Predators?????????

[CoachChris]

if you could just lay there with out shooting. i don't know how you walk around with them monsters hanging there. one cool headed person you are!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! either that are you couldn't move with that vacuum you had on the ground!!!!!!!!!! either way cool headed to say the least!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well I guess the first thing is I don't see them as "monsters". I am actually quite fond of grizzlies. I have tons of respect for them! Perhaps just enough fear. They are a part of my life. Just like avalanches, seracs, etc...

And yes, I guess I could be considered rather "cool headed". My life's experiences have taught me to be relaxed in situations like that. I have a hard time with "normal" day to day stuff though. That's the trade off .

 

[jeff 300]

Well I guess the first thing is I don't see them as "monsters". I am actually quite fond of grizzlies. I have tons of respect for them! Perhaps just enough fear. They are a part of my life. Just like avalanches, seracs, etc...

And yes, I guess I could be considered rather "cool headed". My life's experiences have taught me to be relaxed in situations like that. I have a hard time with "normal" day to day stuff though. That's the trade off .

Reread about the monster part!!!!! Not the bears

 

[Pdvdh]

jeff 300,

I give. You're gonna have to spell it out for me... You talking monster gonads on Wlfdg or what?

 

[CoachChris]

Hey Jeff, Not sure what you mean? Bison and moose? Oh is that it, monster gonads?

Phorwath, I've had grizzlies in my personal space since then. Had a grizz on the Dogshead Creek trail in Yellowstone walk up to me and a friend. He sniffed her wrist and rubbed against my legs twice. Once in front and once in back. I've been bluff charged within 8' of me. The bears you deal with are bigger and more aggressive I think.

Chris

 

[Pdvdh]

The bears you deal with are bigger and more aggressive I think.

Chris

It is normally the case that our bears aren't acclimated to close human presence, let alone contact. Especially out where I'm in hunting camps. I have some experience with park bears that can get comfortable with human presence in the campgrounds. But any wild bear that approaches me that closely without that prior type of human acclimation goes to bear heaven. Something definitely wrong with such a bear in my mind. That black bear that stalked me..., I couldn't tell if he was curious, hungry, or what. I made a hasty move with my arm and rifle once in the effort to confront him. He just about bounded off, but then instead turned back and squared off with me, staring like a dog does just prior to a fight. This was in the mountains, a good 15 air miles from the nearest inhabited residence. That was enough of a display for me. Time for that bear to go. After all, I was hunting for black bear. One of the easiest bears I ever got. He actually found me rather than the other way around.

 

[CoachChris]

It's a different deal here. We have a rapidly growing grizzly population in close proximity to a rapidly expanding human population. A black bear that close would worry me too. You just don't even see them unless you call them or bait them.

 

[jeff 300]

Amen any one that can do that has got a big pair of monster gonads!!! i would have been shooting like there's no tomorrow. Are is that SH!TTING like there's no tomorrow. No way way i could have stayed there. Man after hearing this stuff motel 6 is sounding real nice. All you have to worry about is bed bugs. VERY VERY COOL HEADED

 

[CoachChris]

It's all relative. Ask any of the Aussies on here about snakes, spiders, sharks and crocs. They "Ah right mate, yea." Smile and nod . You probably have rattlesnakes and black widows? The bears are here but they aren't as dangerous as driving to the trailhead from Motel 6. Shoot, Mtn. Lions worry me more. But it's still more dangerous to drive from the hotel.lightbulb

 

[ol mike]

I did a search on bears over on 24 hr campfire and several people had posted stats on bear maulings/deaths in alaska canada and the usa.
After reading all of the info. i thought over the 'where' people draw the line on shooting a bear b/c it had entered their camp or shows aggression.Myself i feel that if a bear shows no fear of people -comes into their camp -won't leave immediately -like phorwrath says -send it to bear heaven .Taking an animal like that out of the gene pool is a good thing ,you will likely save an unarmed person a mauling or life down the road.

As phorwrath stated alaska has had a huge amount of bear problems in the past several years -people being attacked outside of hotels in town.



The article mikeincg was basically the type info i read alot of in my search -except no one swatted a bear too death w/a stick -sign that guy up for something!

Good thread here -you guys have told some interesting stories.

 

[CoachChris]

Ol Mike, I see your point. I've had 3 occasions where the bear showed interest without aggression. The tent in Montana being one.
The 2nd was the hiking trip at Dogshead Creek. In that one my hiking companion was wearing perfume. A huge NO-NO in grizz country!
We spotted the bear at 50 yds. up a double track. We yelled, waved our arms, etc... He kept coming. So she hid her face in my neck. He walked up to about 6', stood up on his hind legs and gave us a look over. Dropped down, sniffed her wrist right were she sprayed the perfume, walked in front of me, rubbing against my legs with his shoulder, walked about 5 yds. to my right, gave me a cautious dog look, walked back, rubbed against the back of my legs and walked off. He stopped to pee on a bush about 10 yds. behind us. I never felt threatened. I was unarmed and had no bear spray with us. I just had to stand there and deal with her so she didn't freak out. That was more stressful than the bear.

