Alex Wheeler
Site $$ Sponsor
I used to live in Florida. More lightning strikes than all states combined. Never stopped me from going fishing. If its your time its your time. Only way I know to stop paying taxes.
Hiking in bear country?!?
- Thread starter Daddymac
- Start date
No, and neither have the VAST majority of people who hunt and hike in bear country.
L.Sherm
Silver $$ Contributor
You do what your gonna do and im gonna do what I'm gonna do and we'll both be happy.
The VAST majority only go in the woods RARELY. My office for over 15 years was the woods in Washington, Alaska and Montana everyday and that didn't include hunting seasons or leisurely summer hiking and horse back trips.
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Yep, it's a vacation believe it or not. I think our "hiking" will be limited, after I told the wife they were not looking for the bear she replied that it will be like vacationing with a serial killer on the loose.Are we still calling it a vacation? Because it’s not sounding like a vacation
First and foremost I'm am going to a part of our country I have never seen and I am going to enjoy as much of it as I can. Secondly, if I can walk across the parking lot of our local Wal-Mart after dark, how can a 800 pound grizzly be any more dangerous?
L.Sherm
Silver $$ Contributor
Alex im pretty sure I never said dont go outdoors and enjoy yourself but people comparing bears to bunny rabbits and down playing what can happen is wrong no matter if its RARE or not, it happens.
dellet
Gold $$ Contributor
I think for the most part, Sherm can probably clarify this, outside but close to National parks, bear density is often higher, with less reported encounters per person. An area close by that I have seen numbers that reflect this is Jewel basin in the Swan Range.Yep, it's a vacation believe it or not. I think our "hiking" will be limited, after I told the wife they were not looking for the bear she replied that it will be like vacationing with a serial killer on the loose.
First and foremost I'm am going to a part of our country I have never seen and I am going to enjoy as much of it as I can. Secondly, if I can walk across the parking lot of our local Wal-Mart after dark, how can a 800 pound grizzly be any more dangerous?
Inside the park, the animals always get humanized, but the people rarely get animalized. Outside the park even without hunting there is a certain amount of harassment. People on bikes, dogs off lead, motorized vehicles, hunting even if not for bears.
I see far more bear activity at home, than in the woods a few hundred yards away. Patterns of avoidance develop by both parties. Last time a neighbor did some logging it left loose dirt all through the area and the amount of different tracks found and numbered each day indicated far more bears and much more local activity than we had guessed before.
Your best defense on your trip, might actually be the family you are trying to protect. Unless you are a family of Navy Seals trying to find yogi bin laden, the shear numbers of people above one, and the noise that generally accompanies that group, will be enough to drive away most game, that is not humanized.
In a month or so, you are probably more likely to be attacked by a moose than a bear. It would depend on the actual birthing season where you will be. The winter kill carcasses will be gone, other food sources should be plentiful for the bears. You will be less likely to stumble on them and between them and the dinner plate. Spring bear season will likely have just ended, so bear avoidance of humans will be higher.
Be prepared, have a plan that includes everyone, even if their part is no more than getting out from between you and the threat.
Mostly come and enjoy the state, the forest and the wildlife. The State also has some pretty good education resources.
You might also search out deaths in Yellowstone, see where bears rank for causes of death, and the stupid human tricks that generally provoke them and or cause death.
Not much different than your Walmart parking lot at 2am. Don’t go there with cash falling out of your pockets. Don’t go in the woods where yogi lives with a slab of bacon around your neck.
Last year we were in YS at one of the valleys watching critters. My wife had just finished up sandwiches for everyone and closed the back gate on the car when a big Griz walked out of the trees and crossed the road right behind the vehicle - I mean right behind - had my wife still been there she could have made an extra sandwich for him. We weren't too worked up about it but my DIL was crazy. She had planned on hiking in the park until that moment. It was of course pretty cool, but it shows how things can happen.
I always like to think about the horror of the tourist had I pulled my pistol and gone to work...just a funny picture.
Several years ago we bear hunted north of YS park. A talk to the biologist alerted us to a sow and cubs in the area. He said to be sure of our bear identification skills. We did get a nice black bear on that trip and never came across any grizzly.I went into town to inquire about a taxidermist. Being the jackass I am, I told a guy at the local sports shop I had shot the biggest grizzly I'd ever seen and it was in the truck, where could I get a mount. He paused a bit and finally told me I should do that one at home.
I always like to think about the horror of the tourist had I pulled my pistol and gone to work...just a funny picture.
