Grizzly Country Common Sense, by Tye Abell

Rokslide member Tye Abell is back with another article; this one on hunting in grizzly country.

Tye's spent some considerable time in grizzly country and also for this article, he interviewed Clay Hayes of Twisted Stave Media who hunts in grizzly country

With grizzly bear populations expanding and the possibility of their removal from the Endangered Species List, this is a timely article.

Grizzly Country Common Sense

If any of you with grizzly experience have anything helpful to add or share, post it up here

Great article. Appreciate sharing your knowledge and experience.

Would it be possible to get a similar article regarding wolves? I hunted Idaho for the first time last year and on the second day had an encounter at 100 yards. I'm planning on backpacking this year into the same area, and although I know physical confrontations with wolves are very rare, I would like to go into the situation with as much knowledge from experienced hunters as possible. I'll either be alone or with one other person for 10-14 days.

Question for Tye or anyone else.

I hunt around 50% of my time in Grizzly country. I use bear spray generally if I am hunting below tree line in areas that are not known to be really windy. However I started packing a 44 with bear loads for those times I am in lots of wind and above tree line...

Seems like in 30 mph wind the bear spray would be useless.

Thoughts?

Mtslackcountry said:

Question for Tye or anyone else.

I hunt around 50% of my time in Grizzly country. I use bear spray generally if I am hunting below tree line in areas that are not known to be really windy. However I started packing a 44 with bear loads for those times I am in lots of wind and above tree line...

Seems like in 30 mph wind the bear spray would be useless.

Thoughts?

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That's a very good point. I plan to carry both spray and my custom 10mm Glock stoked with Buffalo Bore 220 grain hard cast loads. In my 6" barrel they are equal in power to a 41 Magnum revolver and I have 15 rounds in the semi auto. I also have the detachable light for the Glock, which is a big plus in my mind.

Mtslackcountry said:

Question for Tye or anyone else.

I hunt around 50% of my time in Grizzly country. I use bear spray generally if I am hunting below tree line in areas that are not known to be really windy. However I started packing a 44 with bear loads for those times I am in lots of wind and above tree line...

Seems like in 30 mph wind the bear spray would be useless.

Thoughts?

Click to expand...

That's certainly a valid point to bring up, as stiff winds can be an issue for bear spray. That said, a bear will most likely attack from downwind, so the spray is still going to be useful in that situation regardless of whether you are above or below treeline or how strong the wind may be. One of the other benefits of being above treeline is the ability to see a much greater distance than when below, so the likelihood of surprising a bear is lower. Also, the chance to maneuver upwind of a spotted bear is a nice luxury to have while above treeline, as they often leave the area at the first hint of human odor.

In the end, if you feel like a sidearm would make you more comfortable/confident, then that's a decision you're likely to make regardless, so go with what you feel will work for your situation. For me, above or below treeline, bear spray is what I'm most confident in, but I understand not everyone will feel the same.

Great article.

Here's a thread from www.longrangehunting.com that has a good deal of relevant info in it. Folks with common griz/brown bear encounters in AK to similar in the lower 48. As always, many opinions, but for me some things started to stand out. It's 36 pages long. It drew some interest.

http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f61/bear-spray-vs-bullets-149875/

I happened to be watching a hunting show on TV several months ago. Can't remember the name of it, but at the time it seemed like one on the better side of average for sure of compared to some. The hunter had just shot a respectable Sitka blacktail with a bow on Kodiak Island as I recall and he and his only other companion, the cameraman, were just leaving the carcass with meat/cape on hunters backpack. Just then you could see a brown bear walking towards them and then running towards them. The hunter takes a few steps, as I recall, and then turns, with pack heavy with meat and deer antlers sticking above his head from the pack and yells at the bear waving his bow/hands. About this time, the cameraman, who apparently had a shotgun and bear spray turns around and starts running up a hill away from the bear and the hunter, who is still waving his hands and yelling. This tactic apparently works as the cameraman turns around after a few steps and you can see the bear moving away. Soon thereafter, the hunter moves up to the cameraman and the cameraman moves down to the hunter and they start a little post-incident analysis. Within a few seconds, all of a sudden there is the orange mist getting sprayed right in the hunters face and then on the camera lens...yep, bear spray. Now, there is always more to the story and I'm relaying this as best as I can, but it really struck me how many unfortunate decisions where apparently made in this situation. Maybe if someone else saw this part of that show they can chime in to make sure we have our facts straight.

