Hiking in the dark....

[clu__82]

So I've done a bunch of research and received a bunch of good info from this site. A lot of what I've read and learned talks about thermals and hiking in the dark (either prior to sunrise or after sunset). Truthfully, being in Grizz country has me on edge and I was hoping to get some tips as to how you guys do this. Do you scope it out in the light the day before and then bring headlamps, million power watt flashlight etc and make your way along...any good tips for safety with grizz when hiking in the dark would be greatly appreciated and how you do this and not spook the game (elk, deer etc) that you're after.

Thanks

Clu

[zippermouth]

When your walking in in grizz country and spook something, I'm always happy when the crashing gets quieter... Your always taking a bit of a risk hunting grizz country, I would prefer an encounter to be in the daylight but I'm sure it happens to guys in the dark as well. I just use a headlamp hiking in in the dark.

[BowRunner]

I use red filtered head lamp if I am trying to keep my night vision. Though, I'm not sure what the game think if that. If I am trying to make time and want predators to know I am there, I use my high beam white lights.

[lovemywinchester]

I like hiking in the pre dawn dark a lot more than the dusk. It's a comforting feeling knowing daylight is coming rather than the blackness of night.

[scoutlt1]

I'm usually drunk when the sun is going down, and hungover when it's coming up.
That way I don't have to worry about thermals, flashlights, and marauding Grizzlies. Easier to just shoot stuff in the afternoon. :) :) :)

[monasheemountainman]

Don't be a puss just go

[squamishhunter]

Your carrying a rifle aren't you?

[takla1]

They mostly come in the dark..
LOL
yrs ago I dropped a buddy off at the top of a mnt side at a cut line that lead down to one of our tree stands an hr before light,he started heading down and when half way he heard a large animal breaking branchs paralle to himself about 30 yrds to his right .He didn't have a flashlight so couldn't make it out but it was large and following him down.He quickened his pace the last 100 yrds and just as he was near the base of the tree a large boar blackbear charged .He shot it in the face from less then 10 yrds and it veered off and moaned for over ten minites,finally dieing ..buddy filled his pants
He didn't come along the next yr..lol

takla

[scotty30-06]

Always have to be aware of your surroundings at all time....wanna get one of those new thermal attachment to my phone....could be worth the 200 bucks

[swampthing]

One of the hazards of hunting. It always freaks me out a bit but really, what are the chances. Every bear I have ever come across has ran away as fast as he could when he saw me.

[takla1]

One of the hazards of hunting. It always freaks me out a bit but really, what are the chances. Every bear I have ever come across has ran away as fast as he could when he saw me.
Swampthing
you obviously don't hunt off the Alaska hwy.Ive encountered more beligerant bears up there than anywhere in B.C
Trust me some may run but many will not and will stawk you.Being prepped and knowing when they cross the line is paramount.Many have never seen humans in juring there lives so have no fear

takla

[HighCountryBC]

When your walking in in grizz country and spook something, I'm always happy when the crashing gets quieter... Your always taking a bit of a risk hunting grizz country, I would prefer an encounter to be in the daylight but I'm sure it happens to guys in the dark as well. I just use a headlamp hiking in in the dark.

x2. Of the incidents that have put me on edge, most have been black bears and not grizzlies. Obviously the potential is there but your other option is to wait until it's daylight out and I'm not interested in doing that. I'm definitely alert when hiking in the dark but it is what it is!

[clu__82]

Thanks everyone... I have a good amount of experience with black bears (shot one in the thick bush at 10 yards as it was charging us.... was out in the bush in the wind, heard a snap and a bear was standing about 10 yards away on a little ridge...scared him off by yelling..) I do a bunch of hunting and have a very good sense for black bears etc as I hunt them every year and have watched and learned alot doing that...but Grizz kinda freak me out...I have hiked in BC growing up but have no actual experience and just want to make sure that if I encounter a situation (which in the Koots sounds like it will) in my hunt I am prepared. So thanks again for the words of wisdom.

Clu

[two-feet]

The fear makes you feel alive. Appreciate not sitting behind a desk or watching netflix.

