Grizz Stories

[AK Troutbum]

Prior to going to bed that evening, we took mini mag lights and taped them to the bottom front of our barrels so we could turn them on, and still be able to see our crosshairs and exactly what we were aiming at. At sometime, shortly after midnight, as the rain was beating down, I heard/felt a bear brush against the side of my little 2 person mountaineering tent that Dan and I were now sleeping in. I yelled out through camp that the bears were back, and people started gearing up and getting out of their tents. Five, of the now 9 people in camp, piled out of our tents, and collectively huddled underneath of a tarp in the pouring rain. In the process of us all gearing up and getting out of our tents, the bears moved out and away from camp and could not be seen once we were outside and under the tarp. It only took a few minutes later, and the bears were back, so we all lined up and started firing, driving them back out of camp again, then we went back and huddled underneath the tarp to discuss what we would do if they came back. Their camp leader suggested that if the bears came back, we would just continue to drive them out and try not to hit any of them. I was opposed to that idea, and suggested that when the bears came back, we would all line up, with nobody getting out in front, and we would all fire at the same time. Within a few minutes the bears were back in camp, so we ended up going out into the rain, and when we were all within about 10 yards or so of them, flash lights on, I said fire, and everybody opened up. When the firing had stopped, the larger of the two bears (sow), was dead, but her 3 year old cub was still thrashing about, so I went up and shot it in the head at point blank.
That was pretty much the end of the excitement, and we all quickly dispersed back into our tents to try and sleep through the rest of the night.
When we got up the next morning at daybreak, we immediately started going to work on skinning out the bears, to turn over to the state troopers. Within about two hours of cleaning them, our pilot flew in and landed at camp. He immediately got out with his camera, and started taking photographs of both the bears, in relation to where they were to our tents and in our camp. One of the guys from their camp, who didn’t want to get out of his tent the previous night, asked Dan and I if it would be okay for him to fly out with us, because he was pretty much done with the whole scene. We didn’t have a problem with that, as there was plenty of room in the beaver for another person and his gear, so he ended up flying back to Kodiak with us. When we arrived back in Kodiak, he was insistent about paying for that leg of our flight, which we accepted, and inturn bought him dinner and beer at Henry’s.

And that’s my best bear encounter story.

A few pictures from that hunt.

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[Brandon.miller.4]

Prior to going to bed that evening, we took mini mag lights and taped them to the bottom front of our barrels so we could turn them on, and still be able to see our crosshairs and exactly what we were aiming at. At sometime, shortly after midnight, as the rain was beating down, I heard/felt a bear brush against the side of my little 2 person mountaineering tent that Dan and I were now sleeping in. I yelled out through camp that the bears were back, and people started gearing up and getting out of their tents. Five, of the now 9 people in camp, piled out of our tents, and collectively huddled underneath of a tarp in the pouring rain. In the process of us all gearing up and getting out of our tents, the bears moved out and away from camp and could not be seen once we were outside and under the tarp. It only took a few minutes later, and the bears were back, so we all lined up and started firing, driving them back out of camp again, then we went back and huddled underneath the tarp to discuss what we would do if they came back. Their camp leader suggested that if the bears came back, we would just continue to drive them out and try not to hit any of them. I was opposed to that idea, and suggested that when the bears came back, we would all line up, with nobody getting out in front, and we would all fire at the same time. Within a few minutes the bears were back in camp, so we ended up going out into the rain, and when we were all within about 10 yards or so of them, flash lights on, I said fire, and everybody opened up. When the firing had stopped, the larger of the two bears (sow), was dead, but her 3 year old cub was still thrashing about, so I went up and shot it in the head at point blank.
That was pretty much the end of the excitement, and we all quickly dispersed back into our tents to try and sleep through the rest of the night.
When we got up the next morning at daybreak, we immediately started going to work on skinning out the bears, to turn over to the state troopers. Within about two hours of cleaning them, our pilot flew in and landed at camp. He immediately got out with his camera, and started taking photographs of both the bears, in relation to where they were to our tents and in our camp. One of the guys from their camp, who didn’t want to get out of his tent the previous night, asked Dan and I if it would be okay for him to fly out with us, because he was pretty much done with the whole scene. We didn’t have a problem with that, as there was plenty of room in the beaver for another person and his gear, so he ended up flying back to Kodiak with us. When we arrived back in Kodiak, he was insistent about paying for that leg of our flight, which we accepted, and intern bought him dinner and beer at Henry’s.

And that’s my best bear encounter story.


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I can't imagine the misery of all that in the dark and the rain. Sometimes killing the problem really is the best solution..

 

[TxxAgg]

Yall got brass balls. Enjoying this thread.

