Grizzly Encounter

[nelsonob1]

I am from Nelson, BC and decided to take a little drive out of town up a local mountain and sit and watch a nice open area I scouted for elk earlier in the summer. I took my 12 year old son.

We position on the edge of a gently sloped open area about 400 yards across and 150 yards deep. Wind was not in our favor pushing our scent across the middle of the open area but we did not have time to relocate. I figured the elk were likely in the forest above and we would likely have time if they came out of the tree line. I had seen some bear scat on the way in so decided to keep quiet and just see if anything popped out as the sun dropped. It was a beautiful look out.

About twenty minutes in something does pop out - the biggest goddam grizzly I have seen and they come big in this area. He's about 250 yards in front of us, the size of a car and walking parallel to our position down the slope. A real beauty but I am thinking he's going to drop into or scent line. I watch him through the scope and can see the response as soon as he hits our scent. He spins and sticks his nose in the air, lifting slightly on the back legs. He drops down and looks right at us. He starts to trot in our direction. No hesitation. Just comes straight at us.

Now I'm thinking fast. Shoot, run, shoot in the air. I look through the scope again. He's too big to shoot with a 7mm08. I don't like the odds. He stops and sniffs the air again. I decide the truck 400 yards away is better odds. We slide out of the makeshift hide, keeping our elevation low and get below a natural rise so he can't see us, then run.

400 yards seems like a mile.

As we get to the truck he comes running over the brow of the hill, stops and just stares. We get in, look back and he is gone.

All the time I am running I am thing man that would make a hell of a rug.

[Spy]

Scary shit, glad you and your kid did not make the evening news! Good thinking ;-)

[Timbow]

Wow. How did your son react? Sounds like that would be a hair raising experience.

[nelsonob1]

Wow. How did your son react? Sounds like that would be a hair raising experience.

kid was cooler than me. I said, "Big grizzly Samson, we gotta run." He replied, "OK dad." and ran, faster than me, but slowed every fifty yards to let me catch up. I ran slower because I thought better to keep some wind in the lungs for a steady shot if needed.

The one thing I would have changed is putting another rifle in the hands of my son. Dumb decision not to take the lever action 35 Rem. My kid shoots that like most adults shoot a 22lr.

[HarryToolips]

Looks like you'll be puttin in for a spring griz LEH lol?

[BigfishCanada]

Ya i feel more comfortible with my son nephews packing, i always stress, if im getting eatin dont shoot me, shoot the dam bear!!

[Ranger95]

It would have been interesting to see what would have happened if you had some bear spray with you, just a squirt or two into the wind to let it carry towards the fast approaching bear (while beating a hasty retreat as you wisely did)

I'm not 100% sure it will stop a grizz in its tracks - we'll see if it ever happens to us!

[nature girl]

Well when your son goes back to school he can say I saw a huge ass grizzly.
Glad you both are okay.

[swampthing]

Bear encounters are scary but fun! Let the boy pack a weapon for sure. Your 708 would hammer a grizz.

[finngun]

i would,n play with spray....just trust lead..warning shot first...if no help,,,,as much lead in the air as possible.. 7mm will do the job..:-?

[Good2bCanadian]

Glad it worked out.

Sounds like your learning from your experience.

Thanks for sharing.

[takla1]

had the same thing happen while moose hunting in the caribou hi-lands only my son and I were on my quad.We were up high in a cutblock and came around a tight corner on the skidder trail and a large griz,big silver hump ,climb up on the trail not 20 yrs from us.
I told my son to chamber a round{7 m mag} as I turned the quad as fast as I could,my gun was in my scabbard.
the griz stood his ground with ears back,he wasn't happy.We had a few dicey moments were he could have been on us if he wanted......got the heart pumping for sure..

[Rattler]

Wow glad things worked out okay. Yes they do grow big in this area...

[.330 Dakota]

I always carry a minimum 338 in griz country and spray on my hip, cause ya never know.

[Brambles]

Grizzly encounters build character!........I seem to build more and more character every year regardless of where I hunt okanagan or kootenays!!! I could use a little less character!!

hope your little man doesn't get turned off!
Glad the encounter didn't escalate, no doubt because you retreated.

were u using elk cover scents?

[nelsonob1]

Grizzly encounters build character!........I seem to build more and more character every year regardless of where I hunt okanagan or kootenays!!! I could use a little less character!!

hope your little man doesn't get turned off!
Glad the encounter didn't escalate, no doubt because you retreated.

were u using elk cover scents?

No elk cover scents.

My son thought it was exciting. I kept it low key. I figured him panicking would not have helped. Next time I will make sure he has a rifle in his hands all the time.

[HARDICAT]

I was thinking the same thing about a little shot of bear spray in the wind. Just make sure you wash your hands before you have a pee. I am speaking from experience! You are teaching your son "critical thinking" if you were half asleep in a daze it very well could have been a different storey. Your son will always have his radar on out in the bush.

