Black Bear Encounter in the Gravellies

[fargoflyfish]

I just got back from a weeklong archery hunt in the Gravellies south of Ennis. Overall it was a good trip with some elk encounters, but no meat in the freezer this time. I did have one interesting encounter with a black bear though. Earlier in the week we spotted a bull with 4 cows on a steep south facing slope and headed over to them. We made our way to within 50 yards of the elk and I set up the shooter and did some calling. I was using a pleading cow call with some excited bugles to provoke the bull to come our way. Out of the corner of my eye I saw something black moving quickly my way. By the time I turned a large black bear was 15 yards away and running full speed right at me. I didn't have time to think or reach for my bear spray, but I stepped in front of the bear, put my arms up to appear bigger, and yelled "hey bear" so it knew I was human. Fortunately it worked and the bear did a 180 and headed straight down the mountain. Looking back I was lucky I even saw the bear. For a large animal running full speed up a mountain at me it didn't make any noticeable noise. If it wouldn't have realized that I was human or if I would have had my back in the direction of the bear things probably wouldn't have been as favorable for me if it got much closer.

Be aware and careful out there!

 

[Southern Elk]

Glad it ended the way it did. There are a lot of grizzlies down there. Good thing it was a black bear.

How crowded was it? Last year there were more hunters in the Gravellies than any place that I've ever hunted in MT.

 

[fargoflyfish]

There were very few people where we were. It was really hard to get into the mountains south of Ennis due to road closures. We were all alone in the backcountry after a 2 mile hike, but very few people were parked on the main roads when we arrived and left.

 

[TheJason]

How crowded was it? Last year there were more hunters in the Gravellies than any place that I've ever hunted in MT.

Amen to that. A buddy was hunting over near Reynolds Pass and said that there were vehicles everywhere, courtesy of Eastman's who highlighted that area as a "go to" spot.

 

[James Riley]

I just got back from a weeklong archery hunt in the Gravellies south of Ennis. Overall it was a good trip with some elk encounters, but no meat in the freezer this time. I did have one interesting encounter with a black bear though. Earlier in the week we spotted a bull with 4 cows on a steep south facing slope and headed over to them. We made our way to within 50 yards of the elk and I set up the shooter and did some calling. I was using a pleading cow call with some excited bugles to provoke the bull to come our way. Out of the corner of my eye I saw something black moving quickly my way. By the time I turned a large black bear was 15 yards away and running full speed right at me. I didn't have time to think or reach for my bear spray, but I stepped in front of the bear, put my arms up to appear bigger, and yelled "hey bear" so it knew I was human. Fortunately it worked and the bear did a 180 and headed straight down the mountain. Looking back I was lucky I even saw the bear. For a large animal running full speed up a mountain at me it didn't make any noticeable noise. If it wouldn't have realized that I was human or if I would have had my back in the direction of the bear things probably wouldn't have been as favorable for me if it got much closer.

Be aware and careful out there!

Ha! Great story. Something similar happened to me many years ago. I was not bugling, but walking up a creek bottom, up-slope to my right, arrow knocked and pointed left (could not swing and shoot). This huge bear was coming full tilt down the hill toward me. I have absolutely no clue why I said this (I'm sure Freud would have an opinion) but it just came out of my mouth with no thought at all: "Hi diddle diddle, the cat and the fiddle."

It worked. The bear locked up about ten or twelve feet from me, turned tail and scampered right back up the hill.

I counted myself lucky.

Any of you psychologist types know where that came from?

 

[fargoflyfish]

"Hi diddle diddle, the cat and the fiddle."

I've heard that is almost as effective as bear spray from stopping an attack. Haha.

 

[wapiti11]

I've heard that is almost as effective as bear spray from stopping an attack. Haha.

JLS,

Eastman's had Reynold's pass as a go to area for Archery season? I grew up around there and find that real strange. I must of missed that in there magazine that I read front to back. A pack of wolves and a couple griz is what you will find there during archery season...maybe a couple elk passing through with there lips sewn shut.

On a side note one of my archery areas around there is now shut down as a hunter shot and wounded a "bear". I am sure it is the same griz we had a run in two years ago. She had two cubs at that time, so could be on of them also. Called Fish and game to let them know, I know where they call home, but I guess there to busy..to call back.

Glad you reacted quickly on that running black bear coming at you. It is real amazing how fast and quiet those soft paw critters are.

 

[Southern Elk]

JLS,

Eastman's had Reynold's pass as a go to area for Archery season? I grew up around there and find that real strange. I must of missed that in there magazine that I read front to back. A pack of wolves and a couple griz is what you will find there during archery season...maybe a couple elk passing through with there lips sewn shut.

On a side note one of my archery areas around there is now shut down as a hunter shot and wounded a "bear". I am sure it is the same griz we had a run in two years ago. She had two cubs at that time, so could be on of them also. Called Fish and game to let them know, I know where they call home, but I guess there to busy..to call back.

Glad you reacted quickly on that running black bear coming at you. It is real amazing how fast and quiet those soft paw critters are.

