Grizzlies hunting hunters.

[jnyork]

This GPS system is a real bear.

Eight Montana grizzly bears have been outfitted with GPS trackers in an ongoing study that could bring some unnerving news to hunters.










The study is aimed at bolstering the theory that grizzlies, which can be as stealthy as they are ferocious, stalk hunters from as close as the length of a football field in order to steal their prey. Already, data has shown at least one grizzly following oblivious elk hunters almost from the moment they left the parking lot, according to the Billings Gazette. Scientists believe the bear may have been following the humans in hopes of getting to a fallen elk before they did.

"Bears opportunistically scavenge carcasses throughout the active season and commonly usurp kills of other predators, such as cougars and, since their reintroduction in 1995, gray wolves,” stated a report last year by the Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team. “Remains left by hunters also provide grizzly bears with meat, and bears are attracted to areas outside of national parks when these remains become available during the fall.”

The Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team, part of the U.S. Geological Survey, started the project over the summer, by tagging the grizzlies in the Grand Teton National Park. Next, the study team asked elk hunters to voluntarily carry some 100 GPS units that track their routes.

In the most clearly detailed example, a group of hunters turned on their GPS devices moments after leaving a parking area at around 6 a.m. When scientists analyzed their movements later and contrasted them with those of a nearby grizzly, it became clear the bear was tailing them.

The bruin stayed downwind of the hunters, at one point coming within 100 yards of them as they moved around a lake. At around noon, the bear bedded down for a nap, but easily picked up the hunters’ trail again when it awoke, according to the report. Grizzly bears’ have a sense of smell seven times greater than that of a bloodhound, and 100 times that of a human by some estimates. Grizzlies also possess a Jacobson’s organ in the roof of their mouth that can detect heavier moisture-borne odors.

Scientists tracked the bear as it appeared to smell an elk carcass from 4 miles away, follow the scent and even wound up swimming across the lake to get to it, according to the report. They also observed that the bear made some evasive maneuvers, possibly to avoid an untagged grizzly competing for the same meat.

“The temporary movements away from the carcass could be indicative of this particular bear being ‘pushed off’ the carcass by a more dominant bear,” said Frank van Manen, of the Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team based in Bozeman.

Grizzlies have been known to steal the prey of hunters and fishermen alike. Animals such as elk may travel for miles after being wounded, leaving hunters the task of tracking them even as bears may be doing the same.

So attuned to the movements of hunters are the bears that scientists believe they may even listen for the sound of gunshots, knowing that they signal a meal to be scavenged. Grizzlies are known scavengers, and officials noted there have been cases of the mighty bruins attacking hunters as they dressed elk in the field. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks now requires successful bison hunters outside of Yellowstone National Park to move carcasses and gut piles 200 yards away from homes, roads and trails to lessen the chances of human-bear interactions, according to the Gazette.

[rjohns94]

Fascinating

[Griff]

I wonder how much that bit of common sense cost?

[gundownunder]

Scary thought.
If they're smart enough to follow you on a hunt they might eventually get the idea that if you're an unsuccessful hunter you might as well be used as dinner.

[Malamute]

Not really too surprising. They've been stealing game for some time. Coming to the sound of the shot is simple. Have heard of an elk stolen from bow hunters, The bear was on it before the hunters followed it up and found it. Following hunters isn't much of a stretch.

[ollogger]

I know a guy that lost most of his sheep & other folks that lost game to bear
just wait until the wolves learn that trick & maybe they have already, my brother in Wisconsin
lost a bow killed deer to wolves a few years ago, they was faster on picking up the blood trail



ollogger

[Griff]

Just remember, bear thought process probably goes something like this:

[Malamute]

I know a guy that lost most of his sheep & other folks that lost game to bear
just wait until the wolves learn that trick & maybe they have already, my brother in Wisconsin
lost a bow killed deer to wolves a few years ago, they was faster on picking up the blood trail
ollogger

I think they have in some places. I know a guy that shot an elk, before he had it field dressed several wolves showed up. They were polite enough, they sat about 100 yards away and just waited. He left his girlfriend (unarmed) on the carcass and went to get help packing it out. They cut it up and packed it out, when they were about 100 yards away from the gut pile, the wolves came in on it.

