Grizzlies in Colorado?

[Firemedicbkelly]

Just finished up my hunt a few weeks ago in northwest Colorado. Met a local and he was telling me about a big problem they're having with a fast growing black bear population. I told him that I understand that there were no grizzlies in Colorado according to the stuff I have read from the DNR and other sources but he claims he has seen grizzly tracks and his father has actually seen a grizzly years ago. Anybody have any input or data or maybe even an encounter with a grizzly in Colorado?

[dotman]

Well in the 50's the state of CO said the Griz was extinct in CO. In the late 70's an outfitter was mauled by an old sow and he killed it. The sow showed signs of nursing cubs, ranchers have said they have seen Griz through the years. There was a research team that searched for awhile looking but found nothing. A book was written, I can't remember the name of it. CO has some great habitat and to say well no one has killed or been killed by one means there aren't any has already been proven wrong since a man was mauled 25 plus years after listed as not in the state. There will always be sightings, if they are still there there are not many. Talk to any rancher or sheep herder on the San Juan mountains and they will tell you the Griz is still there.

[dotman]

Here you go http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/155566218 ... 21-0863965

[Firemedicbkelly]

Thanks dotman very interesting info. I had no reason to doubt that guy about what he had seen but all the data says there are none and that got me interested into looking a little deeper into it. Thanks again

[dotman]

No prob, now I doubt there are grizzlies in CO and that most sightings are probably color phase big black bears but it is fun to think they might just be.

[one_elk]

Simply no evidence, other than anecdotal, to support the idea that there are Grizzlies in CO. Last one killed was in 1979 by Ed Wiseman. Since that time there have been many efforts to prove that there are more Grizzlies in CO but nobody has been able to do so….

[Firemedicbkelly]

If there are no grizzlies in CO, I wonder what would happen if a hunter encountered one and killed it in self defense to prevent being attacked? Do you think there would be serious consequences since there is no season and they are considered extinct in CO?

[dotman]

You better have a bite or chunk of meat missing from your hide or it could be bad.

[dotman]

Also after being labeled extinct in the 50's and then having a guy mauled in the late 70's they are now listed as probably extinct .

[FireWillie77]

http://www.amazon.com/dp/0964405652?tag ... perkins%2F

Should read this, very good book.

[Firemedicbkelly]

Thanks guys, I have ordered both books and looking forward to reading them. Dotman, I would hate to have to wait till he got some claws and teeth into me to defend myself, but unfortunately you are probably spot on about that.

[BarW]

I saw a very large cinnamon color black bear last year close to our cabin in gunnison that I'm sure could have been mistaken for a griz in the right situation. Would have been a real trophy for someone with a bear tag.

[Bullnuts]

We had a big sow near our camp this year. She was jet black but had yellow streaks coming of her back. Very cool looking bear that could have also been confused with a griz. By the way, wasn't there a grizzly bear spotted up near Granby a few years ago? I remember seeing something on the DOW's website, and a forest ranger or game warden was the one reporting the sighting, but I never heard anything else about it.

[Firemedicbkelly]

Thanks for the replies. I came across one pretty big bear this year but no doubt he was jet black. I was hunting NW CO not too far out of Craig and all the locals were saying the bears were booming because all of the sheep flocks in that area. Makes me wonder if a grizz might end up getting in on some of that easy prey after all the Wyoming border wasn't but about 40 miles away.