Grizzly Run-ins?

[WoodOx]

In your opinion, are you more likely to have a grizzly encounter on a trail, in the bush (ie no trails, bushwacking) or no difference!?

[olharley guy]

Howdy, I believe it could be in any setting in areas where they are found. Later

[Ron.C]

??????
Only ever had one. I was following a nice game trail uphill and almost walked into one. My own fault. If I had been spending a little more time looking ahead of me and a little less time looking at the trail, I would've seen him well before I did.

[CanuckShooter]

You gotta keep your eyes peeled down wind, a grizz will approach from downwind when hunting you....or approaching your tent in the dark...they will settle in alongside a trail and wait for dinner to come walking past...keep your eyes on the downwind side of the trail your on...it could save your life!!!

[TIKA 300]

Anywhere,but where iam......:mrgreen:

[BlacktailStalker]

Anywhere but on the pavement.

[Joel]

We've seen them lots of time in all of those places. If you're only ever on the road, thats where you'll see em. If you spend most of the time in the bush, thats where you'll see one.

[180grainer]

Anywhere but on the pavement.

I've seen one on pavement in Bella Coola.

[elkdom]

in a campsite,
frying bacon and pancakes brings them in from miles away,,,,
swimming across lakes, rivers, the Peace or the Liard several times,
along a creek, very often,
robbing your camp, groceries and meat poles,,,
showing up a few minutes after you kill your moose.elk or sheep or whatever,,,,,,,gunshots are like a "dinner bell" for Grizzlies,,
at yesterdays kill site,,,
sometimes GBears hunt and stalk in pairs,,been there DONE them,,,
if you wound one and pursue him ?,,, given the chance he will kill you,,
in the hallways of remote work camps,
inside tents and campers and motor-homes, and well built cabins,


A Grizz is the TOP of the food chain,,, 99.9 % of the time they avoid human contact,,,, its the .01% that will kill your ass,,,
want more facts ?

[d6dan]

I've seen one on pavement in Bella Coola.
Probably next to the fish hatchery:).

[Crawfy42]

I've had 2 close encounters with grizzlies. One was on an old skidder trail, a sow and 2 cubs, the other just back at the start of July on a 4x4 road, big sow and a big cub. Had to use my rifle to scare off the the most recent encounter.

[Devilbear]

in a campsite,
frying bacon and pancakes brings them in from miles away,,,,
swimming across lakes, rivers, the Peace or the Liard several times,
along a creek, very often,
robbing your camp, groceries and meat poles,,,
showing up a few minutes after you kill your moose.elk or sheep or whatever,,,,,,,gunshots are like a "dinner bell" for Grizzlies,,
at yesterdays kill site,,,
sometimes GBears hunt and stalk in pairs,,been there DONE them,,,
if you wound one and pursue him ?,,, given the chance he will kill you,,
in the hallways of remote work camps,
inside tents and campers and motor-homes, and well built cabins,


A Grizz is the TOP of the food chain,,, 99.9 % of the time they avoid human contact,,,, its the .01% that will kill your ass,,,
want more facts ?

Have you had to kill any that were attacking you or a person whom you were guiding?

[elkdom]

Have you had to kill any that were attacking you or a person whom you were guiding?

its me typing, need more proof ?

[shoot2kill]

Last year in the ek 2 days after a snowfall there were grizz tracks everywhere , bush, creeksides, logging roads, clearings, old skidder roads. Had a sow and cubs walk in on us from a skidder road. To me makes no diff. They can be anywhere. Need to stay alert out there.

[Devilbear]

its me typing, need more proof ?

I was not trying to be a dick, I am just interested in Grizzlies and have had a fair amount of experience with them, just curious and I take you at your word.

I have never had to shoot one or been attacked and hope to hell I never will be!

[hunter1947]

I have found when I am hiking hunting or traveling on a RSR..

[recurvehunter]

was hiking in mnts yesteday. just was coming out of timber into short brush near top. stopped to enjoy view with my son and got this feeling was beibg watched looked to my left and there was one 15 yards just looking at me. i backed up told my son to start backing up. he watched usfora few minutes and turned around adn went way he came. itcomes with beibng in bush just a matter of time you will run into them.

[tuchodi]

I have had more encounters with Grizzly's than I want to remember and they have been anywhere, Trails, Bush, and lots close to kills.

[pg83]

Same a tuchodi for me. I've met them in all kinds of different places.

