Grizzlies

wyosteve

WKR
Joined
Jul 1, 2014
Messages
2,086
I've hunted the Yellowstone area since 1984. Beginning in 1995, I've seen/had grizzlies from 35 yds. to 1/2 mile away all those years except last year. The 35 yd. encounter was when we were cutting up a moose we shot. It was a sow with 2 cubs. As soon as she recognized we were human she buggered off. All the other encounters were similar. When the bear smelled or recognized a human they took off. These are bears that have never been hunted. Most bear attacks/maulings occur under 2 scenarios--a sow with cubs in a surprise encounter or coming unexpectedly on a bear that is feeding on a kill or gut pile. As mentioned above, black bears and grizzlies in Alaska have always been hunted and yet there are attacks/maulings every year. The Park Service in Yellowstone tries to chase off bears by firing 'cracker' shotshells at them. It can work on some bears, but many don't learn. Bottom line imo-hunting won't change the scenario on bears! The comment about slightly wounding it is nonsensical in that what hunter wants to go and slightly wound a bear. Yes, killing one will prevent it from any problems down the road, but how does that educate other bears? If doesn't!
 

MtnOyster

WKR
Joined
May 2, 2017
Messages
388
Location
Kentucky
They kill people too but I'd rather take my chances with a black bear, at least I'd feel like I had a chance weather I did or didn't, grizzleys........I wouldn't take any chances with it if encountered, they should be hunted, numbers cut down and those that are wounded and live through it won't be running to a gun shot like it's a dinner bell, they'll run the other way.
 

ceng

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Mar 29, 2013
Messages
275
Perhaps the reduction of bear aggressiveness would be a result of the most fearless grizzlies beig harvested with a hunting season. So maybe the result would be less aggressive more skitish bears being a higher majority of the population. Survival of the fittest and all. Once there's a hunting season.
 

Nomad

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
May 19, 2016
Messages
265
Location
West Texas
Elk are a prey animal. Grizzlies are an apex predator. To try and assimilate behavioral patterns between them is probably not going to be all that accurate.

The only way I see a hunting season lessening the occurrence of grizzly attacks is by reducing the overall number of bears.

Great points
 
Joined
Apr 14, 2014
Messages
1,067
Location
Helena, MT
Primarily hunt and killed a good bull last fall very close the the border of YNP. I only care bear spray aside from my rifle, mostly because I don't practice enough to be effective with a handgun. Had my brother help process about half of the elk. While working on the first half, I would stop periodically and give a good look around (pretty open sage brush hillside). Didn't see any bears as we broke down and hauled the quarters down the hill to cool by the creek. I left my sweaty zip t on top of the meat and took a few good leaks around and headed back to camp. Came back the next day to haul it out and meat was undisturbed. My other buddy was walking around above the kill the previous day (probably 200 yards up the hill) and said he saw some pretty fresh tracks. I headed back to town that evening and he stayed the rest of the week. He did end up seeing a sow with cubs but nothing to be alarmed about. Still haven't seen a bear up there myself and done some pretty hairy nighttime bushwacking.

TL;DR: I don't hunt the area with fear of bears. Be smart, keep your wits about you and hunt just like any other area.
 
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