The actual "highest grizzly density in the lower 48"

[AaronMColeman]

Agree 100%.. Just hunted 4 days in there.

Day 1 a single griz was walking straight towards us & the guides ran it off.

Evening of day 2 my hunting companion killed a bull right at dark. The guide had a bad accident which resulted in me staying with him while he lay immobile for about 1.5 hours literally right beside the carcass. During this time we heard the bear "grunting" off in the distance. While the other 2 guys went to retrieve the horses, he decided staying any longer was a really bad idea so we splinted his leg & hobbled out best he could. He's a tough SOB & I began to think that he could probably whip the bear's ass if it showed up. We met up with the others around midnight, finally returning to camp a little before 4 am. After we left, the bear took the head & about half the meat overnight.

Day 3 we crossed a sow & cub at a different location which had multiple caches of buried carcass pieces.

The evening of day 4 my bull died basically in that same spot right before dark. I've never been such a nervous wreck breaking that thing down. Pack mule was going bat shit crazy almost the whole time.

There were multiple encounters by the other hunters in camp too.

Where in the world were you? I hunt just SE of Yellowstone in heavy bear country and very rarely see them. I saw one in the distance last year, and none this year. You've got some really bad luck

 

[Crowmangler]

Where in the world were you? I hunt just SE of Yellowstone in heavy bear country and very rarely see them. I saw one in the distance last year, and none this year. You've got some really bad luck

70 Wilderness...I was kinda thinking the same thing for a while but got home safe with a good bull. Maybe I should stop wiping bacon grease on my pants during breakfast lol

 

[AaronMColeman]

70 Wilderness...I was kinda thinking the same thing for a while but got home safe with a good bull. Maybe I should stop wiping bacon grease on my pants during breakfast lol

Yeah, your must smell delicious I smell like old dead animals and blood...also delicious to bears!

 

[Dos Perros]

Wyoming man still recovering after recent bear attack

At the already too-late warning shout of "Bear!" Jon Sheets tilted his head lamp at the darkness and was startled by a charging grizzly a foot away.

www.greatfallstribune.com

This was 2017 and I recall the attack, but not that the guide sunk a knife into the bear in hand to hand combat. That's epic.

 

[grfox92]

I thought of this thread today after I saw 4 bears in less then an hour.

First one was what I assumed was a large lone boar flipping massive rocks and eating bugs on the side of a hill.

The next 3 was a sow with 2 cubs. They were tearing apart the ground on the side of a hill I'm thinking eating moths. The 2 cubs were very large. Almost adult sized so maybe soon to be on their own. I would say the cubs were over 200 pounds and mamma was 300 or over.

I would say the boar was certainly over 400 could have been 600 but I won't claim that because I hate when I hear over exaggerating bear and mountain lion weight estimates . Let's just say he was a large bear.

First pic is the boar and second pic is mamma and cubs. Pics were taken with my phone free handed though my binoculars so I know they aren't great. Boar was 500 yards and the mamma and cubs were just over 400.

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[Dos Perros]

You think they’re still on the moths this late?

 

[grfox92]

You think they’re still on the moths this late?

Honestly I don't know. I'm new to the bears. I just remember people talking about bears being up high on moths last year.

What time frame are they eating moths? Any idea what else they could have been eating? The sow and cubs were digging. The boar was flipping rocks.

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[PaBone]

A buddy and I backpacked into the Carter Mountain area Southwest of Cody Wyoming years ago and had bears circling our tent on several nights. Definitely had to sleep with one eye open. I would imagine that area is even worse today.

 

[grfox92]

A buddy and I backpacked into the Carter Mountain area Southwest of Cody Wyoming years ago and had bears circling our tent on several nights. Definitely had to sleep with one eye open. I would imagine that area is even worse today.

Same general area I'm in. My buddy was charged a few years ago in Carter.

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[Dos Perros]

Honestly I don't know. I'm new to the bears. I just remember people talking about bears being up high on moths last year.

What time frame are they eating moths? Any idea what else they could have been eating? The sow and cubs were digging. The boar was flipping rocks.

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I can do some Googling later, but generally the scientific papers I’ve seen have them shifting off moths as August goes to September. I think it’s reasonable to expect in warmer years for them to be on them into September. I’ve seen them ‘up’ as late as September 4th or 5th but I haven’t spent much time in that country.

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

Some of us are just stupid.

Could just show the reality versus the hype.

 

[Dos Perros]

Could just show the reality versus the hype.

Are you questioning my lack of intelligence lol.

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

Are you questioning my lack of intelligence lol.

I totally f’d that one up and I do apologize.

My failed attempt was that despite ever increasing bears and folks in the woods, people are not being slaughtered like lambs by the bears.

While there is risk, the actual threat is pretty damn low.

 

[Dos Perros]

I totally f’d that one up and I do apologize.

My failed attempt was that despite ever increasing bears and folks in the woods, people are not being slaughtered like lambs by the bears.

While there is risk, the actual threat is pretty damn low.

No you didn't mess it up, I got what you were saying.

I haven't hunted a ton in grizzly country, but here's how I think about it (and, this is my experience):

1) The elk densities are typically lower than other places, perhaps because grizzly areas also have wolves, and we know wolves put a hurt on elk
2) The trophy potential may or may not be there compared to other areas; I don't perceive it to be any better
3) There is less hunting pressure. Is it enough to overcome points 1) and 2)? Maybe.
4) I perceive more risk. We follow bear protocols, the cooking and eating and hanging food, it's a pain in the ass
5) I sleep like shit.
6) Killing something is extremely stressful. And the stress doesn't go away until the last load is to the truck and you're bouncing down the road.
7) Based on 4) through 6), the hunting (to me) is just less fun. Sure, I might bag a bull which is always the goal, but of course the process is part of the experience. Tough to explain, but the fun is a big part of it. I don't really look forward to my next hunt in real grizzly country. But I'll still go.

 

[Deadfall]

You think they’re still on the moths this late?

They are this year. Bears everywhere. Smiling turning over stuff. Seen one few days ago dug up ground hornets

 

[Deadfall]

FYI. In the spring time bears kill more elk then wolves. Grizz bear sit in calving ground and wait until mom is birthing and can't run. Then swoop in. Can kill many in a day that way.

This year is first time I've had a bear come charging by me and take a run at bull I was working. Weird experience there.

Bears are getting ridiculous thick anymore. If you not have much experience with them. I suggest either hunting with a outfitter or someone that does. If you roaming around in that kind of country