Grizzly vs. Black Bear at bait site question

[Tikkamike]

The grizzly here seems to have a bigger range than the black bear. Bait sites that previously didn't seem to compete for the same bear, started showing grizzly sign at each one. When the bear seemed to be in one corner of the area, the black bears trickled back in.

We covered our baits with natural material, black bear seem almost mannerly in removing the limbs and cover. Grizzly hits look like a grenade went off in the bait pile.

Signs of laying up on the bait until it's gone also appear. Big black bear never seemed to do this.

Most of what I suspect is guess work, I sure wish we had todays camera's, back then.

A couple of youtube video's show a little of the behavior we're talking about.

Bear Killing Bear
Grizzly chasing black bear
Scarface (Grizzly Bear) eats dinner
I keep swearing I'm going to learn posting links, sorry.

Like has been said season, mood, personality all play into it, ask Timothy Treadwell. I can't find it again, but there was a video showing a small sow with cubs, going nose to nose with a big boar on a bison carcass. He's full, tired and leaves it to her. Another day he might eat her and the cubs.

I have the same opinions as you about the big blacks not seeming to lay on the bait until its gone... however I do think they stay in a reasonable proximity so they can defend it if they feel someone else is around. this fall I had a ton of bears on the bait then a big dominant boar found it and everything else stopped coming in.

For posting links here is how you do it.
1. Go to the link and highlight the address bar completely
2. right click and press "cut" or "copy"
3. go to where you want to post the link (ie LRH.COM) and in the text box where you are typing right click and press "paste"

For posting pictures there is a form on here that never seems to work for me so here is how I do it.

Make a photobucket account and upload pictures from your computer to your account (they have easy instructions on how to do this)
once the pictures are on your account there is a link on the right hand side. follow steps 1-3 from above and your pictures will be on LRH.COM

 

[HARPERC]

I have the same opinions as you about the big blacks not seeming to lay on the bait until its gone... however I do think they stay in a reasonable proximity so they can defend it if they feel someone else is around. this fall I had a ton of bears on the bait then a big dominant boar found it and everything else stopped coming in.

Agree, they can get pretty comfortable. I don't think we ever built a tree stand that didn't show sign of them getting in it sooner or later.

I'm speaking of right on top of the pile with the grizzlies.

The availability of naturals makes a difference also. I've always wondered what your black bear eat in the fall? That big boar showing up late is something we have seen here as well. Here when the berries are all done, or take more energy to get than it's worth is the time I think to target big boars. In the fall anyway.

Watched a sow with cubs in a prime berry patch one year. Just the edges middle of the day. A rock rolled and all 3 went into high gear without looking to see what it was. Tough to put emotions to animals, but sheer terror was the look on their faces.

 

[Tikkamike]

I would love to figure out where the bears that I hunt find their natural feed. As I found out this year they very obviously found something in mid september. I feel that finding that food source could make my dream of a spot and stalk black bear come true.

 

[HARPERC]

Ever see the video of the Yellowstone grizzlies above timberline rolling rocks for the moths? Something to consider.

 

[Tikkamike]

Ever see the video of the Yellowstone grizzlies above timberline rolling rocks for the moths? Something to consider.

No I have not but I hear they do it. and when the moths were plentiful the bears were not so I am guessing that had something to do with it