Grizzly Precautions.

[Jeremy11]

Hi all. First post. Love the site.
I'm a New Zealander thinking of doing an OTC ,solo, archery elk hunt in Idaho in 2020. I'm doing as much research as possible into suitable units for me....I have plenty of experience hunting in general, including solo backpack hunts, but we don't have bears in NZ so I'm after good advice as to how to deal with this. I've read all I can but first-hand advice would be great. I don't mind hunting in bear country, but I want to be as prepared as possible. I will have spray and zip-lock bags for food, understand about cooking away from the campsite and not to camp on ridges and obvious bear feeding areas, but I'm sure there's a lot more to learn from you guys.
Also, if anyone would like info on hunting in NZ, I'm happy to help in any way I can.
Cheers,
Jeremy.

 

[Mosby]

Grizzlies are not in all units in Idaho and it wouldn't be hard to find and hunt a quality unit without the trouble. I personally would not archery hunt in a unit with grizzly bears without carrying a pistol but that's me. You can't use bear spray in a tent and the wind sometimes blows the wrong way when you stumble into one. I like having more than one option and running isn't one of them. I don't worry much about black bears except keeping food away from my camp site. Cougars bother me more, especially when going solo but thats a different discussion.

Regardless, to minimize issues, keep your food in a bear bag and either hang it(Z packs bear bag) or use an Ursack at your campsite. I don't like looking for trees and the hanging process out west, so I use an Ursack for my food in bear country of any type. When I get to camp I tie my food bag to a tree. I don't bring food into my tent. Use really bright headlamps. Be very careful and slow approaching a kill site and look for bear sign coming in. If you see sign...leave quickly and the meat behind.

 

[Jeremy11]

Thanks for the advice Mosby. Do you know the legalities with borrowing a handgun from a friend for a hunt? I have a NZ firearms licence.

 

[Mosby]

Thanks for the advice Mosby. Do you know the legalities with borrowing a handgun from a friend for a hunt? I have a NZ firearms licence.

I do not. Handgun laws vary by state in the US. When I hunt in Idaho, I bring a pistol but I have a "right to carry" issued by my home state and it is reciprocal and accepted by Idaho. You or your friend should be able to make some calls and determine what is legal, relatively quickly, if you go in that direction. A large part of the state does not have a grizzly population. I would honestly focus on units where I didn't have to deal with it. One less thing. Below is a map roughly showing resident populations and location. Hope it helps.

 

[Rob5589]

This may be helpful from the aft.gov website:

May a nonimmigrant alien who has been admitted to the United States under a nonimmigrant visa possess a firearm or ammunition in the United States?
An alien admitted to the United States under a nonimmigrant visa is prohibited from shipping, transporting, receiving, or possessing a firearm or ammunition unless the alien falls within one of the exceptions provided in 18 U.S.C. 922(2), such as: a valid hunting license or permit, admitted for lawful hunting or sporting purposes, certain official representatives of a foreign government, or a foreign law enforcement officer of a friendly foreign government entering the United States on official law enforcement business.
[18 U.S.C. 922(g)(5)(B) and 922(2); 27 CFR 478.11 and 478.32]

 

[Jeremy11]

Thanks guys. The info is building up to help with my hunt!

 

[jmez]

Biggest thing is to keep a clean camp, that includes items other than food that have an odor. Toothpaste, deoderant, chap stick etc. All of that stuff should be kept 100 yards downwind of where you will be sleeping. Keep you cooking/eating area clean as well. Don't dump food on the ground. Don't burn unused food in a fire pit. They find something to eat they will come back.

You need to be prepared to hang stuff from a tree, at least 10 feet off the ground and 4 feet away from the trunk of tree. If you shoot an animal you will need to remove all of your clothes you were wearing when you butchered it. If you don't want those in with your food then you'll have to hang them. If you pack any meat your pack needs to be hung as well.

Cooking/eating area should be in an open area that you can clearly see from a distance. You want to be able to see if someone is visiting, especially in the dark.

Use common sense and be meticulous about keeping a clean camp.

