Running into bears

[davesilva]

Any of you guys ever run into bears on your fly fishing adventures?

If so let's hear your stories!

Just this fall I had a run in with a grizzly in hinton while white tail hunting man oh man thank god I was walking back to the truck I couldn't imagine how scary it is to be on an isolated stream running into one

[edmhunter]

I have not run into one yet, but after reading the story of the guy that was killed by a grizz, I think it was around Pincher Creek area while fly fishing, I now carry a defender on my back when I am fly fishing for grayling and stuff in grizz county.

An ounce of prevention (in the form of lead) is worth 10 million pounds of cure!

Those grizz sure do intensify any outing don't they?

[honda450]

This one snuck up on me while setting up a game cam. No gun, no spray, no nothing, and nowhere to go. He was within 10 feet of me. WMU 400.

Took this pic as he slowly walked away. I jumped on my quad and got the hell out of there.

I seen him a few days later as well.

[58thecat]

When I was a kid fishing on remote lakes on Vancouver island we would constantly run into black bears. This became the norm in which now looking back I think we got too comfortable. I did have a few times in which I had a stringer of cuthtroats tied off to the shore only to have a bold black bear walk in and grab the stringer not 10 feet away from me but one swat with my fishing rod and a stern verbal bashing sent them running, like I said we were a little too comfortable around them. Now I would lay down a barrage of pepper spray, bear bangers going off all over the place and I would sprint the 5 km back to the truck...or keep fishing!

[honda450]

Here is one that wouldn't leave me alone. Ripped up my quad seat too. But he paid for it. hehe

[densa44]

I was standing in the Bartibog in New Brunswick on a beautiful summer day, wearing running shoes and blue jeans while I waded the river (stream) I was standing in the middle of the river on a gravel bar when the alder bushes to my left began moving a lot and I could hear crashing. I got a good grip in my new trusty $10 CTC glass fly rod and waited for the bear to appear.

Although the Bartibog would never be considered a big river by Canadian standards, it does make its own noise as it rushes to the sea. The black bear came out of the alders about 75 M down stream of where I was standing. I had my silk fly line back on the reel and was as ready as I could be to beat a hasty retreat.

In those days I had never heard of a bear attacking people, I was more concerned about a bull moose that I had seen earlier, but never the less, I was pretty close to a bear.

As he crossed the river he became aware of my presence and hit high gear as he ran through the shallow water and crashed into the alders on the bank. That was it, first and last bear sighting.

I did catch a few nice brook trout and one sea trout.

[J D]

I have an agreement with bears don't bother me and I don't eat them

[edmhunter]

Originally Posted by 58thecat

When I was a kid fishing on remote lakes on Vancouver island we would constantly run into black bears. This became the norm in which now looking back I think we got too comfortable. I did have a few times in which I had a stringer of cuthtroats tied off to the shore only to have a bold black bear walk in and grab the stringer not 10 feet away from me but one swat with my fishing rod and a stern verbal bashing sent them running, like I said we were a little too comfortable around them. Now I would lay down a barrage of pepper spray, bear bangers going off all over the place and I would sprint the 5 km back to the truck...or keep fishing!

When you are young you have no concept of death and feel invincible, when you are older you want to make your stay on this little blue ball last as long as possible! hehe

[rottik9]

My oh f&%* moment came in Cape Breton salmon fishing ...no bear, a cow moose with her little one. I became very religious for a short time.

[Weedy1]

The Story of Weedy1 and the Three Bears

Once upon a time, there was a little boy named Weedy1. He went for a walk in the forest. Pretty soon, he came upon a house. He knocked and, when no one answered, he walked right in.

At the table in the kitchen, there were three flasks of whiskey. Weedy1 was thirsty. He tasted the whiskey from the first flask.
"This whiskey is too dry!" he exclaimed.
So, he tasted the whiskey from the second flask.
" This whiskey is too sweet!” he said
So, he tasted the last flask of whiskey.
"Ahhh, this whiskey is just right," he said happily and he drank it all down.
After he'd drank the three bears' whiskey he decided he was feeling a little ****ed. So, he stumbled into the living room where he saw three chairs. Weedy1 landed head first into the first chair to rest his feet.
"This chair smells like bear dung!" he exclaimed.
So he wobbled over to the second chair.
"This chair smells like bear urine!" he whined.
So he tried the last and smallest chair.
"Ahhh, this chair is just right," he sighed. But just as he settled down into the chair to rest, it broke into pieces!
Weedy1 was very hammered by this time, so he went upstairs to the bedroom. He lay down in the first bed, but it started spinning. Then he lay in the second bed, but it was rolling. Then he lay down in the third bed and it was just right. Weedy1 fell asleep.

