North Vancouver Island Grizzly Bear Encounter.

Grove

Grove

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Ok to everyone on Vancouver Island, if ya don't already, keep a bloody HIGH powered firearm in your vehicle at all times.

Here's what I have to say about my grizzly bear encounter.

Nov 30th/Dec 1st 2008.

On vacation up in Port McNeil for a little bit, my buddy an I both shoot so we go out into the logging roads to fire off some rounds.

In the first 3km's in I see two grizzly bears bout 200 yards off the road from me an just keep driving.

Find a good spot bout 12-13 km's along the logging roads a few km's from Nimpkish Lake and setup camp for the night, we arrived around 6pm.

Few hundred rounds later an we made dinner, simple hot dogs over the fire an burnt all the remains/packaging/ect from them, so out comes the Whisky. 3 bottles of fireball later we're having great time shootin EDIT, Shootin the #### between the two of us.

It's about 3am an we are getting ready to call it a night, we suddenly hear bushes an branches being crushed an pushed around maybe 60 feet from us an it's closing in fast.

At 40 feet the bushes part an you come into the clearing we are in, all I see is a ####ing huge grizzly bear, it stood I can only guess was nearly 5-6 feet tall on all four legs charging at my best friend an I an its roaring at the top of its lungs coming in for the kill.

At this point both of us are still sitting right beside our fire, I grabbed my Grizzly 12.5" shotgun loaded with 3" slugs cause I know I'm in bear country an raised it to my side.

I just started firing not knowing if I'm hitting the bear or not an prepared to get mauled to death, when my 5 shots ran out I just stared straight forward looking for anything moving an couldn't see the bear anymore.

My best friend an I then jumped to our feet an ran the 15 feet to my jeep an grabbed my sks rifles, loaded them an started firing in the direction the bear came from.

We still cannot hear anything at all let alone each other cause we have no hearing protection on. When the rifles shot their 5 rounds off we set the jeeps alarm off an started yelling to make more noise as we reloaded the rifles.

We waited for the deafening ringing in our ears to fade an just listened for anything else moving in the bushes with rifles in hand, did not hear anything so we quickly put our fire out an kicked mud an dirt over the embers an got the #### outta there in a matter of minutes.

My buddy drank very little so I had him drive my jeep an we got the hell out of those logging roads real fast an we've stayed out of the bushes since.

Let that be a good lesson to everyone to be aware of who's backyard your in and to go prepared for anything.

Staring death in it's big brown eyes as it charges at you is the scariest god damn thing in the world an I can only thank myself that I reacted the right way an started firing instead of freezing up and both of us getting mauled to death.

To all you CGN'ers watch your back when your out an about an take care, Matt aka Grove.
 
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Dang Grove! Well, your lucky you had a firearm! Like I've always said, "Better to have a gun and never need it, then to need a gun and not have it!"...

Cheers
Jay
 
I assume you knotified a CO to let him know there could be an injured grizzly with a history of aggressive encounters up there?

Good to hear you reacted right too! I'm not heading that far, but I'll be keeping it in mind:p
 
Colin, grizzlies are on the island. Been spotted around Woss, McNeil, Hardy and farther north of here.

It's fur was very dark brown & greyish around its neck an shoulders, stood very wide an tall. The back of its neck an shoulder blades, its lump of fat whatever it is was huge.

This was no black or brown bear, I've seen lots of black bears on the mainland an brown bears here an there too, this was for sure a grizzly.

Wally, calls were made yesterday & statements taken, CO will be heading out to the area I was in to have a look around. I would hate for that bear to try an charge anyone else up out there.
 
5-6' tall standing on all 4 legs? now I don;t pretend to be an expert on grizz, but having seen more then my fair share up close, I'd hazard a guess you're 3 bottle of fireball was working full steam ;)

would be interesting to see if you guys actually hit anything, next time try aiming at the intended target, might save your life;)

spent lots of time in the port McNeil & nimpkish area. Island aside it does look like prime grizzle bear country.
 
Amphibious said:
5-6' tall standing on all 4 legs? now I don;t pretend to be an expert on grizz, but having seen more then my fair share up close, I'd hazard a guess you're 3 bottle of fireball was working full steam ;)

would be interesting to see if you guys actually hit anything, next time try aiming at the intended target, might save your life;)

spent lots of time in the port McNeil & nimpkish area. Island aside it does look like prime grizzle bear country.
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You fire off 5 3" slugs with no hearing protection on in full out holy #### mode an try an hit every shot dead on while sitting slouched over on the ground, drunk at that.