Several years ago we bear hunted north of YS park. A talk to the biologist alerted us to a sow and cubs in the area. He said to be sure of our bear identification skills. We did get a nice black bear on that trip and never came across any grizzly.I went into town to inquire about a taxidermist. Being the jackass I am, I told a guy at the local sports shop I had shot the biggest grizzly I'd ever seen and it was in the truck, where could I get a mount. He paused a bit and finally told me I should do that one at home.
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Tell us your experience with bears.
D Coots
Silver $$ Contributor
Smart guy.I think for the most part, Sherm can probably clarify this, outside but close to National parks, bear density is often higher, with less reported encounters per person. An area close by that I have seen numbers that reflect this is Jewel basin in the Swan Range.
Inside the park, the animals always get humanized, but the people rarely get animalized. Outside the park even without hunting there is a certain amount of harassment. People on bikes, dogs off lead, motorized vehicles, hunting even if not for bears.
I see far more bear activity at home, than in the woods a few hundred yards away. Patterns of avoidance develop by both parties. Last time a neighbor did some logging it left loose dirt all through the area and the amount of different tracks found and numbered each day indicated far more bears and much more local activity than we had guessed before.
Your best defense on your trip, might actually be the family you are trying to protect. Unless you are a family of Navy Seals trying to find yogi bin laden, the shear numbers of people above one, and the noise that generally accompanies that group, will be enough to drive away most game, that is not humanized.
In a month or so, you are probably more likely to be attacked by a moose than a bear. It would depend on the actual birthing season where you will be. The winter kill carcasses will be gone, other food sources should be plentiful for the bears. You will be less likely to stumble on them and between them and the dinner plate. Spring bear season will likely have just ended, so bear avoidance of humans will be higher.
Be prepared, have a plan that includes everyone, even if their part is no more than getting out from between you and the threat.
Mostly come and enjoy the state, the forest and the wildlife. The State also has some pretty good education resources.
You might also search out deaths in Yellowstone, see where bears rank for causes of death, and the stupid human tricks that generally provoke them and or cause death.
Not much different than your Walmart parking lot at 2am. Don’t go there with cash falling out of your pockets. Don’t go in the woods where yogi lives with a slab of bacon around your neck.
Maybe I should come hang out with you, since my main experience with bears is not seeing any or watching them run away.
Please realize that regardless of the very low chance of a bear attack--or for me even a bear encounter--I still fully support acquiring bear defense firearms. There are other critters out there as well that might need shootin', so might as well carry a bear capable firearm.
As such, I DO need a 10mm. My 28 ounce 44 Mag recoils too much to be able to shoot quickly. I was skeptical of the 10 at first, until I read about the USAF kid who killed an Alaskan Brown Bear with one in self defense near (IIRC) Galena a few years ago.
L.Sherm
Silver $$ Contributor
WHY! let's just say I've had plenty of " close enecounters". Did you read post #124 I cut timber in those 3 states, were I worked, hiked, hunted and packed horses and mules there wasn't anybody to shoot bears with rubber bullets and I assure you I won't be packing rubber bullets either.
Was that unfortunate incident you spoke of from a bunny rabbit?
Enough said time to move on
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On an elk hunt north of 'The Park' I had a Grizzly run at me and my son only to veer off at about 20-30 yards. It was so close that when he went around us you could hear his feet hit the ground and his grunting/breathing as he went by. We had pistols and bear spray - never drew down on him as it happened fast.
I do not believe it was a charge or any aggression from him. We were in his path as he ran from a sheep hunter that had bumped him above us. As he came towards us I think he got our wind at the last minute and turned. Had he bumped into us it would have been a shit-show extraordinaire!
We continued to hunt the area for a week or more, seeing tracks from time to time.
I do not believe it was a charge or any aggression from him. We were in his path as he ran from a sheep hunter that had bumped him above us. As he came towards us I think he got our wind at the last minute and turned. Had he bumped into us it would have been a shit-show extraordinaire!
We continued to hunt the area for a week or more, seeing tracks from time to time.
Regarding bunny rabbit incidents:
About five years back, I was on one of my sheep hunts along the the divide. These are hunts where I hike up into some basins, sleep in uncomfortable locations, eat crappy food, and see no sheep. I usually hunt alone and, on this occasion, I didn't have the dog with me. I set up in a nice little spot, in the alders against some rocks and looking out over the Flathead valley. I had started carrying bear spray with me and, since I had seen two bears on the way in, I kept it handy.