As he was sleeping, the three bears came home.
"Someone's been drinking my whiskey," growled the Papa bear.
"Someone's been drinking my whiskey," said the Mama bear.
"Someone's been drinking my whiskey and they drank it all up!" cried the Baby bear.
"Someone's been sitting in my chair," growled the Papa bear.
"Someone's been sitting in my chair," said the Mama bear.
"Someone threw up in my chair and they've broken it all to pieces," cried the Baby bear.

They decided to look around some more and when they got upstairs to the bedroom, Papa bear growled, "Someone's been sleeping in my bed,"
"Someone's been sleeping in my bed, too" said the Mama bear
"Someone's threw up in my bed and he's still there!" exclaimed Baby bear.

Just then, Weedy1 woke up and saw the three bears. He screamed, "Help!" As he jumped up, he pulled out his Smith & Wesson S&W500 and blew each of the bears heads clean off. Weedy1 ran down the stairs, opened the door, and ran away into the forest. And he never returned to the home of the three bears.

THE END

(True story)

[edmhunter]

AWESOME!

[Taco]

All I ever see of bears is the as send

[Weedy1]

Originally Posted by Taco

All I ever see of bears is the as send

Wrong forum Taco

[Taco]

Oh! This is the bear paranoia fantasy forum? And all this time I thought that was over in general discussion and hunting

[Tomcatchesallthefish]

i am curious, what do you guys keep with you are out hiking to creek or a lake for protection against animals like bear or wildcat? I have spray, but I look for other things too.

[Taco]

I carry my wits, don't wanna be scared witless

[Flieguy]

Spray is awesome, I carry it everywhere.

12ga full of 3" magnum foster slugs sometimes in case of high winds or those rare occasions when you positively need something dead.

If I could only have one I'd take the bear spray, both have their limitations though.


I've never had a real bear encounter on the river, if I'm alone I'll hum to myself and make a bit of noise, or if I'm with someone I'll carry on some conversation.

[davesilva]

Yeah you guys are pretty brave, I'm not so used to bear country mainly hunt the farm lands and praries

But fly fishing is bringing me to bear country and after seeing that grizzly it was an eye opener

I'm definitely going to carry spray and my 12 guage

[bbqmeat]

Always a can of spray and also a few bear bangers with the launcher. I wouldn't mind picking up the screamer cartridges because I've heard they work better than the bangers. Also one of my buddies carries an air horn and it works well because you can honk on that thing for as long as you need

[davesilva]

Originally Posted by honda450

This one snuck up on me while setting up a game cam. No gun, no spray, no nothing, and nowhere to go. He was within 10 feet of me. WMU 400.

Took this pic as he slowly walked away. I jumped on my quad and got the hell out of there.

I seen him a few days later as well.

Pretty close to waterton hey?

[Taco]

Originally Posted by honda450

This one snuck up on me while setting up a game cam. No gun, no spray, no nothing, and nowhere to go. He was within 10 feet of me. WMU 400.

Took this pic as he slowly walked away. I jumped on my quad and got the hell out of there.

I seen him a few days later as well.

Honda, he wearin' a collar he's halter broke for cry's sake.

Had a big boar keep me awake for 3 nights and follow me around for 4 days at the top of the Old Man drainage back in the late 70's. Big ass followed me to main camp when I went down to get some sleep on night 4. P rick didn't want me poachin' his sheep.

[J D]

Originally Posted by davesilva

Yeah you guys are pretty brave, I'm not so used to bear country mainly hunt the farm lands and praries

But fly fishing is bringing me to bear country and after seeing that grizzly it was an eye opener

I'm definitely going to carry spray and my 12 guage

Does not hurt to have spray or bangers and 99% of time I would say bangers are enough. I have no problem with someone packing a 12 gauge but use it wisely as you may get your self in more trouble than just a bear encounter.