[whitetailsheds]

Should add "Migratory Routes" for Brambles and Rattler.......:wink:

[elkdom]

I was not trying to be a dick, I am just interested in Grizzlies and have had a fair amount of experience with them, just curious and I take you at your word.

I have never had to shoot one or been attacked and hope to hell I never will be!

no offense meant,


walking back to camp after a day calling/bugling elk, 2 grizz stalked me and cornered me in 1986, alone just before dusk, in extreme thick swampy bush,

a 7ft grizz died from a 220 grn slug from a 30-06 in his chest under his chin, at about 30 yards, the other grizz ran after I fired the first shot that killed the other bear,

another time a couple years later during the day, a large Grizz tore camp apart, chased my son ( he was 14) into the truck, the grizz left when I returned shortly and fired a couple shots, later that night he came back and stole a 1/4 of moose off the meat pole( lowest part of meat 10 feet off the ground) 50 yards from our tents and kitchen, next day we found the 1/4 of moose about 300 yards away in the bush covered with sticks and grass, we took it back to camp cleaned off the moose 1/4 and hung all the meat 3 feet higher, ,,,,,,,,,,,, that night, again the grizz came back to take back his stolen claimed moose quarter, he died with a 225grn slug from my .338 win mag between his eyes from about 20 feet,,,,

guiding a grizz hunter about 1995 the hunter shot a 8ft grizz , at about 125 yards standing still, he was a bit off the mark, the grizz ran for the thick $hit, disappeared, after about 30 minutes we went in looking for the gbear, he had wallowed in a spring, then started walking , followed him about 400 yards in serious thick shit(visibility 20/30 feet), very thick undergrowth, again found a wallow where there was blood clots in the clay, pool of blood, started on his trail once more, about 500 yards farther in, the undergrowth opened up just a bit, the bear was circling into the wind, ahead I noticed a large boulder about the size of a mini-van, I stopped backtracked, circled the big boulder , halfway making a circle about 40 yards from the boulder , I see the Big grizz, he is sitting up on one front leg and his rump I can see a lot of blood, his front shoulder is broken,he is watching back in the direction he had came from, the direction I would have came from , had I continued to follow his blood and mud tracks,
from that point at about 40 yards from him, I put a 225 Hornady 338 win slug thru the back of his head,,, done bear,

[Huntwick]

In my experiences , I've only encountered them in the middle of the bush , roaming around lookin for grub. One time i chased a griz off of my moose who had only been on the kill for about fifteen minutes or so to when i first heard him roar off a pack of wolves. And the other time i was on horseback and came across one on a sidehill flipping rocks and eating roots, lets just say he didn't like us being there very much...

[srupp]

In spite of being very careful..and learning from THE ABSOLUTE BEST I still have had close encounters of a Grizzly kind..some just close calls others bluff charged and a couple of all out charges..not bad over 35 years..

The encounters have been over kills..on trails and just going through the bush..going through the bush on a salmon stream with any wind is THE biggest problem..imo..
however they are where you find them..some areas have higher concentrations like high meadows during mating season...or salmon streams in Oct..or skunk cabbage and fiddleheads in April... of course dead game or any dead animal WILL draw em in..

However there have been times I have been " surprised " by just where they are and I find myself going .....what the ???

Fact is in Grizzly country they can be anywhere..and the old saying mountain bears are worse to deal with USED TO BE TRUE...with p[oor salmon runs any HUNGRY bear is a problem...when ytour in your TACO/BURRITO sleeping bag..:wink:

i have seen over 30 grizzlies in 5 days 20 DIFFERENT BEARS.... and in the mountains 13 bears in 3 days and BOTH times slept safe and sound and no problems encounterd THOSE times..

I have I felt demonstrated to many many many here and else whereI KNOW GRIZZLIES, and how to find em and where they HANG with the HOMEBEARS..LOL and along with that knowlege gleaned from 3 decades and learning from Bob Kopp, Clayton Mack, Betty Franks ,Gerry Bracewell..etc etc comes the knowlege that bears are unpredictibale animals....you never ever know for sure..whats gonna happen...ultimatley it really is up to the bear...then you msut do what you must do...


Steven

[srupp]

hmmm same hapeened here near Williams lake..rather famous encounter of years gone by Jack mackill...

Srupp

[Jelvis]

I was told that if a huge bear should see you and run at you, run downhill and it will roll like a ball and go right past you because it's front legs are shorter than the back ones..
Jelly Roll .. run down hill fast ..

