How I Conquered the Fear I’d Been Holding Onto

I have been hunting my whole life and am a board member of the Lake Superior Chapter of Safari Club International. Bear hunting was never on my radar or something I ever wanted to do. I had a fear of hunting them, probably because of the scary stories I had heard. I let those fears keep me from pursuing that hunt.

One day I was talking to friends, Scott Olson and Lisa Gingerich-Olson, and they told me about all the bear hunts they had been on and how amazing they were. I asked them if I could go along just to watch and be part of their adventures, and they said, yes. They hunt in Idaho with Mike Popp’s Nature Adventures, and after all the stories I heard, I wanted to meet the legendary Mike Popps! So, the plan went into motion, and we went on an adventure!

The road trip to Idaho was a blast in itself. On the way there, Scott asked me if I would shoot a bear. I hesitated, saying, “I would, I guess, if I was safe.” He proceeded to tell me many stories and scenarios from the hunts he had been on. It was exciting to hear him. He had so much passion in his voice, so much enthusiasm when he spoke, and his love for conservation and the great outdoors was truly evident.

Lisa also shared stories about her bear hunts, and as a newer hunter, she raved about her experiences and about all the things she had learned. When she spoke, I could see her emotions as she shared every detail of each hunt. She convinced me I would be just fine and that I could do it! Lisa is truly amazing, and her confidence in me was just the push I needed.

After hours of driving and talking about bear hunting, they said, “Let’s get you a license, and you can harvest a bear.” I agreed, and the whole trip shifted. I went from being just a bystander supporting them in their hunts to the person who would harvest her very own bear for the first time.

We arrived in Kamiah, Idaho, and Mike Popp welcomed us to his beautiful lodge amidst breathtaking scenery. We unloaded and got everything ready for the next day’s hunt. Oh, the stories told, old friends reuniting, and the making of new friends was something I will never forget. I knew I was in the presence of greatness and that this was going to be an amazing adventure.

Our first morning, we got up early and jumped on the side-by-sides and four-wheelers to check baits. Mike showed up with his dogs in tow on top of his truck, ready to pick up the smell of a bear. These dogs were unbelievable; I had never experienced anything like this before. They were so loving and kind to us, but they were ready to work and ready to run.

The first three days, we checked baits and trail cameras, restocked baits, and sat at different blinds in the evenings waiting to see a bear come out of the woods. We didn’t see any bears, but we enjoyed time with each other in the mountains and all the beauty they had to offer.

Day four was the day I will never forget. We were driving the trails heading to check baits when the dogs started howling and going crazy. Mike pulled over. He knew they had scented a bear that wasn’t too far away. He released, Apgar, his finest hunting dog, and off he ran. Mike slowly released each of the other dogs. The adrenaline was intense, and the sound of these hounds was music to my ears.

I was so excited, and it was awesome listening to them getting further away as they pursued the bear and chased him up a tree. We took off in our machines to find the dogs. When we could go no further on the off-road vehicles, we stopped, got everything we needed to harvest the bear, and ran through the woods to get to the dogs. I was excited and out of breath, but the adrenaline kept me going. I ran up a mountainside like it was nothing because I wanted to see everything and make sure I did not miss a thing.

We got to the dogs. They were howling, barking, and jumping at the bottom of a big tree. I looked up to see an amazing black bear almost to the top of the tree. I was stunned for a moment, taking it all in, and it looked right at me. I could not believe that the moment was here and this was my chance to harvest a bear.

We tied off all the dogs, and it was time to take my shot. Scott talked me through what was going on, and what was going to happen afterwards. He handed me the rifle and said, “You got this.” I leaned against a tree, and I told myself, “You got this!”

My father had taught me to shoot when I was a little girl. I thought of him at that moment, remembering everything he had told me. I got the bear in my sight and squeezed the trigger. It was a great shot, and the bear came tumbling out of the tree.

Once it was on the ground everyone, screamed, “bear down!” and congratulated me on a successful harvest. I was shaking, happy, thankful, excited, and emotional all at the same time. I did it. I got my first black bear. And it was beautiful! We took pictures to capture every moment.

I told the guys I wanted to drag the bear out of the woods myself. I wanted to complete this hunt doing most of the work myself, and I did. Scott, Lisa, and I made our way down the mountain to the side-by-side, loaded up my bear and celebrated.

It was tough work dragging it out, requiring every ounce of strength I had left. I started crying as I told them this was something I never thought I would do. I just needed a minute to process what just happened and to feel all my emotions. I had conquered a fear I had been holding on to, and they all helped me do that. I harvested a beautiful black bear, and I have an amazing story to tell. I will never forget any of those moments, the most important being how they believed in me and I believed in myself.

We brought the bear back to camp, and I asked Mike to show me how to skin it.  It was a fun learning experience, with all of us laughing and giggling as I did it. That night, I was one of them. I was a part of something bigger than me. We talked about everything we had experienced, and I thanked them all from the bottom of my heart for everything they had done for me.

The next day we worked together to get another bear, and the other hunter in our group was successful. It was a group effort all the way around, including the hounds! Before we headed home the following day, Mike wanted to give us the full nature adventure and took us down to his cabin by the river, showed us where they stayed in previous years and shared many stories. We drove around various trails, took lots of pictures, and made plans for future hunts. It was so breathtaking, beautiful and scenic.

As we were saying our goodbyes, a sense of sadness came over me, and I didn’t want to leave. I came to Idaho as a stranger, as a person who didn’t know what to expect. I was leaving Idaho with a newfound love for bear hunting, the mountains, and the hounds. Mike Popp’s Nature Adventure was one of the most amazing adventures I have ever been on! I made new friends and will cherish the memories for a lifetime.

You can do anything you put your mind to. You can do even more when you have a great support system! Women encouraging other women is a powerful thing. Women are powerful alone, but when you have them by your side, you are unstoppable! My mother,  taught me that. YOU are never too old to dream another dream and make that dream come true. Keep on dreaming!!! – Joanne Zacharias

Postscript: Hunters interested in Mike Popp’s Nature Adventures can contact him at 208-935-8383 or [email protected]. Visit his page on Facebook to see photos of the lodge, his area and photos of happy clients.