Southernmost Grizzlies

[schoolhousegrizz]

Just curious how close to the Utah or Colorado border some of you have seen grizzlies or definite grizzly sign? We were talking about it last night. Some seemed to think there are grizzlies in those areas already. I personally think it is highly unlikely. You think there would be a trail cam pic or something. Anyway, just curious to hear from you guys.

 

[TOPGUN]

That was the first question I asked before I booked a high country muley hunt out of Afton for this September. The outfitter said they are still north of there closer to Jackson and they had never seen one where we'll be hunting, which didn't break my heart, LOL! I saw a huge boar a couple years ago as we were coming out the east side of Yellowstone and I wouldn't want to run into one out in the field, as he was huge. Unless one goes way out from the range that you can look up on the G&F website map, it looks like they are still quite a ways from getting into Utah or Colorado.

 

[mightyhunter]

I have had a couple grizzly bears in camp in the Cliff Creek drainage south and west of Bondurant, Wyoming.

 

[schoolhousegrizz]

Interesting, thanks.

 

[mmwb]

They have been seen on the Grays, and up Strawberry and Dry Creek canyons off of Star Valley. It has been a few years in all three cases.

 

[kilowatt]

In the mid 70's there was a Grizzly killed by an Outfitter in self defense in southern Colo during the archery season. This was brought up a few years ago on here and it is in the archives but not sure which forum....maybe COLO Forum.

Hell, we have a stinking WOLF that is going back and forth from OREGON to NORCAL. Maybe some Pot grower will shoot that pesty critter.

Brian
http://i44.tinypic.com/es7x8z.jpg[/IMG]

 

[kilowatt]

There was a young Griz killed off the Greys near the Sheep Creek area some years ago too.

Brian
http://i44.tinypic.com/es7x8z.jpg[/IMG]

 

[schoolhousegrizz]

It seems like there was a report of Grizzly tracks 25 miles southeast of Alpine about 8 years ago.

 

[easyelk13]

Any reports in the central or southern Wind River Range??

 

[mulecreek]

For confirmed sightings the farthest south that I know of is Middle Piney drainage.

http://www.pinedaleonline.com/news/2009/06/GrizzlyBearconfirmed.htm

 

[mulecreek]

>Any reports in the central or
>southern Wind River Range??

Yes. Even near Lander but not in large numbers.

They are very numerous in the Upper Green. Several get removed for feeding on livestock in the UG each year.

http://dailyranger.com/story.php?story_id=8563

 

[mulecreek]

A friend showed me video he took while hunting Cliff creek last year of what he felt was a grizz and cub. I am not so sure. Sure looked like a brown black bear to me.

I took this pic the other day near Horsecreek. When I first saw him on the trail I thought it was a grizz for sure but after watching for a while I am quite sure it was a black bear. Pics are the best I could do with a I phone.

 

[schoolhousegrizz]

Cool, thanks for sharing

 

[wyobackcountry]

The furthest South I have seen one is in the Snake River canyon just a few miles north of Alpine. With that said I have had two close reliable friends run into one in the Greys River within the past few years. It's well known that they are in the Hoback and Fall Creek areas and are increasing in numbers as well as expanding their range.

 

[ForkWest]

Like a few guys on here. I've spent a lot of time in some of the areas already mentioned. Seen a lot of bears, but no grizzly. Ask Founder to chime in. In the last 5 years he's probably looked over every drainage in the areas where grizzlies would most like likely expand to the south. I don't recall him ever seeing any.

 

[30Hart]

They are in the mountains west of Lander, Wyoming.

 

[schoolhousegrizz]

Any evidence in the Bighorns, they have to be getting close?

 

[TOPGUN]

LAST EDITED ON Aug-07-15 AT 10:43PM (MST)[p]LAST EDITED ON Aug-07-15 AT 10:03?PM (MST)

>Any evidence in the Bighorns, they
>have to be getting close?
>

They're way over west of the Bighorn Basin well over 100 miles from the BigHorn Mountains. The nearest ones would be west of Cody and Meeteetse and they would have to come east across a huge expanse of open desert type country to get there.

 

[Ticks N Tines]

John M Browning talks about hunting Grizzly bears in Ogden canyon a long time ago. That's pretty far South.

 

[pinenut]

In about 2000 one was killed by a government trapper near Deadman Peak. In 2010 one was killed by an outfitter in Horse Creek, not too far west of Daniel. While not plentiful, any part of the Wyoming and Salt River range could hold one, and a handful of drainages are right now.

 

[ralphie]

>LAST EDITED ON Aug-07-15
>AT 10:43?PM (MST)
>
>LAST EDITED ON Aug-07-15
>AT 10:03?PM (MST)
>
>>Any evidence in the Bighorns, they
>>have to be getting close?
>>
>
>They're way over west of the
>Bighorn Basin well over 100
>miles from the BigHorn Mountains.
> The nearest ones would
>be west of Cody and
>Meeteetse and they would have
>to come east across a
>huge expanse of open desert
>type country to get there.
>
>
>
>

I don't think they are in the Bighorns but it isn't all that far. There has been one on gooseberry creek between the rest area south of Meeteetse and Worland.

I think there was also one caught out by Ralston on the way to Powell. Both areas are still a ways from the Bighorns and it isn't like they have caught a bunch of bears in either place.

The Owl Creek mtns though on the SW part of the Bighorn Basin are getting quite a few bears. And their range extends east farther into the Owl creeks then that map shows. Much of that country is on the REZ. I don't think it's going to take much for a bear to cross the Wind River canyon and make its way up the southern part of the Bighorns. I'm surprised it hasn't happened yet though so maybe they won't.

 

[teamhoyt]

5 years ago while hunting in the cliff creek drainage I saw a sow with 2 cubs and another single grizzly, we didn't even see a black bear. The pictures posted above IS a brown black bear.