Respect the bears and give them space when you can most don't want a problem with you either. Using your head is better than anything you carry.

I have bow hunted both black and grizz spot&stalk along with many days in bear country I am still here. I don't stress about bear protection but focus on using my head.

You are more likely to trip and break your leg or drown wading then a bear chewing on you

Don't stress too much and enjoy your time fishing.

[edmhunter]

Originally Posted by Taco

Oh! This is the bear paranoia fantasy forum? And all this time I thought that was over in general discussion and hunting

Paranoia eh? Can you explain this then?

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=...08F0C026F855BA

I say carry a Mossy 88 Defender with 3" magnum slugs, because I have not learned martial arts yet!

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by edmhunter

Paranoia eh? Can you explain this then?

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=...08F0C026F855BA

I say carry a Mossy 88 Defender with 3" magnum shells, because I have not learned martial arts yet!

Lay and spray I say...lead that is!

[Taco]

Originally Posted by edmhunter

Paranoia eh? Can you explain this then?

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=...08F0C026F855BA

I say carry a Mossy 88 Defender with 3" magnum slugs, because I have not learned martial arts yet!

I like how the first thing that pops up in your link is a vid of a man stealin' salmon from grizzlies by kickin' them in the nuts. It must be true. I seen it on the Internet.



More people are killed by cops than by bears every yr, I ain't overly afraid of cops either.

[Rdamours]

I carry an 870 with 18.5 barrel on my back with 5 extra buckshot slug mix on the side of the receiver. I have seen them down the road but luckily not near by.

[edmhunter]

Originally Posted by Taco

I like how the first thing that pops up in your link is a vid of a man stealin' salmon from grizzlies by kickin' them in the nuts. It must be true. I seen it on the Internet.



More people are killed by cops than by bears every yr, I ain't overly afraid of cops either.

Ya but there is a huge difference between killed by a bear and a cop. The bear will eat you alive, the cops will shoot you. Personally I would rather be shot then eaten!

[Taco]

You ain't the bowhunter I ran into on Willow Creek are you? He was carryin' a bow, a shotgun, pepper spray and about a 14" bowie knife. I'm sittin' in the shadows under the trees restin'. Me and my pepper spray and fly rod walked in about 7 km and had almost fished all the way back to the truck by dusk. He comes stillhuntin' up the middle of the trail, mind you the trail is an old road and at least 20 metres wide. Spooked him somewhat when I asked him if he'd seen anything shootable, for a while I thought he was gonna drop everything and run. He seemed right insulted when I asked if he packing enough equipment. Told me the wilderness was a dangerous place and you couldn't be too careful whilst I was standin' there with my pepper spray, flyrod and a bagful of dead brookies

[Flieguy]

There was a cool study done on bear spray in Alaska, here's the gist.


from Smith et al. 2008 "Efficacy of Bear Deterrent Spray in Alaska":

"Of all persons carrying sprays, 98% were uninjured by bears in close-range encounters. All bear-inflicted injuries (n = 3) associated with defensive spraying involved brown bears and were relatively minor (i.e., no hospitalization required). In 7% (5 of 71) of bear spray incidents, wind was reported to have interfered with spray accuracy, although it reached the bear in all cases."

[edmhunter]

Originally Posted by Taco

You ain't the bowhunter I ran into on Willow Creek are you? He was carryin' a bow, a shotgun, pepper spray and about a 14" bowie knife. I'm sittin' in the shadows under the trees restin'. Me and my pepper spray and fly rod walked in about 7 km and had almost fished all the way back to the truck by dusk. He comes stillhuntin' up the middle of the trail, mind you the trail is an old road and at least 20 metres wide. Spooked him somewhat when I asked him if he'd seen anything shootable, for a while I thought he was gonna drop everything and run. He seemed right insulted when I asked if he packing enough equipment. Told me the wilderness was a dangerous place and you couldn't be too careful whilst I was standin' there with my pepper spray, flyrod and a bagful of dead brookies

Nope don't even know where that is. Don't carry big knives or pepper spray just my rod and if I am in Grizz country my Mossy 88. When I fly fish for Atlantic salmon in the Gaspe, all I call are my dry flies and a bottle of good scotch.