 

[Theringworm]

Prior to going to bed that evening, we took mini mag lights and taped them to the bottom front of our barrels so we could turn them on, and still be able to see our crosshairs and exactly what we were aiming at. At sometime, shortly after midnight, as the rain was beating down, I heard/felt a bear brush against the side of my little 2 person mountaineering tent that Dan and I were now sleeping in. I yelled out through camp that the bears were back, and people started gearing up and getting out of their tents. Five, of the now 9 people in camp, piled out of our tents, and collectively huddled underneath of a tarp in the pouring rain. In the process of us all gearing up and getting out of our tents, the bears moved out and away from camp and could not be seen once we were outside and under the tarp. It only took a few minutes later, and the bears were back, so we all lined up and started firing, driving them back out of camp again, then we went back and huddled underneath the tarp to discuss what we would do if they came back. Their camp leader suggested that if the bears came back, we would just continue to drive them out and try not to hit any of them. I was opposed to that idea, and suggested that when the bears came back, we would all line up, with nobody getting out in front, and we would all fire at the same time. Within a few minutes the bears were back in camp, so we ended up going out into the rain, and when we were all within about 10 yards or so of them, flash lights on, I said fire, and everybody opened up. When the firing had stopped, the larger of the two bears (sow), was dead, but her 3 year old cub was still thrashing about, so I went up and shot it in the head at point blank.
That was pretty much the end of the excitement, and we all quickly dispersed back into our tents to try and sleep through the rest of the night.
When we got up the next morning at daybreak, we immediately started going to work on skinning out the bears, to turn over to the state troopers. Within about two hours of cleaning them, our pilot flew in and landed at camp. He immediately got out with his camera, and started taking photographs of both the bears, in relation to where they were to our tents and in our camp. One of the guys from their camp, who didn’t want to get out of his tent the previous night, asked Dan and I if it would be okay for him to fly out with us, because he was pretty much done with the whole scene. We didn’t have a problem with that, as there was plenty of room in the beaver for another person and his gear, so he ended up flying back to Kodiak with us. When we arrived back in Kodiak, he was insistent about paying for that leg of our flight, which we accepted, and intern bought him dinner and beer at Henry’s.

And that’s my best bear encounter story.


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Thread winner thus far. Unimaginable. And that’s why I told my friend who had a free paid trip for two to hunt black tail on Kodiak, no thanks. Only if I would have also had a bear tag would I have gone. What a story.

 

[grfox92]

Prior to going to bed that evening, we took mini mag lights and taped them to the bottom front of our barrels so we could turn them on, and still be able to see our crosshairs and exactly what we were aiming at. At sometime, shortly after midnight, as the rain was beating down, I heard/felt a bear brush against the side of my little 2 person mountaineering tent that Dan and I were now sleeping in. I yelled out through camp that the bears were back, and people started gearing up and getting out of their tents. Five, of the now 9 people in camp, piled out of our tents, and collectively huddled underneath of a tarp in the pouring rain. In the process of us all gearing up and getting out of our tents, the bears moved out and away from camp and could not be seen once we were outside and under the tarp. It only took a few minutes later, and the bears were back, so we all lined up and started firing, driving them back out of camp again, then we went back and huddled underneath the tarp to discuss what we would do if they came back. Their camp leader suggested that if the bears came back, we would just continue to drive them out and try not to hit any of them. I was opposed to that idea, and suggested that when the bears came back, we would all line up, with nobody getting out in front, and we would all fire at the same time. Within a few minutes the bears were back in camp, so we ended up going out into the rain, and when we were all within about 10 yards or so of them, flash lights on, I said fire, and everybody opened up. When the firing had stopped, the larger of the two bears (sow), was dead, but her 3 year old cub was still thrashing about, so I went up and shot it in the head at point blank.
That was pretty much the end of the excitement, and we all quickly dispersed back into our tents to try and sleep through the rest of the night.
When we got up the next morning at daybreak, we immediately started going to work on skinning out the bears, to turn over to the state troopers. Within about two hours of cleaning them, our pilot flew in and landed at camp. He immediately got out with his camera, and started taking photographs of both the bears, in relation to where they were to our tents and in our camp. One of the guys from their camp, who didn’t want to get out of his tent the previous night, asked Dan and I if it would be okay for him to fly out with us, because he was pretty much done with the whole scene. We didn’t have a problem with that, as there was plenty of room in the beaver for another person and his gear, so he ended up flying back to Kodiak with us. When we arrived back in Kodiak, he was insistent about paying for that leg of our flight, which we accepted, and inturn bought him dinner and beer at Henry’s.

And that’s my best bear encounter story.


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That's a bad ass story dude.

