Tragic bear attack in Wyoming

[Kmccord]

I have never hunted in bear country, I have vacationed in Yellowstone, and I can tell you we saw a lot of bears Blacks and Grizzlies, all with cubs... Me and the wife never hiked farther than what we could see the car while in Yellowstone park, we we're in the Teton National Park and walked around some on Jenny Lake, we stopped when I stood next to a tree that had been raked from about 8ft from the ground. I wasn't sure if that was from a bear or Elk or Moose, but I did not feel comfortable walking without a sidearm. For people that go camping or hunting in bear country, do you guys use an electric fence to help keep bears out of camp? I had seen some wildlife show that you could see some wires around the tents.

 

[RockyMtnMT]

For me, the bears are just there. They are in the back of your head a bit all the time. If you think too much about it, you can't enjoy yourself. We keep a clean camp, put our food in a tree, and go about our business. I always see fresh bear sign when in the back country but don't very often see the bears. They want to see me less than I want to see them. They really don't want to be bothered. You start spending time in the National Parks and around them, the story gets different. The density of the bears is so high and the amount of people that they encounter teaches them that people are a source of food. Hunting around Yellowstone, the bears have learned that gun shots mean meal time. They have learned to go to gun shots because there will be at least a gut pile there. It is highly recommended to hunt in pairs and if you get an animal down that only one guy should work on the animal while the other stands guard. I prefer not to hunt in griz country, it takes some of the fun out of it. Hunting where there are not griz a guy can relax more.

This Mission Wilderness mule deer tag puts us square in one of the biggest griz populations our state has to offer. The good news is the country is very rough and far less people make the trip into the wilderness. These bears are much more wild.

Steve

 

[CoachChris]

For people that go camping or hunting in bear country, do you guys use an electric fence to help keep bears out of camp?

No

 

[RockyMtnMT]

I think some places that require bear proof containers can use electric fence as an alternative. Seems that I heard some of the river guides are doing this instead of hassle of bear proof containers.

Steve

 

[Deleted member 103481]

I don't care if you have a deed, a toothbrush, or a tire iron you cant poach animals. The advocating of such especially in the situation we are in now is pathetic.

 

[Stirling]

Visit yellowstone sometime and see just how wild the bears are.

I was there last summer and saw 5 bears in 2 days. A sow with 2 cubs and a sow with 1 cub. I was within 50 yards of the latter along with a couple dozen other tourist snapping pictures. They paid no attention to us.

 

[WildRose]

duplicate

 

[WildRose]

I was there last summer and saw 5 bears in 2 days. A sow with 2 cubs and a sow with 1 cub. I was within 50 yards of the latter along with a couple dozen other tourist snapping pictures. They paid no attention to us.

Are the porcupines still occupying the outhouses at night? We could not use them at all without first shining a light down in the hole to make sure we wern't "sharing them".

More than a few boys over the years got "poked" in all the wrong places.

The most aggressive bears we ever dealt with were at Eagle Nest and Gravel pit lakes. No fear of a human whatsoever because they had closed down all bear hunting in the area for several decades.

 

[HARPERC]

.....do you guys use an electric fence to help keep bears out of camp? I had seen some wildlife show that you could see some wires around the tents;''?.........

I've seen them used with good effect in BC, and NWT.
A little different than a fence, but shows the bear learning.



Other videos on fences also available. I suspect variables exist how much shock delivered, determination of the bear. In NWT the meat shed and cook tent were wired, but the sleep tents weren't, not enough fence. We had bears in camp, but they left everything alone. A good dog is worth it's weight making sure you're awake for the encounter.

 

[WildRose]

I've seen them used with good effect in BC, and NWT.
A little different than a fence, but shows the bear learning.



Other videos on fences also available. I suspect variables exist how much shock delivered, determination of the bear. In NWT the meat shed and cook tent were wired, but the sleep tents weren't, not enough fence. We had bears in camp, but they left everything alone. A good dog is worth it's weight making sure you're awake for the encounter.

There's a reason that they became "man's best friend", thousands of years ago.

Hunting and guard duty were the primary reasons for breeding and owning dogs until the mid point of the last century when they became more popular as pets than anything else.

 

[Pdvdh]

There's a reason that they became "man's best friend", thousands of years ago.

Hunting and guard duty were the primary reasons for breeding and owning dogs until the mid point of the last century when they became more popular as pets than anything else.

Friend of mine who lives on a remote bay of Kodiak Island always has a dog with him when by himself.
A dog's nose, hearing, and sight, added to human intelligence gives the human a big advantage when it comes to bears and the element of surprise.
An outfitter keeping a dog in primary camp makes a lot of sense.
With a well trained dog, they are even an asset for a bear hunter hunting solo. My friend on Kodiak has shared brown bear hunting stories with me, describing his dog's assistance in hunting his first truely large boar.
On the other hand, an uncontrolled dog is nothing but a danger and a hazard to itself and its owner in bear country.

 

[CoachChris]

I had a low content wolfdog that made traveling in the mountains here an almost mindless activity. A good dog is an amazing asset in the mountains
My current dog has an insane prey drive and is completely fearless
He's not an asset

 

[Cuz]

I just got home from a 7 day hunt in the centenniel mountains of Montana. Saw some bear sign but no bears. In some areas the timber is really thick and trying to cut up an elk and move the meat away from a kill sight really leaves you vulnerable. We carried handguns but no rifles in camp on an archery hunt. I don't know the details on this tragedy, but I can imagine scenarios where they didn't have much of a chance. Maybe would have made a difference if the gun was on him instead of his pack, maybe not. I know I built a crossdraw holster to fit my pack belt, now the gun is on my pack instead of me.

 

[CoachChris]

https://ktvq.com/news/local-news/20...can-found-near-wyoming-guide-killed-by-bears/