Bear Encounters

[WapitiTalk1]

Let's share some bear encounters we've had while camping, hunting, fishing, etc. I've got a few but will let someone else start. Share your bear encounter story please.

[Freebird134]

I've encountered a lot of bears in the woods between hunting and field work, and they have all been boring. There's a bear--there's a bear running away. I wish I had something exciting to add, but I'm looking forward to some good stories.

[Swede]

I have posted my before, but will repeat for those who are new to the forum.

One morning while waiting over a wallow, I saw a bear coming in. It got a drink then walked uphill a few feet where it was hidden form mu sight by a heavily branched young White fir. From my stand I new the bear was staying behind the tree as I could see 360 degrees around it. There was no way for the bear to leave without me seeing it again. Finally the bear came out on the near side of the tree and proceeded to walk over and snif at the ladder that I used to get part way up to my stand. While the bear sniffed at the base ot my tree, I had this biological urge. Soon the bear was being urinated on. It did not stick around long. I still think I heard it say something about reporting me at the next PETA meeting, as it ran over the hill about 100 yards away.

One afternoon in late July, several years ago, I was walking down a narrow game trail about 20 yards ahead of my pastor hunting friend. We were on a scouting trip working through some very dense pine saplings. As I came around a corner in the pine thicket, I saw a very large bear coming up the trail straight at me. Since the trail was narrow and windy, the big bear was only about 10 yards away when I saw it. Because of training I have received, Instantly I threw up my arms, hollered and made a run at the bear. I closed the distance between us to less than 5 yards. The bear up to that point had not noticed me. Instantly it turned off the trail and ran. Right away my pastor friend came up and asked, what was going on? I ran back to a vantage point, and by that time the bear was out of the reprod and heading up hill where we both could see it. At that point my friend said "don't worry if that bear had been on you, I had my knife." I repied, "that is all right. If that bear had not left the trail instantly I was turning around and leaving it for you and your knife."

[Lefty]

Ive developed a mentality about blackbears from my Father-in-law, and really havent had many encounters
But I developed a respect for Grizzlies,.
While bear hunting glassing a meadow I watched as a grizzle feed. A cow and calf mosse entered the meadow.
The grizz tried to get the calf
At the end of the moose/ bear encounter I watched as the bear ran back to the meadow,. OK he was fast. A few hours later I entered the meadow and followed the bears tracks, I soon realized the sage was nearly inpossible to walk through and how tall the sage was. It sent shivers up and down my back how powerfull they must be.
I always carry bear spray in that area, and like a shotgun for added backup
I know Im not at the top of the food chain

[cnelk]

My experience is with black bears only.
And I have so many stories I forgot most of them.
Growing up in the sticks of N Minnesota, bears were in our yard, after our cattle, in our grain, everywhere!
I have chased cubs up trees, shot bears from trees, fields, and over bait.
I was probably 10 when I helped take one

Out here in Colorado, I see bears fairly frequently while camping or hunting.
During archery season of 2011, my son and I were cow calling and this beautiful cream colored bear came RUNNING in.
Not a sound was make by it. My son was behind me and the bear came within 3 steps of me on his way to my son's calling.

I drew, and hollered 'Hey bear' it stopped and spun around and took off.

I do know that if I ever get the chance to urinate on one, I probably won't forget it... too funny

[WapitiTalk1]

I'll never forget my first real, up close, bear encounter. I was sent grouse hunting when I was 12 or 13 years old behind my uncle’s place in Marten City, MT. I was carrying a brand new Savage .22/20 gauge over and under my dad had bought for my brothers and me. I was feeling very large and in charge, packing this awesome piece of weaponry. I had a pocket full of .22 rounds and a ½ dozen 20 gauge shells; I was ready for anything and was in “the zone”, until I approached a very large downed tree across the trail I was traveling. The thing was huge, probably four feet off the ground. I did the right thing, what I’d learned in hunter’s safety, and commenced to unload my weapon of mass destruction and would place it butt first over the log and then crawl over myself. As I reached over the tree and started lowering the butt of my rifle, a small, skinny black bear stood up directly on the other side of the tree. Holy crap We were almost nose to nose! Well, both youngsters bolted to parts unknown in opposite directions on that Montana game trail, me dragging the formerly unscratched Savage behind me (still gripping it by the tip of the barrel). The huge bear (he got bigger as the incident went on) and I stopped about the same time and looked back at each other after we’d both ran what we considered a safe distance. We both had a great story to tell our dads when we returned home that night. I had to explain how the gun got scratched, and, why one of the shotgun shells was missing when I had no grouse to show for it. Well, I had to fire one shot in the air to make sure that man-eater kept going, right?