A hunter was attacked yesterday on a trail that had recently been closed. I'm not sure if this is the same bear that you were referring to, but something needs to be done about this bear.

http://www.kbzk.com/story/33299201/...utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook_KBZK_TV

 

[wapiti11]

A hunter was attacked yesterday on a trail that had recently been closed. I'm not sure if this is the same bear that you were referring to, but something needs to be done about this bear.

http://www.kbzk.com/story/33299201/...utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook_KBZK_TV

Just heard about this attack. This is the newest attack I have heard of. The area I am referring to are the two attacks/encounters around Hebgen lake. Its getting out of hand around there.

 

[fargoflyfish]

A hunter was attacked yesterday on a trail that had recently been closed. I'm not sure if this is the same bear that you were referring to, but something needs to be done about this bear.

http://www.kbzk.com/story/33299201/...utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook_KBZK_TV

That guy is tough! Glad he made it through the whole ordeal with only minor injuries.

 

[Southern Elk]

Just heard about this attack. This is the newest attack I have heard of. The area I am referring to are the two attacks/encounters around Hebgen lake. Its getting out of hand around there.

Yes it is. I read that the DOW wasn't going to do anything about the bears in the encounters that you are talking about.

 

[Muley_Stalker]

This is why I love hunting for bear. I prefer to sneak in on them, but as a last resort i'll call them in. Sometimes they'll sneak in behind me and sometimes they'll come charging in expecting to get a meal. They don't always run away when seeing a human. Especially, the mature boars. As far as the boar is concerned I may not look like the meal he was expecting, but I still look like a meal. So far the only meal they've gotten is 460gr of lead.

 

[wapiti11]

Yes it is. I read that the DOW wasn't going to do anything about the bears in the encounters that you are talking about.

Interesting. I heard that the trailhead has been closed, while FWP continues there search and there "investigation". Actually had to change my hunting plans for the weekend because of this. I did call the Hebgen Lake ranger station as per newspaper article for "further information". Because there is a active investigation they could not say much about the incident, what a joke. The only thing they told me is that they posted signs in the area about the incident, I said, great, let me know if you need anymore staples for hanging those signs, good bye.....

 

[Southern Elk]

Interesting. I heard that the trailhead has been closed, while FWP continues there search and there "investigation". Actually had to change my hunting plans for the weekend because of this. I did call the Hebgen Lake ranger station as per newspaper article for "further information". Because there is a active investigation they could not say much about the incident, what a joke. The only thing they told me is that they posted signs in the area about the incident, I said, great, let me know if you need anymore staples for hanging those signs, good bye.....

Here is the quote that I was referring to..."Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks did not attempt to locate the bears involved. The attacks were determined to be non-predatory and natural responses to close encounters between bears and humans. The bears would have been located if they were suspected repeat offenders or if they were injured during the incidents, said Andrea Jones, FWP spokesperson."

And a link to the article...

http://billingsgazette.com/news/sta...cle_41b79d49-6fee-5349-9149-1df76ded3cb0.html

That's BS in my opinion. This is becoming all too common in that area. I'm afraid someone is going to get killed.

 

[TheJason]

JLS,

Eastman's had Reynold's pass as a go to area for Archery season? I grew up around there and find that real strange. I must of missed that in there magazine that I read front to back. A pack of wolves and a couple griz is what you will find there during archery season...maybe a couple elk passing through with there lips sewn shut.

Eastman's ran the Gravellies, Centennials, and South Madison as a "go to" area. I don't remember the specific units, I believe it was 327, 323 and 362. I am relaying this second hand from the biologist who got the phone call from them. I didn't read the article as I don't subscribe to Eastman's.

I'm using Raynold's Pass as a generic area out of respect for my hunting buddy. None of those mountain ranges are secret, but I'm not going to name someone else's hunting spot either.

 

[wapiti11]

Eastman's ran the Gravellies, Centennials, and South Madison as a "go to" area. I don't remember the specific units, I believe it was 327, 323 and 362. I am relaying this second hand from the biologist who got the phone call from them. I didn't read the article as I don't subscribe to Eastman's.

I'm using Raynold's Pass as a generic area out of respect for my hunting buddy. None of those mountain ranges are secret, but I'm not going to name someone else's hunting spot either.

Ok, I did see that go to article from Eastman's. They have ran that for years. Just never saw them say Raynolds pass, so that's what caught my eye when you mentioned it. For sure no secrets around there the area gets pounded. It has for years.

 

[TheJason]

For sure no secrets around there the area gets pounded. It has for years.

Pressure has increased markedly in the last 5-6 years. Areas we used to hunt and not see a soul now have vehicles on every pullout.

The good news is that in a few years they'll find some other area to write about and the pressure will slowly shift away.

 

[wapiti11]

Pressure has increased markedly in the last 5-6 years. Areas we used to hunt and not see a soul now have vehicles on every pullout.

The good news is that in a few years they'll find some other area to write about and the pressure will slowly shift away.

I like your thinking and have found this to be true, I hunt the area every year and do see cycles of pressure. Sounds like you have spend some time around there PM me if you want to chat about the area. I have hunted that area since the 80s know it very well..

 

[sra61]

Those bears know what an elk call means. Meat on the hoof! I've had a couple of times where I had bears come in looking for me when I was bugling. Luckily they weren't grizzlies.