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Confirmed Grizzly bear sightening in NOCA


Dan_Miller

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On the descent and walk out from Goode last year we saw one and heard a few running away from us in the brush after dark. The one we saw was my only worrying bear experience, and I've seen a bunch. We were bushwhacking down towards it, and I saw it standing still watching us from about 100 feet away. It was light brown, and bigger than any black bear I'd seen. What worried me was that it stood its ground against two loud guys, when every other bear I've come across just ran away. We backtracked and let it have its space. Always assumed it was just a big black, but who knows?

 

Bears are cool. Here are a few, the first (black) is from right outside of Leavenworth, the other two are browns up in Bristol Bay, AK.

 

Black_Bear_Dan_Hilden_Medium_.jpg

 

IMG_8429_Medium_.JPG

 

bear3_Medium_.jpg

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The one we saw was my only worrying bear experience, and I've seen a bunch. We were bushwhacking down towards it, and I saw it standing still watching us from about 100 feet away. It was light brown, and bigger than any black bear I'd seen. What worried me was that it stood its ground against two loud guys, when every other bear I've come across just ran away. We backtracked and let it have its space. Always assumed it was just a big black, but who knows?

 

Could have been a sow with cubs nearby. They might not have been within eyesight but if they are anywhere in the vicinity momma definitely won't be backing down. In fact I know a couple people that have been false charged, and in both cases there ended up being cubs.

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I've never seen a grizzly in the lower-48 - however I did once attend the "Annual First Grizzly Bear Mauling of the Season Party" at Glacier National Park some years back.

 

As for worries about closure... grizzlies haven't changed access in Glacier, Yellowstone or the Tetons. Don't know why it would be any different in the Cascades.

 

Saw this guy this summer. He stood his ground across a very shallow river for 5 very long minutes while we screamed and yelled with bear spray at the ready.

 

bear.jpg

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Prolly fuk'n poachers.

Probably not. Its been bear season for the last couple months.

Riddle me this, then... If it were indeed bear hunters (and not poachers, as you suggest), then why would the hunter leave the head? Is that not the part of the beast most coveted for mounting on the den wall? Should not the taxidermist at least been given a chance to make some suitable "repair" the bear's head and make a mount of it, rahter than just leaving the carcass in the field?

 

If you're going to suggest that the hunters were just after the meat, I know from experience that bear is not the tastiest form of game meat taken from the field. So I would posit that it was NOT bear hunters leaving a head shot kill, but indeed poachers.

 

Just my $0.02

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then why would the hunter leave the head?

 

Probably b/c there is a huge bullet hole in it.

 

I know from experience that bear is not the tastiest form of game meat taken from the field.

 

On the contrary, bear can be very good eating and many people enjoy it, including myself.

 

 

 

Leaving the head doesn't mean anything. A licensed bear hunter is just as likely to leave the damaged skull as is a poacher, and the hunter apparently took the hide and meat.

 

But really, who knows and who cares; but jumping to the conclusion that it was poached is stupid, espescialy when its the middle of bear season and its easy to get multiple bear tags.

 

 

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then why would the hunter leave the head?

Probably b/c there is a huge bullet hole in it.

Again I ask, why not give the taxidermist a shot at it? No pun intended... :smirk:

 

I know from experience that bear is not the tastiest form of game meat taken from the field.

On the contrary, bear can be very good eating and many people enjoy it, including myself.

Meh. Mebbe I just got a bad batch(es), or mebbe it just doesn't agree with me... I was not impressed with it. YMMV
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Sobo:

 

A lot of hunters don't take interest in hanging heads in the house. Hunters that are interested in trophies won't shoot until they determine if it's a trophy or not and place thier shot accordingly, avoiding the head or neck of an animal you intend to mount. This does not appear to be a trophy quality animal and the head was simply disposed of/left in the field.

 

Most taxidermists that I've known would not bother to attempt to mount the head of an animal that has a wound like that anyway. There is no guarantee it'll turn out acceptable and would probably end up looking like Donald Trump.

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Sobo:

 

A lot of hunters don't take interest in hanging heads in the house. Hunters that are interested in trophies won't shoot until they determine if it's a trophy or not and place thier shot accordingly, avoiding the head or neck of an animal you intend to mount. This does not appear to be a trophy quality animal and the head was simply disposed of/left in the field.

 

Most taxidermists that I've known would not bother to attempt to mount the head of an animal that has a wound like that anyway. There is no guarantee it'll turn out acceptable and would probably end up looking like Donald Trump.

Thanks, Bronc, that's the best explanation to my questions that I've heard yet.
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So, in other words ... you're admitting you were wrong? :wave:
I never said you were wrong and that I was right. I merely proposed an alternate view of the situation, and asked if that possibility could not be the case. But if, to soothe your tender ego, you require that I admit my scenario could never possibly have happened, then by all means, Pete, so be it. I'm not that invested in the argument, since I am neither a hunter nor a poacher.
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