Hiking in bear country?!?
- Thread starter Daddymac
- Start date
I've had 3 encounters with grizzlies, all in Scapegoat area. One was on the trail when packing out on two mules. It was a younger bear, but stood up huffing before it ran off.
5 days previous, I watched a big grizzly travel over 1.5 miles following a ridge until he got behind me when I lost sight. My saddle mule was haltered about 100 yds down the mountain and she was going crazy. That's when I got really scared and knew I couldn't loose my ride out of the area. I was armed with a 7stw and moved to where I could see the mule, just in case the bear was on her. She had plowed a lot of dirt around that tree, but I watched for 1/2 hour before I could get to her and get the hell out of there.
The strange thing was I had a grizzly tag in my pocket and I was scouting for grizzly season opening in 2 days. That was the year the bear huggers got the grizzly hunts stopped. A friend rode in just in time to keep me out of jail.
My first contact was several years earlier when mule deer hunting in same area. I had glassed a really nice buck well below me that was headed my way. I got set to ambush him, when I heard crunching in the snow, coming closer.
Turned out to be a grizzly marching directly at me and the blow-down I used for the ambush. Instead of being afraid, I was thinking how beautiful it was up to his belly in snow and the wind whipping his long hair. About then he was 20 yards and fixing to be down wind. When he smelled me, he popped up for a few seconds, then lopped up the mountain.
I don't think I ever moved or breathed while he was in my sight. I got up and started down the mountain, made it maybe 50 feet when my legs collapsed.
Don't want to see another up anywhere close.
5 days previous, I watched a big grizzly travel over 1.5 miles following a ridge until he got behind me when I lost sight. My saddle mule was haltered about 100 yds down the mountain and she was going crazy. That's when I got really scared and knew I couldn't loose my ride out of the area. I was armed with a 7stw and moved to where I could see the mule, just in case the bear was on her. She had plowed a lot of dirt around that tree, but I watched for 1/2 hour before I could get to her and get the hell out of there.
The strange thing was I had a grizzly tag in my pocket and I was scouting for grizzly season opening in 2 days. That was the year the bear huggers got the grizzly hunts stopped. A friend rode in just in time to keep me out of jail.
My first contact was several years earlier when mule deer hunting in same area. I had glassed a really nice buck well below me that was headed my way. I got set to ambush him, when I heard crunching in the snow, coming closer.
Turned out to be a grizzly marching directly at me and the blow-down I used for the ambush. Instead of being afraid, I was thinking how beautiful it was up to his belly in snow and the wind whipping his long hair. About then he was 20 yards and fixing to be down wind. When he smelled me, he popped up for a few seconds, then lopped up the mountain.
I don't think I ever moved or breathed while he was in my sight. I got up and started down the mountain, made it maybe 50 feet when my legs collapsed.
Don't want to see another up anywhere close.
Thanks to everyone for the reply's, I appreciate you taking the time to give me some advice and insight.
I live in an area that has a fairly high crime rate and I carry a firearm on a very regular basis, but my number one defense is awareness and avoidance. I plan on applying the same principals to bear country and some of you have given me things to look out for that would have never thought of, so again thank you.
I live in an area that has a fairly high crime rate and I carry a firearm on a very regular basis, but my number one defense is awareness and avoidance. I plan on applying the same principals to bear country and some of you have given me things to look out for that would have never thought of, so again thank you.
Just curious what did you decide to carry?
He said it was a family vacation, nothing was mentioned about them all going hunting.
Leaning heavily into 10mm at this point, mainly because I have the pistol and solid bullet ammo on hand. Did some shopping yesterday at our three gun stores and 44 mags are nonexistent along with ammo. If I could find a S&W329PD and the proper ammo I would pony up for that rig for sure.
He is going with his family.
STS
Silver $$ Contributor
I know you are tongue in cheek with this, and I’m nott trying to pick on you in any way, but survivability in a group doesn’t have anything to do with how fast you can run compared to your friends. None of you can out run the bear. The only thing that matters is who the bear focuses on first. If you happen to be the poor soul that catches the bears eye, you’re in deep trouble if he’s in a bad mood.
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You guys are painting a frightening picture. The reality is that bad bear encounters are rare. Black Bears are really only a problem if it is a female with cubs. They are more afraid of you than you are of them. Griz, Brown and Polar, well that another story but the likelihood of an encounter is low and a bad encounter even lower. That doesn't mean that it can't happen. People are out picking berries in Alaska all the time and those Brown Bears love berries. People are hiking in Glacier Park all the time and it is notorious for Griz. Yeah, people do get hurt and even killed but it is a very low percentage. Still it does not hurt to be prepared.
