Who knew that baiting bears in Michigan’s upper peninsula was such a perilous endeavor? It’s not just the abundant wolf population that poses a threat in the wild. 

Trivia question: Is there quicksand in Michigan?  Just ask Ross. To paraphrase, he said,  “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up,” but with much more color, of course. 

Sometimes a short cut could cut your life short. As Ross quickly sunk to his armpits in mud, panic ensued. Gary frantically searched for a stick with which to rescue him while making a wisecrack about it being too bad Ross didn’t have a hat on so they could find him easier.  Thanks to these heroics, despite being preceded by uncontrollable laughter where tears ran down Gary’s cheeks, Ross’s life was spared. Gary extended him a stick with which to extricate him from his less than luxurious mud bath. Yes, this time tragedy was averted and a memory was made, albeit with residual PTSD, though from the quicksand or Gary’s laughter, Ross can’t be quite sure.  It has been said that Ross now wears a hat when baiting bears.  By the way, Ross said the best part of the experience was entering Gary’s truck full of mud!