Grizzly-1, Hiker-0
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calling4life
Well-Known Member
Post up the details
Was the hiker armed? Bear Spray? Alone? Bear guarding cubs, bear guarding kill, idiot was looking inside a den?
Etc...
Was the hiker armed? Bear Spray? Alone? Bear guarding cubs, bear guarding kill, idiot was looking inside a den?
Etc...
cornshank
Well-Known Member
Boy this is real tough coffee, that family could use a break and lots of prayers!
Being in the back country anywhere south of the interstate is really getting to be sporting these days what with all the G bears running around here in Big Sky country. And a lot of times one doesn't have to be very far into the country to find them........
Side note, most of the fellas I know who are shed hunters are pretty darn savvy outdoorsman and a long way from idiots.......! Unfortunate yes but not idiots.
Being in the back country anywhere south of the interstate is really getting to be sporting these days what with all the G bears running around here in Big Sky country. And a lot of times one doesn't have to be very far into the country to find them........
Side note, most of the fellas I know who are shed hunters are pretty darn savvy outdoorsman and a long way from idiots.......! Unfortunate yes but not idiots.
I have more info on this incident. Craig was shed hunting in rough country with a friend. He was a seasoned mountain man in great fiscal shape. He was in country that he was very familiar with and has hunted there many times. We knew when he did not meet his partner at the truck that something was wrong. Craig was prepared and had emergency supplies with him. He had left his pack and snow shoed into a area with new growth dougfir thick as hair on a dogs back. We have had unseasonably warm weather for a few days and the bears have came out of their dens. Craig walked within 6' of a grizzly's day bed and was attacked instantly. There was no chance to deploy gun or bear spray.
This is where he did nothing wrong. sometimes in wild country, there are risks that we are willing to take. Unfortunately for Craig he just happened upon a Grizzly Bear that did what grizzly's do. Craig was in the grizzly's living room not the other way around.
This is why we need to delist grizzlys and let the states manage them as wildlife. They have been protected for so long they have no fear of man.
This area has the highest concentration of grizzlys in the lower 48. Just a few miles of where Craig was killed I have seen 9 grizzlys in one frame of my binos without moving them.
This is where he did nothing wrong. sometimes in wild country, there are risks that we are willing to take. Unfortunately for Craig he just happened upon a Grizzly Bear that did what grizzly's do. Craig was in the grizzly's living room not the other way around.
This is why we need to delist grizzlys and let the states manage them as wildlife. They have been protected for so long they have no fear of man.
This area has the highest concentration of grizzlys in the lower 48. Just a few miles of where Craig was killed I have seen 9 grizzlys in one frame of my binos without moving them.
del2les
Well-Known Member
Sad to hear. Sometimes, stuff just happens, and no amount of preparation, skill, arms, sprays whatever can help. Its called life, but it sounds like he was living his, his way. Sad for him and his family.
As I tell so many people around here, once you step out of your car, truck or whatever and enter these mountains, it might as well be the 1800's. Most of the time, you are on your own with whatever you bring - Knowledge or material.
As I tell so many people around here, once you step out of your car, truck or whatever and enter these mountains, it might as well be the 1800's. Most of the time, you are on your own with whatever you bring - Knowledge or material.
rooster740
Well-Known Member
When it was announced that it was Craig who was missing, I knew it was not a transplant that was disoriented. I had a really bad feeling in my gut, that this was bear related.
He was just way too savvy in the mountains to be lost, and efficiently covered really rugged country like very few I know of.
He was an intelligent man with a heart of gold.
There is just too many bears here!
The family that ranched here historically killed many griz every year until the hunt was closed.
From what I have heard of this incident it was a fight that would be hard to beat, no matter what means of defense you could be equipped with!
Many of us hate to hunt (especially horn hunters) non solo.
Stay vigilant my friends!
He was just way too savvy in the mountains to be lost, and efficiently covered really rugged country like very few I know of.
He was an intelligent man with a heart of gold.
There is just too many bears here!
The family that ranched here historically killed many griz every year until the hunt was closed.
From what I have heard of this incident it was a fight that would be hard to beat, no matter what means of defense you could be equipped with!
Many of us hate to hunt (especially horn hunters) non solo.
Stay vigilant my friends!
bigngreen
Well-Known Member
The powers to be now are even more scared of upsetting the feds over grizzlies than ever. The new hound season for black bears was nearly killed and scaled back to areas far away from where it's needed the most all because the counsel and governor thinks they have an honest chance of a grizzly hunt. We need a real season on them not just a few token tags, FWP kills 50+ a year and it's not even making a dent, there is zero reason we aren't killing 100+ bears a year right now, some how I bet that won't dent the population if spread out over the state.
bigngreen
Well-Known Member
I'm hopeful but the way things are going now I would bet what ever gets the powers to be the most money with the least amount of actual results will be the plan. Most likely it will make little to no sense to anyone with common sense!!
