What I see, doing my day job.
- Thread starter gitrdun
- Start date
- Location
- Saskatchewan
Very nice...
troutseeker
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Prince George, BC
Nice pics! And at least you are not a Wendy hugger...
Troutseeker
Troutseeker
Beautiful pic! I have heard of many unprovoked attacks where the space between the bear and the human should have been sufficient. I think you have just been very lucky.
Ok. so I'm kinda retired, so that's what they tell me anyways. I work the gas fields here in Alberta, But on my off day's I'm a cowboy, or at least a wannabee. So my friend and neighbour has me check the grazzing lease for fences and just general cattle health. I rode my trust pony "JOE JOE" into K country, and we stumbled onto this. My trusty mount never froze or spooked, just rode on in. I was packing my .444 Marlin and felt quite at ease, I rode to 50 yds of these ol' boys (or girls) but never felt threathened. They fseemed to feel just as peaceful as I did. Sorry about the bluriness of the pic, but that was taken with my cell phone. Enjoy.
- Location
- Somewhere on the Hudson Bay Coast
I wasn't suggesting you were being critical, just that my point of view is different from yours and my pal's (who was criticizing me). Your view is interesting because I would love to shoot a lion under the correct circumstances, but I don't have any desire to shoot a leopard. I shot lots of black bears when I was a kid, and if they stay out of my cabin I don't really anticipate shooting another one. I fear that the cost of grizzly hunting, like lion hunting, is now beyond my means. The fellow I shared the hunt with in Tanzania recently sent me a photograph (I didn't think people took those anymore) of Mark Sullivan and him with a large coastal grizzly he got on Kodiak Island this last May. The cover is exactly as I would of expected, and the bear is magnificent, measuring nine and a half feet. I was somewhat envious when I heard they were going, and more envious when I got the photo. It was a 19 day hunt and it rained for 17 of those days. They stayed in tents and the wind one night hit 100 mph . . . heaven on earth!
What I can't figure out is ....why were you carrying a cell phone.???
The Indians are attacking......get John Wayne on speed dial....lol
Just kiddin' .... I'll bet that 444 gives a lot of comfort when you are out and about alone on the trail. That phone takes pretty good pictures too. Better than my camera does. Maybe send the info on the cell phone to "popcan".....he is in the market.
The Indians are attacking......get John Wayne on speed dial....lol
Just kiddin' .... I'll bet that 444 gives a lot of comfort when you are out and about alone on the trail. That phone takes pretty good pictures too. Better than my camera does. Maybe send the info on the cell phone to "popcan".....he is in the market.
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Way too close of an encounter for me.... and you too
I myself am pretty wary of bears, as I personally knew 2 people that were mauled and killed by black bears. I still wouldn't shoot any and all bears I run into, but like I said, I am wary (and the hair stands up on the back of my neck)
I had a VERY close encounter 2 years ago at a popular campgrounds up here. (well, more like a scenic attraction that people also camp at). Tourists and locals frequent the spot alot, and , parks employees (being at a minimum as usual) often take a long time to empty parking lot trash bins. I was heading to my car after taking a couple of hour hike and just as I closed the door of my car, I saw a black bear in the rear driverside mirror - I mean about 4 feet away. It was hot and my window was rolled down (electric windows and the car was not on , so they wouldn't roll up) I then dropped the keys on the floor when I got the startle at seeing the bear. He came right up to the window and with his paws on the window, stuck his head inside the car (with my head about 2 feet away.) I was frozen in time. He started sniffing me and actually reached inside with his paw and touched my shoulder. ...... although he did it gently. I am sure I dribbled a bit but who's blaming me. I softly talked to him to "go on now, I taste like crap". He then just sat down on the dirt next to the car. I slowly reached down and got the keys, and put them in the ignition, then rolled up the window. He got back up on all fours and charged the car and put his shoulder or head into the door. I layed on the car horn for a solid 20 seconds and he bolted into the woods. I then stayed for the next 15 minutes to warn everyone coming and going to beware of the "humanized bear" that was lurking around.
The trash bins were overflowing and there was half eaten sandwiches still with saran wrap on them, and unopened bags of cheesies (at least unopened by humans, but chewed open by the bear laying around..... so it definately looked like the bear was being fed by people in the parking lot over the last couple of days.