[Ron.C]

I can't remember which book I read it in, I think it was one of Steven Hererro's (sp?) books.

But I remember him saying during one study in Glacier Ntl Pk, he or another member conducting the study sat just off trail and watched hiker after hiker walk by him. He was in plain sight and not in camo. I beleive the point of the study was to see how many people really paid any attention to their surroundings while hiking in areas known for high Griz numbers.

It's very easy to get caught up in looking at sign, not watching your backtrail, getting tired and not being aware, or just carlessness.

For the most part, I think the most dangerous bears are those habituated by humans. Be it one that is fed garbage, a camp raiding bear, or one that knows a gunshot means a gut pile and a meal. I also think trailing a wounded Griz is a whole other matter and one in this situation would be foolish not to expect and be ready for a charge.

[srupp]

good distinction Ron...I agree...however I feel Stephens books are scientific bent to a "fault"..he isnt a hunter so doesnt think nor present like a hunter..contrast to Gary James Sheldons books..wroten for hunters by a hunter.

However to get back to Rons EXELLENT points...distraction, carelessness, and and not paying attention...

I have had to on numerous occasions go after wounded grizzlies..again Ron points out NOT FUN and certainly not for the timid nor the bold.. organized methodical search...constantly being 143 % ready...

sheesh..

Steven

[Jelvis]

Don't be afraid if you come face to face with a monster grizzly bear. Why?
.. It's simple listen up, a dog or bees for instance can feel fear and so to a bear. They can smell your fear and then could charge. So talk in a low toned relaxed voice to the bear while slightly backing away.
A grizzly will clack it's teeth together, making a clacking sound, clack, clack clack etc.
Grizzlies are known to make a short violent charge then stop and stand on their massive muscled hind legs and swing their huge heads back and forth sniffing the air, this is a warning and a bluff.
It takes a lot of nerve to stand confident and let the G bear come so close with firey eyes and bad rotten breath and stand up against you in the initial bluff stage.
It happened to me up the Bowron Lakes area. I will admit I was terrified but I could only improvise so as it stood up eight foot tall in front of me at arms length I reached down and scratched it's lower belly and while the bear appeared to relax and become less aggressive I turned and ran down hill and looked back wondering how long I had to live.
When I finally stopped out of breath and dared to look back at the giant boar, what I saw that day was amazing. The giant silvertip grizz was still standing there in the same spot smiling and waving for me to come back.
Jel .. That memory is still imprinted in my mind to this day .. I never did go back ..

[CabinFever]

Don't be afraid if you come face to face with a monster grizzly bear. Why?
.. It's simple listen up, a dog or bees for instance can feel fear and so to a bear. They can smell your fear and then could charge. So talk in a low toned relaxed voice to the bear while slightly backing away.
A grizzly will clack it's teeth together, making a clacking sound, clack, clack clack etc.
Grizzlies are known to make a short violent charge then stop and stand on their massive muscled hind legs and swing their huge heads back and forth sniffing the air, this is a warning and a bluff.
It takes a lot of nerve to stand confident and let the G bear come so close with firey eyes and bad rotten breath and stand up against you in the initial bluff stage.
It happened to me up the Bowron Lakes area. I will admit I was terrified but I could only improvise so as it stood up eight foot tall in front of me at arms length I reached down and scratched it's lower belly and while the bear appeared to relax and become less aggressive I turned and ran down hill and looked back wondering how long I had to live.
When I finally stopped out of breath and dared to look back at the giant boar, what I saw that day was amazing. The giant silvertip grizz was still standing there in the same spot smiling and waving for me to come back.
Jel .. That memory is still imprinted in my mind to this day .. I never did go back ..
lol! best story ever!

[swampthing]

I have run into griz several times over the years. Each time has been on a game trail. I guess they like the easy walking too. On my most memorable encounter, I was hiking back to my atv after a grueling days hike. I was loaded down with a complete bull cariboo that I had taken. It was my last day of the hunt, so after I had taken my cariboo, I boned it out and filled my pack. I had one bag of meat that wouldnt fit, so I tied a piece of rope to it and the other end to the cariboos complete head. I had this over my shoulders and around my neck. My rifle was strapped to my pack. I could barely walk as I trudged around a corner on the game trail I was on. I saw the ass end of a big silvertip heading the same way down the game trail I was on. I froze as the bear walked away out of my sight. I wondered why he didnt smell me as the wind was blowing towards him and I was covered in blood and sweat. Just then he came back up the trail, taking big whiffs of the air as he came. He stopped and stood up, still smelling the air. My gun was on my pack so I considered my options. Just then the bear dropped to all fours and started galloping towards me. He was about 30-40 yards away when I lifted both arms, holding a bag of meat and a cariboo head and screamed. The bear skidded to a stop and his little eyes focused on me. He turned and bolted away through the trees like a good bear should. It was freaky but neat to expeience. Later in camp, my hunting partner laughed and said the bear probably thought I was a 3 headed ghoul. They dont call me swampthing for nothing.

