Grizzly Bear encounter- heads up for Centennials in SW MT

[phutch30]

Just a heads up. There was an confrontation with a Grizzly bear reported in the vicinity of O'Dell Creek on Thur.


"We had an encounter today with an individual and a grizzly on our sale area. A prof was there for a class trip to monitor before and after elk graze in relation to our timber management action.

Along the temp road, where R Y parks their rigs, he encountered a G Bear. It charged him and he went to deploy spray, which he had at the ready since he knew it was in the area, but had failed to remove the safety so he could not depress the trigger when he tried. The bear veered off 10 feet from him and ran away without being sprayed.

Localized closure in effect."

Call Red Rock Refuge with any questions

 

[RobG]

Where is O'dell creek?

 

[Southern Elk]

The only O'Dell creek that I know of is just south of the city limits of Ennis. Must be one in the Centennials too.

 

[whiskeydog]

Wait for it...

 

[Nameless Range]

Odell Creek runs out of Odell Lake in the West Centennial Range. There is no apostrophe in this Odell. It is halfway between Bean Creek and Hellroaring Creek as far as its position on the range.

http://www.adventurescience.org/uploads/7/3/9/8/7398741/finalgrizzlyreportcentennial.pdf

 

[Elkhunter24]

stay safe everyone!

 

[406LIFE]

Link to source?

 

[MoGreen]

Wow, they closed the entire area? I wonder what determines when they open it back up.

 

[KDOG247]

that's not good my son has a moose tag down there i'll not tell the wife about that one.

 

[406Family]

Wait for it...

Waaaaait for it...........

 

[HuntMT16]

Wow, they closed the entire area? I wonder what determines when they open it back up.

It's not surprising that they closed the area. There were three Grizzly attacks last weekend in SW Montana. The Forest Service closed the whole area of Bear Creek (South of Ennis) as a result of an attack. It's a pain, but done for safety. I don't know when they will re-open closed areas though as I haven't read anything on that.

 

[phutch30]

The closed the area of the encounter not the entire area

 

[ssssnake529]

I've read some speculation that Grizzly bears are starting to associate hunters and gunfire with food and fresh killed elk. If this is true, it's not good.

 

[MoGreen]

I've read some speculation that Grizzly bears are starting to associate hunters and gunfire with food and fresh killed elk. If this is true, it's not good.

Check this out
http://www.foxnews.com/science/2014/11/24/gps-study-tracks-grizzlies-as-follow-hunters.html

 

[.280 Remington]

I understand closing an area after a mauling. But a close encounter? BS in my book. Post a cautionary sign and let people go in.

 

[TheJason]

The article referenced merely reinforces in my mind the fact that grizzlies could easily eat us if they were really the bloodthirsty marauders they are portrayed as.