Last fall,
I was hunting sheep in the east kootenay's,
Early morning, I spotted 6 rams for a fleeting moment, I had the day, so I decided to go have a closer look.
my path took me up some timber and onto a slide path, I climbed for 2.5 hrs till I found the sheeptracks in the snow, I worked the tracks slowly up the mountain until they went up into and area I couldn't be concealed, so I decided I didn't want to spook them into the next country. So I decided to head back down and see if I could relocate them later.
On my way down, I was working my way down the treed edge of the slide path, when I came to break in the slope.
I was moving slow looking looking, as I came over the edge. Immediately I saw 3 grizzly bears at about 200 yards, the wind was heavy in my face(so Im am thinking I good) so I sat just inside the trees looking at the bears with my Binos, three beauty sliver grizzlies 7' sow and two 6' Cubs, the cubs were almost as big as the sow. As I am looking, I snap a couple photos with my phone. They look like dots at that distance on the phone. Now I am trying figure out how I am going to get back down with 3 G bears in the way.Right Then

The wind must have swirled or something because one of the cubs stood up on its hind legs,
then started booking it right up the slide towards one. He was closing the distance fast.

I knew to my right,about 100 yards thru the timber was another slide path. So, I moved quickly thru the bush to next slide path, I got to the path dropped down to the creek, then over to the other side.The slide was about 40 yards wide. I paused there looking and listening, the wind was still in my face from down the mountain, I was hoping, if I could travel down to where the two slides met that the bears would get my wind and hopefully move off. I moved down slowly, watching like a hawk at the direction of the bears.

Just then one of the Bears stands up at the edge of timber at about Forty yards looking across the creek and slide path at me. It was a tense moment. The bear dropped back down in the side growth on the side of the slide, where I couldn't see it. I continued moving slowly down the mountain after about 500 yards later
I was able to see two of the bears, above the break in the slope. I was relieved but still weary. A hundred things were going thru my mind.

1. If the bear kept coming, how close would I let come before doing something about it.

2. Where should my shot placement be at close range. 140grn bullets from a 7mm.

3. What if all three came over? My gun only holds 3 rounds. I have 4 more rounds on my sling, but the first three better count. Remember, I
just saw how fast they can up the mountain!!!

Anyway alls well that ends well,
The bears continued on with there business and so did I. I found the 6 Rams the next morning and they gave me a better look
the biggest one was 1" shy of full curl. Had him ranged at 178 yards. Bummer!

What is your Too close distance, to a bear in the Backcountry???