Large Grizzly Encounter within 15 meters!

[recon]

So I was deer hunting up the Granby River just out of Grand Forks over the long weekend, Rock Candy FSR if you know the area...

I was cruising down the FSR on the ATV, turned a corner and came up on a large brown bear wadling down the road, I took out the video cam and started to record, he eventually took off into the bush... no big deal.

Not too far from this site I stopped to glass a cut-block, I left the ATV road side and began to quietly climb an embankment so I could survey the land and begin glassing, it was about 4:45PM.

As I walked up the hump, careful not to snap any twigs, I began to see this huge cut-block before me. Before gaining the hump I stopped and looked far and wide for any sign of a Muley buck or any Whitetail. After a brief glance of this huge area I noticed a very large round mass, cinnimon brown in color only 15m away just lying there. At first it didn't look like a bear, I was viewing it from behind, its bum closest to me. My line of sight only revealed the top 1/3 of its mass. I was pilot in Yellowknife for 5 years and had seen grizzly bears from the air. Their color is unmistakable.

I think the bear was working away on something, chewing on a stump or gut pile maybe and hadn't detected me. Wind was in my face thank goodness! I wanted to snap a pic but my heart was in my throat! thump! thump! thump! This close I had no envelope for error, I had to get away immediately and began to back up quietly.

I only saw the top of its back, shoulder hump and head. I didn't attempt to see more of it, the earthy hump I was walking up shielded any small noise I made, it was facing away from me and he/she was busy. I considered myself lucky given the situation.

I couldn't believe how close I got to it, literally a stone toss away. Later that night I learned from a local hunter that there is a resident grizzly in that exact area and this hunter had no doubt that it was this bear that I encountered.

Crazy Hey! Yes I carry bear spray but as it turned out I opted for the 30.06 as I backed myself out of this situation.

[tikkat3]

holy crap what a close encounter!

[Spokerider]

Yep, you could have been a statistic...........

[FishBC.org]

Awesome, yet scary as hell at the same time.

[ravensfoot]

Cool Story. I've been up in that area. Did you camp near Lynch Creek at all? 30-06 is a pretty good version of bear spray.

[ufishifish2]

Good story, but what it really needs are pics. A thread just isn't the same without pics. Here ya go pardner.:)
http://i683.photobucket.com/albums/vv194/ufishifish2/Grizzly201016.jpg

Came across this guy last friday while working out in the bush near Lumby.

http://i683.photobucket.com/albums/vv194/ufishifish2/Grizzly201011.jpg

http://i683.photobucket.com/albums/vv194/ufishifish2/Grizzly20109.jpg

http://i683.photobucket.com/albums/vv194/ufishifish2/Grizzly20108.jpg

Pics should have been better but I only had my waterproof camera for work..... no zoom zoom!

[recon]

Nice work!

[FishBC.org]

Where about near Lumby was that. Looks strangely familiar. Like an area I may have helped log.

[ufishifish2]

I'm going to PM you the location fishy feller!

[FishBC.org]

Thought I recognized that spot lol.
Back when I was a logger that is.
Now I'm a welding apprentice looking for work.

[ufishifish2]

Thought I recognized that spot lol.
Back when I was a logger that is.
Now I'm a welding apprentice looking for work.

Ha, ha!! "Back when you were a logger"
Bet you left that because logging in BC is going the way of the Dodo bird.
Sounds like it wouldn't have been much different that welding eh??:)

[vortex hunter]

Damb love grizz I had a good scare before I had one stalk me over 1mile made my buddy p__p himself lol I had the 12g with slugs in it lol will never forget that day.....

[blackwater moose]

at that close range bear spray is only seasoning

[#1fishslayer]

I really hope I never encounter this. But B.C. stands for bear country. Bet you dont go walking around that block anymore, lol.

[markgthompson]

Wow, i had no idea there were grizz near GF! Thought i only had to worry about cats over there. anyone else seen any grizz around GF?

[Wrayzer]

Wow, i had no idea there were grizz near GF! Thought i only had to worry about cats over there. anyone else seen any grizz around GF?

The Granby Provincial park is a grizzly reserve, trying to "recover the diminished population". Ask anyone from the area, there's more than a fair share up that valley and in them hills.

