Elk hunting grizzly country

[StuffItTaxidermy]

I drew an elk tag in Wyoming. The area I'm planning on hunting is grizzly country. I've hunted Alaska around them, but what I've read is this is problem grizzly country. Do most people when hunting the areas wait until you can see to hike in from camp or hike in and out in the dark so you can take advantage of the best time. I'm planning on doing a main base camp and spiking out for a few days at a time. Any pointers on this would be appreciated.

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[Dos Perros]

Do both, just depends. You use your judgement. I won't cut off an evening encounter with a bull so I can get all my hiking in in the daylight. But if the sun is starting to dip and I have no animals located I might mosey back to camp calling as I go.

In the morning, I generally try to camp close to a good bugling or glassing location to minimize movement, but I do this in non-grizzly areas as well.

 

[jmez]

Stay off of established trails in the dark. Gauge the bear activity when you get there. Adjust as needed. Bushwhacking in the dark you will likely be fine.

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[KHNC]

WHen you arrive in Area 67-68, be ready to encounter a grizz at any time. Place is loaded with them. Also, if you like to cow call, be prepared to wrestle a grizz then too. Carry a large caliber handgun with cast bullets in an easy to reach position. Dont fk around with bear spray, unless you like to experience first hand in your own face.

 

[TaperPin]

I drew an elk tag in Wyoming. The area I'm planning on hunting is grizzly country. I've hunted Alaska around them, but what I've read is this is problem grizzly country. Do most people when hunting the areas wait until you can see to hike in from camp or hike in and out in the dark so you can take advantage of the best time. I'm planning on doing a main base camp and spiking out for a few days at a time. Any pointers on this would be appreciated.

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If there have been problem bears in an area, the Forest Service will know about issues that might have happened during the summer.

Most serious encounters are bumping into a bear a close range going around a big rock, bushy tree, or whatnot. I’ll go farther around these areas, or hunt them differently. Making camp well off of game trails and to the downwind side makes sense. In areas with only blackies I don’t usually move camp to avoid a game trail, but with grizzlies I will.

 

[WyoKimber]

Make sure you are following food storage and carcass restrictions at a minimum. Pay especially close attention to the minimum distances for camps and trails. It would really suck to shoot a bull and have to drag the carcass 1/2 of a mile. This will keep you on the right side of the law. The details are towards the end of the order.

https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd506953.pdf

As far as feeling safe, that is up to you to do some research and decide what risk tolerance you have. Personally, I try to not kill something unless I have enough daylight to process it before dark. Also a thing to keep in mind is there are specific problem bears that have no fear of humans, and there are specific areas that those problem bears get relocated (i.e concentrated) to. If you are hearing about certain areas having significantly more bad/scary bear encounters, it is probably one of those areas.

 

[Crowmangler]

use the search button for this topic.. there's been several threads on it with lots of good info.
Be sure to read the WY thoroughfare threads too
Archery or rifle?
By your wording I assume you're not using livestock? I personally would feel better with another person and 2-3 horses/ mules all together.
It can be nerve wracking even more so once you have an animal down...especially after you've already seen / heard one in the immediate vicinity.
I keep bear spray in a "holster" attached to the underside of my bino harness and my pistol is tucked behind it in a Gunfighter rig. However you choose to carry them just make sure they're on you & readily accessible while you're walking, glassing, & especially while breaking down a carcass. They won't do you any good in your pack or 20' away propped up against a tree.
Read & understand the game laws if your carcass does get claimed by a bear. You may just be SOL.

 

[grfox92]

Bears use established trails in the dark. That being said, we still hike in, in the dark. If we were to wait for daylight to move we would never get anything done. I would do whatever you are comfortable with.


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[Castle Oak]

If at all possible, calling setups should be in areas with good visibility. Cold calling setups are a big no-no as is mimicking lost calf sounds.

 

[Fireflyfishing]

I don’t hunt alone in Griz country. You probably shouldn’t either.

 

[mt terry d]

In good griz country,coming upon a porcupine in pitch dark is great for cardio.

Don't be stupid. Just hunt.

 

[KHNC]

We assumed last year that there was probably no chance of encountering a grizz on our WY hunt. The year prior, we never even saw a track. Then , on the first full day of our hunt, we encountered 3 in the morning and 4 in the evening!! Also, ran into multiple hunters that had encounters as well. Odds went from near zero to out the damn roof!