I had hiked pretty hard that day so, after a meal of gruel, I crawled into the sack and dropped off right away. Sometime after midnight, I was awakened by the sound of my coffee pot tipping over. I got the bear spray and slid the safety catch off. I had my flashlight in my other hand and I was ready to spray as I pointed at the campfire and turned on the light. There, sitting up with his nose twitching, was a nice, fat, bunny! Happy there was no one there to witness my foolishness, I slipped the safety tab back into place, said goodnight to the rabbit, and went back to sleep. I spent four more days, had no more visitors, saw one more bear, several goats, some elk, and, typically, no sheep. WH
About five years back, I was on one of my sheep hunts along the the divide. These are hunts where I hike up into some basins, sleep in uncomfortable locations, eat crappy food, and see no sheep. I usually hunt alone and, on this occasion, I didn't have the dog with me. I set up in a nice little spot, in the alders against some rocks and looking out over the Flathead valley. I had started carrying bear spray with me and, since I had seen two bears on the way in, I kept it handy.
I had hiked pretty hard that day so, after a meal of gruel, I crawled into the sack and dropped off right away. Sometime after midnight, I was awakened by the sound of my coffee pot tipping over. I got the bear spray and slid the safety catch off. I had my flashlight in my other hand and I was ready to spray as I pointed at the campfire and turned on the light. There, sitting up with his nose twitching, was a nice, fat, bunny! Happy there was no one there to witness my foolishness, I slipped the safety tab back into place, said goodnight to the rabbit, and went back to sleep. I spent four more days, had no more visitors, saw one more bear, several goats, some elk, and, typically, no sheep. WH
10mm is enough for a bear. The load matters more than the chambering. You need a high penetration load which means zero expansion and as much speed as you can muster. Think straight wadcutters loaded in a .357 mag with as much pressure as you feel comfortable. In 10mm, you want something like buffalo bore 200gr hard cast. Heck, in anything I think you want hardcast non-expanding ammo. A solid copper monolithic would be a good choice too.
As I posted, I carried 9mm in Glacier, and with hardcast I'm sure it would be sufficient if necessary.
As I posted, I carried 9mm in Glacier, and with hardcast I'm sure it would be sufficient if necessary.
Might as well keep this going...
Woke up in the tent one night to a scratching sound. Laying there listening for a bit I asked my hunting partner, "Is that you"? He immediately answered 'No'. He answered so fast I knew he had been there listening for a while too.
Did the old 'HEY BEAR' thing a few times. Just as we did the last one, the back of the tent collapsed. It was on at that point - pistols drawn and some real yelling. Things settled down for a moment and I decided to look outside. Open the flap I was greeted with...about 6-8" of snow. It had been clear when we crawled in, but accumulated overnight collapsing the back of our tent. The scratching was a rodent we found under the tent when we broke down the next day, probably getting out of the weather.
The phantom bears in your head are the worst...
Woke up in the tent one night to a scratching sound. Laying there listening for a bit I asked my hunting partner, "Is that you"? He immediately answered 'No'. He answered so fast I knew he had been there listening for a while too.
Did the old 'HEY BEAR' thing a few times. Just as we did the last one, the back of the tent collapsed. It was on at that point - pistols drawn and some real yelling. Things settled down for a moment and I decided to look outside. Open the flap I was greeted with...about 6-8" of snow. It had been clear when we crawled in, but accumulated overnight collapsing the back of our tent. The scratching was a rodent we found under the tent when we broke down the next day, probably getting out of the weather.
The phantom bears in your head are the worst...
I've been charged by a sow or bluff charged maybe is a better definition. I've had a sow come up to my treestand while now hunting bears when her cubs were tree'd from my scent. I felt very intimidated from both. I was prepared which is all we can be. I used bear spray on the sow coming up the tree. She immediately retreated. I would sure hate to shoot a sow during a bluff charge trying to keep me away from her cubs. There's a distinct difference in that and an actual attack by a territorial bear. I always carry a side arm in bear country and when hunting I carry spray also. My outdoor activity doesn't change from bears being an inhabitant in the country I travel. I'm just very aware and prepared for a conflict. I'm also aware the chances of an attack is rare but not impossible.
@L.Sherm , this you?
mycountry955.com
The Legend of a Wyoming Man Who Killed a Bear with His Teeth
Some are quick to call this story a hoax, but it is too intriguing not to tell. Did C. Dale Petersen kill a bear with his hands and teeth?
Even the taxidermy on that bear is suspect! WH
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