The Missing Grizzly Cubs

by Judy Young

  “We need to wait a few minutes,” Craig said, “before we go down.”

  “How come I didn’t hear a gunshot?” Buck asked.

  “It’s an air rifle. It uses compressed gas and only makes a little pop,” Craig explained as he reloaded the gun with another syringe.

  “Are you going to tranquilize him again?” Toni asked.

  “No. This is just a precaution. He should be completely out now, but stay here until I signal you,” Craig said, then headed across the riverbed toward the bear.

  As soon as Craig waved, Buck took off running, but Toni, Shoop, and Dad walked side by side, stopping a few feet behind Buck. Buck never saw that the camera’s red light was on, the shotgun mic was aimed, and Caribou Kill, Take 3 had been written on the board.

  “Man, he stinks,” Buck said. “Can I touch him?”

  “Sure,” Craig said. Buck knelt down and picked up one of the bear’s paws, inspecting the claws and comparing it to the size of his own hand. Craig pulled up the bear’s lip, exposing its teeth. Buck felt their sharpness and all the while, the camera recorded. Buck was still inspecting the bear when he heard the sound of a helicopter.

  “You guys need to stay back,” Craig warned. “It will kick up a lot of dust.”

  They moved away as the chopper landed on the gravel next to the bear. The blades slowed to a stop, but the motor kept running as two uniformed rangers jumped out. The one who was the pilot busied himself with hooking cables to the helicopter. The other took the bear’s temperature and felt its pulse. He gave Craig a thumbs-up over the noise of the helicopter.

  Craig called Buck over to help as the rangers brought a large net and spread it on the ground beside the bear. Together, Buck and the rangers rolled the grizzly onto the middle of the net. Then they walked downstream to the caribou carcass. They shoved it into the river and watched it float away.

  Craig and Buck stood aside as the rangers climbed back into the helicopter. The blades began turning. The chopper slowly rose straight up until the net holding the sleeping bear swung above the ground. As it moved forward and upward, the camera continued capturing the helicopter until it was out of sight. Then Shoop turned the camera toward Buck. Toni had the shotgun mic aimed toward him too. They stood and waited, but Buck didn’t say a word.

  “Why did you push the caribou into the river?” Shoop finally said.

  Oh, I get it, Buck thought. He’s cueing me in to say something he can edit into the shot.

  Buck looked at the camera’s red light. “We don’t want another bear to come in, smelling the kill.”

  When the camera’s light went out, Buck went over to Toni.

  “Why didn’t you come over and touch the bear?” he asked her. “Were you afraid?”

  “No. Shoop taught me long ago that when you’re on a shoot, the crew has to stay on the sidelines,” she said. “I wish I could have, but that’s just part of the job.”

  “That stinks,” Buck said.

  They walked back upstream, Buck and Craig a little ahead of the others. As they walked, Buck reached into his pocket.

  “Do you know how to use a compass?” Buck asked, pulling his compass out.

  “Sure,” said Craig. He started explaining, but Buck interrupted him.

  “I know how to tell which direction I’m going, but what if you’re trying to find your way back to where you started?”

  “Good question. First, whenever you’re in the wilderness you must be observant and keep a constant lookout for landmarks to watch for when you return. And if it all looks pretty much the same, you can make a cairn like you did.”

  Buck was surprised. He didn’t think anyone saw him pile up the rocks near the path.

  “It would be pretty scary if you couldn’t find your way back, wouldn’t it?” Craig said, giving Buck a knowing look.

  “Yeah, but I still don’t see what good a compass is, though. Not if you want to get to a specific spot.”

  “To really use a compass, you need to have a map. It’s not that complex to learn, but it takes a little time. And it’s best to learn by actually doing it in a real situation.”

  They had come to the cairn and waited for the rest to catch up.

  “On Wednesday there’s a class on using a map and compass,” Craig told them as they stepped up onto the path and headed toward the campsite. “Want me to sign everybody up?”

  “Sure!” Buck and Toni said in unison.

  Dad wasn’t so enthused. “I don’t think we’ll have time. We’ll be doing a lot of shooting the next two days. On Wednesday we’ll have to start editing and mixing, and—”

  “Toni and I could go by ourselves,” Buck interrupted. “We promise we’ll stay together, won’t we, Toni?”