[fuzzybiscuit]

Great story Jelvis...the best I've seen you write. Of course...it was the first one that you've wrote that I could understand without reading five times!

Either way, the progress you're making is wonderful.

Hooked on phonics...worked for me!:-D

[wolverine]

Yeah, I have found skidder tracks to be full of bears, both black and grizzly. The two times I have run into griz they were both on skidder tracks.

[Seabass]

In bed. Sometimes I think I married one.... One mean critter...

[moosinaround]

Bumped into a few over the years, 1 in a grassed in cutblock up the Holman/Tommylakes FSR. Bluejoint grass was over 6ft high and it was below the chest when it stood up!!!! One up by the Paul River in a HUGE huckle berry patch, a sow with a cub, and a couple clicks away a HUGE boar!!! One up the Pelly FSR West of Tsey Key Dene in a big alder swale, saved by my golden retriever's good nose. Had one give me a good ole roar up behind The Pas lumbers sawmill in Bearlake. It was on a kill and give me a warning!! Spent one whole day with a radio collared grizz in our block up Reynolds creek by the Old Anzac sawmill, FRBC was doing research on the Parsnip grizz population!!! So I have seen them in all kinds of situations!! Moosin

[elkdom]

Don't be afraid if you come face to face with a monster grizzly bear. Why?
.. It's simple listen up, a dog or bees for instance can feel fear and so to a bear. They can smell your fear and then could charge. So talk in a low toned relaxed voice to the bear while slightly backing away.
A grizzly will clack it's teeth together, making a clacking sound, clack, clack clack etc.
Grizzlies are known to make a short violent charge then stop and stand on their massive muscled hind legs and swing their huge heads back and forth sniffing the air, this is a warning and a bluff.
It takes a lot of nerve to stand confident and let the G bear come so close with firey eyes and bad rotten breath and stand up against you in the initial bluff stage.
It happened to me up the Bowron Lakes area. I will admit I was terrified but I could only improvise so as it stood up eight foot tall in front of me at arms length I reached down and scratched it's lower belly and while the bear appeared to relax and become less aggressive I turned and ran down hill and looked back wondering how long I had to live.
When I finally stopped out of breath and dared to look back at the giant boar, what I saw that day was amazing. The giant silvertip grizz was still standing there in the same spot smiling and waving for me to come back.
Jel .. That memory is still imprinted in my mind to this day .. I never did go back ..

same thing happened to me, only it was with a Sasquatch, reched down scratched her tummy, that led to me rubbing her tummy,more scratching , more rubbing,,,,

a few months later she gave birth to twins,,,

oh. yeh! she scratched my back too,,,:neutral:

[WoodOx]

showing up a few minutes after you kill your moose.elk or sheep or whatever,,,,,,,gunshots are like a "dinner bell" for Grizzlies,,
.


Ever any proof of that? I am not questioning, I have just heard this alot and never heard of a recounting of it.

[Hunt'n Guide]

You'll run into them where you spend your time. Road hunters are unlikely to run into them in the bush and vice versa.:wink:

[AlbertaDiver]

I've ran into probably two dozen grizzlies over the years.

Mostly on the highway on the way to a hike. Then, when out in the bush I've seen them from a fair distance, never a close encounter.

Funny though, I'm most concerned about camp at night. Never had a problem at night thankfully.

[elkdom]

Ever any proof of that? I am not questioning, I have just heard this alot and never heard of a recounting of it.

my own accounts of Gbear encounters while handling game after the kill are numerous in several threads here on HBC,

for published accounts by a respected author and Bear Expert, of Gbear encounters that are factual and documented with the RCMP, the MOE the Coroners office,and the family members of lost loved ones from Gbears attacking hunters with fatal results, read Gary Shelton's books about bear attacks and maulings,,,