I like the article and follow all the rules but I am still on the fence as what to carry in the woods, so I carry both, .44 and bear spray. I can't decide because I've had a couple encounters with Grizzlies in Southwestern Montana and Yellowstone. This last year I was hunting with a partner and he didn't follow the rules and while we were out hunting a bear tore down his tent and destroyed everything that was in there. After moving locations and packing in a long ways I was sneaking into a heard with a big bull bugling hard, a big grizz walked in between the two of us. I stood up hollered and screamed at him and he didn't give two s***'s it wasn't until he walked down wind of me till he really noticed. He stood up on his back legs sniffed around and kept yelling, he looked at me and just got down and walked off. He left but it left me a little too spooked to continue my stalk before the wind shifted and then the elk were gone.

The one encounter that has me still on the fence about spray is when I was in yellowstone with my dad a couple years ago. We were cleaning our dishes when a bear started coming into camp, after yelling he ran off. About 10 minutes later he came back and after all our yelling he just hung out at about 50 yards, I then picked up rocks and threw them and that spooked him off. Another 10 minutes and the bear was back, straight down hill from us and on a line straight to our camp. He wouldn't look at us though, the rangers in the area had told us this is a habit they had been using just pressuring people out of the area to eat their food. We were in between the bear and camp and we stood our ground, dad with the spray and me with the handgun. As the bear kept coming closer I threw rocks but he didn't stop. I was seconds away from shooting but my dad kept stepping between me and the bear not wanting me to shoot it. We decided to spray it once it got to about 6-7 yards, the spray went everywhere and the bear just stared at us without giving a s***. I was going to kill the bear but my dad insisted that I didn't, so I gave a rock one more try and hit the bear square in the back with about a 10 pound rock. This changed his mind and he hauled butt away, we were all packed up so we hauled but the other way out to the trail head.

So this is why I am still torn, I think I will continue to carry both but I just can't fully put my trust in spray. Gun in one hand spray in the other, I will just try to avoid a situation with the big browns as best I can. I would like to get a different gun though, maybe a 10mm that I can pack a little easier than my giant .44. Thoughts guys?

jmden I found myself pretty interested in the show you mentioned..so I looked it up. It was a bit hard to find but I did eventually find a facebook video. https://www.facebook.com/jimburnworth/videos/836328866476200/
It seems the cameraman sorta freaked out and accidentally fired the bear spray..right in the fellas face. Not to mention that he took off running to begin with. I would guess he took some sort of demotion after that, perhaps only allowed on turkeys hunts now. lol

I carry bear spray myself and I make sure everyone hunting with me does as well. I have six cans at the moment, most of them being the big udap magnum. Not allowed handguns here in Japan or I'd surely have a couple of those as well. I feel safe enough with the spray but we never hunt alone and I make sure the guys know that if a bear gets one of us down to run up and spray it, and we have his back as well if it were him. The bears are big and grumpy here.
More people have been killed on this little island than all of North America combined..so it's always on a guys mind. Gotta trust the spray I guess.
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The Arizona Game and Fish discuss the recent Prescott, AZ bear attack that killed a man earlier this month. During the question and answer session an experienced biologist said that "playing dead" is bad advice. The best strategy, she says, is to fight with everything that you have at hand. Sticks, rocks, standing tall and yelling...all those things that make a bear think you aren't food. The worst thing you can do is to run away.

