I have a question... Imagine that.. :)

[ELKCHSR]

My wife and I were hiking just not to far out of town central and found these...

I think they are Grizz tracks, but they aren't more than a mile out the outskirts of Anaconda....

They are also 5 1/4 inches across if that tells you any thing...

 

[Delw]

they are big


Delw

 

[WH's OutdoorsChick]

WH would have loved to see those in the capital forest

 

[Quiet_One]

Damn thos eprob are grizzlys

 

[huntinfool]

well if it isn't a grizz then it has to be one heck of a big bear!!!!!!
wow what a find!!!!!

 

[7x7]

I have a freind who in the spring 5 years ago was mtn. bicking 4 miles outside of Missoula and came around a corner and came face to face at about 30 yards with a Griz. The Griz took off about 15 yards and then stopped and turned back towards them. They exited for a tree. To make a long story short that Griz kept them treed all night and was very aggresive to the point of shaking the tree 3 different times during the night.

My point of this story is they reported the incident to the paper and the fish and game and it never got any press. A local official of some sort I can't remember told them it didn't get written up because they don't want the public to know they are that close to town.

You saw your track at 1 mile. That's close. Anyway that is a big Griz. nice pics.

 

[Tom]

Doesn't that mean its a 6 1/4 ft bear, rule of thumb?

 

[jmcd]

chsr.
Those are black bear tracks.

 

[Tom]

Either that, or a stub toe griz, if there is such a thing. Its a neat track for sure.

 

[ELKCHSR]

I don't know, I haven't chased or been around tracks much to know, but since they were clear and I happened to have a camera, then the sharing is what it is all about...

I didn't think I put in for bear, but looking at my licence, I guess I did...

Well, maybe I might have to go see what I can see...
There are some very large parks in this area and it would be easy to see if it comes out into one from my back poarch...

I guess I will need a telescope or some thing to get a clearer picture of it if it happens to come out... Oh, the agony of having to get another toy...

 

[Cathunt MT]

i say grizz. if thats a black it is a monster

 

[Tom]

Here's something to help decide which it is, based on the track. They draw a line, to help distinguish between them.

http://www.mountainnature.com/Wildlife/Bears/BearSigns.htm

 

[barefooter19]

nice size bear.

 

[Quick Draw]

I say a black bear, possibly a brown but NOT a grizzley.
Big bear either way though.
Quick Draw

 

[Washington Hunter]

Quick Draw, I believe Brown bears and grizzly bears are the same species, but the Brown bears are in Alaska and get bigger (I think because of their fish diet.) I doubt if there are Brown bears in Montana.

 

[280]

with it measuring only 5 1/4" wide it is definitely a black bear, also note how just the tip of the claws poke into the mud, grizzly claws show up a lot longer

 

[Bandit]

that's one bear I wouldn't wanna run into in a dark place. LOL

 

[Quick Draw]

I think you are right Washington Hunter, my mistake. I'm still sticking with a black bear though.
Quick Draw

 

[huntinfool]

No matter what it is .......ITS BIG!!!!!

 

[ELKCHSR]

This is the one it is, and it is identified as a black bear....
I am thinking it may be game on...

It isn't to far from town, and I can walk up to a point and just glass for it in the evenings...

That is way to cool...

Thanks alot guys...

and the site was very informative, thanks very much 280