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Thread: Hunting in Grizzly area

  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2017
    Location
    Smithers
    Posts
    176

    Hunting in Grizzly area

    I have some questions as someone who is new to grizzly country. What precautions, for grizzly, do you take once an animal is down? Gun at the ready of course. Do you light a fire? Will, you gut/debone at night? pack at night? or wait and only do it in daylight? Are you more relaxed in low concentration areas or do you still take the same precautions?.

    I am moose hunting with my 11 yr old son and only have weekends off (teacher). I will not hunt Sunday afternoon as I will not have time to get moose out and be at work Monday morning. However, I could be in a situation where time is of the essence and I need to retrieve the moose in the dark. I'm thinking of sticking to daylight hours even if it means I miss work.

    So what do you guys do?

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  3. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Posts
    6,437

    Re: Hunting in Grizzly area

    I will rather go all night to retrieve an animal than leave it till morning personally...where I have had to leave an animal to go get help, I would gut it first and drag it a little ways from the gut pile then hang it up on a branch( for deer)- I always carry 20 feet of 8mm kernmantle on my belt and I know a few tricks to gain mechanical advantage...In my survival gear is a sharpie that I routinely use to write on flagging tape to help retrace my steps (usually just time and direction headed on the tape) so I would leave a brief note attached to the deer if doing that....

  4. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Location
    7A
    Posts
    20,732

    Re: Hunting in Grizzly area

    Carry a powerful gun with huge bullets
    "If you ever go into the bush, there are grizzly bears lurking behind just about every bush, waiting to pounce, so you need a powerful gun, with huge bullets" - Gatehouse ~ 2004

  5. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Location
    Alert Bay
    Posts
    534

    Re: Hunting in Grizzly area

    I basically hunt exclusively in grizz country. I've come across them more then once. It can be nerve racking sometimes, but you have to keep a level head.

    We had to pack a bull elk (12km each way.. multiple trips) on foot through a zone with a good chunk of grizzly bears. Last pack out was about 1am and that was not fun haha.

    Carry a gun
    Carry bear spray
    Make noise
    Never let your guard down
    Don't let it ruin your experience

  6. #5
    Join Date
    Apr 2016
    Location
    Salmon Arm
    Posts
    6

    Re: Hunting in Grizzly area

    Totally agree with the working steady to get the animal out versus leaving it overnight. As was already stated, move the quarters from the gutpile and punch the ponch to make that the stinkiest. Leaving it overnight can mean its ruined by coyotes, bears, wolves, etc. if there is no human scent or noise to deter.

    Make noise. A fire is not a bad idea if its safe. Move the quarters about 100 yards from the gutpile. Bear spray.

  7. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    BC
    Posts
    2,291

    Re: Hunting in Grizzly area

    If eve and not much light temaining I work fast and just bust the guts out, open back of neck split pelvis and raise the rump off ground with a log for added cooling. String a tarp over in case of rain and back at site at first light with firearm to finish processing. Will not know what hit you in the dark if a griz wants to claim the kill. They can be incredibly sneaky quiet or come in fast. Much prefer to deal with a situation like that in day light. I have frequently had bears show up after gun shot. Often they are already pulled in by the calling and are nearby. I also opt for heavy calibers in these areas. Really depends where you are hunting tho and the liklihood of griz presence. I dont worry much about bbears.

  8. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Posts
    4,368

    Re: Hunting in Grizzly area

    I now carry my pack alarm when hunting alone in G bear country. To easy to string it up and create a big perimeter when you can't constantly be watching your back and while working alone.

    I shot an elk at last light bow season one year in warm weather and worked alone to get it quartered and packed out. Was very un- nerving. The pack alarm allows you to focus on what you are doing, getting it done sooner
    Last edited by Ron.C; 09-18-2018 at 12:09 PM.

  9. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Posts
    8,515

    Re: Hunting in Grizzly area

    Never a fun situation when it comes to dropping game like elk in GBear country just before nightfall for sure.
    Years ago, you never worried about it much, as the Gbear where hunted, and were "fearful"
    That has all changed for sure, and many need to start realizing that.
    Drag guts away asap.
    Better yet, do the "gutless" method first, get your quarters get them bagged, as well as backstraps, and now of course ribs and neck, and tenderloins (so yes, you will end up with the smelly guts more now due to the regulation changes.
    (before, you left the tenderloins, thus the stomach closed till right at the end)

    We used to gut right thru the night, being that we were 10-15kms away from vehicle, so lots of nights coming out at 4:00 am.
    That being said, we had multiple guys there, and yes a fire! (more so because it was cold, but a good idea I suppose for Bear)

    But, with only 2 guys, or by yourself, yes, it is nerve racking.
    Have gutted elk, dragged guts away, and place sticks in to keep ribs cage open too cool out, when we have left elk overnight.
    (but, many of the elk were on the river, so very open, compared to deep in the timber and thick stuff)
    I always left my undershirt (smelly human scent) on the body or antlers, and if you have to pee, due that around the area as well...imo...and do it like a dog, a squirt here and and a squirt there...lol.

    If you can get the quarters and rest of the meat at least some distance away from the kill site, to leave overnight, that's th best thing to do.

    If worried about coming back in the morning, pay attention to the birds like whiskey jacks and ravens.
    Are they on the kill, and if so, that probably means nothing is on the kill.
    If ravens are sitting all over, but some distance away, well then, just maybe something is on the kill.
    Walk in loud, and just stay prepared.

    Sadly, I know of 2 guys close to where I hunt that lost their lives after taking a bull elk up above the sub alpine with
    snow around.
    You would think that in sub alpine, you have lots of "viewing range" for anything coming in, and being in sub alpine, you
    should be aware of the fact that there is even a higher risk of Gbear.
    So, why it happened, and they weren't aware...I have no idea, and it still makes me wonder about it to this day, as to
    why, how, and what went wrong....what could they have done better???

    And one other thing, and I have seen some friends personal video when they tried to take a caribou down at long range,
    with multiple shots, as some gave up, and other's would try.
    A GBear came running in, from way way off, and they never recovered the boo til days later...just the antlers!

    So, no, they ain't scared, and are getting used to gun shots.
    I will take my chances during daylight, the next day if need be, but I will make every attempt to get what I can ASAP away
    from kill site, to a safe distance away, and somewhere "more open".

    Interesting thread and curious to how others "get it done" for sure.

  10. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Posts
    8,515

    Re: Hunting in Grizzly area

    Quote Originally Posted by Ron.C View Post
    I now carry my pack alarm when hunting alone in G bear country. To easy to string it up and create a big perimeter when you can't constantly be watching your back and while working alone.

    I shot an elk at lady light bow season one year in warm weather and worked alone to get it quartered and packed out. Was very un- nerving. The pack alarm allows you to focus on what you are doing, getting it done sooner
    Good idea.
    Maybe a Bluetooth speaker and some "Metallica" to boot....(just kidding with the music, but perimeter alarm sounds good)

    Did you buy that, or just made at home??
    What do you use??

  11. #10
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Posts
    8,515

    Re: Hunting in Grizzly area

    I know some folks have also gone to buy a 45/70 or shotgun just for the sole purpose of taking out game.

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