[jtred]

Where I hunt it all depends on the destination(is this a full day hunt or a morning hunt, am I packing into an area I plan on staying for a few days?) and the conditions. Most of the areas I hunt in the thermals don't really switch around until the sun is strong enough to begin heating up the mountain so I usually have a couple of hours to reach whatever I plan on hunting(be it a ridge, meadow, alpine or even just still hunting the timber). I also have to consider the terrain I'll be moving through, is it safe to wander up there in the dark, is it worth it if the destination is really no different then what I'm travelling through.
What I guess I'm trying to say is that sometimes I do hike in the predawn hours, most often I don't and I never hike out in the dark.

[wideopenthrottle]

as i am trying to be as quiet as possible at all times when i am about to hunt, i tend to only hike/make time in the dark on my way back..on my way into a spot when it is dark, i tend to stick to trails or open country as i like to be quiet and prefer not to shine lights around...

[GoatGuy]

Bear movement slows right down at night. Chances of being attacked are slim. Go hunting.

[RomanianTHUNDER]

Get a well trained dog that will stay by your side and that will deter any predator of a quick meal. Now there's two of you and the dog is much more in tune with whats around you. The past few seasons my dog spotted the grizzly watching us and also the mountain lion way off in the distance. I would have never seen them .

[Amphibious]

Don't be a puss just go

^ this......

[BgBlkDg]

Decades, of treks in the predawn and early night dark and never a major bear incident. I do USE a headlamp and also a small flashlight to prevent falls, etc.

Caution, awareness and skill at self-defence are the way to roll, but, GO HUNTING!!!

[ruger#1]

Never had an encounter with a bear. But when a whitetail let's a snort go close to the trail. In the dark. Let's just say. Bring some spare underwear.

[bigredchev]

I slip bacon in my buddies pack eason season and have walked confidently in the Bush for years

[Backwoods]

Had a large black bear charge me last year moose hunting in 7B, came in from 150 yards and wasn't letting up, took him at 55 yards, had a tag in my pocket and they opened that morning!!!! This year I just got back from a fly in sheep hunt and had a grizz incounter with a larger mature male grizz, he seemed to have respect for humans and left us be, I couldn't sleep that night as it was last light and he was 400 yards from camp digging the $hit out of the mountain for food, didn't sleep the next night either 😂😁 but never seen him agian, last day on the hike out had a black bear stalk up on us when we were cleaning up in the river, heard a branch break and 30 yards behind us was him coming in, ran to the rifle and yelled few times and he walked off

[swampthing]

Swampthing
you obviously don't hunt off the Alaska hwy.Ive encountered more beligerant bears up there than anywhere in B.C
Trust me some may run but many will not and will stawk you.Being prepped and knowing when they cross the line is paramount.Many have never seen humans in juring there lives so have no fear

takla

Part of my attitude is to psyche myself up for it! I am always in grizz country and usually alone. It never stops me. The day I run into a bear that doesn't run I will try to do what needs to be done! I have had my closest encounters on the Alaska highway, they have always ran, even when I have been covered in blood and meat.......so far, anyways.

[swampthing]

I slip bacon in my buddies pack eason season and have walked confidently in the Bush for years

You gots it figured!!

[allan]

I feel most alive when sleeping in bear country with only archery gear. Or when cougars actively stalk me in broad daylight with no intention of backing down.
Hiking in in the dark in bear country with only a bow and bear spray is fine by me. I make sure my bear spray is easy to get too and like knowing that most the rifle hunters on this site seem to wait till daylight to start hiking so I can get a head start on them.....;)
But be aware, ready for anything and enjoy whatever time you start your hike in.

[steel_ram]

Bears like to sleep in. I prefer to have no lights going in. My night vision is good enough in most situations to stay on trails and I don't want to flash an alert to the hillside I am heading for. Just keep your hands out of your pockets and pick up your feet.

[Bugle M In]

Bear movement slows right down at night. Chances of being attacked are slim. Go hunting.

