doing a diy bow hunt and was wondering how far south of jackson hole i would have to go to minimize the possibility of calling in a grizzly. i know anything can happen but last year in unit 60 with a guide we had one get to close and its not worth it to me so where is the outer range to the south, i know they roam but how far south have their been problems, would unit 104 take me out of their range or can i move north of that any
grizzly bears
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Seems every year they are expanding.
http://www.wyofile.com/column/grizzly-bears-move-into-new-areas-lower-elevations/
http://www.wyofile.com/column/grizzly-bears-move-into-new-areas-lower-elevations/
Wyoelkhunter
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I have heard reports of a few bears near the south end of Snake River Canyon so they are probably in the Greys River area. Numbers still few but possible to run into one. I carry bear spray when I get very far from the road. Better to be prepared than have ones scalp torn off one would think.
Zeke
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>Any one see any grizzly's in
>the Wind River range?
I spent lots of time in there last year and didn't see one... but that means absolutely nothing.
The article in the link that junior provided says grizz have been seen on Beaver Creek, which is on the far south side of the range. Since they're on Beaver Creek, I suspect they could be anywhere if they're that far south. So the answer would be; YES.
Zeke
>the Wind River range?
I spent lots of time in there last year and didn't see one... but that means absolutely nothing.
The article in the link that junior provided says grizz have been seen on Beaver Creek, which is on the far south side of the range. Since they're on Beaver Creek, I suspect they could be anywhere if they're that far south. So the answer would be; YES.
Zeke
Zeke
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>The article is a couple years
>old too!
Exactly!
They're in that country for sure and they're here to stay.
I've been around lots of grizzly bears through the years and they always give me the creeps! I saw over a dozen different bears on a 12 day backpack trip just a couple years ago. Sleeping in a tent is a little scary.
Years before, I had one at under 10' and didn't have my rifle in my hands. Rifle was leaning against a tree on the other side of the bear. We all learn... if we live through it. Ha
They're beautiful, powerful and very scary!
Oh, the things we do for hunting!
Zeke
>old too!
Exactly!
They're in that country for sure and they're here to stay.
I've been around lots of grizzly bears through the years and they always give me the creeps! I saw over a dozen different bears on a 12 day backpack trip just a couple years ago. Sleeping in a tent is a little scary.
Years before, I had one at under 10' and didn't have my rifle in my hands. Rifle was leaning against a tree on the other side of the bear. We all learn... if we live through it. Ha
They're beautiful, powerful and very scary!
Oh, the things we do for hunting!
Zeke
pymulies
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I live in Lander and was in Jackson before that, and there are bears from Dubois all the way to Atlantic City. Not many in the southern Winds but they are there. I think that can be said about all of the mountain ranges in western Wyoming that are connected any any way to the GYA.
Think of them kind of like snakes. They're always around but if you are prepared and know what to look for; you will more than likely be fine.
py
Think of them kind of like snakes. They're always around but if you are prepared and know what to look for; you will more than likely be fine.
py
BuzzH
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My opinions:
I think people spend too much time worrying about bears.
I believe its wise to be aware, alert, and pay attention to what you're doing and what's going on around you at all times...driving, walking down a city street, or hiking/hunting in bear country.
Take precautions like carrying bear spray, hanging your food, keeping a clean camp, and all the other "bear-aware" things you can do.
You also may want to stop in at local FS office, GF office and ask about reports of bear activity in the general areas you plan to go.
Other than that, really not much you can do other than stay home and hide under your bed.
The riskiest part of any hunt you do is probably the driving it takes to get you there...
I think people spend too much time worrying about bears.
I believe its wise to be aware, alert, and pay attention to what you're doing and what's going on around you at all times...driving, walking down a city street, or hiking/hunting in bear country.
Take precautions like carrying bear spray, hanging your food, keeping a clean camp, and all the other "bear-aware" things you can do.
You also may want to stop in at local FS office, GF office and ask about reports of bear activity in the general areas you plan to go.
Other than that, really not much you can do other than stay home and hide under your bed.
The riskiest part of any hunt you do is probably the driving it takes to get you there...
Zeke
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I've told the story before but here goes;
I unzipped my tent one morning back in 1984 and was face to face with a grizzly bear. Needless to say that I now sleep with my rifle in the tent, always!
The experience had not kept me hiding under my bed but it makes me more aware.
Buzz is right, driving is WAY more dangerous than a chance meeting with a bear. Be Bear-aware not bear-scared.
