Bivy out tempts me but fears keep me at bay

[HiMtnHntr]

If not bivouacing in griz country I wouldn’t be at all concerned.

 

[BBob]

Everybody says don’t be worried but then you hear about a dude getting dragged off his porch and eaten in Arizona.

Curious so I checked it out. 2 deaths by Black Bear in AZ in 50 years. 2023 and 2011. The more recent one in Groom Ck and the other in Prescott. There was another in the 60's but that was a pet bear. I can recall two attacks in S AZ in that time span but there's likely been more here and there throughout the state. One attack was lacerations to the head and the other was some pretty serious chewing on upper hamstring and glute. The hamstring and glute attack should have been preventable but that's another story.

List of fatal bear attacks in North America - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[flyfisher117]

It's OK. I have an irrational fear of predators while hunting too. I still blame my dad because when his bear rug was delivered I was young, he pulled it out of the box snarling and chasing me around the house with it. I was so young i don't really remember anything other than a large box, snarling noises and a bear head in my face, and my running and hiding behind my mother apron.

I will say, time out in the field eases the worry for me. I am still very strict on a clean camp and proper food practices. Just makes me feel better.

 

[ScreamingPotato]

"A dude"... as in singular. Lots of hunters/campers in the field every year. Not sure how that translates into odds but it's probably somewhere close to being hit in your bed by a falling aircraft. You are right that another persons concerns are his regardless of my opinion but the concerns will most certainly wane the more eventless nights he/she spends without being mauled.

Interestingly however I am pretty concerned about spending time in a designated campground. Seems there's always some drunk loudmouth itching for a conflict 20 yards away. I'd never go camping if that's how I had to camp. Oh, and not to mention campground bears that are real enough.

I'd much rather, by far, be in the middle of nowhere than an established campground where grifters on the road move in and out. We've seen some absolute weirdos in a few national parks, luckily with some good eye contact they've left us alone but I don't like it.

 

[IdahoElk]

get a bear fence if you cant shake it off.

pine marten in camp after meat -DAMN!!!!

A Pine Marten in the middle of the night going through stuff can sound like a Grizzly bear.

 

[fmyth]

Curious so I checked it out. 2 deaths by Black Bear in AZ in 50 years. 2023 and 2011. The more recent one in Groom Ck and the other in Prescott. There was another in the 60's but that was a pet bear. I can recall two attacks in S AZ in that time span but there's likely been more here and there throughout the state. One attack was lacerations to the head and the other was some pretty serious chewing on upper hamstring and glute. The hamstring and glute attack should have been preventable but that's another story.

List of fatal bear attacks in North America - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Groom Creek is just outside the city limits of Prescott. I hunted deer all around the Groom Creek area the season before this attack. I saw tons of bear sign but no bears. IIRC the 2011 attack was a woman walking a small yip yap dog past the dumpsters late at night in her neighborhood in Pinetop. Dog started barking at a bear in the dumpster and the bear decided he'd enjoy a snack. Mauled the elderly woman pretty good and she died from infection days later.

Bear kills man near Prescott - Arizona Game & Fish Department

This is the second fatal bear attack in Arizona since 1990.

www.azgfd.com

Fatal attack in White Mountains a reminder of black bear danger

The fatal black bear attack on a Gilbert woman in Pinetop this summer is a sobering reminder that development is bringing people closer to a creature that's shy by nature

www.eastvalleytribune.com

 

[Jethro]

We seem to avg about an attack per year in NE PA. Just had one couple weeks ago. Bear had rabies. I still don’t worry about black bears.

 

[ScreamingPotato]

We seem to avg about an attack per year in NE PA. Just had one couple weeks ago. Bear had rabies. I still don’t worry about black bears.

Never been worried about bears, rabies wasn't ever on the radar. Thanks now I'm probably scared of bears lol.

 

[MallardSX2]

Seems like some of you Nancy’s need to be packing you one of these suckers! Lol

 

[PMcGee]

If you go the Melatonin route I’d try it before hand. My buddies first trip out with us he took it for the first time. He had a nightmare that a bear attacked us. Lol
Just go do it. After the first night or two you’ll be fine.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro kid

 

[ScreamingPotato]

Seems like some of you Nancy’s need to be packing you one of these suckers! Lol


View attachment 838001

If it came in Valo I'd be all over it!

 

[aMurderOfCrows]

Imma way more afraid of these guys in AZ than the black bears
View attachment 836934

Yea, those and scorpions.

