME
MIKE WENT SOUTH BUT NOT ALONE
THE BROTHERS ARE MILES APART AND THE YEARS HAVE PAST
BUT ALL THEIR MEMORIES STILL LAST
NOW THE BROTHERS GET OLDER
KNOWING THEY WERE ONCE BOLDER
AS THEY SIT IN THEIR ROCKERS GROWING OLD
THE TAIL OF OLD TEDDY WILL BE RE-TOLD
----------THE END----------
THE TALE OF OLD TEDDY
THERE ONCE WAS A GREAT WHITE HUNTER NAMED MIKE
HE TAUGHT HIS LITTLE BROTHER TO HUNT WHEN HE WAS A SMALL TIKE
OH YOU COULD TELL
PETE HAD LEARNED WELL
FOR IN A PINCH
HE COULD SHOOT WITHIN A FRACTION OF AN INCH
FOR YEARS THEY PUT IN FOR A PERMIT FOR KODIAK BEAR
BY THE TIME THEY GOT IT, THEY MIGHT NOT HAVE HAIR
MIKE WAS BEGINNING TO THINK WHY
AND PETE SAID WE HAVE TO TRY
THEY BOTH ALMOST SH......T
WHEN THEY FINALLY GOT THEIR PERMIT
IN THE SPRING THEY WOULD TRAVEL TO THE ISLAND OF KODIAK
IN THE HOPES OF FINDING A BIG BEAR TRACK
THEY FLEW OUT TO THE WILDERNESS JUST BEFORE DARK
AND THEY KNEW THIS WAS NO PARK
THEY HUNTED FOR DAYS WITH NO LUCK
AND WERE BEGINNING TO THINK THEY WERE STUCK
MIKE’S FEET WERE GETTING SORE
BUT HE WANTED A BIG BOAR
BACK AT CAMP PETE MADE UP SOME GRUB
WHILE MIKE SOAKED HIS FEET IN A HOT TUB
THEN ONE DAY ON THEIR WAY BACK
MIKE CAME ACROSS THE MIGHTY TRACK
IT BELONGED TO A MONSTER, MEASURING 10 INCHES ACROSS
THE HUNTERS KNEW THAT HE WAS THE BIG BOSS
IF THEY SAW HIM AT NIGHT
IT WOULD BE QUIT A FRIGHT
THEY DECIDED TO NAME HIM TEDDY
AND THEY KNEW WHEN THEY MEET, THEY WOULD HAVE TO BE READY
THE HUNTERS FOLLOWED THE TRACK FOR 9 DAYS
THE BEAR TOOK THEM THROUGH ALDERS THAT LOOKED LIKE A MAZE
THEN AS THE TRAIL GREW HOT EARLY ONE DAWN
THEY GOT A GLIMPSE OF THE BIG BEAR, THEN HE WAS GONE
HE WOULD BE HARD TO TRACK FOR MOST
FOR THIS BEAR WAS LIKE A GHOST
AS THE WEATHER SET IN
THE SITUATION STARTED TO LOOK GRIM
THEY KNEW IF CORNERED AT NIGHT
THAT HE WOULD SURELY PUT UP A FIGHT
AS THE HUNTERS ROUNDED A SMALL HILL
THEY FOUND SIGNS OF A FRESH DEER KILL
TEDDY HAD TAKEN THE CARCASS INTO THE ALDERS WITHOUT A CARE
THE HUNTERS COULD SMELL HIM AND WERE VERY AWARE
THE ALDERS WERE SO THICK MIKE THOUGHT HE WAS SEEING DOUBLE
THEY BOTH HAD A FEELING THERE WOULD SOON BE BIG TROUBLE
AS THEY SNUCK THROUGH THE ALDERS IT WAS IN THE CARDS
FOR THEY FINALLY MEET AT 20 YARDS
THE BEAR GAVE THEM A LOOK AND A SNEER
BEING SO CLOSE, BOTH HUNTERS FELT FEAR
MIKE AND PETE KNEW THE BEAR WASN’T FAKING
WHEN THE ALDERS STARTED BREAKING
HE LOOKED WIDE AS A BARGE
AS HE STARTED HIS CHARGE
WITH A FRIGHTENING ROAR
ON CAME THE BIG BOAR
IN HIS RUSH, HE LOOKED LIKE A BLUR
AND ALL THE HUNTERS COULD SEE WAS FUR
BOTH BROTHERS KNEW THEY WOULD HAVE TO HOLD STEADY
IF THEY WERE TO HAVE A PRAYER OF STOPPING OLD TEDDY
AS HE CLOSED THE DISTANCE TWO SHOTS RANG OUT
AND THE MIGHTY BEAR FELL ON HIS SNOUT
THE TWO HUNTERS WERE WHITE AS A SHEET
AS THE BIG BEAR LAY DEAD AT THEIR FEET
THEY BOTH SHED A TEAR
AS THEY GOT OVER THEIR FEAR
THEY HAD FOUND THEIR FOUR LEAF CLOVER
AND NOW THE HUNT WAS OVER
THE HUNT WAS FAIR
AND HE MEASURED 11 FOOT SQUARE
MIKE STOOD THERE LOOKING AT THE MIGHTY BEAR
WHILE PETE KNEW THERE WAS WORK FOR THE PAIR
THEY TOOK A FEW PICTURES FOR THE SCRAP BOOK
LATER THEY KNEW THEY WOULD WANT ANOTHER LOOK
BOTH OF THEM COULD NOT ROLL THE OLD BOAR
THEY NEW THAT THE SKINNEN WOULD BE A BIG CHORE
AS THEY LOADED HIDE ON MIKE’S BACK
HE HADN’T REALIZE IT WOULD BE A 120# PACK
THEY WALKED THRU THE TUSSOCKS AND TUNDRA ON THE WAY
EVEN THOU THEY WERE HAPPY THEY DIDN’T HAVE MUCH TO SAY
EVEN WITH THE BIG PACK MIKE KEPT ON A SMILE
FOR HE KNEW THEY WERE ON THE LAST MILE
AS THE LAST OF THEIR ENERGY HAD BEEN SPENT
IT WAS LIKE HEAVEN WHEN THEY REACHED THAT GREEN TENT
THEY WERE SO TIRED FOOD DIDN’T MATTER
WHEN MORNING CAME THEY WOULD MAKEUP SOME PANCAKE BATTER
IN THE MORNING THEY WERE UP AT EIGHT
AND CALLED THE AIRPLANE FOR A PICKUP DATE
PICKED UP WOULD BE THE FOLLOWING MORNING AT TEN
FLESHING THAT BEAR HIDE WOULD MAKE THEM TWO TIRED MEN
NEXT MORNING THEY HEARD THE WIDGEON A COMING
WITH BOTH IT’S BIG ENGINES A STEADLY DRUMMING
BACK AT KODIAK THEY ATE A BIG MEAL
FOR THE KNEW THAT AFTERNOON A NAP THEY COULD STEAL
PETE HEADED NORTH TO HIS HOME
MIKE WENT SOUTH BUT NOT ALONE
THE BROTHERS ARE MILES APART AND THE YEARS HAVE PAST
BUT ALL THEIR MEMORIES STILL LAST
NOW THE BROTHERS GET OLDER
KNOWING THEY WERE ONCE BOLDER
AS THEY SIT IN THEIR ROCKERS GROWING OLD
THE TAIL OF OLD TEDDY WILL BE RE-TOLD
----------THE END----------
What did the two of you hunt old teddy with?? 