By the way, black bears have given me way more grief than grizzly bears. Maybe because of the greater population, natural habits or the close proximity to humans. I even had one JUMP ON my tent one morning. Thankfully I was not in the tent and was safely outside watching it unfold. I loved that tent!
Zeke
I unzipped my tent one morning back in 1984 and was face to face with a grizzly bear. Needless to say that I now sleep with my rifle in the tent, always!
The experience had not kept me hiding under my bed but it makes me more aware.
Buzz is right, driving is WAY more dangerous than a chance meeting with a bear. Be Bear-aware not bear-scared.
By the way, black bears have given me way more grief than grizzly bears. Maybe because of the greater population, natural habits or the close proximity to humans. I even had one JUMP ON my tent one morning. Thankfully I was not in the tent and was safely outside watching it unfold. I loved that tent!
Zeke
Due to the frequency of human-bear encounters, the B.C. Fish and Wildlife Branch is advising hikers, hunters, fishermen and any other persons that use the out of doors in a recreational or work related function to take extra precautions while in the field.
We advise the outdoorsman to wear little noisy bells on clothing so as to give advanced warning to any bears that might be close by so you don't take them by surprise.
We also advise anyone using the out-of-doors to carry ?Pepper Spray? with them in case of an encounter with a bear.
Outdoorsmen should also be on the watch for fresh bear activity and be able to tell the difference between black bear feces and grizzly bear feces. Black bear feces generally contains lots of berries and squirrel fur. Grizzly bear crap has bells in it and smells like pepper!
We advise the outdoorsman to wear little noisy bells on clothing so as to give advanced warning to any bears that might be close by so you don't take them by surprise.
We also advise anyone using the out-of-doors to carry ?Pepper Spray? with them in case of an encounter with a bear.
Outdoorsmen should also be on the watch for fresh bear activity and be able to tell the difference between black bear feces and grizzly bear feces. Black bear feces generally contains lots of berries and squirrel fur. Grizzly bear crap has bells in it and smells like pepper!
mightyhunter
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Almost always,the first question I am asked by people wanting info on hunting in NW Wyoming is what about the bears and when do they hibernate. I never know exactly what to say. I have already been out numerous times in the last months hiking in bear country. On Monday, I watched the Game and Fish truck drive past me on County Road 8UD in Clark with a bear trap in tow. I can only assume it was headed to a local ranch where bears are always a problem.
The best defense against a grizzly bear is not bear spray or a gun. I am not convinced that in most instances you can deploy the spray or the firearm before being hammered by a determined bear. The best defense is paying attention constantly to your surroundings and where you are going. Watch the sign and slow down. Use your nose and eyes to avoid a carcass. One of my pet gripes involves outfitters and guides who dump stripped carcasses in the same places in the backcountry. Always, watch your back trail and never assume there are no bears in the area you are in. When you get into tight cover, go slow and use your eyes and your ears. If you can't do that in tight cover, avoid it altogether. If you are going to use calls for elk, have an extra set of eyes and ears close and really stay focused. There are some areas(not many)that I just plain avoid because of the sheer number of grizzly bears in those areas. There are a few spots in the Cody area that are dumping grounds for problem bears from other areas. You should know where those areas are. They are usually well known to locals. If you are charged or get too close, try to avoid turning your back or running away. In 3 separate instances, I have gotten too close to some unhappy grizzly bears. It has gotten easier to hold my ground when confronted. That may be because I am too old to haul ass anymore.
When I camp in the backcountry, I try to hang my food, toothpaste and any taken game a very long way from camp. Another thing I have started doing, is pitching my small tent in the center of some patch of deadfall. I feel safer when I do this. I feel even safer, when I sleep in the back of my truck under a canopy.