 

[aMurderOfCrows]

"A dude"... as in singular. Lots of hunters/campers in the field every year. Not sure how that translates into odds but it's probably somewhere close to being hit in your bed by a falling aircraft. You are right that another persons concerns are his regardless of my opinion but the concerns will most certainly wane the more eventless nights he/she spends without being mauled.

Interestingly however I am pretty concerned about spending time in a designated campground. Seems there's always some drunk loudmouth itching for a conflict 20 yards away. I'd never go camping if that's how I had to camp. Oh, and not to mention campground bears that are real enough.

It did happen but I was being sarcastic.

 

[rclouse79]

Even though it is all in my head, I sleep better with a Glock by my head. I think you will find your fears melting away with more time spent in the field.

 

[Mike 338]

It did happen but I was being sarcastic.

I must be losing my sense of humor. Good thing we caught it early.

 

[nphunter]

Debating picking up a shelter and bag instead of truck camping this season in CO (second time out west). Have a few spots a couple miles in and cutting that hike out could be beneficial for obvious reasons….now here’s the rub, I’m from Texas and had never seen a bear until last year…I know, to people who live there black bears are almost overgrown raccoons but to this fella, they make me nervous. Now I know they’re not going to see me and come running to eat me but they could come poking around my tent etc and make for a long sleepless night…I feel like I am being ridiculous

Your overthinking it, you have little to no reason to be concerned about predators. I live in OR and see bears all the time. I’ve probably spent 500+ nights in a tent over the last 10 years and have never even had a bear or lion come into camp and we are overran by them. I’ve had several mt goats sniffing the tent and elk chasing cows outside the tent but no predator issues. I do carry a pistol if hunting solo but if there are several of us I don’t. We also don’t practice safe food storage, my food is normally either in my tent or in a dry bag next to it and our trash bag full of empty meals in normally hanging nearby too.

I have several friends who just toss a bag on the ground and sleep under the stars, I’m not comfortable enough to do that, however a small tent doesn’t offer much protection except from incests, rodents and snakes. I have one buddy who woke up to a mountain goat licking the salt off of his face while up rock climbing.

Personally I feel more comfortable hiking in the daylight and camping close to where I’m hunting than I do walking in a couple miles in the dark to hunt with a headlamp on. I’m always nervous walking up on a carcass when going back for a load in the middle of the night, however we’ve never had a single issue doing so. We did get spooked when we jumped a black moo cow next to a carcass in a real beary spot one night.

I’ve ran into several bears while walking with a headlamp and many other animals that have taken off crashing though the brush making our hearts jump.

The only place I’d be nervous in camp is in grizzly country.

 

[flyfisher117]

Seems like some of you Nancy’s need to be packing you one of these suckers! Lol


View attachment 838001

Can I get it weighted?..

 

[Schoolhousegrizz]

Debating picking up a shelter and bag instead of truck camping this season in CO (second time out west). Have a few spots a couple miles in and cutting that hike out could be beneficial for obvious reasons….now here’s the rub, I’m from Texas and had never seen a bear until last year…I know, to people who live there black bears are almost overgrown raccoons but to this fella, they make me nervous. Now I know they’re not going to see me and come running to eat me but they could come poking around my tent etc and make for a long sleepless night…I feel like I am being ridiculous

I totally get it. Are you going alone? If you have a buddy that would really help. If not, I would take baby steps. Sleep in the backyard by yourself. Next, sleep in the mountains next to your vehicle. Next sleep a couple hundred yards from the vehicle. Next go a mile or two in. That will get you somewhat prepared. Also, I would suggest not taking a bivvy, but an actual tent that you can move around in. To be able to sit up move around a bit stretch out is a big help. Take good food and a good pillow. It will get easier with time.

 

[guitarpreston]

I totally get it. Are you going alone? If you have a buddy that would really help. If not, I would take baby steps. Sleep in the backyard by yourself. Next, sleep in the mountains next to your vehicle. Next sleep a couple hundred yards from the vehicle. Next go a mile or two in. That will get you somewhat prepared. Also, I would suggest not taking a bivvy, but an actual tent that you can move around in. To be able to sit up move around a bit stretch out is a big help. Take good food and a good pillow. It will get easier with time.

Going solo, have spent several nights in a tent here in Texas but we don’t have bears where I am (only black panthers). Also definitely a tent not a bivy sack, just meant that style of hunting.

 

[Schoolhousegrizz]

Going solo, have spent several nights in a tent here in Texas but we don’t have bears where I am (only black panthers). Also definitely a tent not a bivy sack, just meant that style of hunting.

The bears are much more of a problem in your mind than in reality.