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[Greyinggrayling]

Moose camp in Alaska. The husband and I had camp all set up and ready. Hilleberg Nallo 2 GT up, beds ready. Camp kitchen about 40 feet away. We normally set up a tarp for the kitchen and sitting around a fire. Smelly stuff all stored away on opposite side of the tarp kitchen from the tent. We knew there were bears around, so we were trying to be careful.

We had our Mountain Houses for the evening, and our bourbon drinks. Spoke about our plans for moose hunting in the morning and then prepared to retire. Kitchen was put away, all food stashed appropriately. Then we climbed into the tent for a good nights sleep before an early morning moose stalk.

Sometime in the middle of the night (not sure of the time), I felt a push against me. It was like a nuzzling that kept getting more and more persistent against the lumbar region of my back. I was still half asleep and wasn’t sure what I was feeling, but then it hit me…oh shit, a bear was pushing against me through the side of the tent! I shot upright, turned 180 degrees, and started yelling and whaling with my fists.

But it wasn’t a bear. It was my husband’s ass pushing up against me in the middle of the night trying to get warm. He shot up like I set his ass on fire, yelling “what???what???WTF???????”

Moral of the story… if hunting with your wife, whatever side of the bed you sleep on at home, maintain the same configuration in the tent.That may keep your ass from being mistaken as a bear’s nose.

 

[AK Troutbum]

Saw a guy who's face got removed by a bear, worst thing I've ever seen.

I’m guessing that this was the guy that was spring bear hunting from a snow machine, up off the Denali Hwy? If so, that was absolutely horrific what that bear did to his face! Thank god his son was right there and able to kill it, and also for the incredible job that the plastics surgeon in the valley did.


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[Pony Soldier]

I was working in SE Ak taking stream sediment samples. My pilot would drop me off at the head of a drainage and then pick me up at the bottom.

The salmon were thick enough to walk on in the creek. The open patches were connected by bear tunnels in the salmon berries. I would draw my pistol as I entered every tunnel and holster it when I could see again.

Often I would exit a tunnel and find a salmon flopping on the shore 30-40 ft from the creek.

At the end of a five mile run, I broke out of the brush at the mouth of the creek and my pilot was sitting on the rotar mast of a the Hughs 500. He said he had been catching Arctic char for dinner and a sow and two cubs walked up behind him. He threw them the fish but couldn't remember how he got up on top of the helicopter. I had a heck of a time getting him down.

 

[Barner107]

Last night of our Wyoming elk hunt - Grizz and her two cubs came through camp - one horse freaked out and broke its nose on the halter. Not a fun night. Only night we had a campfire - guaranteed that is why momma came looking. Will never do that again!

 

[Pony Soldier]

You folks seem to like these so---. This isn't mine but was a company experience. The crew had a helicopter camp in the tundra off of the Brooks range. The project was in the Brooks range and covered a lot of miles.

On the way back to camp one night, they spotted a big brownie lumbering towards camp so the pilot decided to herd him in a differant direction. They buzzed him and he changed direction. They decided that what was needed was a multimile buffer so they got the bear running and they ran him until he fell down from exhaustion and just lay there.

The crew flew back to camp for dinner and the nite feeling much safer. The helicopter camp was on the other side of the creek a short distance but far enough that landing the ship didn't blow down the tents.

Remember this is the land of the midnight sun. In the middle of the night wasn't really dark but was difficult to really see. At this time the camp was awakened but the sound of tortured metal and growling. They were armed but no one would cross the creek in the dark. They stayed up all night preparing for the charge while listening to the bear tear the helicopter apart. When dawn came all that was left were the skids, engine (kinda) and blades (Bell 206). The bear had dismantled the majority of the ship and walked off.

Now you know they can hold grudges.

 

[Pony Soldier]

In another camp in north Alaska the crew was living in a quonset (sp) building but the facilities were confined to an outhouse about 40 yds from the building.

For some reason a bear decided dinner was being provided. All he had to do was wait for them to go to the shitter. When you had to go someone one have to distract the bear and you would have to make a run for it. When it was time to return, they would repeat. Although annoying they were getting by. When the helicopter came to get the crew and pick them up they would first have to run the bear off.

At some point only one guy was in camp and he had to use the facilities. He made it there but couldn't develop a return strategy. He made a run for it, the bear charged and he killed it with a 44mag.

Now the dilemma was what to do with the carcass. The fines for killing a bear was extensive. They finally tied the body to a skid and flew over a skree slope where they let him fall 4000ft into the rocks. Pretty tough to tell what killed him at that point.

 

[OregonSteeler]

This was a true story (as far as I know), from a couple years ago. I remember hearing the son's story on a podcast.

Changed my mind of hunting in grizz heavy areas. Got kids and family, just not worth the risk to me.

