Grizzly charge = lessons learned

MT Bound

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I'm going to keep this short and to the point, basically so others can learn from the charge we experienced, what worked for us and what we could have done better.

This past weekend my brother and I and his friend packed into the Absarokee wilderness with one horse for his goat hunt. About 3/4 of the way in, we surprised a silver tip sow feeding on grouse berries that had a cub. The wind was in our face so she didn't smell us, we ran into her about 60-70 yards out and started yelling and making noise when we saw her. She took off at first, but we could see the other bear run through the trees with her.

We all drew our pepper spray when seeing her, and as we were deciding what to do next could hear her coming back at us like a freight train through the trees crashing through everything. The first charge she stopped about 40 yards out, we all grouped up together near the horse ready to spray and yelling at the sow. She turned and ran, and came back for a second charge stopping around 30-35 yards. My brother at this point loaded his rifle in the event she came in at us. We yelled more and prepared for the worse, she turned and went back again.

THe third charge was the worst, she came to within 25 yards on the top of the crest of a small rise, at this point my brother had her in the scope, I had both pepper spray and handgun out, and our companion raised his arms and yelled to go away. This irritated the bear worse, she huffed and stomped and appeared to be ready to come in on us. My brothers friend gave a burst of pepper spray and we all started stepping back slowly, this seemed to have an effect and the bear then turned and ran.

Lessons learned: Good things we did: 1. stay together in a tight group and close to the horse, made us look more formidable. 2. we all drew our pepper spray and guns, and made a racket at the bear. 3. We did not turn and run, and surprisingly all stayed composed through the encounter.

Things to improve on or not to: 1.don't raise your hands to appear larger with a sow with a cub, this seemed to enrage her more and challenge her 2. If you get into an area of "bear food" whether it be berries or pine nuts, be on the lookout and ready, or re-route your trail around. 3. Most important, we should have started backing away from the initial encounter, we stood our ground trying to figure out what to do next. Soon as we started backing away it seemed to help. 4. Discharge the pepper spray earlier in the encounter, don't wait.

Be safe out there, hope this might help others a little.
 
That's interesting. Thanks for sharing.

I'm not a bear expert, but I'd venture to guess that once she didn't make a complete charge on the first go-round, she was probably unlikely to attack on the successive charges. I'd be curious to see what other say.
 
Good stuff and thanks for sharing. I have been going to post on a similar experience as well.

Last month in the NWT we were bluff charged while loading up horses with my caribou meat.

No shots were fired and nobody was bit although the bear got dangerously close to my buddy.
The one thing that I know made the situation a lot better was all three of us were prepared/experienced. I was the only one that had not been charged before but I have lived that situation in my head thousands of times before it happened.
We all stayed calm and composed, had decent communication etc.

Hunting solo in griz habitat alot, where the wind always blows, I think about what I would do as a thought in the back of my mind continually throughout the day.
When it goes happens you almost go into auto pilot. It isn't even scary at the time( afterwords is a different story) It's a strange feeling, almost like the same adrenaline rush as ice or rock climbing for the first time.
This was a young solo male and being aggressive to him scared him back a bit. Including going toward him yelling with a gun beaded on his head.
But This was a bear that had likely never seen a horse or human, so it was likely more trying to check out the smell of dead caribou than attack us defensively or predatorily. Results may vary with GYE bears.

I don't really have any specific advice other than just have a plan in your head and be prepared. It's easy to get complacent especially when you go out hundreds of times and nothing happens. But when it does it happens FAST. Stay calm and go through the motions.
It would have been a shit show if we were unprepared. Especially with three horses.
 
Your friend showed restraint not shooting her with the rifle. Many people would have.

I once walked up on a sow and cub grizzly while bow hunting for elk in SW Montana. Long story short I was trying to sneak in on a bull that was bugling but hung up. I creeped in on what I thought was the bull hooking a tree but it was the cub climbing a tree. The mother charged in but luckily stopped at the tree that the cub was in. She was no more than 40 yards from me. I drew my .44 mag and immediately backed out keeping the pistol on her until she was out of sight. Like was mentioned above there was no fear at that moment. I'm never afraid of what I can see. It's sleeping in a tent in griz country that sometimes gets to me.
 
Good advise and lessons learned. This question is not meant to hijack. How many of you backpack in and Bivy and or spike camp in MT? Do you feel "OK" or "at ease" when you do? I'm considering you have a "clean" camp with no food near your sleeping tent/shelter? It's something I'm trying to get used to.
 
Great story, I'm not sure what I would have done differently.