Here is a link to the recent AZ Game and Fish question and answer:
It is tempting to think being passive is the right thing to do if a sow is protecting her cubs. However, the behavioral biologist was pretty adamant that fighting was the better choice (around min 12:50 of the video)...perhaps Tye can update his advice to "play dead" or discuss the situational nuances.

As for me, I think I'll carry bear spray because it seems to be generally effective and a lot lighter than a gun.

WoodnotRust said:

The Arizona Game and Fish discuss the recent Prescott, AZ bear attack that killed a man earlier this month. During the question and answer session an experienced biologist said that "playing dead" is bad advice. The best strategy, she says, is to fight with everything that you have at hand. Sticks, rocks, standing tall and yelling...all those things that make a bear think you aren't food. The worst thing you can do is to run away.

Here is a link to the recent AZ Game and Fish question and answer:

It is tempting to think being passive is the right thing to do if a sow is protecting her cubs. However, the behavioral biologist was pretty adamant that fighting was the better choice (around min 12:50 of the video)...perhaps Tye can update his advice to "play dead" or discuss the situational nuances.

As for me, I think I'll carry bear spray because it seems to be generally effective and a lot lighter than a gun.

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There's a big difference between Grizzlies and Black bears. I admittedly didn't watch the video you linked but knowing it's in Az, it has to be referring to Black Bears. I agree with fighting back in the super rare event a Black Bear attacks. With a Grizzly, in most cases you're better off playing dead if it's already got ahold of you.

You revived a really old thread that I don't even remember subscribing to but now that you have I'll likely go back and read the Rokslide article.

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WoodnotRust said:

The Arizona Game and Fish discuss the recent Prescott, AZ bear attack that killed a man earlier this month. During the question and answer session an experienced biologist said that "playing dead" is bad advice. The best strategy, she says, is to fight with everything that you have at hand. Sticks, rocks, standing tall and yelling...all those things that make a bear think you aren't food. The worst thing you can do is to run away.

Here is a link to the recent AZ Game and Fish question and answer:

It is tempting to think being passive is the right thing to do if a sow is protecting her cubs. However, the behavioral biologist was pretty adamant that fighting was the better choice (around min 12:50 of the video)...perhaps Tye can update his advice to "play dead" or discuss the situational nuances.

As for me, I think I'll carry bear spray because it seems to be generally effective and a lot lighter than a gun.

Click to expand...

As already mentioned, this was a black bear, not a grizzly. It's well known that if attacked by a black bear, you better fight like hell.

WoodnotRust said:

The Arizona Game and Fish discuss the recent Prescott, AZ bear attack that killed a man earlier this month. During the question and answer session an experienced biologist said that "playing dead" is bad advice. The best strategy, she says, is to fight with everything that you have at hand. Sticks, rocks, standing tall and yelling...all those things that make a bear think you aren't food. The worst thing you can do is to run away.

Here is a link to the recent AZ Game and Fish question and answer:

It is tempting to think being passive is the right thing to do if a sow is protecting her cubs. However, the behavioral biologist was pretty adamant that fighting was the better choice (around min 12:50 of the video)...perhaps Tye can update his advice to "play dead" or discuss the situational nuances.

As for me, I think I'll carry bear spray because it seems to be generally effective and a lot lighter than a gun.

Click to expand...

That biologist is talking about black bears. This thread is about grizzly bears. Those rules do not apply to grizzly bear attacks.

Under no circumstances should someone attempt to fight a grizzly bear while being attacked. The grizzly bear is trying to neutralize a threat. The more you fight, the more its going to fight. It's not going to back down and you aren't going to win.

You fight black bears and play dead for grizzly bears.

Edit: not trying to dog pile on you, I had not refreshed the page before I posted this and didn't see it already mentioned.

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I can't find the article. Definitely interested in reading this one. Click on the thing in Robbies post just says page can't be found

The following is only my experience.