 

[OregonSteeler]

And yes, kick ass thread. Some great stories! For those who didn't get attacked are fortunate.

 

[eddielasvegas]

This was a true story (as far as I know), from a couple years ago. I remember hearing the son's story on a podcast.

Changed my mind of hunting in grizz heavy areas. Got kids and family, just not worth the risk to me.

View attachment 527250

View attachment 527249

Truly amazing if this is true, and hard to trust anything these days thanks to technology and the Interwebz, but dang that damage looks too extensive to survive, let alone be repaired like in the pic.

Any docs here than can offer an opinion on the facial damage based on the pic? What about survivability and reconstruction?


Eddie

 

[AK Troutbum]

This was a true story (as far as I know), from a couple years ago. I remember hearing the son's story on a podcast.

Changed my mind of hunting in grizz heavy areas. Got kids and family, just not worth the risk to me.

View attachment 527250

View attachment 527249

It’s absolutely true. That was the story I was referring to earlier that happened with a father and son team while spring bear hunting on the Denali Highway. I think that was the same story that @adventure907 was talking about. They ended up getting that guy down to the (I believe), Maclaren River Lodge and he was medevac’d out from there too Matsu Regional Hospital, where they did the reconstructive work on his face. I think the bear came out of its den and attacked that guy, but fortunately his son was able to kill the bear and save his fathers life.


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[OregonSteeler]

Truly amazing if this is true, and hard to trust anything these days thanks to technology and the Interwebz, but dang that damage looks too extensive to survive, let alone be repaired like in the pic.

Any docs here than can offer an opinion on the facial damage based on the pic? What about survivability and reconstruction?


Eddie

I was skeptical also since there's not a lot written about it. The podcast is worth listening to though and goes into why it stayed low-key.

Here's the only news story I could find on it from my 2.5 minutes of searching: https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/art...highway-shot-killed-fellow-hunter/2016/04/18/

 

[Beendare]

I’m guessing that this was the guy that was spring bear hunting from a snow machine, up off the Denali Hwy? If so, that was absolutely horrific what that bear did to his face! Thank god his son was right there and able to kill it, and also for the incredible job that the plastics surgeon in the valley did.


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Yep, that was the guy

 

[mtwarden]

Several decades ago I was working as a Wilderness Ranger in the Bob Marshall; part of my duties included informing folks that I bumped into about best practices in grizzly country.

I checked a couple camped near the Middle Fork of the Flathead, they told me their plans on traveling the entire length of the Great Bear, the Bob Marshall and exit out the Scapegoat Wilderness. Quite a trip to say the least. They had very small backpacks (especially for this length of trip) and I asked them if they had food cached along the route or if someone was going to resupply them along the way? No they were going to live mostly off what nature would provide them- berries and such

I made a mental note on what they looked like and were wearing as I was certain someone (possibly me) would be looking for them in the days to come.

I started giving them my grizzly spiel when they stopped me. They said they didn't believe all the grizzly hype and they were very connected with nature and not the least bit concerned with grizzlies. Oooo Kaaay.

I bid them a good day and hit the main river trail again. I hadn't gone 200 yards when a small-ish grizzly stumbled out the brush next to the trail, we almost bumped into each other. He stumbled, I stumbled and then he got his feet and high tailed it out of there.

After my heart quit racing, I thought I better let those folks know they had a grizzly close to their camp. I then thought, they aren't going to believe me anyways, so I pressed on.

I never heard anything about a couple going missing or needing rescued, most likely they weren't finding a lot of nature's bounty and bailed out soon after I saw them

 

[adventure907]

Truly amazing if this is true, and hard to trust anything these days thanks to technology and the Interwebz, but dang that damage looks too extensive to survive, let alone be repaired like in the pic.

Any docs here than can offer an opinion on the facial damage based on the pic? What about survivability and reconstruction?


Eddie

There is a lot of false, missing, and speculative information concerning that event. Especially on the Internet, this thread, podcasts, etc....
I've never publicly shared my story from the events of that day and I doubt I ever will.
But, those pictures are real.

 

[Pony Soldier]

I was working some country out of the Waterfall Cannery west of Ketchikan in the 70s. The country was fairly open and a pleasure to walk through as opposed to the jungles of Admiralty from the month before.

I had been walking fairly steady all day while taking samples. When I hit the top of the ridge I called the pilot for pick up and sat down on a rock to take a break.

Before I could really rest the pilot hovered over me and said when I land, get in as fast as you can. That was quite unusual as my pack usually goes into the baggage area. Anyway he lit, and before I could get settled he took off. Before I could say anything two sows and a cub broke over the edge and started for the helicopter. Evidently I was on the lunch menu. We flew to a safe location and reordered our gear before flying to camp.

I have worked hard over the years to not be on the menu.