[Grizz]

He left his girlfriend (unarmed) on the carcass and went to get help

I hope she torched his car and left him for the wolves

I know two guys who had deer taken by brown bears. One walked right up to the carcase while the hunter was drinking from a stream, the deer beside him. another hung it "high up in a tree" and it was gone in the morning.

[Old No7]

Scary thought.
If they're smart enough to follow you on a hunt they might eventually get the idea that if you're an unsuccessful hunter you might as well be used as dinner.

Gee, we all seem to have "Plan Bs" -- so why can't a Grizzly???

Which reminds me...

Here's how you tell Black Bear scat from a Grizzly!

Bear Warning.JPG

Old No7

[AJMD429]

He left his girlfriend (unarmed) on the carcass and went to get help

I hope she torched his car and left him for the wolves.

Ya - really...

The only remote excuse I can think of for leaving HER near the meat/bait/food 'unarmed' would be if the hunter had used a compound bow with such a high draw-weight that she couldn't conceivably have pulled it.

[Malamute]

He left his girlfriend (unarmed) on the carcass and went to get help

I hope she torched his car and left him for the wolves

He hunts with a rifle. I couldn't believe he didn't leave it with her, or that she was out with him unarmed.

She didn't, however, seem to think it was too big of a deal. I was dumbfounded. I don't even go out in my yard without a gun. Where that occurred was about 4 miles from my house. They've trapped problem grizzlies closer than that.

[7.62 Precision]

He left his girlfriend (unarmed) on the carcass and went to get help packing it out.

I'd rather be unarmed walking out than leave someone unarmed sitting on a kill.

[Grizz]

In SW AK a wolf pack killed an unarmed school teacher. Precision can probably remember the details.

I was stalked by a very large wolf in the Mogollon Rim country. He was crouching, going tree to tree off my port quarter.

Too many people bought the "we can all get along" cartoon version of reality.

But I'm glad for the lady that those were "polite" wolves.

[Grizz]

He left his girlfriend (unarmed) on the carcass and went to get help packing it out.

I'd rather be unarmed walking out than leave someone unarmed sitting on a kill.

yeah, good up-bringing.

another good reason to carry a decent spear. I keep one in the car and have it out when I'm in the woods. it will be part of my boat gear for sure.

[Blaine]

He left his girlfriend (unarmed) on the carcass and went to get help packing it out.

I'd rather be unarmed walking out than leave someone unarmed sitting on a kill.

yeah, good up-bringing.

another good reason to carry a decent spear. I keep one in the car and have it out when I'm in the woods. it will be part of my boat gear for sure.

SpearChucker Grizz?

[7.62 Precision]

In SW AK a wolf pack killed an unarmed school teacher. Precision can probably remember the details.

I was stalked by a very large wolf in the Mogollon Rim country. He was crouching, going tree to tree off my port quarter.

She was jogging and they pulled her down. It was a huge blow to the greenies, who have always maintained that there has never been a proven wolf attack on a human. (Huge blow to the schoolteacher, too, I imagine, but greenies never care about humans.)

Of course, the greenies now just maintain there has never been an "unprovoked wolf attack." The school teacher apparently provoked the wolves by looking or acting like prey. Same argument they use for bear attacks - they always have a reason the human provoked the attack.

I used to get stalked night after night by a big wolf on Prince of Wales Island. I was living out in the woods in a tent working a remote job. This big light-colored wolf would spend half an hour stalking from tree to tree while I sat by my fire. When it got within a few feet, it would step out a bit. If I avoided looking at it, it would step out a bit more, then a bit more, until I turned my head and looked at it, and then it would streak away in a flash, under and over logs, tail flying behind. Then it would start over. We played this game a number of evenings.

