I went bear hunting Sunday.
I haven’t ever seen a bear in its natural habitat, even in Cades Cove, where every other tourist and visitor has had a glimpse of our native black bears.
My daughter hadn’t, either, until about a year ago. We used to joke that bears hid from Duncan girls.
My late father had an apple tree in his yard that was irresistible. Birds liked the fruit it bore. So did I — and so did a bear that faithfully showed up daily for his fruity meal.
Until the day I was there.
While everyone celebrated this past weekend, I put in a couple of days of work. So Sunday I decided to leave it all behind and, camera in hand, decided to go out and shoot a bear.
I turned my car to the most likely place I thought I’d see one, in Catoosa Wildlife Management Area off Peavine Firetower Road.
Once again I came away without seeing a bear. But I found something better — inner peace.
As I meandered along the gravel road, I kept a lookout for wildflowers. Taking photos of wildflowers is a hobby I’ve discovered in the past few years, and Catoosa didn’t disappoint. While I saw a fellow traveler here and there, the area was mostly deserted, a distinct advantage in my wildflower searching. I did a lot of backing up once a flicker of color flashed in my peripheral vision.
My pretty subjects sat still as I focused and captured their images. Overhead, a darkened sky threatened to open up but spared me for the most part. The dust I stirred up settled on my car, and I tracked it inside the car from my constant stopping and starting.
I looked forward to reaching the Devil’s Breakfast Table but unfortunately was turned around due to the bridge being out. That’s OK. Another outing for another day.
As I drove back, I said a silent prayer of thanks for Him steering me to live in a slice of paradise. Many people have to drive days to find what we have in our own backyard.
I caught a fleeting glimpse of a wild turkey but, alas, no bears. Maybe they were hanging out at the Devil’s Breakfast Table. Or maybe not.
It was an invigorating trip, and one I will take again. Who knows? Maybe my bear will be waiting for me next time.
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Cheryl Duncan is editor of the Crossville Chronicle. She can be reached at cduncan@crossville-chronicle.com or 931-484-5145 — and you can go to this column on crossville-chronicle.com to see some of the photos taken on this excursion.