Issue link: http://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/68594
massive 400-grain bullet struck eight inches below the bear's chin, passing through her heart and exiting her right hip. It was over. The 750-pound sow dropped less than 12 feet from the rifle's muzzle. For Charles Allen, the bear's defiant charge had seemed to take an hour, though she had actually covered the 120 paces in just 4.4 seconds before he pulled the trigger. T he author created this dramatic portrayal of Charles Allen firing at the charging brown bear for a special Knives of Alaska promotion. The banner on the sign reads, fittingly: "Out here, it's just you, your gear, and your guts." Of course, there were nervous expletives and shouts of relief all around, but there were no "high fives," none of the mindless macho posturing. What had to be done was done and while, thankfully, no one was injured, a mother brown bear was dead and her young cub doomed. Later, they hiked back to the lodge, each man locked in his own somber thoughts. No one spoke a word. They didn't even notice the rain had stopped. Epilogue: Killing a bear without a tag is a very serious business in Alaska, particularly when the shooter is a professional outfitter. There are significant consequences. After immediately reporting the incident to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, a subsequent investigation of the event found Charles Allen fully justified in his actions. The killing of the sow was considered a legitimate D. L. P. (in Defense of Life or Property). In fact, the Allen encounter is regarded as Alaska's first genuine, video-documented D. L. P. Both Allen and cameraman Kerry Seay had stood their ground and taken care of business, clearly demonstrating that true professionalism is performance under pressure. Note: Wayne McLoughlin specializes in sporting posters and prints at Blue Loon Fine Arts. Call (603) 445-2409 or visit www.blueloonfinearts.com. SPOR TI N G C L ASSICS 139