Now what gives me the willies are Cougar (aka Mountain Lion). My grandfather was stalked by one while out hunting. He had the pelt from it up until the day he died. Ever get those hairs standing up on the back of your neck while in the back country? Probably being watched by a Cougar. I think the bastards communicate telepathically.
What statistics are you basing your opinion on?
In Montana, there are more Grizzly in the state, since the 1920's/1930's.
There will be more bear encounters because the number of grizzlies have increased AND the number of human visitors have increase. Same with Wyoming and Idaho.
I hike and hunt on the upper NF of the Flathead River, in B.C., quite a bit. I believe I have seen grizzlies at least as often as I have seen elk and more often than I have seen rams. In fact, I expect to see a grizzly during every hunt and am seldom disappointed.
I prefer to hike with a dog (an Airdale in my case) as an early warning system. Her nose is better than mine. Apart from that, I am always armed. Usually with a Lee Enfield in the off season and with the rifle of choice when I am hunting. In Canada, if I carried a 357 Magnum, I couldn't tell anyone about it. So, if I should mention such at any time, you may assume I was visiting the family home in North Idaho at the time.
Anyway, I have seen both blacks and grizzlies up close and, in fact, shot one black bear at a range of about five feet when he seemed too intent on trying to assert his dominance. I have had a grizzly circle within fifteen feet of my camp. She backed off when the Airdale growled. That particular dog would growl when it was a bear or a wolf and bark if it was an elk. The current dog will wag vigorously in either case and it is up to me to try and interpret.
I had another camping dog which was a homely little (about 20 pounds) terrier mix. He growled at anything that moved. If a bear had come into camp, he would have done his best to rip it's face off!
RM Patterson wrote, a grizzly, if startled, would take off in the direction his nose was pointing. If that nose was pointing at you, you were in trouble. I have seen this verified several times. One client startled a grizzly, which was facing him, on a narrow trail. When the bear charged toward him, he tried to chamber a round but his scope cover rubber band got caught between his bolt handle and the cutout in the stock and he was unable to close the bolt (a lesson there!). Unable to do anything else he just stepped to the side and the bear ran right on by.
Most predatory attacks are by black bears. Grizzlies kill people. Black bears kill them and eat them. Not a great deal of difference to the victim, I guess. In either case, any weapon is better than none. I know of one fellow who killed a grizzly with a 3 1/2 inch Schrade knife. Better than nothing. WH
I prefer to hike with a dog (an Airdale in my case) as an early warning system. Her nose is better than mine. Apart from that, I am always armed. Usually with a Lee Enfield in the off season and with the rifle of choice when I am hunting. In Canada, if I carried a 357 Magnum, I couldn't tell anyone about it. So, if I should mention such at any time, you may assume I was visiting the family home in North Idaho at the time.
Anyway, I have seen both blacks and grizzlies up close and, in fact, shot one black bear at a range of about five feet when he seemed too intent on trying to assert his dominance. I have had a grizzly circle within fifteen feet of my camp. She backed off when the Airdale growled. That particular dog would growl when it was a bear or a wolf and bark if it was an elk. The current dog will wag vigorously in either case and it is up to me to try and interpret.
I had another camping dog which was a homely little (about 20 pounds) terrier mix. He growled at anything that moved. If a bear had come into camp, he would have done his best to rip it's face off!
RM Patterson wrote, a grizzly, if startled, would take off in the direction his nose was pointing. If that nose was pointing at you, you were in trouble. I have seen this verified several times. One client startled a grizzly, which was facing him, on a narrow trail. When the bear charged toward him, he tried to chamber a round but his scope cover rubber band got caught between his bolt handle and the cutout in the stock and he was unable to close the bolt (a lesson there!). Unable to do anything else he just stepped to the side and the bear ran right on by.
Most predatory attacks are by black bears. Grizzlies kill people. Black bears kill them and eat them. Not a great deal of difference to the victim, I guess. In either case, any weapon is better than none. I know of one fellow who killed a grizzly with a 3 1/2 inch Schrade knife. Better than nothing. WH
Brians356
Gold $$ Contributor
Does he really need to explain? It's trivial to calculate that the likelihood of being attacked by a bear is far lower than the risk from many other hazards, even in bear country in their active period, and even with growing human and bear populations.
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For grizzly country,
-make sure you have a noise maker. Surprising them is one of the biggest reasons for attack. Lots of people out bells or clackers on their hiking poles/packs etc. Deter before defence.
For black bears. First I’ll start with my cousin’s experience from last fall. FIGHT for your life. He packs now for safety after having a bear harass him in a treestand. Well his wife and him are walking back after a failed hunt, he broke his bow on the bear, she broke her’s and was still hitting it by the time he managed to get his shotgun unslung and shoot it.
