Grizzlies in Montana-DF&G release

The Montana Fish & Game Department released the following press:

In light of the rising frequency of human - grizzly bear conflicts, the
Montana Department of Fish and Game is advising hikers, hunters and
fishermen to take extra precautions and keep alert of bears while in the
field. "We advise that outdoorsmen wear noisy little bells on their clothing
so as not to startle bears that aren't expecting them.  We also advise
outdoorsmen to carry pepper spray with them in case of an encounter with a
bear.  It is also a good idea to watch out for fresh signs of bear activity.
  Outdoorsmen should recognize the difference between black bear and grizzly
bear droppings. Black bear droppings are smaller and contain lots of berries
and squirrel fur.

Grizzly bear droppings have little bells in them and smell like pepper."

Grizzly bear droppings have little bells in them and smell like pepper."

 

i used to mountain bike this trail in Towgowotee near Jackson Wy, that had about 2 miles fast single track with double overhead berries on either side. 
The big disussion was always whether you wanted to be the one to hit the griz at 25mph, or the one to come skidding to a stop after your buddy hit him.
never saw one on the trail- but did see one across the canyon one early AM.

The funny this is that I did some serious backpacking for 5 straight years all over the Sierras and never caught a glimpse of a bear. My buddy told be "just go to Yosemite and hangout by the garbage dumps" Not exactly what I envisioned . I was hoping to see one in the wild....at it's most natual state.

Guess I'll save some gas money and hit the SF Zoo instead

I remember in yellowstone that one of the rangerettes I hung out with would joke that the bells were dinner bells.

I have had numerous bear encounters in the sierra's. Usually the black bears are very skiddiest like a coyote would be. However there was one year camping on the east side of 395 near bridgeport, in Burt Canyon that the bears go a little aggressive and scary. By a weeks end, the bears went from running away by hollaring to shooting .45 rounds in to the ground and spraying them with dirt.

Opening day of bear season was probably pretty good that year =).

.

-Brian G

 

...at it's most natual state.

Guess I'll save some gas money and hit the SF Zoo instead

Mooch, it doesn't get any more natural than the SF Zoo.

I've run across bears many times, Yosemite, all over Tahoe and a couple months ago I was showing property right down from my land and spooked up a beauty of a blonde Black bear about 40 yards ahead of us twice within a half hour. With black bears I guess it helps to be bigger then them. Randall

My wife & I had a black bear walk into the hallway leading to our apartment door when we lived in Whittier, AK. She has a pic of it standing in the dumpster on the side of the aprtment building. The blacks were all over that year, in downtown, wherever. The train would come in during the morning and the 100 or so tourists would mill around the depot. One morning a black bear walked under the train and popped out right in the middle of a bunch of them. The cops would use firecrackers and rubber bullets to chase them off.