Closest you've been to a Brown Bear?

[S-3 ranch]

Less than 3 feet, same distance from a polar bear too. Yep, they were both living breathing and aluve and healthy.

About 1-3 feet, while hunting in Alaska we had a large boar come in to camp one night and mess with us, coming close enough that he pressed his nose against our tent, I had a 12ga shotgun with a slug in one barrel and 00 buck in the other , my uncle a .300wm , both of us whooping at him to leave fingers on the trigger , it was terrifying
he finally left after leaving a massive pile of wormy dung next to the tent.
We came really close to blasting some holes in the tent that night
the guys next camp over had the same bear come in and eat their caribou and
some supplies, the state troopers came and took a report back in Naknek
and our taxi service didn’t put any more hunters in the area .

 

[Customweld]

Had one sneak up to less than 15 feet from my BIL while we were fishing the Russian. I was across the river limited out watching him fish and this guy pops out of the brush above my BIL. Pretty spooky how big and silent they are.

 

[MallardSX2]

Had one swat at the helicopter skid one time. lol

 

[ROKnROAL]

Alberta. Seen many, closest I’ve been is about 10 feet on a full charge, then he turned when he hit the bear spray cloud. Other time I’ve been charged he turned at about 20 yards. The place I hunt is where they drop off all the problem bears from Jasper and Banff, so have to be a little more aware when hunting.

 

[wyogoat]

Had a small boar at less than 20 yards on a sheep hunt in northern Wyoming. He came around a rock outcropping and turned 180 the second he saw us.

 

[dreamingWest]

We had a juvenile boar come into sheep camp in the NWT. He got to about 30 yards (had a small stream between us) before we were able to spook it off cussing and shooting. I ended up shooting six times to get him to fully commit to leaving.

I killed one last year in the Yukon.

 

[Bubblehide]

About 1-3 feet, while hunting in Alaska we had a large boar come in to camp one night and mess with us, coming close enough that he pressed his nose against our tent, I had a 12ga shotgun with a slug in one barrel and 00 buck in the other , my uncle a .300wm , both of us whooping at him to leave fingers on the trigger , it was terrifying
he finally left after leaving a massive pile of wormy dung next to the tent.
We came really close to blasting some holes in the tent that night
the guys next camp over had the same bear come in and eat their caribou and
some supplies, the state troopers came and took a report back in Naknek
and our taxi service didn’t put any more hunters in the area .

Yeah, those types of experiences definitely have a pucker factor about them. But at the same time, they sure are exhilarating; at least once you get over the fear part.

 

[AntelopeEater]

I've been close to Brown bears on numerous occasions, but the most exciting was when I went salmon fishing near Brooks Lodge in Katmai National Park. This is the place where some famous photos and video were taken of bears catching salmon with their mouths when the salmon go up nearby Brooks Falls.

When I first arrived at the park, I had to watch a bear safety video that explained that bears had learned it was easier to catch salmon at the end of the fishing line, so if I was bear charged while fishing, need to drop the rod and slowly back away from it.

While I was reeling in a sockeye salmon later, guess what happened? A big brown bear charged at me, so I dropped the rod, and took some steps backward while I drew my big canister of bear spray from the hip holster.

The bear immediately stopped running, lost all interest in me, and walked away.

 

[DawnPatrol]

I’ve been closer than 20 yards a lot, but never super close.

I used to work at a hatchery in AK, so there were always bears around looking for fish. Our policy was to haze them whenever they showed up near the facility, so they knew to avoid people. It mostly worked really well; we had very few negative interactions despite a lot of bears around people.

The most effective way to haze them (i.e. the thing that really seemed to scare them) was shooting them in the butt with a rubber 12-gauge slug. Turns out the effective range of a rubber slug on a brown bear is about 20 yards. We’d sneak up real close (usually someone would have a real gun), smack the bear a good one with a rubber slug, and then yell as it tore off through the alders. Did that more times than I can remember. Scary every time, but pretty fun too.

 

[Nykki]

We were sleeping on the boat after running in to moose camp on the Chulitna river when one decided to come on board. Didn't know it was there until it stepped on the gunnel and tipped the boat dumping my partner on the deck between us. Things were a little exciting for a few minutes. Hard cabin so it couldn't get in easily but waking up to a bears face up against the glass two feet from my head was a bit terrifying.

 

[medvedyt]

around 15 ft or less while salmon fishing in haines alaska. it was a sow and 3 cubs. she was teaching her cubs how to steal salmon form fishermen and she was doing a great job ... she never had to charge just to show up ...

 

[johnnycake]

I've been gently nudged aside at the Russian River by a 7' enthusiastic young bear eager to fish the hole I was in. I thought it was a buddy tapping me and I about shit myself when I looked over and saw the bear.

 

[chasewild]

My first experience hunting brown bear on Kodiak, the closest I got was a few feet while in my Hilleberg waiting on my taxi for a ride home after 8 days. I figure he was sending me off. "Nice try chechaco."

 

[Blockcaver]

First what is a "Brown Bear".... an Alaskan Brown, a brown Grizzly or brown color phase Black bear? I think of them as an Alaskan Coastal Brown bear, but anyway:

Was 25 yards away from the Alaskan Peninsula Brown Bear I arrowed.

Had grizzlies sniff the back pack tent wall inches from my head on two different Alaska trips, both in the Brooks Range.

Been a few yards from brown color phase Black bears on numerous occasions when hunting black bears and/or elk.

 

[northernlandgar]

About 10 feet from me, during a mountain goat hunt last month. I was heading back for the last load of meat, took a moment to rest, and when I turned around a brown bear was there with two cubs in tow and my game bag in her mouth.

She took one step toward me and I used the spray. It worked on all of us. Stumbled down the mountain half blind but I was okay. Very scary moment.

 

[MTbowhunter36]

17 yards.

Spring bear hunting in NW MT. I was walking down a two track, and he closed the gap from 180 yards to 100 when I fired a shot. He continued until he got to 17 yards, and I threw a boulder at him. He went below the road and popped his head up, and I grabbed handfuls of gravel and threw them at him.

My scent was going straight to him the whole time. I yelled and waved my arms, and it had no effect. I had bear spray and my 300wsm.

On the drive home, I didn't turn on the radio or listened to anything. I felt like I had low voltage electricity going through me the whole way home. I'm sure it was an adrenaline dump.


Sent from my SM-S911U using Tapatalk

 

[Steve O]

This old hag and her two full grow cubs got to about 50 yards of my tent before they had enough of my “posturing”. I was close to sending a warning shot their way!

 

[Footshooter]

On my BB bow hunt a couple years ago my closest was about 8 yards (we were stopped in a raft and a big bear came down the bank to get a Salmon, then saw us and retreated).

Also got a BB selfie at about 15 yards with a 7’ bear, while hiding behind a rock with some cover.

 

[SaltySailor]

Didn't know it until the next day, but a bear walked down the wheeler trail about 5 feet from my head which was in a tent. The bear fence went up promptly!

 

[Loggerdude]

10 feet in a boat stuck on a log with a sow and 2 cubs, and she wasn’t happy