If you don't think you can stay focused or keep a clean camp, follow Buzz H's advice and stay home. I knew a young man who had been a guide from the Sunlight area that bragged to me that he didn't fear those d... bears. A few years ago, he was mauled near the South Fork of the Shoshone by a sow with cubs. He said he never saw it coming. I believe he shot the sow after being chewed on. My guess is he has changed his tune.
just sayin...mh
The best defense against a grizzly bear is not bear spray or a gun. I am not convinced that in most instances you can deploy the spray or the firearm before being hammered by a determined bear. The best defense is paying attention constantly to your surroundings and where you are going. Watch the sign and slow down. Use your nose and eyes to avoid a carcass. One of my pet gripes involves outfitters and guides who dump stripped carcasses in the same places in the backcountry. Always, watch your back trail and never assume there are no bears in the area you are in. When you get into tight cover, go slow and use your eyes and your ears. If you can't do that in tight cover, avoid it altogether. If you are going to use calls for elk, have an extra set of eyes and ears close and really stay focused. There are some areas(not many)that I just plain avoid because of the sheer number of grizzly bears in those areas. There are a few spots in the Cody area that are dumping grounds for problem bears from other areas. You should know where those areas are. They are usually well known to locals. If you are charged or get too close, try to avoid turning your back or running away. In 3 separate instances, I have gotten too close to some unhappy grizzly bears. It has gotten easier to hold my ground when confronted. That may be because I am too old to haul ass anymore.
When I camp in the backcountry, I try to hang my food, toothpaste and any taken game a very long way from camp. Another thing I have started doing, is pitching my small tent in the center of some patch of deadfall. I feel safer when I do this. I feel even safer, when I sleep in the back of my truck under a canopy.
If you don't think you can stay focused or keep a clean camp, follow Buzz H's advice and stay home. I knew a young man who had been a guide from the Sunlight area that bragged to me that he didn't fear those d... bears. A few years ago, he was mauled near the South Fork of the Shoshone by a sow with cubs. He said he never saw it coming. I believe he shot the sow after being chewed on. My guess is he has changed his tune.
just sayin...mh
nfh
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Some advice given out.
What I do is I tie my horses up at night close to the tent and they let me know when bears are around. You can have the cleanest camp and bears can be very curious. Sometimes they follow the horse scent back to camp.
I have been charged several times. For the most part they are bluff charges.
Bears are super smart. When they hear gun shots they know meat is on the ground and can be on your elk very quick. I have had only one elk to where a bear got a couple of bites. They usually piss around the area and lay back in the area guarding there find.
I don't carry pepper spray cause I have had a couple go off in my saddle bags. I personally like my .44 mag with some buffalo bore rounds. If I was to fall off a horse my gun is still attached to me to where a slight chance of the bear spray I could maybe break the top. I trust my .44 mag way more. I have never had to shoot at a bear though. I know a few guys that have shot some grizzly bears and the guns saved their lives. Another reason I carry my gun is if I got lost I could use the gun the sound off my location. Can get food and don't forget crazy people. lol
As stated before the chance of driving and getting in a wreck is higher or possibly falling and breaking a leg..
I hunt in a elk area with very high grizzly numbers. sounds to me you will be in a area with low numbers.
What I do is I tie my horses up at night close to the tent and they let me know when bears are around. You can have the cleanest camp and bears can be very curious. Sometimes they follow the horse scent back to camp.
I have been charged several times. For the most part they are bluff charges.
Bears are super smart. When they hear gun shots they know meat is on the ground and can be on your elk very quick. I have had only one elk to where a bear got a couple of bites. They usually piss around the area and lay back in the area guarding there find.
I don't carry pepper spray cause I have had a couple go off in my saddle bags. I personally like my .44 mag with some buffalo bore rounds. If I was to fall off a horse my gun is still attached to me to where a slight chance of the bear spray I could maybe break the top. I trust my .44 mag way more. I have never had to shoot at a bear though. I know a few guys that have shot some grizzly bears and the guns saved their lives. Another reason I carry my gun is if I got lost I could use the gun the sound off my location. Can get food and don't forget crazy people. lol
As stated before the chance of driving and getting in a wreck is higher or possibly falling and breaking a leg..
I hunt in a elk area with very high grizzly numbers. sounds to me you will be in a area with low numbers.
Zeke
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Here's one more story for you:
I was hunting Dall sheep (not in Wyoming, of course) and after a 3 day stalk (long story), I was finally in range of 3 nice rams. One of the rams was a good one so I decided to crawl just a little closer for the shot. As I peeked up to check on the location of the rams, I spotted a huge grizzly bears right above the rams. He lumbered out of the draw above the rams and neither were aware of the other.
I knew it was only a matter of seconds before he spooked the rams so the shot had to be hurried but we had time for my brother to say "It's a sow with a cub. look at the big cub moving just in front of the sow". I said, "that's not a cub. That's it's HUGE head!!!". Now THAT was a bear!
I quickly held for the shot and the ram was "one and done". The bear sprinted straight up the mountain and out of sight but we were on full alert while we field-cared for my ram.
