Are You Concerned About BLACK Bears in the Backcountry?

[beungood]

I'd rather have it and not need it than to need it and not have it. I enjoy backcountry skiing out in the Berkshires in Western,Mass and generally feel safe. A friend of mine relayed a storyto me that a few years ago while camping in Savoy Mountain State Park in Savoy ,Mass (same area and vicinity I ski in) he and his son were awakened in thier tent late one night . they heard the bear huffing and making groaning noises and saw the shodow just outside thier tent. after several tense minutes the Black Bear departed. They spoke to a ranger the next day and was told that they had a few "problem Bears" there at the park. I feel if you want to carry it ,even hidden do so and be responsible for your own safety..

[MojoSlim]

I didn't think that I should be concerned about black bears, until my first Elk hunt, last year. My hunting partner and I had both taken bull elks on public land here in Steamboat Springs, CO. We packed out a couple dozen pounds of boned out meat each and returned with a pack horse and my girlfriend for the rest. Upon arriving at the carcasses, my hunting partner found that something had dragged off a hind and front quarter and found them about 15 yards away in the timber. The rest of the day was mostly uneventful. Went to work quartering and boning out my elk and boning out my partners. Got it all loaded up and began our decent down the mountain. As we were leaving, we observed from about 50 yards, a very large black bear nonchalantly walking over to where one of the carcasses lay. I'm sure it was watching us the whole time, waiting for its chance at the leftovers.

At that moment, I was not too concerned. However, I was doing some research about a gentleman I had met at the base of the mountain, who lived up the road, and whose name sounded familiar. I came across this article from 1999. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/m...1/ai_n9963562/

to summarize the article: the same gentleman I had met, was hunting elk. He packed out a load and was returning for the rest when jumped by a bear. He escaped with his life, but the bear injured his shoulder and hand.

I have reason to believe that the area where I was hunting is the same area where he was attacked (the gentleman owns land there, and most access to the area is through private property - Just one little sliver of BLM land surrounded by private land, I have reason to believe that is private land gains access to the hunting area)

Anyway, after reading the article, I thought about that black bear we saw when leaving the area and how we were boning out the carcasses with no rifles or sidearms (that was stupid of us). So, suffice to say, that I will be looking to purchase a hunting sidearm for, among other things, black bear protection, while hunting here in Northern Colorado.

[Pointshoot]

Welcome to the board beungood & MojoSlim - - lots of good people here.

I was away from these forums for awhile. I first heard about Timberline's passing when I saw a story feature in Bowhunt America magazine and I remember saying "Hey that's Timberline !" I didn't know Bill personally, but you could tell from his posts that he was an experienced outdoorsman and hunter, and a real gentleman.

I'm glad to see that this thread he started a couple years ago is open and will go on. Its one of those topics talked about around
campfires forever.

[DWP]

I carry a 357 filled with hardcasts when out in the wilds, and CCW the same firearm as well. 2 legged predators concern me everywhere, but I started packing while bowhunting because of a run in with a black bear a few years back.

I came up a logging road in the dark and waited for sunup where it crossed some power lines. I took my first few steps after sunup and saw a juvenile bear standing on its hind legs looking at me, so I put my bow above my head and after 30 seconds or so the bear cut out of there fast. I continued up the road and then spotted another bear feeding through the berry brush 3-400 yards up the hill. The bear was feeding away from the road that I was going to take to the top of a ridge so I slowed my pace way down and kept going. I purposefully took about 45 minutes to walk the 400 or so yards up the road. Just as I came around a bend the bear crested the road grade 50-60 yards ahead of me, and after seeing me sprinted in my direction. that bear launched itself off the road 25 feet from me and went crashing through the brush on a sidehill/downhill path. That's when I heard the cub squeal and follow its momma from right below me off the road.

The things that stick with me are how incredibly fast the distance between me and that bear shrank and that bears can run sidehill and downhill without a problem(contrary to what I had been told).

I should have just turned around and gone home because for the rest of the day as the wind blew pinecones out of the trees I would jump out of my boots...

As was said before, a firearm really should be another tool in the "what if" kit when going out.IMO

[bigbore442001]

I'd rather have it and not need it than to need it and not have it. I enjoy backcountry skiing out in the Berkshires in Western,Mass and generally feel safe. A friend of mine relayed a storyto me that a few years ago while camping in Savoy Mountain State Park in Savoy ,Mass (same area and vicinity I ski in) he and his son were awakened in thier tent late one night . they heard the bear huffing and making groaning noises and saw the shodow just outside thier tent. after several tense minutes the Black Bear departed. They spoke to a ranger the next day and was told that they had a few "problem Bears" there at the park. I feel if you want to carry it ,even hidden do so and be responsible for your own safety..

I am somewhat familiar with that area. Massachusetts black bear population is around 3000+ bears. I have hunted for them in that area but to no avail. You can't use bait, scent, or dogs so it is tough.

[Treebeard]

Anyone ever used 10% Pepper Spray on a bear? I have used it before on dogs and it works good for them, but never a bear. Even heard of one that is 18%, but I hear the 10% is supposed to work on a Grizzly.