  Toni nodded, but Dad shook his head. “I don’t think so, not after your escapades today.” Dad sounded like his decision was final, but Craig spoke up.

  “You don’t have to worry. They can take the bus to the Eielson Center. That’s where the class is. Bus drivers won’t let two kids off in the middle of nowhere by themselves, and I’ll have a volunteer go out to the bus when they get there. She’ll make sure they get on a bus to come back, too.”

  Now Shoop piped up. “At least the class will give the kids something to keep them out of trouble while we’re tied up with work. And if Toni takes a camera, she might get a few shots we could use for filler.”

  “Okay, I guess so,” Dad said. “But you have to promise to stay together.”

  “And no going off on your own,” Craig added.

  “Promise,” both Buck and Toni eagerly agreed. Back at the campsite, Craig went to his truck to radio in the reservation.

  “Okay,” Craig said when he returned, “you’re all signed up. You need to catch the second bus Wednesday morning. It will be here at seven forty. You’ll be gone most of the day, so bring lunch and plenty of water, and throw a jacket into your daypacks too. Weather can change suddenly in the mountains. But now we need to make plans for tomorrow’s filming.”

  They all sat down at the picnic table.

  “Because I darted a bear, I’ll have to do some paperwork in the morning. So instead of me picking you up, you’ll need to take the first bus at seven twenty-five. Tell the driver to stop at the Stony Dome overlook, and I’ll meet you there. I’ll be able to escort you around the rest of the day, but I think you’ll be able to get some great shots near Stony Dome.”

  Craig looked across the table at Buck and smiled. “That grizzly sow with twin cubs I told you about? Well, she’s been hanging around not too far from that area,” he continued, “and that male bear is around there too. We’ve been keeping our eye on him, concerned he may be getting too close to the cubs.”

  “What difference would that make?” Toni asked.

  “Male bears have been known to kill cubs,” Buck quickly answered. That fact was in one of his scripts.

  “What if we see some wildlife before we get to the over look?” Shoop asked. “Can we get off the bus and film it?”

  “No. The bus drivers always stop to look at wildlife and you can take pictures through the window, but nobody can get off a bus if animals can be seen nearby. They’ll let you off anywhere you want if wildlife isn’t obviously present. But for tomorrow, don’t get off someplace and wander around. You won’t have time.”

  “Sounds like a plan,” Dad said.

  “Okay. See you guys tomorrow,” Craig said, and headed for his truck. He got in and started the engine, but before he drove away, he called out the window, “Don’t forget to bring that map with you tomorrow. We might need it.”

  As Dad and Shoop looked over the scripts one last time, Toni put the camera equipment away. Buck folded the map and tucked it into a pocket of the camera bag. That evening the four of them sat around the campfire, talking excitedly about the caribou kill and the first shot of the new show. It was late when Shoop and Toni walked up the road to their RV, but when Buck finally laid his head on his pillow, he had a hard time getting to sle
ep in the broad daylight.

  TAKE 6:

  “BEARS ARE VERY CURIOUS AND WILL INSPECT UNFAMILIAR OBJECTS TO SEE IF THEY CAN EAT OR PLAY WITH THEM.”

  MONDAY, AUGUST 12

  Early the next morning Buck and Toni led the way as Dad and Shoop hauled their gear to the covered bus stop at the campground entrance. Other campers were there, talking excitedly in anticipation of what they might see, but when the foursome arrived, their attention turned to them.

  Many recognized Dad. Shoop and Toni backed away as a crowd gathered around him and Buck. Dad answered questions about the new show, introducing Buck as the star. As a green bus pulled up, Buck looked beyond the crowd. Standing to the side, Shoop had the camera aimed toward him. The red light blinked then turned black.

  “You were filming me?” Buck asked as Shoop and Toni rejoined them.

  Shoop grinned. “Promo shots, dude,” he said as the bus driver opened the door and stepped out.

  “Hi, I’m Jerry,” the driver said. “You must be the Bray crew. I saved the front seat for you. It’s the best seat in the house. Most of the mountain views will be out the left, and you’ll be able to look out the front window and the door with unobstructed views.”

