Grizzly Attack - Gardiner, MT area

[muted]

Pretty good place to run into a Grizz, especially hunting. One of many, many who ran into one or saw one hunting around there, but one of very few who got attacked unfortunately. Looks like yer friend got off pretty good actually, hope he recovers well! Not sure why this went viral?!

[AK47bp]

Just had my evening dog walk cut short by a large black bear trashing my neighborhood. Need to remember to get some bear spray. These bears have no fear of humans, humans mean trash, trash means food.


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[GoldMember]

I know that guy! He was the generationally unaware guy that stalked young skiers at the Schweitzer bar. He was kind of a coach without a team. Glad he is OK

He used to hold freeride camps there and also ran the Outrageous Air shows there and other locations. He was always looking for good, young skiers he could bring into the shows. He now makes TV shows and is still scouting for good, young skiers for that. Old guys like me timed out.

[Slopetime]

Just had my evening dog walk cut short by a large black bear trashing my neighborhood. Need to remember to get some bear spray. These bears have no fear of humans, humans mean trash, trash means food.

some more than others.

[GoldMember]

Please, don't attract DSM into this...

too late

Damn...

[St. Jerry]

Snopes says this story is true. I guess I can believe you now. https://www.snopes.com/ap/2018/10/15...h-yellowstone/

[neckdeep]

Hell you'd be safer than ever. What are the chances of a second attack ?

The chances are determined by where one goes and at what times of the year one goes there. There are places I used to fish in the spring that I simply will not go into anymore because now there's too damn many grizzlies fresh out of their dens. Ungulates tend follow the path of least resistance downslope when they are dying in the winter and the carrion often ends up down near the water. Hungry bears searching for their first big meal of spring plus the very real possibility of winterkill along the banks....uh, no thanks, I'll go fishing somewhere else....

You got to spot the danger zones.

In early to mid-summer, this is a danger zone. Looks peaceful, but there could be a grizz on its daybed anywhere nearby this wet alpine meadow. It's got water, lots of bear food and places to sleep. You'd be smart to disturb that peaceful meadow by making noise when you are in it.


This is the next big danger zone. Lodge pole pine forest on north facing slopes means huckleberries. The chances of stumbling across a bear on its daybed soar if you are here in berry season. The sight lines under the canopy usually leave you at a disadvantage, so make some noise every few minutes.


In August, over half the grizzly population of GYE is up high flipping rocks from sun up to sun down. If you are near a talus slope at 9000 feet, stay on your toes. There's not much water up there so if you are pitching your tent next to a water source surrounded by talus slopes, keep that in mind.


In the fall, if you are near elk, you are in the danger zone. When the natural food sources diminish in fall, a lot of grizzlies have learned that by hanging around elk herds, they can score gut piles. An elk gut pile is 75lbs of pure protein and fat. To a hungry bear in October, it is life or death. Leaving gut piles is kinda like sprinkling piles of crack cocaine around the yard; don't be surprised when a bunch of junkies show up and start knifing people. That's why so many hunters get mauled; they are going to where the bears are looking for food. You might be walking ground that another hunter recently butchered on. Making noise isn't going to help because now you are dealing with bears in full on hyperphagia. This is the time when bears move to the sound of gun fire. This is the time when bears will readily attack pairs or trios of people, something they usually don't do.

You know, if you get hit by lightning and then you make a habit of standing on the high ground during thunderstorms, chances are very good you'll end up being hit again. Statistics are rendered meaningless by one's choices.

[splittin]

Good info neckdeep and glad the guys survived.

[Slopetime]

The chances are determined by where one goes and at what times of the year one goes there. There are places I used to fish in the spring that I simply will not go into anymore because now there's too damn many grizzlies fresh out of their dens. Ungulates tend follow the path of least resistance downslope when they are dying in the winter and the carrion often ends up down near the water. Hungry bears searching for their first big meal of spring plus the very real possibility of winterkill along the banks....uh, no thanks, I'll go fishing somewhere else....

You got to spot the danger zones.

In early to mid-summer, this is a danger zone. Looks peaceful, but there could be a grizz on its daybed anywhere nearby this wet alpine meadow. It's got water, lots of bear food and places to sleep. You'd be smart to disturb that peaceful meadow by making noise when you are in it.


This is the next big danger zone. Lodge pole pine forest on north facing slopes means huckleberries. The chances of stumbling across a bear on its daybed soar if you are here in berry season. The sight lines under the canopy usually leave you at a disadvantage, so make some noise every few minutes.


