Another Yellowstone grizzly attack, different outcome

[DougPaul]

contrary to popular omission : Bears can climb trees

Black bears (adult and young) and young grizzlies can climb. Adult grizzlies are not good climbers--but they can shake you out of a small tree.

Doug

 

[bobandgeri]

Yes they can, and in fact black bears teach the cubs to climb a tree when they feel threatened while the adult flees. We were luckiy enough to this exact behavior once. After spotting a mom and cub and taking a few photos, they saw us. Mom ran away while the cub climbed a tree. When it saw we were not moving, it slowly climbed back down keeping eye contact with us, then ran after the mom.

On the drive up north this morning, a large adult ran across rte 93 in Franconia Nocth @ 200 - 100 feet in front of me - awesome creature!

 

[freighttrain48]

Two versions of a tired old joke that is dangerous if it makes people think they can run from a bear. A bear is fast enough to get both (all) of you if it so desires...

Douwg

If anyone thought I was serious I apologize. I know running is not a wise choice. I agree with sierra if I'm in grizzly country I would have a large pistol and bear spray.

 

[dug]

If anyone thought I was serious I apologize. I know running is not a wise choice. I agree with sierra if I'm in grizzly country I would have a large pistol and bear spray.

Gonna' need more than a pistol.... You don't want to just irritate it.

 

[Kevin Rooney]

There are trails in the Canadian Rockies where they impose a group size minimum. One year I think it was a group of six and the last time we were there it was a group of four (tight group of four, expected to stick together on the trail).

I spent a couple of months in the Yoho/Banff/Jasper area last summer, and the NP's had a group size of 4 - tightly grouped, as you say.

Edit - interestingly enough, NP rangers in the Canadian Rockies don't think much of the small, consumer-size bear spray. They carry it - but it's the big containers, about pint size. Smaller cans may not have enough spray to act as an effective repellent.

 

[freighttrain48]

Gonna' need more than a pistol.... You don't want to just irritate it.

http://www.gunblast.com/SW-25Mountain.htm

I have done some research on this in the past and this gun and the .50 cal revolvers are what most people who live in grizzly county carry other than shotguns which arent very easy to carry and hike with

 

[dug]

I spent time in grizzly country, with a guide, and he was very clear that the only way he'd go out there was with a long barrell. (I had nothing but the pepper marinate, so I just hid behind him....).

.50 cal...yeah, that would do it though!

 

[Chip]

Ten should be enough just make sure you are faster than 5 of them

I'm sure nobody thought you were serious. I'm also sure nobody hasn't heard that joke , though your suggestion would work fine if there were five bear or less.

I've said this before (apologies to those that don't like to read previously posted material): A good friend has been a camp manager in Yellowstone and Alaska (lots of grizzly activity) and has hiked and hunted extensively in Montana (think packing out dressed game). His is an active duty, bear are close, defense. He can legally carry (and actually accurately shoot) any firearm he wants and he only carries the big can of bear spray.

 

[pudgy_groundhog]

I've also run across people who believe in carrying the air horns (I think in addition to bear spray), but I haven't read much about their effectiveness. Anybody know?

Last year a few days before we left on our vacation to the Beartooth Mountains, the grizzly had killed the man in the campground and this year the Yellowstone grizzlies have been in the news and we leave in two weeks. I wish the bears would at least hold off until after our vacations so my parents don't worry so much.

We've hiked in grizzly country (and did encounter a mother grizzly and cubs in Glacier a few years ago, that ended well for everybody, thankfully) and will be doing so again this year. We carry bear spray, but try to make enough noise that we'll never need it.

 

[DougPaul]

I've also run across people who believe in carrying the air horns (I think in addition to bear spray), but I haven't read much about their effectiveness. Anybody know?

The purpose of an air horn is to warn the bear that you are approaching from a distance. This gives the bear plenty of time to get out of the way well before it might feel threatened.

Also covered in Herrero, IIRC.

Doug

 

[Brambor]

gun

I've hiked in Grizzly country three times. Each times it was about 14 days straigh. All of it was in Wyoming. First two times I did not carry any bear deterrant but the third time (at the insistence of my wife who went to the bear country for the first time) I carried a revolver Taurus Raging Bull 454. Big bullets.

Of all three trips, the only time I saw a bear was in Tetons NP running across the road

I think that late in the season (august) a good bear strategy is to get into high elevation ASAP almost like our mosquitoes strategy here in NE. There is not much food in higher elevations and thus bears don't really go there much.