My 1 griz experience was with 1pointer up in NW MT, we popped over a hill and surprised a sow with 2 cubs on the other side. The cubs were pretty big, one of them bounded towards us a few steps. The sow just stood up and looked at us, then the cubs fled and she followed. I ranged the stump she had been standing by, 18 yards. The encounter happened so fast, I didn't even think to take my rifle off of my shoulder. I had also forgotten my bear spray on the hood of the car.

We went back the short distance to the car, grabbed the bear spray and gave them some time before we started back up the logging road, thinking they had probably cleared out. We were being intentionally loud as we went along, when 1pointer heard something in the trees. She stepped out again, this time about 50-60 yards away, looked at us then ran again. At this point we decided to get back in the car and hunt a different area.
 
You stated the wind was in your face, why would you release the pepper spray with the wind in your face? With that said, at a 20 yard charge I would have shot that bear and I think most would. This is why I will never hunt in griz country, I'm a scardy cat :)
 
Thanks for the story.

Never seen a grizzly in the wild. I have absolutely no idea what I would do. Hopefully. do well and think straight.

I would have to be there to know how I would react. Not wanting to know, so I would probably avoid grizzly areas.
 
Good advise and lessons learned. This question is not meant to hijack. How many of you backpack in and Bivy and or spike camp in MT? Do you feel "OK" or "at ease" when you do? I'm considering you have a "clean" camp with no food near your sleeping tent/shelter? It's something I'm trying to get used to.

I've done several backpack hunts since being charged by the bear. We always hang food in a tree at least 100 yds from the tent. All cooking and eating is done at that spot. That's really about all that you can do. Most of the bear encounters that you hear of are about hunters that startled a bear. It's very unusual to hear about an encounter involving an encounter while in a tent.
 
The evidence is overwhelming on the side of bear spray when it comes to situations like that. If you're in bear country you should have it ready at all times on the hip. You guys did good to use that spray instead of trying to be the super manly man and shoot the bear. All that usually does is injure the bear and make it more aggressive. Will it eventually die of those gunshot wounds? probably. Will it get a swipe or two at you before it does? All the evidence points to yes. The people that think they are going to put a one shot stop on a bear in that situation have no clue what they're talking about. Kuddos to you guys! glad everyone made it out safe and the bear got to walk away
 
Great story, I'm not sure what I would have done differently.

My 1 griz experience was with 1pointer up in NW MT, we popped over a hill and surprised a sow with 2 cubs on the other side. The cubs were pretty big, one of them bounded towards us a few steps. The sow just stood up and looked at us, then the cubs fled and she followed. I ranged the stump she had been standing by, 18 yards. The encounter happened so fast, I didn't even think to take my rifle off of my shoulder. I had also forgotten my bear spray on the hood of the car.

We went back the short distance to the car, grabbed the bear spray and gave them some time before we started back up the logging road, thinking they had probably cleared out. We were being intentionally loud as we went along, when 1pointer heard something in the trees. She stepped out again, this time about 50-60 yards away, looked at us then ran again. At this point we decided to get back in the car and hunt a different area.
Yes, seeing her twice was enough... :D
 
I have slept in my tent about fives miles in. I was scouting solo last May for my elk hunt this September. I didn't see any sign of grizzlies the two days/nights on the mountain until the morning I left. Being my first time in such a remote area and soon to be first time elk hunting, I felt safe in the many many miles I hiked. The hardest part was sleeping at night. The entire country seemed to come alive with animals moving about in the dark. Some just outside my little two man tent. yikes. On my hike back to my truck I came across fresh snow from that fell the night before with my first bear tracks. Got my blood going. I immediately pulled out my bear spray and 10MM. I saw the grizzly that looked as big as my truck about 80 yards up the mountain. It just looked at me and went about its business. I followed its lead and kept on walking slowly and calmly for about 200 hundred yard. After that I made the remaining 4 mile hike back to my truck without any issues. My experience with is that my adrenaline spiked. Yet, at the same time I was probably the calmest I have ever been. I am extremely glad that I practiced pulling out and using the bear spray with one hand and my pistol with the other. I practiced spraying and shooting while holding both. I would imagine that if something actually did happen, I would use the spray first and then drop it to use my 10mm as a last resort. Also, I didn't have a personal locator device on my scouting trip. I do now, I purchased a Garmin inReach Explorer. I have no advice except whatever you do, practice both in your mind and physically. If your mind is not ready, your body will not know what to do. I will be headed 5 miles back in next weekend for a 10 day archery elk hunt. First time and solo as I could not find any friends willing to stay in grizzly country. Good luck to all of you out there, get the big one, and most importantly have fun and stay safe.

Patrick
 
Patrick, be sure to where those little bells on your boots. Just kidding, be safe. You have a much bigger set than me. 10 day solo hunt in grizz country....for your first time elk hunting. I'll have to pass. Hope you get a good one!
 
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