Yikes--Yellowstone region bear fatality

Yellowstone area grizzly fatality

Mama not raising the young'ns right. Sheesh.

What a tragedy... And as for the survivors, how terrifying that situation must have been for them. Considering my location, when I am in a tent, I am in serious bear country almost all of the time. I'd be lying if I said the thought of something like this possibly happening to me or someone I know had never crossed my mind.

I saw Jack Hanna talking about this. He said the bears would come back and sure enough, they did. The rangers caught the mom and two cubs; one got away.

I sawa another story about him using bear spray to fight off a cub that attacked him and his wife a short while ago. He had one of those big cans of what looked like Counter Assault. He said he had to spray the bear 3 times, the last as close as 10 feet.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/07/28/earlyshow/main6720870.shtml

They seem to have gotten the third cub and have euthanized the mother. The cubs may go to zoos--evidently momma taught them too much about preying on humans. Story

This seems to be one of those exceptionally rare instances where someone successfuly used bear spray against a bear. Its good to know that it might work against a large male griz. I have camped in the wilds of alaska, along the 40 mile river in Dawson country, and along the Kenai Penn. The bears out there are as big as pickup trucks... When something that big is sniffing around your tent at night you lay real still...
And the idea of unzipping the door and turning on a flashlight just doesn't seem reasonable, then what? I know its a gun safety violation but in Alaska I slept with my rifle next to me with a full magazine and one chambered. The chambered one was questionable but necesary for quiet operation. I'm glad I never had to shoot a bear. The Alaskans prefer a .44 6 shooter because it saves bears as you can wait for the bear to be at point blank range before you have to shoot so if it stops its charge say ten feet away, it lives, and so do you. Other Alaskans say a even a large caliber powerful rifle is not much insurance. I think your body language and fear are really major constituents of how any bear responds to you. And a secret - the bears I have encountered hate the landslide sound - a rock banging down. So pick up a rock, a big one, and instead of throwing it at the bear, throw it down hard at your feet, and I'll bet you the bear backs off, especially if you hit your toe and scream and dance for him.
Jim YMMV

lol, sorry to laugh at your painful story there Kev. A good one at that. Its amazing how potent capsacian is.

I have only come in contact with black bears and they are pretty timid. Its definitely true to make lots of noise and make yourself seem a lot bigger than you really are. Now with a grizzly, I would love to think I could keep my calm, but jeez, a pick up truck with talons, idk it sure would be tough.

Was hiking around Bozeman about a week ago. Would probably go again in a second. Bears scare me, but a thunderstorm moved through, with lightning, and you should have seen some of the driving of the people I was with. In the lower 48 at least, and perhaps Alaska as well, hypothermia is perhaps a more reasonable fear. Bears are very spectacular, but I do not think they are the biggest threat.

Was talking to an old gentleman who had spent a lot of time outdoors and I believe was volunteering for the Forest Service in the Wind River Range when I ran in to him last time I backpacked there. He said there had been 30 fatalities to moose in theat area in the last 75 years and one to a grizzly. Granted, I don't know that that was grizzly country at the time, but my point is there are other, albeit less spectacular, dangers in the wilderness and lets not get too caught up in bears. Friend's brother died snowmobiling in that region. Probably never made the news much. May have had a heart attack, though.

Hiked with my cousins husband who grew up in Billings. He's never seen a bear of any kind on the trail in his life.

You've got it. Death by bear is a spectacular, news attentive way to exit, but we are more likely to croak from falls, drowning, or weather extremes. Bees kill many more people than bears.

Amen.

I hike in grizzly country all the time. I meet them semi-frequently. I carry bear spray, I give them their space.

I worry a *lot* more (and had a close call coming back from a hike in jasper last night) about the lunatics on the road driving to and from the trailhead than I do bears. If hiking kills me, odds are it will be in my car getting to or from it.

Does that mean I don't take proper bear precautions? No, of course I do. but that's as much to protect the bear as it is me.