The wolves on PoW go alone or in pairs - they don't pack up. They are genetically different from other populations and are extremely tall, but thin side-to side when you see them head-on. It is rare for them to avoid packing up in that part of the world. Usually wolves go in packs anywhere there are ravens.

The problem with wolves that are politely waiting for humans to leave a kill is that, while they are not really reasoning animals, their instincts make them canny. They will wait for humans to leave a kill just like they will wait for a bear to do so. But they will drive away other animals - they instinctively consider the threat level.

So two humans on a kill may be an unacceptable threat to a certain number of wolves, but when one of those humans decides that the wolves are no threat and walks off into the woods, the threat level as, far as the wolves are concerned, just dropped by half. The situation could change drastically.

[Grizz]

He left his girlfriend (unarmed) on the carcass and went to get help packing it out.

I'd rather be unarmed walking out than leave someone unarmed sitting on a kill.

yeah, good up-bringing.

another good reason to carry a decent spear. I keep one in the car and have it out when I'm in the woods. it will be part of my boat gear for sure.

SpearChucker Grizz?

I was camping last week and tossed it into some stumps and old dry rounds. Not hard, just trying to hit the thing, and got a couple inches of penetration. That would be a couple more in flesh and halfway to the heart with little effort. But the hog spear isn't a chucking tool, it's designed to be held onto and wiggled around a bit.... Heh.

[Grizz]

I used to bet stalked night after night by a big wolf on Prince of Wales Island. I was living out in the woods in a tent working a remote job. This big light-colored wolf would spend half an hour stalking from tree to tree while I sat by my fire. When it got within a few feet, it would step out a bit. If I avoided looking at it, it would step out a bit more, then a bit more, until I turned my head and looked at it, and then it would streak away in a flash, under and over logs, tail flying behind. Then it would start over. We played this game a number of evenings.

The wolves on PoW go alone or in pairs - they don't pack up. They are genetically different from other populations and are extremely tall, but thin side-to side when you see them head-on. It is rare for them to avoid packing up in that part of the world. Usually wolves go in packs anywhere there are ravens.

That's very interesting. We used to anchor in Dick's Arm and bait longline gear. After the coasties quit living in the light we used to see wolves. Sometimes 2 or 3 traveling single file along the shore. They were interesting because they were mostly black, and skinny. They looked hungry even though they were close to a humpie creek. I wondered if they were dog crossed, they didn't look like the luxurious furs you see in the archipelago or in Glacier Bay. coasties could have lost dogs over the years.

home sweet home sometimes, good times:

http://m3.i.pbase.com/o9/96/635896/1/15 ... ilview.jpg

[superchicken]

Isn't it odd how most of the people who get killed by predators decide to jog or mountain bike while wearing headphones?

[Grizz]

Isn't it odd how most of the people who get killed by predators decide to jog or mountain bike while wearing headphones?

In Sitka a bicycler was cruising along sawmill bay when he stopped for a mama brown bear crossing the road in front of him with cubs. What he missed was the other bear that walked up behind and decapitated him. Was that a jihadi bear?

My brother was a resident and verified the story.

[Grizz]

here's a real-deal bear attack story for context. I think I'm OK with my guide gun and 525gr output.

http://www.adn.com/print/article/heroic ... ing-victim

[7.62 Precision]

I remember that.

I usually see bears every time I am in that area.

[Grizz]

here's another one with better documentation.

Hey Bubba, get a picture of that bear.

http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/brea ... on+Post%29

uhOh, another rioting looter bear

[Gobblerforge]

Just remember, bear thought process probably goes something like this:

Thanks Griff. I still have that one on my fridge. Larson was the best.

[piller]

The fact that Grizzlies are following hunters does not surprise me. I have heard for years of the bears in Alaska that come running at the sound of a gun shot. Would anyone think that those bears are unaware of the hunters? If crows can learn, and bears have a larger brain, then, bears should be able to learn. I don't think I want to hunt in an are that has bears or wolves unless I can carry a handgun, too. A .44 Magnum is not too big for protection from bears or wolves from what I have heard. It is a little big for the killer rabbits in Kansas.