Bob and Anna ran a top-notch hunting area together. You can judge the quality of an outfit by the things the guides say behind the owner’s backs. In the Fontana camp, the respect for the boss was almost palpable. The guides all rode for the brand, as they say, if sometimes maddeningly so.
I recall spotting a black bear on the side of a mountain this past November and drawing Bob’s attention to it. He was instant with his rebuke that it had to be a "long toes," or grizzly, so late in the year. We quickly made a $50 bet on the matter. Fontana proceeded to check out the bruin a bit more and then enlist two separate guides on the radio for their opinion, but only after letting them know a bet was on. Of course they chimed in that the boss had to be right and it must be a griz. I was never able to collect my winnings….