  “Thanks,” Dad said as they got onto the bus. Dad stowed their equipment in the racks above the seat as Shoop sat down with the camera.

  “The second-best seat is the last on the left,” Jerry whispered to Buck and Toni before he turned back to board the other people.

  The bus was already nearly full with campers from the front country campgrounds who had been riding for over an hour already. Buck headed to the back. The last seat had a clear view not only out the side but out the back window, too.

  As he slid in, Toni pulled her sketchbook from her backpack, tossed her backpack up onto the rack, and sat down. She flipped through several pages until she came to a half-finished bird. Willow Ptarmigan, Alaska State Bird was written at the top. Buck watched as Toni drew.

  “That’s really good,” Buck said.

  “Thanks,” Toni replied. “Shoop’s teaching me about photography, but I prefer drawing. When school starts, I’m signed up for an art class. What about you? What do you like to do?”

  “I don’t know. I like science, and I know a lot about animals,” Buck said, “especially wild animals, but until now all I’ve done is read about them. Dad’s always gone, and the only wildlife I’ve ever seen is a squirrel when I’ve been with my grandparents in a park.”

  “Shoop told me you lived with your grandparents in Indiana,” Toni said.

  “Yeah,” Buck said. “What about you? Where do you live?”

  “Missouri,” Toni said. “My mom is a professor there, but for the next year she’s teaching in England. So that’s why I’m here with Shoop.”

  “Are there bears in Missouri?”

  “Some black bears in the Ozarks, but I’ve never seen one.”

  Toni went back to drawing, and Buck watched her as people boarded. As an older couple sat down in front of them, Jerry announced there was only one seat left. Buck looked past Toni across the aisle. A teenager was sitting by himself in the last seat on the right. Earbuds were in his ears, and his head was leaning against the window, his eyes were shut, mouth open, and he was sound asleep.

  The people still standing in the bus stop pavilion were in pairs, and no one wanted to split up. Jerry was explaining that another bus would be along in about fifteen minutes when a man came running around the corner from the campground. Buck could only see the top of a black knit hat as the man ran by the bus windows.

  “Are you by yourself?” Jerry said to the man.

  “Yeah,” the man said.

  “You made it just in time. One seat left.”

  Buck was trying to get his camera out as the man came down the aisle. It was zipped in the pants pocket by his right knee, and the zipper was stuck. He gave the zipper a hard tug, and it opened so suddenly, Buck’s hand knocked into Toni’s sketchbook. It flew off her lap and landed in the middle of the aisle one seat ahead of them. Toni stood and leaned over to pick it up, but the man was there before her. He kicked at the sketchbook just as Toni’s hand reached for it. His boot plowed firmly into Toni’s fingers. Toni cried out in pain as the sketchbook skidded under the seat in front of Buck.

  Buck’s eyes had followed the sketchbook, but now he looked up. The man had a beard and mustache. Large dark wraparound sunglasses covered his eyes, and the black knit hat was pulled down low, covering his forehead and ears. In the man’s hands was a red backpack. A bear claw dangled from the zipper pull.

  Toni stood frozen in the middle of the aisle, her left hand tightly holding the fingers on her right. Her eyes were as wide as if she were face-to-face with a grizzly.

  Without saying a word, the man pushed past Toni, tossed his backpack up onto the rack, and sat down next to the sleeping teen. He put his head back and crossed his arms as if he were going to sleep too.

  “Are you okay, honey?” the older woman sitting in front of them asked Toni.

  “Yeah, I’m okay,” she said quietly, but tears had welled up in her eyes. She quickly sat down and bowed her head, letting her long hair hide her face, but she still held tightly to her injured fingers.

  “Do you want me to go get Shoop?” Buck asked. “It might be broken.”

  “No, Shoop’s not too good with injuries, especially if there’s blood. He faints. But it’s not broken. See?” Toni let go of her hand and opened and closed all her fingers. Her little finger and ring finger were turning purple, and blood was smeared across them. The woman in front turned to look too. Then she got up, unzipped a side pocket on a big gray backpack on the rack, and stepped back beside them, holding a small first aid box.

