Grizzly Incident Count

So I'm going to step into this steaming pile and offer some total internet speculation

I tend to think there is a difference in the bears from a behavioral standpoint between those in the L48 and those in AK that goes beyond simply more people. And again, I haven't spent all that much time in either place so I'm most likely completely full of shit. But...

It seems like AK has lots of black bear incidents and from the dozen or so people I've spend time with, they all feared blackies at least as much as brownies, if not more. Yet, here in the L48, we have many times the number of people living in and around black bears with a fraction of the negative interactions. I've referred to them as labs. I've been way too close to way too many, way too often, but have only had two negative interactions with black bears. I point to this as the primary evidence that simply having more people recreating in grizzly country isn't likely to be a significant factor otherwise we would also have a ton more negative black bear incidents.

I don't know what's different, or why it is, but I do think there is a difference between our grizz and the northern grizz.
 
I’m curious about how many incidents go unreported.. everyone I know that has been in a bad spot and had to do something to get out of it has not reported it for fear of retribution.
 
The biggest problem is politics. With delisting, WY wanted a season even had season set hunters applied had a draw then the season was shut down, by people that don't live in Wy. doesn't matter if their L48 or AK it's a animal with large teeth and claws and a bad attitude. Along with less food supplies, ranchers having larger cattle numbers and grazing in the high county. Higher numbers in other hunting tags ( some years). More people getting into the great outdoors, hiking, camping etc. We are bound to see and hear reports on bear encounters. Use what you are totally capable and comfortable with life is short, keep your head on a swivel
 
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