Grizzly Experiences

[MTLabrador]

Grizzly news always seem to bring out lots of emotions and ideas for solutions among hunters. With the rash of grizzly content lately I’m curious what kind of encounters the folks here have had.

Disclaimers:

1. This is not intended to be an “I’m from Montana and you’re not, so shut the hell up” type of thing. I know lots of people from Montana and Wyoming who have never seen a grizzly.

2. Feel free to share cool grizzly stories.

 

[rtraverdavis]

I’ve seen a couple in the GYE. Never close. Closest I’ve come was one working it’s way down the bank across from where I was fishing at Grebe Lake in Yellowstone.

Both times I saw one it was obvious that I was in the presence of greatness. I’m certain I’d fill my pants were I ever bluff charged, but it’s not enough to deter me from hunting an area known to have grizzlies.

 

[TheTone]

I chose I’ve seen a few, only a couple that were out walking around, the vast majority I have seen were in a culvert trap and/or sedated

 

[Straight Arrow]

Big boar griz was feeding on a dead horse carcass up Moose Creek below the Chinese Wall in the Bob Marshall Wilderness. He was coming our way on the trail but heard us, danced around a bit, then headed away from us. Down the trail was a sign saying "Caution; high probability of bear encounter", then another caution sign down the trail about a half mile, both sides of where the carcass was located down below the trail.

 

[Irrelevant]

Never seen one, but cut a fresh track in the snow once.

 

[Straight Arrow]

Driving north of Norris Junction in Yellowstone Park, spotted a grizzly chasing a herd of elk, so pulled over to watch. By the time I parked and climbed on top of the pickup camper, they were over a small knoll and all I could see was elk legs flailing toward the sky. I assumed the bear had caught up with one ... but I was not about to hike over to confirm.

 

[ashersdad]

Not counting Alaska, I've seen two and both were while Spring bear hunting in Idaho. Both were incredible experiences and I remember just being in awe of their size and power.

 

[Oak]

I’ve seen a couple in the GYE. Never close.

Same.

 

[Gellar]

All of the ones I’ve seen have been in AK.

 

[Otto Matic]

Never seen a griz.
Always wanted to hunt a Kodiak brown.
Yeah, I know that's not a grizzly, but I'd still like to hunt a Kodiak brown.

 

[MTLabrador]

I average seeing a few every year, this year I’ve seen a lot. Probably 90% of the bear and elk hunting I’ve done has been in good bear habitat in the GYE, and I’ve had a few close encounters. On two occasions I’ve had spray/guns pointed at a bear at very close range.

 

[Straight Arrow]

Never seen a griz.
Always wanted to hunt a Kodiak brown.
Yeah, I know that's not a grizzly, but I'd still like to hunt a Kodiak brown.

TMI.

 

[SaskHunter]

I've seen a few from safe distances but have had one very close encounter while camping in Kananaskis country with my wife. I was woken up in the middle of the night by my wife jabbing me in the ribs with her elbow and whispering "what's that???". I rose to a bear sniffing our tent a few feet away from my head.

Scared the bear away and it ran towards an inlet so I knew it would be back. My wife spent the rest of the night in the car, which she locked me out of, while I went back to sleep. I was woken up again an hour or so later when the bear came back to leave the inlet.

All unexpected bear encounters I've had, black or grizz, have always ended the same: a scared bear running away and my heart racing for 15 or so minutes...

 

[Oak]

Same.

Ha, actually I forgot about my AK experiences. I saw two bears while backpack hunting on Kodiak and a mama with offspring while backpack hunting in the Chugach.

 

[MTLabrador]

All unexpected bear encounters I've had, black or grizz, have always ended the same: a scared bear running away and my heart racing for 15 or so minutes...

That’s the truth. My last encounter I slept in a wall tent less than a half mile from where it happened. I may have slept with a .30-06 on my lap that night.

 

[Sytes]

Many. As a FS wilderness patrol for griz regulation proper camp inspections, both private party and outfitter settings to personal encounters.
Never fired a gun at a griz, used spray on a couple occasions and most often observing from a distance or ability to back off. Including last year.
This was the print I believe belonged to the griz I ran into on my way out at pitch dark thirty. The size of the print vs the horse print gives some chit contrast.

*From phone. Apologies if large... I'll adjust when on laptop. Phone and this site doesn't allow me to adjust the photo size.



Better any day than enjoying a stroll along the streets of Chicago or L.A.

EDITED: Changed pic size.

 

[BuzzH]

Had one close encounter while sheep hunting near Cody. Saw 7 total, 4 the day I killed my ram.

Tracks every day, tracks over my tracks, just about everyday.

Had a really shitty experience on the AK peninsula with them...destroyed our camp and several way too close encounters (including firing 3 rounds from a 338 at less than 10 yards to "scare" them off).

Wouldn't be for trying to "scare" them next time...that wasn't my most shining hour. I'd be skinning 2 bears for the AK GF to pick up.

 

[SaskHunter]

That’s the truth. My last encounter I slept in a wall tent less than a half mile from where it happened. I may have slept with a .30-06 on my lap that night.

I 100% always take a rifle or shotgun and spray into bear country, when I can... You can't have firearms in National Parks here, so spray it is...

At the end of the day, part of going into bear country is coming to terms that you're in their home and whatever happens, happens. But the chances of anything happening if you take adequate precautions are statistically slim to none.

 

[MarvB]

Years ago (prolly 25+/-) I had a buddy come out and we bow hunted the Cabinets. Were staying in Heron and Noxon (MT) and the very first road I took him down had a big ass sign saying WARNING YOU ARE ENTERING A GRIZZLY BEAR RELOCATION AREA with the assorted detail about how to tell a grizzly from a blackie. He just stared at me and said WTF? I told him that I'd been hunting there the last couple of years and had yet to see one...Then I told him that "if we did see one it would probably be a relocated problem bear and I was still faster than him!" I thought it was funny......he wasn't that amused.

And no, never saw one until a few years later and in a different area

 

[jejack26]

Montana and Alaska wouldn't be the same without the big bear. Hunting griz country just has a different feel.