Ultimately, It's Why We Hunt Them

[DrMike]

News item from the news this morning: "Hunter killed by bear, guide survives attack in Northwest Territories." Reading the story, one has to wonder what went wrong. They are big animals. They are capable of moving fast. They can hurt you.

http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/hunter...ves-attack-in-northwest-territories-1.2013845

When I see more, I'll post it.

 

[Guy Miner]

I do feel for the hunter, and particularly for his family & friends, left behind. Glad the guide made it out, apparently unharmed.

Mike, you're right though, that is why hunters go after grizzly, cape buffalo, etc... The animal can very clearly turn the tables on the hunter.

I get a "little" of that flavor when following a black bear into the brush. I thought it was funny a few years ago, when going in after John's first bear, that everybody followed "the old guy with the big rifle" when we went to collect John's bear.

Someday I've got to hunt grizzly!

Guy

 

[DrMike]

I will say, Guy, that it is a rush when a grizzly charges (bluff or not); and it is a matter of every sense being on heightened alert when going into the alders after a suspected wounded bear. Still, things do go wrong from time-to-time. I am grieved for the family of the hunter; he was undoubtedly a foreign national who was on the "hunt of his life."

 

[DrMike]

There are only initial reports at this time. The site is undoubtedly a long distance from any community, which makes official response to the initial request difficult.

http://www.ckom.com/content/hunter-dies-after-bear-attack-nwt

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news...ack-in-northwest-territories/article20685882/

http://lethbridgeherald.com/news/na...nter-killed-by-bear-in-northwest-territories/

 

[6mm Remington]

Prayers for them all. They are an amazing animal. I've been lucky enough to see three in the wild and they just exude strength and power.

 

[DrMike]

I've been lucky enough to see three in the wild and they just exude strength and power.

That they do, David; that they do.

 

[Guy Miner]

I keep bumping into them while carrying only an 8wt fly rod, up in Alaska.

They've been kind enough to share their fishing holes with me, pretty generously.

Guy

 

[Darkhorse]

I keep bumping into them while carrying only an 8wt fly rod, up in Alaska.

They've been kind enough to share their fishing holes with me, pretty generously.

Guy

Until that "One" time they don't.

 

[DrMike]

I keep bumping into them while carrying only an 8wt fly rod, up in Alaska.

They've been kind enough to share their fishing holes with me, pretty generously.

Guy

Until that "One" time they don't.

Excited some British tourists. The bear said, "Send more tourists!"

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/new...urists-charged-by-grizzly-bear-in-Alaska.html

 

[truck driver]

Ummmm, he thought the were chickens. :lol:

I was refering to the video about the tourist not the hunter who lost his life for that was a great tragedy.

 

[SJB358]

Sorry to hear about the loss of the hunter.

It isn't an accident they are the top of the foodchain.

 

[Oldtrader3]

I withhold comment on this until we have more information? As it is the guide's job to protect tenderfoot hunter's from grizzly bears, I wonder what happened?

I have only seen one wild grizzly, just south of Yellowstone, in the Gray's River area. He (it was a he) was about 300 yards across a drainage for which I was glad as I was hunting deer with my .270 Win and quietly left him to all of that drainage.

 

[super-7]

I withhold comment on this until we have more information? As it is the guide's job to protect tenderfoot hunter's from grizzly bears, I wonder what happened?

I have only seen one wild grizzly, just south of Yellowstone, in the Gray's River area. He (it was a he) was about 300 yards across a drainage for which I was glad as I was hunting deer with my .270 Win and quietly left him to all of that drainage.

From what I have heard is they had a sucsessful hunt and had a moose down, they were in the process of gutting it when the bear charged out of the bush and grabbed the closest guy. Which happened to be the hunter not the guide. Guns were leaned up against a tree a few feet away. Not sure on the details after the attack why the guide couldn't get a shot off to prevent the clients death, but under the circumstances only 2 people know and one is no longer with us.
Rip ol hunter!! And prayers for the family!