[recon]

The funny thing was, when I began hiking up that embankment I saw large bear tracks going towards the road but didn't think much of it, just interesting... didn't realize how fresh they were!

The Thanksgiving weekend (Oct 10) was when Whitetail antlerless MU8-15 opened up. I wonder if some hunters before me gutted their animals and this bear was chewing on a skull or something? It really did have its head down working on something. Also, it should have heard my quad pull up a short distance away... sure have to be carefull out there, these animals aren't as aloof as i had thought or hoped!

[Jeremiah Johnson]

I was charged by a grizzly this year near Cranbrook i have never been so scared in my entire life. Hint when cow calling always be prepared for anything.

[Chuck]

Great stuff guys! Sure gets the heart going don't it? About the only thing scarier is the ex and her lawyer. Lol.

[mudNblood]

the 30-06 was definately the right choice, especially with the wind in your face. The only one to get bear sprayed would be you.

[gutpile]

I was charged by a grizzly this year near Cranbrook i have never been so scared in my entire life. Hint when cow calling always be prepared for anything.
Well obviously you came out in one piece but tell us the story i love hearing stories about grizzly encounters.

[Jeremiah Johnson]

Well obviously you came out in one piece but tell us the story i love hearing stories about grizzly encounters.
r u still interested its kinda long story

[Deer_Slayer]

nice pics..nice Grizz..kinda creepy how it blends into it's surroundings.

[ravensfoot]

I was charged by a grizzly this year near Cranbrook i have never been so scared in my entire life. Hint when cow calling always be prepared for anything.
You're still alive so it was a mock charge.

I shat myself last year when I was up in the Bull river area and found a nice size grizz den. Was trying to figure out what the funny looking little terds on this equally strange dirt was when I looked up and noticed I was looking down the entrance of a den that had to be at least 3-1/2 ft in diameter.

Wasn't till after scooting out of there that I noticed all the trees around there were scarred with bear scratches. Sorry, no pics of the den, too $hit scared.

[warnniklz]

12ga with 1oz slug is probably the best bear spray in that situation.

[Bonehunter]

Your better off with the permanent spray, I prefer the 338 calone myself, it is a hair raising encounter, I have had to scare the pumpkin head off on 2 differant encounters, both times when calling Elk, like Jeremiah said be ready for anything, I have also had a big cat come in behind me and just sit and look for elk, he could have killed me long before i saw him, keep safe :)

[goatdancer]

So I was deer hunting up the Granby River just out of Grand Forks over the long weekend, Rock Candy FSR if you know the area...

I was cruising down the FSR on the ATV, turned a corner and came up on a large brown bear wadling down the road, I took out the video cam and started to record, he eventually took off into the bush... no big deal.

Not too far from this site I stopped to glass a cut-block, I left the ATV road side and began to quietly climb an embankment so I could survey the land and begin glassing, it was about 4:45PM.

As I walked up the hump, careful not to snap any twigs, I began to see this huge cut-block before me. Before gaining the hump I stopped and looked far and wide for any sign of a Muley buck or any Whitetail. After a brief glance of this huge area I noticed a very large round mass, cinnimon brown in color only 15m away just lying there. At first it didn't look like a bear, I was viewing it from behind, its bum closest to me. My line of sight only revealed the top 1/3 of its mass. I was pilot in Yellowknife for 5 years and had seen grizzly bears from the air. Their color is unmistakable.

I think the bear was working away on something, chewing on a stump or gut pile maybe and hadn't detected me. Wind was in my face thank goodness! I wanted to snap a pic but my heart was in my throat! thump! thump! thump! This close I had no envelope for error, I had to get away immediately and began to back up quietly.

I only saw the top of its back, shoulder hump and head. I didn't attempt to see more of it, the earthy hump I was walking up shielded any small noise I made, it was facing away from me and he/she was busy. I considered myself lucky given the situation.

I couldn't believe how close I got to it, literally a stone toss away. Later that night I learned from a local hunter that there is a resident grizzly in that exact area and this hunter had no doubt that it was this bear that I encountered.

Crazy Hey! Yes I carry bear spray but as it turned out I opted for the 30.06 as I backed myself out of this situation.

There are griz all over that area, have been for a long time. Not great amounts of them but lots of singles.

[Deer_Slayer]

Nice photos. Those grizz around that area and down past Nakusp are almost white in color.