This is the type of behaviour that I find reprehensible. The people who get some kind of kick out of this by feeding wild animals, is the type of people that get bears like this one eventually shot. He showed absolutely NO FEAR of me, and I felt completely at his mercy. I was SOOOOO lucky. He was obviously lurking in the parking lot, in between cars, and I didn't see him when I approached my car.
I am glad you are at ease with our Bruins, But if they broke into a full out sprint at 50 yards and showed no warning before doing so, do you think the horse might have been spooked then?? If you got tossed off, I bet you couldn't catch your horse before they caught you. And I bet even with a slick cycling .444 you'd only tag one of them, before the other got you. I love the big bears, as all animals, but I'd have a little more respect for their ability than 50 yards. Its a lot shorter distance than some think.
I am not disrespecting you .... Please believe me, just worried, as I have seen what 2 deaths at the hands of bears have done to people I know, respect, and love, and I think 100 yards is a better (minimum) buffer zone. Don't want them getting too used to us either.
I myself am pretty wary of bears, as I personally knew 2 people that were mauled and killed by black bears. I still wouldn't shoot any and all bears I run into, but like I said, I am wary (and the hair stands up on the back of my neck)
I had a VERY close encounter 2 years ago at a popular campgrounds up here. (well, more like a scenic attraction that people also camp at). Tourists and locals frequent the spot alot, and , parks employees (being at a minimum as usual) often take a long time to empty parking lot trash bins. I was heading to my car after taking a couple of hour hike and just as I closed the door of my car, I saw a black bear in the rear driverside mirror - I mean about 4 feet away. It was hot and my window was rolled down (electric windows and the car was not on , so they wouldn't roll up) I then dropped the keys on the floor when I got the startle at seeing the bear. He came right up to the window and with his paws on the window, stuck his head inside the car (with my head about 2 feet away.) I was frozen in time. He started sniffing me and actually reached inside with his paw and touched my shoulder. ...... although he did it gently. I am sure I dribbled a bit but who's blaming me. I softly talked to him to "go on now, I taste like crap". He then just sat down on the dirt next to the car. I slowly reached down and got the keys, and put them in the ignition, then rolled up the window. He got back up on all fours and charged the car and put his shoulder or head into the door. I layed on the car horn for a solid 20 seconds and he bolted into the woods. I then stayed for the next 15 minutes to warn everyone coming and going to beware of the "humanized bear" that was lurking around.
The trash bins were overflowing and there was half eaten sandwiches still with saran wrap on them, and unopened bags of cheesies (at least unopened by humans, but chewed open by the bear laying around..... so it definately looked like the bear was being fed by people in the parking lot over the last couple of days.
This is the type of behaviour that I find reprehensible. The people who get some kind of kick out of this by feeding wild animals, is the type of people that get bears like this one eventually shot. He showed absolutely NO FEAR of me, and I felt completely at his mercy. I was SOOOOO lucky. He was obviously lurking in the parking lot, in between cars, and I didn't see him when I approached my car.
I am glad you are at ease with our Bruins, But if they broke into a full out sprint at 50 yards and showed no warning before doing so, do you think the horse might have been spooked then?? If you got tossed off, I bet you couldn't catch your horse before they caught you. And I bet even with a slick cycling .444 you'd only tag one of them, before the other got you. I love the big bears, as all animals, but I'd have a little more respect for their ability than 50 yards. Its a lot shorter distance than some think.
I am not disrespecting you .... Please believe me, just worried, as I have seen what 2 deaths at the hands of bears have done to people I know, respect, and love, and I think 100 yards is a better (minimum) buffer zone. Don't want them getting too used to us either.
So much feedback, so many questions to answer. I'll try my best without "quoting" everyone. I've enjoyed all of you guys's feedback, so If I forgot you, don't feel left out, just remind me.
Randy's question does hit a nerve though. Why was I carrying a cell phone? - because my wife said so....that's why
She also has me carrying a GPS, no I'm not ####ting you. Anyhow, someone asked me what kinda cell phone? It is a Samsung from Telus, I blew up the picture 50% I think. I said they were 50 yds away, I'm not kidding, I'm a pretty good judge of distance and no I wasn't freaked. This is NOT my first grizz encounter.
Am I lucky? Yes I am, absolutely lucky on both levels. 1. I wasn't attacked and 2. I was there. Do those bears look hungry? NOT they are well fed and I was nothing more than a curiosity to them as they were to me?