 

[Guy Miner]

Super-7, that's exactly the kind of scenario we are worried about when I've hunted either elk or mule deer in grizzly country near Yellowstone.

Some of those bears have learned to equate the sound of a rifle shot, with a meal down and ready to be taken...

My hunting partner on the elk trip insisted that we each have a big bore revolver within arms reach anytime we weren't carrying a rifle. We did. When one of us was working on the elk, the other watched for bear. I thought he was going a little overboard, but he knew his area, his elk and his grizzlies.

Having grizzly in the area does add a certain spice to a hunt. Too much spice in this case!

Guy

 

[DrMike]

Super-7, that's exactly the kind of scenario we are worried about when I've hunted either elk or mule deer in grizzly country near Yellowstone.

Some of those bears have learned to equate the sound of a rifle shot, with a meal down and ready to be taken...

My hunting partner on the elk trip insisted that we each have a big bore revolver within arms reach anytime we weren't carrying a rifle. We did. When one of us was working on the elk, the other watched for bear. I thought he was going a little overboard, but he knew his area, his elk and his grizzlies.

Having grizzly in the area does add a certain spice to a hunt. Too much spice in this case!

Guy

Dinner bell bears--It is our practise to always have one individual with a rifle watching for bears when we are dressing game.

 

[6mm Remington]

I was talking to a guy I know a couple days ago. He told me he shot a 4x5 bull on opening day and let it go for about an hour after shooting it with his bow. I guess it took another 45 minutes or so to find his bull and when he did there was a black bear sitting on it! He thought about shooting the bear also as he had a tag, but he felt he had more than enough to do to get the elk processed and out of the woods so the meat would be good.

This guy clapped his hands and hollered and reluctantly the bear finally left, but never really left. He said the whole time he was gutting, skinning and quartering his bull, the bear was circling him sometimes coming within 10 yards he said. It was pretty spooky. He finally got the work done and then quickly moved on quarter about 20 yards, rushed back and grabbed another and put it with the first. He did that until they were all moved 20 yards away from the gut pile. He continued that process until he had everything about 200 yards from the gut pile which the bear took possession of right away.

Good time to have both pepper spray and a pistol!

 

[Oldtrader3]

At least a Colt .45 SAA will give a hunter some comfort with bears. Grizzlies can come very fast and silently when it suits their purpose. Parties gutting animals in grizzly country should have at least two people with large caliber sidearms to cover one another.

 

[Guy Miner]

OT3, yes. When we were dealing with my bull, I had the 7mm Rem mag handy, and my buddy was carrying his .454 Casull, Freedom Arms.

Later, when I'd put the rifle away, I had a .44 mag S&W 629 w/300 gr handloads. Slept with that thing nearby and had it on my belt most of the hunt.

Guy

 

[Anonymous]

Yeah, I hate dealing with griz. Hate it. Especially field dressing a critter after dark.

I've only chased one into the toolies a few times but that's enough to do me. For good.

 

[Vince]

Super-7, that's exactly the kind of scenario we are worried about when I've hunted either elk or mule deer in grizzly country near Yellowstone.

Some of those bears have learned to equate the sound of a rifle shot, with a meal down and ready to be taken...

My hunting partner on the elk trip insisted that we each have a big bore revolver within arms reach anytime we weren't carrying a rifle. We did. When one of us was working on the elk, the other watched for bear. I thought he was going a little overboard, but he knew his area, his elk and his grizzlies.

Having grizzly in the area does add a certain spice to a hunt. Too much spice in this case!

Guy

Dinner bell bears--It is our practise to always have one individual with a rifle watching for bears when we are dressing game.

A most prudent practice I do think.
In country where there are bears I want someone that has stood to danger before. Be it riot, gunfight, or deadly animals. They don't even have to be the best shot, but it helps, as an indicator of how one will fare is their past behavior in a dangerous situation.
I've not hunted the great bears, yet, but I'll either do it alone or with someone that has proven they can stand fast.
Just my $0.02.

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