On the Road in the Ralston: Walter the Hero

I know you have all been waiting for the continued story of the Bear and the shot heard around Glacier. First and most importantly Walter was mentioned on the front page of the local paper. How elated was Walter after the big incident. Wish his name was in lights but Volunteer Back Country Ranger was the title. This is how it went. Volunteer Wally making his patrol up the Snyder Lake Trail when suddenly a man comes racing down asking if Walter was with the park. He said I shot a bear. He charged through my bear spray and I shot him. The bear rolled off the trail and didn't move. I ran down and turned people back from going up the trail. The man was from Texas and you know the stereo type about guns and Texans. Walter called the dispatch and reported the incident and interviewed the perp. After finishing his report he closed the trail and kept visitors out of the area. For those who don't know the law, you can carry a gun in National Parks but you can't shoot them. Oops.! The story has grown just like the old game of telephone tag. For example, the perp was injured, or he did not report it, or he was from Texas so obviously he just wanted to shoot bears, or how could the bear run through the bear spray ( that's what I want to know). We finally got the correct ending of the story. The bear could not be found. Probably not a happy bear and will not mess around with humans. The law enforcement team found blood so he was shot and the perp did spray his bear spray and the can was empty, just no bear. The Texan was an upstanding visitor per Walter and the law enforcement team. He could have been mauled. I am counting on my bear spray and don't plan on buying a 357 magnum. Hope we don't run into one with a gunshot wound or a tooth ache.

Off to Waterton National Park in Canada with the Harrison's tomorrow. Keep you posted.