  “Let me see your hand, sweetie,” she said. Soon Toni’s fingers were cleaned up and bandaged.

  “There. Does that feel better?”

  “It throbs a little,” Toni said, forcing a smile, “but yes, it’s much better. Thank you.”

  “I’m Romana Rail, and that’s my husband, Gerald.” Gerald reached over the seat and handed Toni her sketchbook.

  “I heard that your friend is Buck Bray, but what’s your name, sweetie?” Romana continued.

  “Toni Shoop. I’m the cameraman’s daughter.”

  “Well, it’s nice to meet you two. Now, let me know if you need any more help.”

  As Romana returned to her seat, Buck leaned near Toni and whispered, “Do you know who that is?”

  They both glanced across the aisle. The man had not even lifted his head.

  “Yeah,” Toni whispered back. “It’s Rek Malkum.”

  The bus had started moving, and as they crossed the Teklanika River Bridge, Jerry’s voice came over the speaker.

  “If you see some wildlife, just call out and we’ll stop,” he said. He continued talking, keeping a running commentary about what they saw and telling them other interesting facts.

  Buck looked out the window as the bus started a long climb. The narrow road twisted and turned. The tires were only a few inches from a sheer drop-off with no guardrails. A braided riverbed lay far below. Jerry made a joke about how the park service had never lost a bus on this pass.

  “They are always able to find ’em.” He chuckled. “Eight hundred feet down.”

  The passengers groaned at the lame joke, but Toni whispered to Buck, “I’m sure that joke isn’t helping Shoop any. He’s afraid of heights. And I know the twisty road has made him carsick, too.”

  Buck chuckled. “No offense,” he said, “but Dad’s told me Shoop’s scared of just about everything.”

  “Yeah,” Toni agreed, smiling. “Blood, heights, snakes—you name it.”

  Buck stood up, looking over everyone’s heads toward the front of the bus. Shoop was leaning over, his face in his hands. Dad had the camera and was taking shots of the treacherous pass through the front windshield. As Buck sat back down, he glanced again at the seat next to them. Both Rek and the teenager still lo
oked like they were sleeping. Buck had barely returned his gaze out his own window when he saw something. Excited, he put the binoculars to his eyes and then yelled out the first thing that came to his mind.

  “Animal! It’s an animal!”

  The bus stopped instantly, and everyone had their noses to the windows.

  “You’re right!” Jerry said over the mic. “Good eyes back there. Way down on that riverbed you’ll see the first bear of the day. He’s probably eating soapberries.”

  “I see it!”

  “Where?”

  “Over there.”

  Voices called out all over the bus. Most of the people on the right side of the bus were now crammed in behind people on the left side, trying to get a glimpse of the bear. When Buck turned to hand the binoculars to Toni, Rek no longer had his head back, but he wasn’t even trying to see the bear. He was clicking different icons on what looked like a smartphone.

  “We’re a long ways from that grizzly, so it’s not the best photo op,” Jerry said. “We’ll probably see more bears before the day’s done, but when we stop for wildlife, you need to be as quiet as possible so as not to upset or scare it away.”

  The bus started moving again, and Jerry continued talking. “Now just up here, you’re in for a treat. It’s nice and clear this morning, so we’ll get a good view of the Great One, which is what Denali means in the Athabascan language. It used to be called Mount McKinley, but in 2015 the United States officially changed it to Denali.”

  The bus went around a curve, and suddenly there it was. Denali loomed up bright white, twice as high as the surrounding mountains. A hushed whoa was whispered through the bus as it pulled to the side of the road.

  “Take lots of pictures,” Jerry said. “This will probably be the only time you see Denali today, from the looks of it.”

  Buck took some photos and then looked through the binoculars. Plumes of snow were blowing off the tall peaks. When he had woken up that morning, Buck had read the junior ranger booklets. Now he could see some of what the mountaineers had to face as they ascended to the summits of Denali’s north and south peaks. There were narrow lines of jagged rocky edges where the snow was blown thin, steep ice-covered faces, and sheer dropoffs that climbers would need to avoid. And as clouds began to hide part of the mountain, any mountaineers up there would soon find themselves unable to see through a thick, freezing fog. Buck still had the binoculars to his eyes when Toni called out.