The grizzlies have just started to move into the Wind Rivers and sightings have been in the 9000-ft range. I too have heard of the moth eating - it is a really big event in the Beartooth Mountains of southern Montana. I have run into enough black bear in the Sierra that I at least have some idea of their behavior. Do grizzlies have a "typical behavoir" or is their behavior regional? Thanks for the mother-cub warning for higher altitudes.
I'm betting they have "habitat" behavoir - Grizzlies in the Rrockies behave differently than grizzlies on the BC coast - (who, like the Alaska bears have salmon runs to live off) some things won't change (like adult males killing cubs, moms trying to protect them, etc.)
I'm betting Grizz in the Winds would be a *lot* like the Grizz where I am.
While I'd be "concerned" about the mom and cub thing up high, the flip side is, I'd waaay rather encounter them in the alpine - they can see and hear you a long way off, and often, the reason they are up there is to *avoid* big things - I've never encountered them where they didn't just take off.
I have had big males where we've seen him walking down the trail at the end of the pass (toward us), made noise, made ourselves visible, and he looks at us.. and just keeps walking.... eventually we walk off the trail up the side of a hill a few hundred yards.. and he just keeps walking on down the trail past us.... "don't mess with me" sort of attitude.. we gave him the trail and all was well.
Do you carry the smaller bear spray can or the large one? I have a Counter-Assult 8 oz (2%) and a UDAP 6.3 oz (10%). The UDAP is actually in a larger cannister. Unfortunately both are past thier expiration dates (2008). I suppose I have to buy another - any suggestion of what is best?
I carry this:
http://www.mec.ca/AST/ShopMEC/HikingCamping/HealthSafety/OutdoorSafety/PRD~5025-357/frontiersman-bear-spray-1-225g-cannister.jsp
A 225g canister My choices up here are basically 225 or 325 gram canisters (so 8 or 10 oz).
Honestly, I want enough that if I have to use it I can give a good constant hosing into eyes and mouth from under 10 feet. I don't want to go too small, because I want something with enough stuff to project even in wind.
I've been through 4 as they have expired. I have *never* had occasion to use it in many encounters.
That MEC page says it's 1% - it lies, I think it's 2%.
I don't think you can buy 10% in Canada that I have seen - unless you're the RCMP spraying G8 protesters or subduing polish immigrants armed with staplers...
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