Bear Mauling and other Bear Stories

[crgildart]

Picked up two cans of bear spray when we pulled in to Yellowstone thinking that we weren't likely to be separated when hiking or site seeing, but did make a conscious effort to make sure nobody left the hard sided RV without a can or someone else along with a can. Apparently, our camp side at Fishing Bridge was pretty well known for grizzlys. Soft sided RVs and tent camping was prohibited there for that exact reason. Now we still have two cans of bear spray in the shed with the backpacking and camping gear ready to go. No doubt there is a shelf life before the cans become less functional and clog easier but hey, at $45 per can I put them in the checked luggage and will take them along any longer backpacking, non car camping we do in the next year or two..

By the way, we did actually see a couple of them through binoculars, sleeping on a hillside about a quarter mile away ..This was a 5X optical zoom photo.

 

[ScotsSkier]

The details in that article about the attacks are eye opening. The statistics are crazy.
From the article.
Such attacks are rare. Rick Sinnott, a wildlife biologist who previously worked at Alaska’s department of fish and game, said there have only been six fatal bear attacks in the state in 130 years of records.
“So all of the sudden to have two in the course of two days, it’s a lightning strike,” Sinnott told CBS.

Good timing Tricia. We get all these "cant we all just get along" type incomers in the village here who seem to think that black bears are totally harmless to people.....

 

[Sibhusky]

Picked up two cans of bear spray when we pulled in to Yellowstone thinking that we weren't likely to be separated when hiking or site seeing, but did make a conscious effort to make sure nobody left the hard sided RV without a can or someone else along with a can. Apparently, our camp side at Fishing Bridge was pretty well known for grizzlys. Soft sided RVs and tent camping was prohibited there for that exact reason. Now we still have two cans of bear spray in the shed with the backpacking and camping gear ready to go. No doubt there is a shelf life before the cans become less functional and clog easier but hey, at $45 per can I put them in the checked luggage and will take them along any longer backpacking, non car camping we do in the next year or two..

By the way, we did actually see a couple of them through binoculars, sleeping on a hillside about a quarter mile away ..This was a 5X optical zoom photo.

I think they've got like a five year shelf life and the issue is the propellant, not the pepper. We now stock the 10oz. cans. Although the 8.5 oz one did the job. It's so pricey I've always hated tossing them, but nowhere near as pricey as not having it.

 

[scott43]

Good timing Tricia. We get all these "cant we all just get along" type incomers in the village here who seem to think that black bears are totally harmless to people.....

Not as aggressive as grizzly bears..but they can still kill ya dead pretty quick..

 

[pais alto]

I lived in Alaska for 12 years and spent a lot of time out in the bush fighting fires. Black bears were the greater pests and more unpredictable by a long shot. They were notorious for harassing firefighters in camp. Grizzlies almost always just left the area.

This one time, and this is no bullshit (<-mandatory wildland firefighter meme), while flying in a helicopter out to a fairly remote AK village we came across a couple of grizzlies making sweet, sweet love on a tundra ridge. That's something you don't see every day.

 

[DanoT]

I lived in Alaska for 12 years and spent a lot of time out in the bush fighting fires. Black bears were the greater pests and more unpredictable by a long shot. They were notorious for harassing firefighters in camp. Grizzlies almost always just left the area.

This one time, and this is no bullshit (<-mandatory wildland firefighter meme), while flying in a helicopter out to a fairly remote AK village we came across a couple of grizzlies making sweet, sweet love on a tundra ridge. That's something you don't see every day.

I spent most of my working life in remote logging camps and small mining towns and I concur with your assessment of black bears vs Grizzlies. Grizzlies will usually go out of their way to avoid people while black bear are more curious, scavengers it seems.

I have worked at a few camps where the when the Grizzles showed up at the garbage dump the Black Bears deferred the pickings and would immediately leave. Nowadays most camps have propane fired garbage incinerators however with a bears extremely powerful sense of smell they can smell the garbage burning for miles and then show up at the incinerator only to find ashes.

