Close Encounters of the Furry Kind - 12/23

Got the Xmas shopping done yesterday, and started today getting household chores done, the fam was doing other stuff with Mammy and cousins...etc., so there was time this afternoon to run down to the State Park.  It was wet out but not raining, so it was nice in the redwoods.  Even though it was a Sunday there wasn't anyone around - weather forecast probably kept them away.  I hiked the lonely forest with my tripod in one hand and an extra stick in the other, feeling more self-conscious lately since seeing the bear a couple weeks back.  I arrived at a prime viewing area and saw a small fish - no good photo op, but it was action!     I moved up through the spot where we'd seen the bear earlier and on up the trail a few hundred feet before spotting what I'd say is the same bear on a log in the creek!  He was facing upstream (away from me) and the log he was on is an old "stream enhancement" that had been undercut by the flow of the creek (as are several others 80's-era enhancements in the area) - it consists of a telephone pole-sized log dug perpendicular into each bank with a 3' cut-out in the top and center of the log so a water fall forms there and scours out a hole below.  So I stood there, 60' from the bear and he couldn't sense me at all.  I took several fuzzy photos before deciding to get his attention.  I hollered at him and he saw me and seemed OK with my presence.  I went ahead and put my camera on the tripod and got more pictures and he kept rootin' around acting curious and mellow.  Eventually I walked up parallel and 30' above him on the bank and he bailed to the other side and looked back over at me from that bank.  I saw that there was a fresh redd right above where he was on the log and I continued upstream.  I saw a pair of kings in transit, coming downstream, so I walked back down and the bear was back out on the log and I was now just upstream of him.  I could now see the spawning pair - one around 10# and the other well over 20#.  They settled into the redd, but I couldn't get a shot of them due to glare - man would these bear shots be that much better if you could see the kings just sitting there in the redd.  I took a quick video that shows the fish and the bear and one of the kings even turns and digs the redd sending a dirt cloud downstream 8' right onto the bear's paws without the bear noticing the salmon or me!  He started up from the tailout and was sniffing around like he knew there were fish there (8' from him!), but it was like he didn't want to go further in the cold water, so he turned and bailed.  I was jazzed on the entire scene, but it was over, so I turned upstream in hopes of seeing more pairs in better photo water.  A few hundred feet upstream I found another pair right in that swift water from Friday's fight scene and I started to get some pics when I looked up and Mr. Bear had followed me upstream and was 50' behind me on the trail, at my level,... and I'm alone,...  ...   ...      ...  ...  ... ... ...     Can you hear my heart beating?!  I held my tripod up in one hand and my stick up in the other, furled my brows as furly as they can get and gave him the deepest, gruffest, meanest, most confident ass-chewing I can muster!        He seemed to respect it, but didn't turn.  I told him, "I'll go my way and you go yours", and he could tell I wasn't happy with him.  I turned to walk off then quickly turned back and held up my hand, warning him, "don't F#$% with me!"      I turned again and made my way to a huge fallen redwood that I could quickly ascend, knowing the specific hand and footholds well, and I was on top of it, looking back at him not following me.  I cruised on and checked the last two spots on my short trail before taking the forest trail back to my truck and safety!  It was exhilirating and I wasn't scared at any point, but my logical mind was weighing the real threat of seeing a 150#  bear, solo, in the woods on a cold wet day.  I do carry an aerial flare that I'm confident I could deploy quickly, but I don't ever expect to pull it out. 

Sweet!

Kool,

 I admire how much your able to get out there....

   Bear Whisper Man,  or should we say " Bear Shouter "

Cool pics. Always enjoy your adventures Eric.
I am not a fan of anything that can out run and out climb me that is carnivorous and can take a deer down with no probs. I have had my run-ins with bears and let me tell you in that situation I could give Jackie Joyner Kersey a run for her money.

AK-47style.......you are taking this to a *whole different level!   
those are some O'nat-u'ral shots!
...had a little extra time so i went to see a bear in the woods, along the stream, that holds 20pound fish.   YKM! Erik!    &keepemclickin!