Now for my experience. Black bears are a nuisance. Between my farm, my dads, and my uncles we see probably 100 or so bears per year. A black is more curious which leads to their attacks by 2 year old bears fresh off the mom.
Last one bear I shot was point blank, and it still went 65 yards, and when I say point blank. There was maybe 4-6” between barrel and bear. Thats using a 30/30.
My point is. Deterrent is always the best option, if it’s defence you’re still likely to get hurt.
-make sure you have a noise maker. Surprising them is one of the biggest reasons for attack. Lots of people out bells or clackers on their hiking poles/packs etc. Deter before defence.
For black bears. First I’ll start with my cousin’s experience from last fall. FIGHT for your life. He packs now for safety after having a bear harass him in a treestand. Well his wife and him are walking back after a failed hunt, he broke his bow on the bear, she broke her’s and was still hitting it by the time he managed to get his shotgun unslung and shoot it.
Now for my experience. Black bears are a nuisance. Between my farm, my dads, and my uncles we see probably 100 or so bears per year. A black is more curious which leads to their attacks by 2 year old bears fresh off the mom.
Last one bear I shot was point blank, and it still went 65 yards, and when I say point blank. There was maybe 4-6” between barrel and bear. Thats using a 30/30.
My point is. Deterrent is always the best option, if it’s defence you’re still likely to get hurt.
I must we WAY scarier than many of you here. Or maybe the bears can sense my alpha male toxic masculinity. Because most of the time when I see a bear in the woods, it is running away from me as fast as it can.
I assume those are the brave bears. The normal bears don't even want to show themselves, ESPECIALLY if I have a bear tag........
My dad gave me perspective on this decade ago. I was somewhere between 10-12 years old. We went on a fishing/camping trip. One day I came back fishing and told my dad that I thought I saw a bear. He told me that wasn't possible because there were no bears where we were.
Several years later he confessed and told me that he too saw a bear on that trip, but he knew if he told me that I would be afraid to go fishing and wouldn't have any fun.
I assume those are the brave bears. The normal bears don't even want to show themselves, ESPECIALLY if I have a bear tag........
My dad gave me perspective on this decade ago. I was somewhere between 10-12 years old. We went on a fishing/camping trip. One day I came back fishing and told my dad that I thought I saw a bear. He told me that wasn't possible because there were no bears where we were.
Several years later he confessed and told me that he too saw a bear on that trip, but he knew if he told me that I would be afraid to go fishing and wouldn't have any fun.
Damfino
Gold $$ Contributor
Back in 2008 2 friends and myself drove from Alabama to Whitehorse Yukon Territory to run the Yukon River Trail Marathon. During registration and prior to the run starting we heard often and loudly about the need to be watchful on the trail and the necessity of carrying Bear Spray. We scoffed. During the run we saw a number of runners carrying Bear Spray cans that were the size of a small fire extinguisher. We scoffed again. However as I crested another of the many thousands of hills we crossed during the run I saw a very large bear several hundred yards away down in a meadow. Let me tell you I was no longer scoffing. I felt extremely small and very vulnerable and yearned for one of those large Bear Spray cans. Luckily the bear never looked up, but the impact of his presence and that experience made damn sure my scoffing days were over.
My friend said the experience reminded him of that old adage that sharks are harmless unless provoked. And how do you provoke a shark? Swim in his ocean.
My friend said the experience reminded him of that old adage that sharks are harmless unless provoked. And how do you provoke a shark? Swim in his ocean.
I’m on the east coast and black bear are common in my campground. Yearly I shoot bears with rubber slugs to condition them to stay away from my campers. It works pretty well actually. I give them an escape path and keep range to 25-35 yards.
Black bears aren’t really a whole lot more scary than bunny rabbits. Grizzlies, I have no clue. A Blackhawk 45 colt loaded with 325 grain hardcast slammers @ 1100 fps seems ok. A scout M1A in 308 seems better.
Black bears aren’t really a whole lot more scary than bunny rabbits. Grizzlies, I have no clue. A Blackhawk 45 colt loaded with 325 grain hardcast slammers @ 1100 fps seems ok. A scout M1A in 308 seems better.
There is a difference in choosing a cartridge that will kill a Bear and one that will stop him cold.One swipe can break a neck and it will be faster than a Sugar Ray Leonard jab.
L.Sherm
Silver $$ Contributor
While the term " scarey" gets thrown around and Black bears get compared to Yogi and Bo Bo talk to the family who an elderly lady was killed and eaten about 6 years ago west of Kalispell by a black bear about as scarey as a bunny rabbit.
Granted she was feeding the bear and should not have been the bear broke into her house killed her, I dont think they ever did find that bear.
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