The Hunts

Book excerpt: "There!" Andy whispered sharply, pointing to the area where the bear was thought to be sleeping. "Look at the brush." Indeed, Tom could see the movement of alders, an insistent swaying, as if an unseen hand had grasped a branch and was trying to shake something out of the tree. The bear heaved forward and stepped into the clearing. Tom held his breath as he watched the bear finally detach itself from the brush, revealing its true enormity. Four men embark on a bear hunt on Kodiak Island's remote south end. Old Ivory, an elusive and colossal bear, is their ultimate goal. Each hunter has a unique perception of the undertaking: a chance for redemption, a test of manhood, realization of a lifelong aspiration, or a spiritual quest for cultural preservation. Kodiak's rugged terrain, harsh weather, and the canniness of the animal they pursue test their stamina and resolve and ultimately compel them to examine their individual values.