The 3rd. was just about a 2 months ago. I was portering just north of South Leigh Creek. I was at the junction of the Green Mtn. Lakes and Tin Cup Creek trails. There was a grizz across a meadow about 120 yds. My wolfdog sniffed him out but seemed to pay him no mind. I yelled to let him know we were there (they're nearsighted). We kept hiking. Then he just charged. He crossed the meadow in about 8 sec. He stopped about 20 ft. away. Put on a big show, posturing, etc.. Then walked off. He paced us across the meadow at treeline. The trail ducks into some tight woods and switchbacks down. I could hear him above us. When we got into the densest area he charged again. He flowed over all this deadfall like it wasn't even there. AMAZING! He stopped about 8 ft. away this time. I had my bear spray in one hand and my trekking pole in the other (aimed straight at his eyeball). He fluttered his lips and flared his nostrils. But that was it. He followed us down to a bench above the parking area. When I reported it the biologist told me the bear was exhibiting "hooligan behavior". Like a teenage boy acting tough. She said bears do that to each other to test limits.

I never felt in danger in any of those situations. I wasn't!

 

[jeff 300]

Ol Mike, I see your point. I've had 3 occasions where the bear showed interest without aggression. The tent in Montana being one.
The 2nd was the hiking trip at Dogshead Creek. In that one my hiking companion was wearing perfume. A huge NO-NO in grizz country!
We spotted the bear at 50 yds. up a double track. We yelled, waved our arms, etc... He kept coming. So she hid her face in my neck. He walked up to about 6', stood up on his hind legs and gave us a look over. Dropped down, sniffed her wrist right were she sprayed the perfume, walked in front of me, rubbing against my legs with his shoulder, walked about 5 yds. to my right, gave me a cautious dog look, walked back, rubbed against the back of my legs and walked off. He stopped to pee on a bush about 10 yds. behind us. I never felt threatened. I was unarmed and had no bear spray with us. I just had to stand there and deal with her so she didn't freak out. That was more stressful than the bear.

The 3rd. was just about a 2 months ago. I was portering just north of South Leigh Creek. I was at the junction of the Green Mtn. Lakes and Tin Cup Creek trails. There was a grizz across a meadow about 120 yds. My wolfdog sniffed him out but seemed to pay him no mind. I yelled to let him know we were there (they're nearsighted). We kept hiking. Then he just charged. He crossed the meadow in about 8 sec. He stopped about 20 ft. away. Put on a big show, posturing, etc.. Then walked off. He paced us across the meadow at treeline. The trail ducks into some tight woods and switchbacks down. I could hear him above us. When we got into the densest area he charged again. He flowed over all this deadfall like it wasn't even there. AMAZING! He stopped about 8 ft. away this time. I had my bear spray in one hand and my trekking pole in the other (aimed straight at his eyeball). He fluttered his lips and flared his nostrils. But that was it. He followed us down to a bench above the parking area. When I reported it the biologist told me the bear was exhibiting "hooligan behavior". Like a teenage boy acting tough. She said bears do that to each other to test limits.

I never felt in danger in any of those situations. I wasn't!

Are you sure your not relaided to that grizz guy that got eaten are you?????????? I can't say how many people would just stand there and let one rub on you like that but I'm one that dam sure wouldn't. that's' good to no not to wear any smelly stuff out there. you have to be the coolest headed guy i have ever herd of. are the crazyest, one of the two. way to go i guess. i hope your luck doesn't run out on you.

 

[Pdvdh]

Are you sure your not relaided to that grizz guy that got eaten are you?????????? I can't say how many people would just stand there and let one rub on you like that but I'm one that dam sure wouldn't. that's' good to no not to wear any smelly stuff out there. you have to be the coolest headed guy i have ever herd of. are the crazyest, one of the two. way to go i guess. i hope your luck doesn't run out on you.

Truly no offense intended, but the buzzards would have been eating good for a few days if that grizz had rubbed up against me. I'd at least have pasted him with pepper spray if nothing else, just to instill a healthy fear of humans. That bear gets an abcessed tooth some day and he'll do more than just rub up against someone and smell their perfume. He'll be in a ****-poor mood.

 

[bushido2222]

Had a griz walk down the trail in the middle of the night right past my hammock this last August...could tell it was a griz from the tracks in the snow...17 yrds...funny thing was that we had hung our foodsack 100yds down the trail...right on the edge of the trail...not very smart...that bear didn't even break stride...guess he wasn't hungry...camped at the junction of 3 basins at 8000ft...watched 2 griz, 1 back, and a momma mt.lion and 2 cubs just before dark...that can of bearspray didn't bring much comfort that night in the hammock....not sure an uzi would have made me feel better...guess it depends on the personality of the bear just like people...some good, some not so good....glad he was a GOOD bear...and remember to always set your bedding in the middle of everybody elses

 

[bushido2222]

Wlfdg...he wouldn't have eaten me either...he wouldn't get past the smell!!! seriously though, I believe you did the right thing...had a bowhunting friend get chased by 3 wolves outside Wisdom a month ago...he ran so they chased...when he turned on them they stopped...it wasn't an attack...just doing what wolves do...his own damned fault for running in the first place...lesson learned I guess...stand and hope or run and get it for sure...I'll try standing