Zeke
I was hunting Dall sheep (not in Wyoming, of course) and after a 3 day stalk (long story), I was finally in range of 3 nice rams. One of the rams was a good one so I decided to crawl just a little closer for the shot. As I peeked up to check on the location of the rams, I spotted a huge grizzly bears right above the rams. He lumbered out of the draw above the rams and neither were aware of the other.
I knew it was only a matter of seconds before he spooked the rams so the shot had to be hurried but we had time for my brother to say "It's a sow with a cub. look at the big cub moving just in front of the sow". I said, "that's not a cub. That's it's HUGE head!!!". Now THAT was a bear!
I quickly held for the shot and the ram was "one and done". The bear sprinted straight up the mountain and out of sight but we were on full alert while we field-cared for my ram.
Zeke
LAST EDITED ON Apr-24-15 AT 10:51AM (MST)[p]That Colorado mauling of Ed Wiseman in the Fall of 1979 brings chills when I remember it. A buddy and I had our plans set to make a backpack trip for elk and deer up in the nearby Weminuche Wilderness in the Fall of 1980 just west of where that happened. The story came out in the magazines not too long before we headed out there and we were on pins and needles the entire time we were up there even though we were rifle hunting. As wild as that area is I wonder if there may be a bear or two still up that area, but it's doubtful after so many years have passed with no other verified sightings.
schoolhousegrizz
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So I was bear hunting in idaho awhile back. I was coming across grizzly tracks everywhere. We came over a ridge and there was a boar and sow grizz about 150 yards away. They ran out to about 300 or 400 yards away. We watched them for about 40 minutes and they went out of sight. Heading back down to camp there were fresh grizzly tracks on the trail. A minute later we see a blondish bear standing 50 yards away. I knew it was a black bear, but all the grizzly evidence was in the back of my mind and made me a little nervous. I knew I was being paranoid so I shot the bear. When we checked it in the fish cops initial reaction was that it was a grizzly. After a second he realized it was a black bear. Here is a pic of it.
http://www.monstermuleys.info/photos/user_photos3/917
http://www.monstermuleys.info/photos/user_photos3/917
schoolhousegrizz
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schoolhousegrizz
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No problem! I love seeing bears, in fact I'm downright obsessed over them. Let's hear more grizz stories. You guys think they will make it into Utah and Colorado?
fullthrottle
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I hope not. Utah isn't vast enough to carry an honest population of grizzly's, you would be asking for problems. Colorado maybe, but I'm not for thier exspansion.
schoolhousegrizz
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I just hope they start letting us hunt them. It is way overdue imo.
fullthrottle
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^^^yep^^^
The outfitter I hunt with G and his guides said they've never seen a grizz in their area. However we did see a couple of exceptional black bears last year. On my last hunt in the Thorofare, the cook slept in the cook tent. Thought that was impressive given how much dried foods stayed in the tent. I think we had bears in camp every night trying to climb the meat platform. Had a bear grunting at the edge of my tent one night. A few seconds later here comes the camp dog chasing the bear off. Seemed like a barking dog or shotgun blasts were a nightly occurrence. Listening to the wolves howl right above camp at 2am makes you realize how remote that country is. If you ever get a chance to hunt the Thorofare, don't pass it up...
HunterHarry
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I've spent quite a bit of time hunting Grizz/Brown bears.
What I've seen with my own eyes gave me a tremendous new respect for them.
I always knew of their potential, but walking up on a den of a 9ft interior grizz and seeing the absolute destruction they are capable of put a shiver up my spine.
Spruce trees pushed out of the ground, trees snapped in half like tooth picks, and the earth around the den was demolished like a D8 dozer had worked it.
If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes I wouldn't believe an animal could have done it.
I left that scene wondering what the f*** I was doing hunting them and intentionally sleeping in their home turf.
The following year the guide's kid killed that monster.
What I've seen with my own eyes gave me a tremendous new respect for them.
I always knew of their potential, but walking up on a den of a 9ft interior grizz and seeing the absolute destruction they are capable of put a shiver up my spine.
Spruce trees pushed out of the ground, trees snapped in half like tooth picks, and the earth around the den was demolished like a D8 dozer had worked it.
If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes I wouldn't believe an animal could have done it.
I left that scene wondering what the f*** I was doing hunting them and intentionally sleeping in their home turf.
The following year the guide's kid killed that monster.
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