I've always been a proponent for bear spray over firearms. That is until 2 years ago. Had one of them years where every trip out I was running into G bear at danger close. Too many of them were overly aggressive and I used a few cans of spray. I now carry a pistol exclusively.

2 facts that I've found.
1. Spray works great as long as the bear does not have blood in its mouth.
2. No matter what you both are going to eat some spray. Regardless of environmental situation.

all the bears I ran into 2 years ago were old bears. One circled my camp for 3 days and eventually ran at a bull I was in tight conversation with. When bear did that, entire mountain went silent. That bear was shot a couple months later by a guide in the area I was hunting. Bear died on the legs of the hunter it was chasing. It was an old gummer bear that was hungry and couldn't eat enough.

Difference between a grizzly and black bear is ability to reason.
grizzly knows he wants to eat you or not ling before you ever see him. Black bear Is more like a cat playing with a mouse.

I've seen grizzly sit on its but an stare at us for long periods. Twisting his head like a dog would.

Where I guide there are some old bears that have certain areas they prefer. What I've noticed during rifle season tge last several years is they will stay off the carcass until we get it packed. More then once I've hacked up a elk while a grizzly was watching. Eventhough I can't always see them, the stock knows and are on alert behave differently. Soon as we leave he gets his free meal.

Please don't miss understand. If bear gets to it first that's a entirely different deal. You can get a bear off carcas, however you best have some help and a shotgun!

If someone carries a pistol it definitely needs to be somewhere with un obstructed quick access.
You need to be extremely proficient at 15 yards. Especially with grizzly. Unimaginable fast!

Understand you are not going to get 5 or 10 good shots.
You get one possibly good shot. 2 or 3 hail maries.

If bear let's you see him from a distance and is not charging. Take that opportunity to leave. From distance I mean anything over 5 steps.

outfitter I work for uses electric fence around camp. It works 100 percent. Provide its turned on and cook don't leave water gate open. Lol.

Eagle said:

Grizzly Country Common Sense

Grizzly Country Common SenseBy Tye Abell, Rokslide Member For many hunters, the thought of camping, scouting, and hunting in the backcountry where grizzlies roam is more than they are comfortable with. The odds say that you’re more likely to be attacked by a shark (1 in 11,500,000) or struck by...

www.rokslide.com

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Thanks.

No problem. I haven’t written an article in a while. I think you have to google everything I wrote to get to it, I assume a server migration broke the previous links.

grfox92 said:

That biologist is talking about black bears. This thread is about grizzly bears. Those rules do not apply to grizzly bear attacks.

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Noted...you and the others are absolutely right. Two different bear species.

I listened to her again, When she spoke it just sounded like she was referring to the general idea of playing dead, but for sure she was talking about a black bear attack. Seems like she could have made the distinction between black bears and griz, but it wasn't relevant for AZ, so maybe I assumed something that wasn't correct.

Did you all read the article about the Wyoming wrestlers hunting for sheds that were attacked by a grizzly and fought back? I know that Leonardo DiCaprio played dead in "The Revenant" and he lived...sorta. I wonder if there is actually data compiled on one versus the other or do people simply look at the frickin huge size of a griz and figure playing dead is the only option?

WoodnotRust said:

Noted...you and the others are absolutely right. Two different bear species.

I listened to her again, When she spoke it just sounded like she was referring to the general idea of playing dead, but for sure she was talking about a black bear attack. Seems like she could have made the distinction between black bears and griz, but it wasn't relevant for AZ, so maybe I assumed something that wasn't correct.

Did you all read the article about the Wyoming wrestlers hunting for sheds that were attacked by a grizzly and fought back? I know that Leonardo DiCaprio played dead in "The Revenant" and he lived...sorta. I wonder if there is actually data compiled on one versus the other or do people simply look at the frickin huge size of a griz and figure playing dead is the only option?

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Yes. I met one of them, and another member on here is good friends with both of them.

We hunt that exact location every year and there's bears everywhere.

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