Really??
I have had more bear problems around camp at night.
I also tend to run into bears on the road when riding out on my bike just at dark.
But, I worry the most about bears when sitting somewhere and just cow calling...actually not just bears, but cougars now as well.
I no longer "nap" at the tree anymore, that's for sure.

[wideopenthrottle]

we had a griz skulking around our camp every night last years hunt

[monasheemountainman]

if you worry about it, you will definitely get attacked....I think its similar to a self fulfilling prophecy or some shit like that

[Ron.C]

I've spent my share of time hiking in bear\cat country in the dark and often alone. To my knowledge, only ever been tracked once "on a pre dawn goat training hike". My buddy had stopped to releive himself and told me to keep going and that he would catch up. When he did, he noticed clear wet cougar tracks on the trail as he caught up to me. We stopped and looked and made a bit of noise before we carried on.

Never had a problem with bears. Having said that, there is one lake we backpacked into that had an active Griz in the area. We saw its fresh sign daily and it used a rope that was half hitched to a tree that we used to hang goat meat with as dental floss.

Anyway, we limited our travels in the dark that week as we new we were constantly seeing signs of him.

[takla1]

I've spent my share of time hiking in bear\cat country in the dark and often alone. To my knowledge, only ever been tracked once "on a pre dawn goat training hike". My buddy had stopped to releive himself and told me to keep going and that he would catch up. When he did, he noticed clear wet cougar tracks on the trail as he caught up to me. We stopped and looked and made a bit of noise before we carried on.

Never had a problem with bears. Having said that, there is one lake we backpacked into that had an active Griz in the area. We saw its fresh sign daily and it used a rope that was half hitched to a tree that we used to hang goat meat with as dental floss.

Anyway, we limited our travels in the dark that week as we new we were constantly seeing signs of him.

Funny how many hunters walk right past bears and never know it.In One of our tree stands up north of ft st john we are positioned to watch a large cutblock bottom to top,and an old road runs along the top of it.Theres a berrier of poplar trees along the road preventing anyone walking there to see down into the cutblock well.
Ive been in the stand numerous times and watched hunters making there way down the road NOT knowing theres a great wild strawberry patch just below them that can have 1-5 bears in it.Not a clue that 20 yrds below are some healthy black bear feeding...lol

takla

[hunter1947]

I have hiked in the dark many of times and not one time have I encounter a bear of any type the chances are very low but there just might be that one time you could encounter a bear what I do is carry my bear spray and bear banger at hand ready to go with my rifle loaded up and ready to use as for a real good topend head lamp with spare batteries on hand,,that's about it for my input..

[tipper]

I'm usually drunk when the sun is going down, and hungover when it's coming up.
That way I don't have to worry about thermals, flashlights, and marauding Grizzlies. Easier to just shoot stuff in the afternoon. :) :) :)
haha sounds like me!

[Treed]

I've been tracked by Cougars probably more than a few times. Always comforting to hike up to some layout flagging to find you for were followed for a half day and never noticed. Came out in the dark last year and got chirped at by a cougar. I was with my cousin who (tough *******) also works in the bush so it wasn't too scary (he held my hand!). Alone and my heart would have been pounding. We get stalked a lot more than we know, but actual attacks are pretty rare. Carry a bear and cat tag just in case. They both taste great! Better than me - I think / hope.

Grizz country is a different. Spent 20 years working on the coast and have seen a lot of bears and had a few minor run-ins, but northern interior bears (both black and grizz) are a different kettle of fish.

[tundra]

you have a greater chance of getting into a car accident on your drive to and from your hunting area then you do being attacked by a bear. I am a big believer of don't believe the hype!!!! I have hunted with lots of people more concerned about the "bears" then actually enjoying themselves and working at what they went out there for. I look at it this way if I die from a bear attack at least I die doing what I love and there is not many people that can say that. I also am fortunate as I have lost the fear of death as I have already died 3 times and I have had 3 heart attacks so I enjoy every minute I can walk amongst the predators while I am trying to be one myself. Only 12 more days till I will be wondering with a string and stick hoping to connect on an elk.