[xcaribooer]

holy crap yep that is scary. I think you played that very well, luckily the truck was close and not 4 miles away. That brings up the question, when is it legal to shoot a grizz in self defence?? I am sure that if you had shot it, the co's would question you pretty hard on how far away was it when you shot. how did you know an attack was certain? if it was me and I felt the bear meant harm to me and my kid, I might shoot first and ask questions later... glad it all worked out ok

[Clint_S]

Care to give the general area without pinpointing your honey hole?
I'd be interested in NOT hunting an area that has an aggressive grizz.

[calvin L]

I am glad to see you posted this and it not in the media . Way to keep it on the down low with your son . Good job Dad

[nelsonob1]

Care to give the general area without pinpointing your honey hole?
I'd be interested in NOT hunting an area that has an aggressive grizz.

Up by the Silverking Mine - lots of bear sign. There is a cut block on the left with a spur road that has a difficult rocky entrance , just before you start down the hill following the "Landquest" real estate sign. That cut block.

[Clint_S]

Thought it may have been Sitkum. A fellow I know got chased out of there last year.
Anyway thanks for the heads up.

[257stew]

Glad it all worked out. When I do some scouting or tree cam setting of just plain hiking with the family, I carry my Guide Gun. Hand loaded 400 gr bullets, just in case the same thing happens to me. If I am hunting I will have a scoped gun of various calibers.

Cheers 257Stew

[Longbranch]

Thought David Suzuki said there were only a few Grizz' left in BC! We know where one was.

[Hodaka]

Up by the Silverking Mine - lots of bear sign. There is a cut block on the left with a spur road that has a difficult rocky entrance , just before you start down the hill following the "Landquest" real estate sign. That cut block.
Yup, that is grizz central this time of year. Dad and I saw 4 up there a couple years back in hunting season.

[elknut]

I have a friend that fired 3 warning shots to stop 3 grizzlies from approaching..He lucked out...With one bullet left in the gun he would of been dead ...Draw the imaginary line in the sand and if they cross it ...Shoot to kill..If you can back out by all means do so..Or if you are far enough away like this fellow.... Then leave...Warning shots are mostly BS...Bear spray is probably more effective....Ran into a few ..and managed to leave without being attacked...But no warning shots were fired..You have the right to protect yourself....But the shots better be in the front of the bear...not the rear..Just my 2 bits..Dennis

[REMINGTON JIM]

Very Interesting storey - I am Glad you and your Boy are all OK ! I Have a friend who was out for a hike the other day on a old logging road and a small Black bear attacked him and his dog - the dog took off ! Anyhow he had picked up a long pole and jabbed it the bear several times and yelled-screamed at it and it finally ran off - no harm to him bit he shit his pants Nearly ! LOL Do not go out the Bush with out a Firearm - too many Bears around now a days ! JMO RJ

[.30-06 camsavbc]

Your instinct possibly saved your lives, smart thinking! My son (11) and I had a bear encounter on Sat. evening nearing sunset. Near the top of this mountain I saw a black bear about 40 yards from us down the slope when the bear turned, smelled us and began to come towards us then I heard a big "snap" off to the right of this bear and right away told my son calmly to start walking the other way down off the mountain. I gave him the 12 gauge I had in hand (we just had a blue flush and fly over us) and chambered a slug. I took my 30-06 off my shoulder and chambered a round. We both carry bear spray as well and had all of 3-4 km to get down to the truck. As we were walking and looking back I told him that our lives come first and we will worry about the law second. I only had 1 tag and told him I would legally take the largest bear out but if a second bear attacks then hit it with the slug if you have any doubt and you are at risk if I am busy taking out the largest bear. The logging road turned left and we did not see the bear(s) again and switched backed down the mountain. I realize they were only black bears but other than getting our hearts going we had the conversation about lives first and the law second.

[Bugle M In]

I've been thinking for a few years now, that they should be handing out Grizz tags in the EK's From Sept till Nov.
Way too many " Daytime Grizz " around where I hunt as well.
And they aren't very scared anymore.
Warning Gunshots might just be a precursor for them thinking it's the dinner bell!
Definitely have to be a little more on your toes when out there, especially after you drop something.
Glad to hear both of u were OK.

[zatoan]

Ya i feel more comfortible with my son nephews packing, i always stress, if im getting eatin dont shoot me, shoot the dam bear!!

[Darksith]

I've been thinking for a few years now, that they should be handing out Grizz tags in the EK's From Sept till Nov.
Way too many " Daytime Grizz " around where I hunt as well.
And they aren't very scared anymore.
Warning Gunshots might just be a precursor for them thinking it's the dinner bell!
Definitely have to be a little more on your toes when out there, especially after you drop something.
Glad to hear both of u were OK.

Dinner bell is a myth, warning shots are useless unless you are spraying gravel into the face of the bear, but still useless...save ur ammo