Fallers had to be very careful with the sticky red coloured chain oil as the black bears find it sweet tasting and go looking for it.

 

[Sibhusky]

The FWP guys here told us the black bear attacks usually end up worse for people than grizzly attacks. The black bear attacks are normally predation and aggression, whereas the grizzly is defensive.

In either case, we don't think it's a good idea to stick around to get a selfie. Given the number of stumps torn to bits on our land right now, we're being hyper careful. Got a look at a black bear just a few days back and did an about face immediately to get home.

 

[Tricia]

Another article out of Alaska - This time the bear broke a window and entered an 11 year old child's bedroom.
Bear breaks through window into sleeping boy's bedroom

Good timing Tricia. We get all these "cant we all just get along" type incomers in the village here who seem to think that black bears are totally harmless to people.....

The problem is, these people end up feeding he bears, which crosses the line between them and us, which is when bad stuff starts to happen.

@bluesbrother49 posted this on his Facebook wall on June 24th.
Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows residents/visitors: Medium sized "blond" Black Bear walked right up to me in my garage, 1pm 6/24. Music blaring, lots of activity in the village etc. Darwin Award: According to the BEAR League, this bear has been getting fed by some Squaw Valley residents (apparently renters). Very tame with no fear of humans. Please be aware if your hiking Shirley Canyon/Granite Chief trail.


@Philpug and I hike Shirley in the summer, but I'm not sure I want to this year.

 

[John Webb]

Largest black bear we've seen was not on an Alaska trip but in the Shenandoah NP in Virginia !

 

[François Pugh]

Largest black bear I've seen was inside the city of Sudbury Ontario.
Right about here at the google maps place marker on route 70 (Bancroft Drive) (from google maps). Thankfully, the garbage in the can by the house was more appealing to him than I was.
View media item 1711

 

[John Webb]

What to do if this guy is knocking ? (Conn)

 

[crgildart]

Might have been this one.. seems to think they're human..

 

[KingGrump]

Most things come in clumps.

http://juneauempire.com/news/2017-06-30/armed-11-year-old-boy-saves-fishing-party-charging-bear

 

[Tricia]

@KingGrump that is a crazy story. Quite an impressive 11 year old.

 

[François Pugh]

But wait; there's more.
http://www.torontosun.com/2017/07/0...fter-man-survives-bear-attack-in-water-valley
Never give up!

 

[Pat AKA mustski]

@bluesbrother49 posted this on his Facebook wall on June 24th.
Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows residents/visitors: Medium sized "blond" Black Bear walked right up to me in my garage, 1pm 6/24. Music blaring, lots of activity in the village etc. Darwin Award: According to the BEAR League, this bear has been getting fed by some Squaw Valley residents (apparently renters). Very tame with no fear of humans. Please be aware if your hiking Shirley Canyon/Granite Chief trail.

Anyone who has ever camped in Yosemite Valley has encountered this. The bears stroll through the campground on a nightly basis. On more than one occasion, as I banged my pots and pans, I've had a bear stop and look at me as if to say, "WTH is your problem?"

 

[Jim McDonald]

Smarter than the aaaaaverage ranger!

 

[Sibhusky]

But wait; there's more.
http://www.torontosun.com/2017/07/0...fter-man-survives-bear-attack-in-water-valley
Never give up!

It's amazing what adrenalin will do.

 

[oldschoolskier]

@Sibhusky sorry missed this thread earlier, belated best wishes and recovery.

G

 

[oldschoolskier]

In the mid 70's a relative survived a several polar bear attacks, his friend did not.

The friend (photographer) stuck his head out of the tent and that was the end. The bear kept coming back and so to defend the camp he and his wife fought off the bear with ice (climbing) picks and lit camp stoves. (Their kids slept through the initial attack and death, about my age).