Bear

[Rifleman1776]

I have done a lot of reading about bears. Hope to hunt big griz sometime but until/if that happens I'll live in the fantasy world of the written word. From what I have read, and been told, yes, griz and brown bears are the same genetically. Coastal griz are much bigger than inland browns. I have also read that an angered, but much smaller, black bear can be a formidable opponenent against a griz. Eyewitness reports are the blackie can grasp onto the chest of the griz and with hind claws rip him open. Otherwise blackies are reclusive and fearsome only when cornered or cubs are endangered. Griz on the other hand can be unpredicatable and often attack humans for no apparent reason. I have a couple good books my son sent to me from Alaska about grizzly, really 'grizzly' encounters. One is documented modern times. The other is oral history from years in the past. Rather read about than experience some of it. :shocked2:

 

[crockett]

I live in black bear central- all over the place. Backyards, etc. One was walking down a four land road with a lot of traffic. They have finally re-opened a bear season.
I'll see one about every third day I'm hunting. Last year I had two days where I saw two different bears per day.

 

[Herb]

I was on a wildfire on the Black River east of Chalkyitsik, Alaska, east of Fort Yukon, about 1988, I think it was. In my sleeping bag, but it was still daylight, late August. A couple of helicopters were flying around camp, which was unusual. I got up and an Indian told me there was a black bear in camp. I had seen two along the river as I flew into the camp the day before. Supply had issued shotguns to the bear killers. So I said, "what's the big deal with a black bear?" The Indian said, "they can creep up on you and pull you out of your sleeping bag, like peeling a Tootsie Roll. Black bears kill more people in Alaska than grizzlies do." Now, I don't know if that is accurate, but that was his opinion. They did not find the bear.

 

[Grumpa]

Grizzlies and Kodiaks are sub-species of Brown bears.

Black bears have a variety of colorations, but the tan on the snout is an identifying mark for black bears. greenmtboy's bear has the tan snout.

I have seen grizzlies in Alaska, and black bears here in the East. There is no confusing the two. But the facial structure of the bear in question is not typical of black bears. Maybe there is a bit of a mix. :grin:

And the "last" grizzly was killed in Colorado in 1979 by Ed Wiseman, a bow hunter. He was attacked by the sow, and while being savaged by the bear, he managed to stab it with an arrow, finally killing it.

The pelt and head are still around.

 

[Grumpa]

This one has the same long nose, etc. http://colotradarchers.com/wp-cont.../connie-renfro-ak-black-bear-2001.jpg[/quote]

I don't know...I think her nose is kind of cute. :wink:

After looking at some of the pictures you linked to, I'd say the western black bears seem to have a different facial structure than our eastern bears. Maybe some cross-mix in the past? But the tan on the snout is an identifying mark for the black.

 

[Herb]

My friend Jim Zumbo, who wrote for Outdoor Life in 1979, lived in Vernal then. He was on a buffalo hunt with a friend in the Henry Mountains of Utah. The guy got his truck stuck in a dry wash and while trying to grind his way out, the truck caught fire and burned up. Along with almost all of their camping equipment. They walked out to civilization and Jim phoned home and was told about this grizzly killed in Colorado and to hie himself over there and get the story.