[pointysticks]

one time my buddies dad got a call from the game warden. the warden asked if he had a bear tag and if was interested in shooting a nuisance bear. heck yes!!

my friend wearing flipflops, went along with two hunters. the bear was raiding a local hotel dumpster and making a mess. the two hunters split up..one down one trail, one down the other. flipflop friend waited at the car. flipflop saw the bear coming!! it was a big light colored black bear. flipflop ran out of the car, and corraled it down the trail he knew his dad went down. he said he was hooping and hollering, waving his arms, playing "corral the bear" the bear finally ran down the correct trail. few minutes later..BOOM!! big lever action fired. bear down! that bear tasted awful. like garbage.

black bears dont bother me. i once was about 25 yards from one at full draw..kicking myself for not buying a bear tag. flipflop was with me and he was very annoyed with me, for not having a tag. 100% of my encounters, the bear is more scared of me, than i am of him.

[Swede]

Garbage dump bears taste terrible. Bears that forage on rotting salmon are worse. Rule of thumb: never accept any bear meat from a person who says they or their family don't care for it. Forest bears are generally just fine to eat, but I have never shot one. I keep saying I will someday, but I always pass. Notice to all bears who are out of hibernation and reading this: Don't press your luck.

[buglmin]

New Mexico, 2007, in the Gila. My cousin and I had stopped the truck to look over this water hole. We grabbed our bows and headed down to the pond. There was a lot of elk sign, but it was all on the west side, opposite the dam. For some reason, my cousincow called a few times, and out of the corner of my eye, I seen something move. I turned to see as this huge black bear came running down the hill towards us, some 40 yards off. I told my cousin, 'bear, bear', as i knocked an arrow and dropped to my knees...mistake number one... Tim seen the bear and took several steps down the dam towards the pond, 12 yards below me. I seen the bear disappear in the over flow ditch, and calf called...mistake number two...the next thing I knew, the bear came up running over the dam, seen me kneeling there, and reared up on his hind legs. At four steps, I actually shot up into him, catching him in the center of the chest between the front legs...at the shot, the bear dropped down and lunged towards me...I jumped to my feet, grabbed another arrow, and as the bear turned, hit him again...the bear turned and ran, then came back. At 20 yards, tim shot him, catching him below the chin and driving the arrow into the neck, hitting the spine....To this day, i cant figure out why I dropped to my knees when I seen the bear running at us....
The next year, 2008, in the Gila, while working a bull, a bear came into us. I was shooting a compound that day, kneeling down in front of a huge pine tree. As the bear came around a tree, I sucked the bow back, planted the 20 yard pin, and released. The lower limb slammed into my left knee, the arrow went sailing off, and I rolled on the ground thinking I just broke my knee...

2002, here in Colorado...my dad and i are sitting over this pond, waiting for bear. I'm shooting a brand new Kieth Chastain recurve and some cedar arrows I'd just finished that day. Anways, after being there for a few hours, this pretty 300# bear comes into the pond...I reach for my bow, and as the bear stops to look around 20 yards away, I pick a spot, and suck the bow back...just as I reach anchor, the broadhead hits the bow riser, and the broadhead falls to the ground...
Late 80's, and Im working for Judd cooney...we hit a track early in the morning and the dogs take off. Bout two hours later, we find the dogs fighting the bear on the ground...big bastard, easliy over 350#...have him backed up against a big spruce tree with two lil trees on each side of him..Judd takes the guy and pushes him towards the bear/dog fight. At under 15 yards, the guy draws his bow and misses the bear three times...the guy only has one arrow left!! Judd leaves the guy there, and circles the bear coming up behind him. Judd reachs over and pulls out an arrow sticking in the ground between the bears feet, walks back to the guy thats standing there shaking, hands him the arrow, and tells the guy,"You have to get the next one"...the guy didnt miss his forth shot!!

