I've always thought bearanoia was a bit overblown.
I see a few bears. They're usually a long way a way and have always left me alone. I've been bluff charged once, but it was in the NWT, while cutting up a caribou and it was by a bear that probably had no idea what humans or horses were.
Over the years of spending many days in grizzly country and having many friends that do the same, I can think of 2 or 3 close calls spread across a dozen people and probably a thousand plus field days.
Until this year.
I know of 5 serious grizzly encounters this month, all in the Absaroka Beartooth. This includes camps being raided with people in them and not in them, bears following people and horses, and bluff charges resulting in shots being fired as a warning to the bear, but not to hit the bear. As far as I know, the only bear that has been harmed has been one that FWP flew in with a helicopter and killed after it showed no fear of the helicopter or the wardens.
White bark pine cone production is pretty low this year. Maybe hunger is what is driving their erratic behavior.
A few weeks ago, I watched a sow and two cubs go from white bark cluster to whitebark cluster and not spend much time at each one, appearing to not be finding what they were looking for.
This is to say, be careful out there. The bears are grumpy and bold.
I see a few bears. They're usually a long way a way and have always left me alone. I've been bluff charged once, but it was in the NWT, while cutting up a caribou and it was by a bear that probably had no idea what humans or horses were.
Over the years of spending many days in grizzly country and having many friends that do the same, I can think of 2 or 3 close calls spread across a dozen people and probably a thousand plus field days.
Until this year.
I know of 5 serious grizzly encounters this month, all in the Absaroka Beartooth. This includes camps being raided with people in them and not in them, bears following people and horses, and bluff charges resulting in shots being fired as a warning to the bear, but not to hit the bear. As far as I know, the only bear that has been harmed has been one that FWP flew in with a helicopter and killed after it showed no fear of the helicopter or the wardens.
White bark pine cone production is pretty low this year. Maybe hunger is what is driving their erratic behavior.
A few weeks ago, I watched a sow and two cubs go from white bark cluster to whitebark cluster and not spend much time at each one, appearing to not be finding what they were looking for.
This is to say, be careful out there. The bears are grumpy and bold.
