Of bears, black and brown, with or without electric fences

[rionapo]

Not wanting to hijack the NV discussion but unable to resist our ursine friends (and in the recent literary spirit of several posts): Bear Attacks by Stephen Herrera should be on everyone's book shelf. Though the current revised edition isn't all that revised, the core work is based on Herrera's catalog of every bear attack in the lower 48 (and Canada, IIRC, except the polar variety), offers interesting conclusions (gun? shoot fast and don't miss), gruesome anecdotes and a very important and usually overlooked fact: grizzlies attack for territory, brown bears attack for food. Since your response differs radically (fight the latter, submit to the former), early identification is kind of important--and not as clearcut as one would imagine.


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Fresno's 1st 2012 Ford van.

RB E350 6.8L V-10 4WD w/Front Air Lockers
PH Top, Kyocera solar with Zamp portable unit

(If we'd bought the winch, we'd make a fortune pulling cars out of the snow.)

[buckkiller]

Black Bear attack!
Rob Holms is a friend of mine, he was on a fishing trip in Montana when this happened.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... n-ear.html
The crazy thing about this is that he had been trying to kill one for many years, and had passed on one when he seen she had cubs that same year.
Thanks
Steelheadbum
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[BajaSportsmobile]

My Alaskan guide friend tells me that if attacked by a Brown, "you feed it your left arm and shoot it in the ear using your right" - that assumes you are right handed and carrying a gun (something every right minded soul does up there) as required.

[fancypants]

I'd read that article a few weeks ago about him getting his ear bit off! I really find it hard to believe that someone could sleep through a bear making a snack of one's ear. I'd wake up immediately hoping it was my wife!

[BrianW]

Originally Posted by BajaSportsmobile

My Alaskan guide friend tells me that if attacked by a Brown, "you feed it your left arm and shoot it in the ear using your right" - that assumes you are right handed and carrying a gun (something every right minded soul does up there) as required.

I believe Brown and Grizzly bears are the same species. Browns are just on the coast and tend to be larger since they mainly eat Salmon, whereas Grizzlies forage on a much wider variety of foods and tend to be smaller.

[BajaSportsmobile]

Originally Posted by BrianW

I believe Brown and Grizzly bears are the same species. Browns are just on the coast and tend to be larger since they mainly eat Salmon, whereas Grizzlies forage on a much wider variety of foods and tend to be smaller.

Yes, that is true. The name Brown Bear has nothing to do with their color - Kodiak, Grizzly and Brown Bears are all the same species and can be many colors including brown, blonde, red and even black.

Black Bears are another species,much smaller, and they can be black, blonde, red and brown... it is called color phases.

[rionapo]

Originally Posted by BrianW

I believe Brown and Grizzly bears are the same species. Browns are just on the coast and tend to be larger since they mainly eat Salmon, whereas Grizzlies forage on a much wider variety of foods and tend to be smaller.

True-my bad. I meant black bears, which will hunt and eat humans. And, can be resisted successfully.


-------
Fresno's 1st 2012 Ford van.

RB E350 6.8L V-10 4WD w/Front Air Lockers
PH Top, Kyocera solar with Zamp portable unit

(If we'd bought the winch, we'd make a fortune pulling cars out of the snow.)

[daveb]

I haven't gone back to the other post yet but I agree there is a huge difference in the attitudes between black and brown bears. I also believe there are differences between backcountry bears and those exposed regularly to people. Then there is the bear that has just had a bad day for whatever reason. I accidentally got between a cub and mom one day... not good. If that had been a brown bear it probably would have been very very bad day for me. The fact is because it’s difficult to know the demeanor of any bear, caution is always warranted. Also common sense is a major factor. I’ve seen people do the most stupid things around bears and wildlife in general. I’ve had a lot of very close up black bears encounters… I’m talking accidental contact encounters. I would not want that at all with a brown bear. In brown bear territory I always have bear spray at hand which arguably might be better than a handgun but I always carry both while in the backcountry but common sense goes a long way. Just my opinion.

[rionapo]

Originally Posted by BajaSportsmobile

Black Bears are another species,much smaller, and they can be black, blonde, red and brown... it is called color phases.

One of the most beautiful bears I've seen was cinnamon-colored. It was watching me maneuver around a rattlesnake, where maneuver means walk in the air a foot over the gentleman stretched across the trail. I successfully executed the maneuver, landed on the snake's far side before it woke up and looked across the narrow ravine to see my audience. I wonder if he was laughing? (Black bear in Arizona's Chiricahua Mtns, for anyone interested, though grizzlies once wandered that far south.)


-------
Fresno's 1st 2012 Ford van.

RB E350 6.8L V-10 4WD w/Front Air Lockers
PH Top, Kyocera solar with Zamp portable unit

(If we'd bought the winch, we'd make a fortune pulling cars out of the snow.)

[daveb]

California State flag has a grizzly on it but none in the wild here anymore.