In August, over half the grizzly population of GYE is up high flipping rocks from sun up to sun down. If you are near a talus slope at 9000 feet, stay on your toes. There's not much water up there so if you are pitching your tent next to a water source surrounded by talus slopes, keep that in mind.


In the fall, if you are near elk, you are in the danger zone. When the natural food sources diminish in fall, a lot of grizzlies have learned that by hanging around elk herds, they can score gut piles. An elk gut pile is 75lbs of pure protein and fat. To a hungry bear in October, it is life or death. Leaving gut piles is kinda like sprinkling piles of crack cocaine around the yard; don't be surprised when a bunch of junkies show up and start knifing people. That's why so many hunters get mauled; they are going to where the bears are looking for food. You might be walking ground that another hunter recently butchered on. Making noise isn't going to help because now you are dealing with bears in full on hyperphagia. This is the time when bears move to the sound of gun fire. This is the time when bears will readily attack pairs or trios of people, something they usually don't do.

You know, if you get hit by lightning and then you make a habit of standing on the high ground during thunderstorms, chances are very good you'll end up being hit again. Statistics are rendered meaningless by one's choices.

Damn, if you're gonna bring facts to the table. Seriously though uber interesting stuff, thanks.

[iceman]

What are they looking for up there flipping rocks?

[TAFKALVS]

What are they looking for up there flipping rocks?

I would imagine marmots, ground squirrels, pika and mice.

[Norseman]

Moths and buggies

[2FUNKY]

Moths and buggies

Yup. Insect larvae as well. It’s amazing how many moths bears eat for their diet.

[dunfree]

1/2 calorie per moth adds up if you eat them by the thousand.

[babybear]

all the old fallen logs around here get torn apart by the bears looking for the delicious larva

and here's an excellent video of them flipping the rocks for moths
cutworm moths are what they seek up in the scree fields and is an improtant food source for them before winter hibernation

[lifelinksplit]

Its pretty damn impressive watching them flip huge rocks(from a distance). More than once heard a bunch of rockfall and thought goats but saw griz, again, from a distance thankfully.

[snapt]

I archery hunt, forage huckleberries, fish, and bird hunt in prime brown and black bear habitat a fair amount. It's not lost on me that a good portion of that goes against being 'bear aware'. I do what I can to mitigate the risk but I suppose its like surfing in white shark territory, there's only so much you can do but ultimately the only way to mitigate the risk completely is not to go at all.

Cool critters, I like having them around.

[GoldMember]

Wow, the results of my friend's FB post are pretty interesting. It seems that the vegans in the UK have organized and are raising holy hell in the comments. One after another wishing the bear had finished the job, tons of pure vitriol and hatred toward hunting. With 8,700 comments and over 16,000 shares, it seems he's become the poster child for everything they despise and strike out against. In checking some of the poster's FB pages, it seems like 90% are from UK. Weird. And what a bunch of haters.

[AK47bp]

Ah, hunting eh? The sport of kings and noblemen.


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[mall walker]

Wow, the results of my friend's FB post are pretty interesting. It seems that the vegans in the UK have organized and are raising holy hell in the comments. One after another wishing the bear had finished the job, tons of pure vitriol and hatred toward hunting. With 8,700 comments and over 16,000 shares, it seems he's become the poster child for everything they despise and strike out against. In checking some of the poster's FB pages, it seems like 90% are from UK. Weird. And what a bunch of haters.

they're jealous that their forebears already killed everything on that island more dangerous than a squirrel

[mall walker]

more seriously though, nobody should have their fb privacy set to public.

[GoldMember]

more seriously though, nobody should have their fb privacy set to public.

You're right about that. Having not experienced a reaction like that before, I don't know that he anticipated the lunatics on the fringe. Makes me want to delete my account, except that I do keep everything I post limited to friends unless it's something related to my job that I want to get out to the public for specific reasons.

[stuckathuntermtn]

Just had my evening dog walk cut short by a large black bear trashing my neighborhood. Need to remember to get some bear spray. These bears have no fear of humans, humans mean trash, trash means food.


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What kind of pussy little ankle biter can't chase off a black bear?

[Talisman]

What kind of pussy little ankle biter can't chase off a black bear?

Apparently at least one Rutgers student as a NJ black bear killed one in 2014.

[AK47bp]

What kind of pussy little ankle biter can't chase off a black bear?

Whatcha talkin bout champ?


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