Am I special?, no frigin' way. Believe me when I tell you that chills went up my spine and that I was totally taken by surprise. My biggest concern with that close of an encounter was to make sure that my trusty horse didn't freak. That could have spelled THE END. I talked to her, petted her neck, kept my eyes on the bears and just prayed to God that he would take me home in one piece.
What I truly hope to achieve with this is this: You mostly only hear about #### that goes bad, be it bear attacks, murderers and so on. Here's an encounter with a deadly predator that turned out well. How many times do your hear of that? I have untold stories of such encounters with both bears and cougars. Not saying that bears and cats are not dangerous, but not all will eat you. After all, I don't push the envelope like that idiot guy in Alaska that got himself and his girlfriend eaten......I just ride on'.
So much feedback, so many questions to answer. I'll try my best without "quoting" everyone. I've enjoyed all of you guys's feedback, so If I forgot you, don't feel left out, just remind me.
Randy's question does hit a nerve though. Why was I carrying a cell phone? - because my wife said so....that's why
Anyhow, someone asked me what kinda cell phone? It is a Samsung from Telus, I blew up the picture 50% I think. I said they were 50 yds away, I'm not kidding, I'm a pretty good judge of distance and no I wasn't freaked. This is NOT my first grizz encounter.
Am I lucky? Yes I am, absolutely lucky on both levels. 1. I wasn't attacked and 2. I was there. Do those bears look hungry? NOT they are well fed and I was nothing more than a curiosity to them as they were to me?
Am I special?, no frigin' way. Believe me when I tell you that chills went up my spine and that I was totally taken by surprise. My biggest concern with that close of an encounter was to make sure that my trusty horse didn't freak. That could have spelled THE END. I talked to her, petted her neck, kept my eyes on the bears and just prayed to God that he would take me home in one piece.
What I truly hope to achieve with this is this: You mostly only hear about s**t that goes bad, be it bear attacks, murderers and so on. Here's an encounter with a deadly predator that turned out well. How many times do your hear of that? I have untold stories of such encounters with both bears and cougars. Not saying that bears and cats are not dangerous, but not all will eat you. After all, I don't push the envelope like that idiot guy in Alaska that got himself and his girlfriend eaten......I just ride on'.
She cares. That's why you carry it. Im in the same boat too.....
I just never had the chance to poke fun at a fella who was in the same boat as I .......lol
She even bought me a Spot (one of those locator things)......I thanked her etc and she didnt realize that it has to be activated etc.....so I pack it and leave it in the truck when I go...........whatever works..
I wish cell phones worked in my hunting spots! There isn't even any coverage at my house.
I'm going to get one of those SPOT devices first tiem I get an opportunity. Leave it in the truck and throw it in whichever pack I happen to be using.
I'm going to get one of those SPOT devices first tiem I get an opportunity. Leave it in the truck and throw it in whichever pack I happen to be using.
I wish cell phones worked in my hunting spots! There isn't even any coverage at my house.
I'm going to get one of those SPOT devices first tiem I get an opportunity. Leave it in the truck and throw it in whichever pack I happen to be using.
Dude.....even if cell phones worked, they wouldn't deliver a pizza.
Dude.....even if cell phones worked, they wouldn't deliver a pizza.
I can make my own pizza. I'd like the cell phone to call my house and tell me GF I'm going to be late or not home at all.
Ahh. this is the post I was looking for. I don't mean to drag this on too long. but this was truly an experience to reckon with. I still think about it at night, no I don't have dreams or nightmares, but I do think about how lucky I was. So H4831, I truly had no idea as to their marital status or family relationship may have been at the time. All that I could think of was: Am I gonna be bear####? Is my horse gonna freak? Where's the cleanest and fastest escape route. Am I gonna be bear####? Can I clear my gun outta the scabbard quick enough? Will it do the job? Am I gonna be bear####? If I can deal with one bear, what about it's pissed off relative? Am I gonna be bear####? Did I really think all of those things?..........BS. I don't remember anything that went through my mind, except for the chill. Now that I look back at the pics, I'd say that they were both males, looking back....and this I know, they were pretty big. All's I gotta say is that this is an experience that I will never forget and I'm so happy that I've got the pics to show my grandson. I can only hope that he too can be so lucky some day.
Edit: And only those of us that spend the time out there will ever know how it feels.
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