[Peter Rost]

Hunting in CO.last year, I'm cow calling, hiding in a brush pile, a sow and two cubs came to me, when she saw me, the cubs went up a tree, she was giving me a hard look. I ease up, put my pack on,back away, and said, have a nice day, cubs came down. We all went our own way.

[Indian Summer]

I took my wife to Alaska for some R&R and we decided to go to Katmai and see Brooks Falls. So we're walking down a bear trail (I know... what did I expect) and as we look ahead a grizzly is coming the other way on the same trail at about 60 yards and closing fast. I know better than to run but I didn't stop either. I kept facing him and started walking backward the way I had come. He was coming faster though but I don't think he actually saw us yet. Maybe he did because when he got to about 30 yards he cut off the trail, did a semi circle around us, and got right back on the trail and kept going.

We had a short conversation after that that I can't repeat.

I live for that stuff! (not the conversation)

I have to say... 30 yards is close but I'll take that over seeing a shark fin while I'm swimming. I'm afraid of sharks.

[bnsafe]

not much of a story but ive always wanted to see a bear and have never got it done despite being in minnesota bear hunting. so, i know not to put food around the camp but i thought there really wasnt a bear in the country so we unpacked our stuff for a base camp then took off and hunted for a couple days. when we got back a bear had demolished our coolers and ate most our food. the coolers were setting against the tent. that night i heard a growl outside the tent. i never saw the bear, however, when i got back i was looking through my pics and have one in the dark with 2 eyes shining on it. i know i didnt take the pic and my cousin says he didnt take it so i can only guess one of us was sleep walking or something and took a pic of the bear. it is a really freaky pic.

[Vanish]

I've encountered a lot of bears in the woods between hunting and field work, and they have all been boring. There's a bear--there's a bear running away. I wish I had something exciting to add, but I'm looking forward to some good stories.

Yup pretty much the same!

Elk hunting this year we dropped over a ridge... Holy **** there's a bear at 15 yards! Hey where did he go?

Last year we called in a bear with our cow calls ... guess I was still learning

[Indian Summer]

About 6 years ago we were cruising for lion tracks. Came around a corner and there in the snow was what was left of a small bear (I guess) that a pack of wolves had dragged out of it's den and tore it to shreds. Shreds I tell ya! It was a gruesome scene and we couldn't help but imagine the rude awakening and what followed! Poor bugger. Really made me mad at those damn wolves!!! Madder that is.

[WapitiTalk1]

Six or seven years ago I was hunting a WA wilderness area with a buddy. It was his turn to locate bugle. He got a hit right away and we moved down a small finger ridge to get closer and get into a position that would possibly work. I set up 40 yards or so ahead of my partner and he threw out some cow talk. Another answer, off to my right but much closer. It was mid afternoon and the winds were swirling. As quick as it started, it ended with the lone bull crashing off. I saw his butt moving over the adjacent finger ridge as he departed the area. Was just getting ready to move back up towards my partner (game over) and heard a light "splish/splash" in the small stream down to my left. Huh.. maybe the game is still on.. I may be between some cows (left) and a bull (right) .. The wind was screwed (swirling) so I figured what the heck, and moved quickly down a small game trail towards the splish/splash. Well, a small cub bawled and bolted across the trail 25 yards in front of my.. (left to right).. I could hear it scratch, scratch, scratching as it climbed a dead snag.. This all happended in second.. And then, "she" came out of the lower wet area, crashing first through the brush then bluff charging up the trail towards me sideways.. At 15 or so yards away, I held my bow high over my head screaming at the top of my lungs "HEY, HEY, HEY".. She stopped, swung her head back and forth a bit and moved back down the trail.. Then, another bluff charge.. Geez.. I was getting tired of this.. Same reaction by me "HEY, HEY, HEY"... at the top of my lungs.. She finally left through the brush towards the cub. I retreated back up the trail. When I bumped into Joe, he had the look of "what in the hell are you doing" on his face. He hadn't seen or heard anything from his position.. Fun times.