 

[gostovp]

WHen you arrive in Area 67-68, be ready to encounter a grizz at any time. Place is loaded with them. Also, if you like to cow call, be prepared to wrestle a grizz then too. Carry a large caliber handgun with cast bullets in an easy to reach position. Dont fk around with bear spray, unless you like to experience first hand in your own face.

My son and I also drew a tag for the areas you mention… and now I’m getting a case of GrizzAPhobia and am seriously second guessing my decision…

 

[bridgerbenson]

My son and I also drew a tag for the areas you mention… and now I’m getting a case of GrizzAPhobia and am seriously second guessing my decision…

Take them seriously for sure. We had a tense encounter last year at 30 yards and then a week later got a bull down and lost more than half the meat to a sow griz with cubs.
Talked with another group that had a guy get charged by a sow with 3 grown cubs. He got them stopped at mere feet, but also got the spray in his own eyes and couldn’t see…hunting by himself. Wouldn’t be fun.


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[Fetty Wapiti]

Don't shoot in the evening and if you do start packing. Most problems happen when meat is left overnight. Plus waiting till light to pack out a bull is poor practice regardless of bears.

 

[CBar]

I spent several years working for an outfitter in the Teton Wilderness. I’d echo some of the previous comments about bringing stock (and especially a dog if possible for around camp), no no to cow calling in areas with limited visibility, always having a partner to hunt with, following all requirements regarding meat and food storage. If you do harvest a bull, pack it out immediately and dont leave the carcass overnight if you can. If you have to leave the carcass, gut it and drag it at least a few hundred yards away to a highly visible spot if possible. You can always pack a lightweight electric fence for camp if it provides some peace of mind.

Absolutely bring bear spray and a sidearm.

Out here we recreate in grizzly country all season long. Good awareness of your surroundings, proper meat care and hunting with a partner gets 99% of residents and non residents through the season safely.

 

[mt terry d]

When you get an animal down quarter it immediately and get them hung in some shade on the north side of a tree away from the gut pile in an area you can approach safely with good visibility when you pack out the rest. My experience tells me bears prefer gut piles

 

[gostovp]

Thanks for the responses. There will be three of us in the group and will not be hunting solo. If we do get one down the plan was to have two guys processing and one standing watch… and then debone and try and get the entire thing out in one pack out ( my son and his buddy are young and strong and in really good shape and I’m working on it ). Unfortunately we won’t have access to stock but maybe we could bring a dog?? We are likey going to truck camp and hike in and out each day, unless we find them deep and need to spike. We are thinking about an electric fense just for peace of mind at night. All three of us will have a sidearm and spray.

One of my questions is around food storage when we truck camp… we have a pickup with lockable fiberglass topper where we were gonna keep all our gear and our truck camp setup is usually a Kodiak Canvas FlexBow… how and where do we store food? ( obviously we hang our food and food prep materials at least 150 yards from camp if we are in the back country)

 

[ikeG]

Thanks for the responses. There will be three of us in the group and will not be hunting solo. If we do get one down the plan was to have two guys processing and one standing watch… and then debone and try and get the entire thing out in one pack out ( my son and his buddy are young and strong and in really good shape and I’m working on it ). Unfortunately we won’t have access to stock but maybe we could bring a dog?? We are likey going to truck camp and hike in and out each day, unless we find them deep and need to spike. We are thinking about an electric fense just for peace of mind at night. All three of us will have a sidearm and spray.

One of my questions is around food storage when we truck camp… we have a pickup with lockable fiberglass topper where we were gonna keep all our gear and our truck camp setup is usually a Kodiak Canvas FlexBow… how and where do we store food? ( obviously we hang our food and food prep materials at least 150 yards from camp if we are in the back country)

We've been keeping our food and garbage in the truck bed with cap or tonneau shut and latched. At night and when gone hunting.

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[WyoKimber]

Here's a list to approved bear resistant food storage. Keep in mind with coolers like a yeti, they are only considered bear resistant if secured with a bolt or lock. Your truck bed would probably be bear resistant, but not bear proof. With enough time, a griz can get into just about anything, and do a lot of damage along the way.

https://igbconline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/240612_Certified_Products_List.pdf