 

[Kootenay Hunter]

As mentioned above, prevention is the best medicine, odds are if you do everything right, you won't bump into a bear. Note that bbears have been found to be more predatory than griz, they will actively hunt a human, opposed to griz which tend to defend or try to take a kill etc. Both can cause a headache, a 300lb bbear outside the tent would be just as unnerving to me as a griz, but bbears will take flight over fight more often.

Hanging food and attractants (toothpaste, toothbrush, etc.), hang your garbage too, like freeze dried food bags. Keep camp clean and if you're not actively hunting, no reason to make a little noise so you don't bump into something.

We can't pack pistols in Canada, but I do carry bear spray ON ME when hunting in griz country. Prepare to buy some when coming to the US. BC has 10x the griz than the 48 states...we're not getting mauled left right and center, you don't have to avoid units, you just got to be smart.

 

[jmez]

Another note, for safety of others. If you kill an animal and leave it hang, do not have it within 150 yards of an established trail.

MT game and fish website has a page about safety in bear country.

 

[Jeremy11]

Thanks Jmez and Kootenay. Quite a few points there I hadn't thought of. I appreciate the help.

 

[CX5Ranch]

I would build a quick tepee with small logs over the elk carcass. Especially if I had to leave it. On return if the tepee is knocked over well....I doubt it was the wind.

Maybe you've heard the joke about the bear bells?

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[tntrker]

I've read, for a Grizzly the playing dead (quiet and still) and protecting your head and vitals while being attacked can work and give you a chance to survive. However a Black bear will keep on until your dead so continue your fight with him...

 

[bobr1]

Just watch The Revanant. Everything you need to know about safety and hunting in grizzly country. I watch it everytime I head out.

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[Jeremy11]

Some more good points to ponder. Thanks CX5, tntrker and bobr1. Watching The Revenant again might be a little off-putting!

 

[Pinewood]

Keep a clean camp and use common sense. You probably have a much higher chance of injury, tripping or falling while out hunting than you do of a bear attack. Don't let fears ruin the trip.

 

[Jeremy11]

Another thing. In NZ we often carry PLB's when hunting solo. Do many of you guys use them?

 

[Tod osier]

You got great advice on the bear management. On the plb, yes many use them, bring it. I’d assume it would work here, but obviously check.

 

[Kevin Dill]

I trust my PLB more than any other piece of electronic gear. If I get injured it's a matter of twisting the top to deploy the antenna and then pushing the activation button. No further communication is required in the event of being totally disabled or unconscious.

Bears are so weird and individual. You can predict all you want but there's a bear that will do the opposite. They are smart, adaptable and they learn. That's what makes them more dangerous in areas where they have extra human contact. They don't necessarily associate humans with danger, and we aren't an unfamiliar thing to avoid. Rather, we may be interpreted as an opportunity to investigate for food. Every time a specific bear has ANY type of contact (direct or indirect) with humans it becomes more conditioned to them. That's one reason why baited bears will tolerate a guy walking into a bait site and climbing a tree. I've done it and seen it. Bears which associate humans with opportunities to eat are problems. Bears which are fairly indifferent to human encounters are NOT displaying normal wild bear behavior.

Where I hunt in Alaska, bears have almost no human contact. They don't get conditioned. They never eat human food. They don't even know what a human IS, and they almost always go out of their way to avoid a run-in. I work really hard to be sure no bear (in my area) ever associates my camp or being with a reward. I actually keep all my food in my tent. I cook in there (floorless tipi) and try to confine my potentially bear-attracting smells to the area I will occupy and defend. I wouldn't do this in an area where bears were familiar with people and had a history of investigating camps. The lower 48 is by far the most likely place to run into grizzlies with a kick-ass attitude. I personally wouldn't hunt in a grizzly-rich area without a sidearm or firearm on my person. That's me.

 

[austinphps]

Another thing. In NZ we often carry PLB's when hunting solo. Do many of you guys use them?

Yes - PLB, SPOT, or InReach id say is highly recommended if hunting solo.

 

[swampthing]

As said, use common sense and things will be fine. I have grown up in grizz country and every bear that has ever seen me has run as fast as it can the other way! Your real danger is flying to the states and driving to your hunt area! Thats where the danger is! Once you hit the mountain you will be safe. Enjoy your hunt!