Wasn't in WA, but rather over in ID. I was finishing up my undergrad at the UofI and the morning was great. Clear and visibility unlimited, cool without being cold, and calm. A great day for spring bear hunting. I was out east of Moscow north of Troy and spotted a good bear a longish distance away at the edge of a natural meadow that was bordered by an older selective cut stand. There was a slight breeze from the SW so I carefully went up through the trees on the ENE side of the meadow. I was in no hurry and was enjoying the day. With my M99 .30-30, I needed to get within 100 yards, but this was going to be almost too easy. There was a big black cloud gathering on the western horizon, which is where Moscow's crappy weather came from, but the breeze hadn't increased, so I still had at least an hour before things got wet. I was about 175 yards away when the bear stood up stared around it and took off for parts unknown. I knew it wasn't me that spooked it and I looked around. That cloud had gotten closer, a lot closer, but there was still no wind. Then dust started coming out if the sky and it got darker and darker, fast. I didn't know what it was but I trust the much finer senses of animals better than my own, so I walked back to my truck. I never go anywhere in the bush without a flashlight, and I needed it.
My truck was an old '69 F150 -- the last year of the real work truck, so it had a manual choke and throttle, oil bath air cleaner, etc. But the radio was broken and had been for several years. I drove home wondering if the silly buggers had finally started tossing the big ones. Because of the oil bath air cleaner and other work adaptations, the truck didn't suffer at all.
RB
