ARC
06-20-2006, 09:58 AM
My girlfriend and I decided to go for a walk last night along the Peace River. We reached a spot which had a great view of the river below, when I decided to start glassing a bit. All of a sudden I noticed a large cow elk running at full speed over a gravel bar on the far side of the river. About 75 yards behind her a medium sized black bear was tracking her down. The elk hit the river and started swimming immediately. The bear went in a few feet, stared at the elk for a few seconds, paced back and forth a couple of times, then started swimming after her.
The elk was a far stronger swimmer and had only gotten swept about 50 yards downstream by the time it reached the other river bank. It took the bear however several minutes to get across, and by the time it reached the other side, the current had swept it about 200-300 yards downstream.
After the elk had made it across, it walked a little ways into the trees and kept watch on the bear. Once the bear made it to the other side, the elk jumped right back into the river and swam across again. The bear then gave up and moved into a farmers field where it started to feed.
I have never seen a black bear so aggressively chase an elk before, in fact I have often seen them feeding relatively close to each other on some hillsides. The Peace River isn't small by any means and I was surprised to see the bear keep up the pursuit after the elk was a little ways across. I guess the bear still thought it had a chance of taking the elk down.
The elk was a far stronger swimmer and had only gotten swept about 50 yards downstream by the time it reached the other river bank. It took the bear however several minutes to get across, and by the time it reached the other side, the current had swept it about 200-300 yards downstream.
After the elk had made it across, it walked a little ways into the trees and kept watch on the bear. Once the bear made it to the other side, the elk jumped right back into the river and swam across again. The bear then gave up and moved into a farmers field where it started to feed.
I have never seen a black bear so aggressively chase an elk before, in fact I have often seen them feeding relatively close to each other on some hillsides. The Peace River isn't small by any means and I was surprised to see the bear keep up the pursuit after the elk was a little ways across. I guess the bear still thought it had a chance of taking the elk down.