Yellowstone is tricky. The hikes and the mountains are really mostly in heavily forested locations with a lot of brush and berries. Good place to startle a bear.

 

[DougPaul]

I've said this before (apologies to those that don't like to read previously posted material): A good friend has been a camp manager in Yellowstone and Alaska (lots of grizzly activity) and has hiked and hunted extensively in Montana (think packing out dressed game). His is an active duty, bear are close, defense. He can legally carry (and actually accurately shoot) any firearm he wants and he only carries the big can of bear spray.

If someone only carries a pistol, I'm betting on the bear...

The only place that I'd carry a firearm (rifle or shotgun, not a pistol) would be in polar bear territory. But even here, I've seen bear spray used effectively.

Doug

 

[DougPaul]

I think that late in the season (august) a good bear strategy is to get into high elevation ASAP almost like our mosquitoes strategy here in NE. There is not much food in higher elevations and thus bears don't really go there much.

Bears have been found to go to high elevations to eat moths hiding in the rocks of slides. Not sure of the specific places or timing.

Doug

 

[Brambor]

l

Bears have been found to go to high elevations to eat moths hiding in the rocks of slides. Not sure of the specific places or timing.

Doug

Sure, I'm just speaking from personal experience and from talking to the trail workers on the Highline Trail in Wyoming. They said that this time of the year the bears are all in lower elevations.

 

[J&J]

Back on July 4 of this year, we were heading down the Base Station Rd when all of a sudden cars started slowing down. When we could finally make out why everyone was slowing down, we saw that it was a black bear slowly sauntering right down the middle of the road. It meandered on the road for about 100 yards before exiting into the woods on the right. Very cool sighting. We often see black bears on the ski slopes of Cannon Mt. Be looking for them.

Mr. (or Mrs.) Black Bear

 

[Bob]

I've also run across people who believe in carrying the air horns (I think in addition to bear spray), but I haven't read much about their effectiveness. Anybody know?

I always carry my vuvuzela when hiking in griz territory. It is much lighter than an air horn and legal to carry on airplanes.

 

[DougPaul]

Sure, I'm just speaking from personal experience and from talking to the trail workers on the Highline Trail in Wyoming. They said that this time of the year the bears are all in lower elevations.

OK. Was just noting a possible reason for them to be high.

I do remember seeing grizzlies at Granite Park Chalet (Glacier Pk), most likely in August. But that was in the bad old days when there was still a garbage dump up there.

Bears follow the food...

Doug

 

[sierra]

If someone only carries a pistol, I'm betting on the bear...

The only place that I'd carry a firearm (rifle or shotgun, not a pistol) would be in polar bear territory. But even here, I've seen bear spray used effectively.

Doug

While I agree spray is a must, to me a firearm is also a must. If your not familiar with firearms I agree they are not effective, but if you are they can be quite lethal. AS far as hedging bets, my money goes to the hiker with the spray and a firearm. You can never be to prepared imo and I would definetly feel better having spray and a revolver. I know alot of people dont like firearms and think they are not even going to consider them, but as analitical as you want to be, if a bear was approaching and I was standing next to you armed and a expert shot (as I am) tell me you wouldnt feel better. You hold the spray Ill hold the gun, we fair better then most.

 

[dug]

My only experience in grizz territory was in the Brooks Range. One of our party was a guide back east (NY), and he had been grizz hunting in the Brooks before. The concensus from his previous party, and their guide, was a rifle is a must. Being only backpackers, we initially saying we didn't need it, but he convinced us otherwise.

That being said, we were in a party of 8 and made a helluva of noise the entire time. We never saw one, saw plenty of pretty fresh signs, and none of us were devoured.

Something worked.

 

[freighttrain48]

While I agree spray is a must, to me a firearm is also a must. If your not familiar with firearms I agree they are not effective, but if you are they can be quite lethal. AS far as hedging bets, my money goes to the hiker with the spray and a firearm. You can never be to prepared imo and I would definetly feel better having spray and a revolver. I know alot of people dont like firearms and think they are not even going to consider them, but as analitical as you want to be, if a bear was approaching and I was standing next to you armed and a expert shot (as I am) tell me you wouldnt feel better. You hold the spray Ill hold the gun, we fair better then most.

A lot of people assume that is you carry a gun you want to kill something. Not always the case and They make rounds that are extra loud and having that one in the chamber first may do the trick and scare it away. If it does charge I know that I would do what I had to do but not feel to good in the end If I or the bear was hurt.