Ya I was right boozed up an may have thought more out of what I saw but what happened an that is that.

I'd say go let a bear charge at ya, but god I hope for people they never have to be put into that state of fear that is "#### it's got me I'm ####ed!!".
 
here's a question, since there are NO GRIZZLIES ON VI (according to the powers too be), would a guy get in trouble for shooting one on a black bear tag?
 
Grove said:
Colin, grizzlies are on the island. Been spotted around Woss, McNeil, Hardy and farther north of here.

It's fur was very dark brown & greyish around its neck an shoulders, stood very wide an tall. The back of its neck an shoulder blades, its lump of fat whatever it is was huge.

This was no black or brown bear, I've seen lots of black bears on the mainland an brown bears here an there too, this was for sure a grizzly.

Wally, calls were made yesterday & statements taken, CO will be heading out to the area I was in to have a look around. I would hate for that bear to try an charge anyone else up out there.
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IT WAS HUMOUR and a kick at the the tree-huggers that claim all Grizzlies are disappearing unless we donate our money to them. At least 3 Grizzlies have been shot so far on a Island the "experts" claimed did not have any.
 
Grove said:
http://www.canada.com/courierislander/news/story.html?id=8905e33e-e41a-41e7-ac44-38e453c5e628

Documented spotting just south of here.

As for the tag, don't know but I'd assume steep fine(s) and charges probably.

Colin sorry if I seem hostile at all, just got myself really worked up over this incident.
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yes, but canada.com is a news agency. it is my understanding that according to the gov't, grizzlies DO NOT EXIST on VI and that ALL the bears on VI are black bears. so if you shoot a bear on VI, it MUST be a black bear.
 
Grove said:
You fire off 5 3" slugs with no hearing protection on in full out holy f**k mode an try an hit every shot dead on while sitting slouched over on the ground, drunk at that.

Ya I was right boozed up an may have thought more out of what I saw but what happened an that is that.

I'd say go let a bear charge at ya, but god I hope for people they never have to be put into that state of fear that is "f**k it's got me I'm f**ked!!".
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what were u doing boozed up around firearms in the first place?
Although it was pretty good that U had them there..
 
Qhergt said:
what were u doing boozed up around firearms in the first place?
Although it was pretty good that U had them there..
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When hanging out in critters homes best to be prepared no matter what your doing, better safe then sorry an it saved two peoples lives.

Was target shooting with my best friend for hours prior too the charging.
 
Grove said:
When hanging out in critters homes best to be prepared no matter what your doing, better safe then sorry an it saved two peoples lives.
.
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you got lucky it didn't really charge, I don;t think your firearms had much to do with it ;) you emptied your weapon into space, giving the bear ample time to return and kill you, while you stood there stunned, drunk, and holding an empty shotgun.

you were neither mentally nor physically prepared for that encounter. you were lucky. (not trying to be a ####, but try to learn something from this)
 
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could be anything. I'm guessing a bluff charge, given your response, and the fact you're still breathing :)

you said you first saw the bear @ 40'? if that bear wanted you dead, you'd be dead. I think you underestimate the speed which an adult grizzly can cover that distance. bears are efficent animals, they don't charge for ####s and giggles.
 
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Whatever it was I was not ready for that at all an scared the friggin #### out me. Like ya said, got lucky.
 
Quote "Find a good spot bout 12-13 km's along the logging roads a few km's from Nimpkish Lake and setup camp for the night, we arrived around 6pm.

Few hundred rounds later an we made dinner, simple hot dogs over the fire an burnt all the remains/packaging/ect from them, so out comes the Whisky. 3 bottles of fireball later we're having great time shootin between the two of us."

So you arrive in the dark, fire off a few hundred rounds in the dark, drink 3 bottles of whiskey while shooting some more in the dark.

Two words come to mind 'complete stupidity'.

Everything else mentioned becomes irrelevant.
Sorry if you are offended but all responsible gun owners should be offended by your actions.
 
There's a lot to be said for getting drunk at home.:)

With 3 bottles of fireball in ya, its a wonder you hit anything...:D
 
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