Me and Bears

[Hanshi]

A friend and I had long planned a 5 day hiking trip in a large, seldom visited wilderness area.  It was decided that each of us would carry a sidearm but would take only one rifle with us.  We ended up driving to a parking lot where we were the only ones around.  The car was locked up and left right by the sign with the "dos" and "don'ts" for using the area; it was a large sign positioned so that no visitors to the area could miss it.  Unloading the car, we took our heavy backpacks and the rifle from the trunk.  The whole region was mountainous with some peaks reaching as high as 12,000 ft.  We made good time that first day and set up camp before full dark, which comes early and fast in mountainous terrain. 
     The scenery was spectacular with aspen (the showy, gold colored leaves still clinging to the tree), fir & spruce in the higher elevations and more species of wildlife than we could manage to photograph.  The mountains were rocky and rugged with sheer vertical drop-offs plunging hundreds of feet down.  Although I'm not normally bothered by heights; those vertigo-inducing trails, some no more than three feet wide, kept me from even thinking about looking over the dizzying precipice. 
     On the third day, getting short of food, we decided to hunt some kind of game large enough to last us for the remainder of our trek.  That day our camp was set  in a beautifully wooded, high valley next to a spring where the water was icy cold and sweet as nectar.  Starting out at daybreak we soon found ourselves surrounded by deer.  Looking for the easiest shot, we managed to creep to within about 20 yards of a small doe.  I photographed the action while my partner lined up the shot.  The timber was thick and the dew on the varied colored leaves would make tracking a wounded deer problematic at best.  At the shot the doe jumped and ran a few steps before collapsing.  Dragging the deer to back where it was shot, we commenced to field dress and bone out the doe.
     Now, I've heard stories about the type of incident we were about to experience but never really believed them; we were about to get educated, bigtime.  The warnings go something like this.  Grizzlies get used to hearing gunshots and eventually consider them a sort of "dinner bell".  They either chase away the hunter and claim the deer; or in rare cases, kick the hunter's butt and claim the deer.  The "kicked butt" scenario I can live without. 
     Well we had about finished with the deer when we heard a WOOF and twigs snapping.  I know the sounds bears make and knew exactly what was making the noise.  I was seated on the ground but my partner was standing and the rifle was leaning against a tree trunk several yards away and neither of us was in any position to try for it;  see, this part happened in maybe 4 seconds and making it to the rifle was out of the question.  In an instant, my partner, Bill, couldn't help himself and started running for a tree with low limbs hoping to save himself by climbing as far up as he could.  It wasn't something he decided to do; it was sudden instinct and he probably wasn't aware of what he was trying to accomplish.  With me being seated on the ground, the grizzly was about 15 feet from my position by the time I was upright.  All I could do was start waving my arms over my head and yelling "STOP"!  So that was where the three of us happened to be in that snapshot in time.
     Unbelievably, that big grizzly skidded to a stop that brought him within about two arm lengths from the deer, and of course, me.  He was popping his great jaws and huffing up a storm.  The only thing I could do was stand still and stare him in the eyes; if I ran he'd be on me before my first step.  Well, that bear kept posturing and showing his aggression to let me know that what was mine was now his; and that included me and Bill.  But I continued to be absolutely still and continued staring him in the eyes.  As the seconds - they felt like hours - ticked by, it was obvious he was calming down just oh so gradually and within a couple of minutes he simply "bellied" down on the carpet of leaves with his massive head on his front paws, looking very much like a dog waiting to be fed.  More time passed, actually probably just three or four minutes when, bless my soul, that huge bear rolled over on his back!  I couldn't believe it!  He and I still kept eye contact, though.  After a while I was fast approaching pure exhaustion; I knew I couldn't keep up the staring and standing still much longer. 
     I was getting "panicky" knowing I was about finished when Mr. Griz began making what sounded like "mewling" sounds; I have never heard them do that before.  I'm still not sure what came over me, insanity, maybe; but before I could react I found myself squatting on the leafy ground litter beside this enormous beast.  Reality jolted me back to my senses letting me know fully well the dangerous predicament I had placed my self squarely in.  An idea occurred to me.  It would either get me instantly killed and eaten or get me out of this mess.  I reach over and started rubbing that grizzly bear's belly.  I could hear his breath catch then slowly be released.  It felt to me like he was purring; it wasn't a stretch to believe he was actually enjoying the belly rub.
     By this time Bill had shown back up and had kneeled beside me by the bear.  He couldn't speak and his eyes were about the size of saucers.  After a while the grizzly started snoring; and I could imagine a big smile on that toothy face.  Carefully, but oh so carefully, we stood and walked as silently as we could manage over to the rifle, picked up the two sacks of meat that we had been able to bone out and started back toward camp.  We'd leave the carcass and what remained of the meat completely to the bear.  We never saw that grizzly again and that suits me and Bill just fine.
     So, now, as hard as it is to believe, the two of us were able to stop a charging grizzly bear, turn him into a giant pussycat and put him to sleep.  Bill still swears that I stared that bear down and firmly established our claim on the deer carcass to the extent that he understood I was the alpha, not him.   

[hotfxr]

Brother, you have got to quit eating pepperoni pizza late at night. 

[redhawk]

Brother, you have got to quit eating pepperoni pizza late at night. 
[/quote   And sipping that swampwater!]

[Watauga]

Hanshi    "Brother, you have got to quit eating pepperoni pizza late at night."  Don't Listen to them!!!     So Where do you get this pepperoni pizza    You Didn't order the Magic Mushrooms on it did you??? 

[Hanshi]

  Just a peyote button and a shot of rye.  That always clears my head and helps me remember details such as the TRUE incident with the grizzly.  I got a million more stories about my many encounters with bears. 

[hotfxr]

   I don't know about you and bears. Smells a bit funny to me. I have been terrified of bears for over thirty years now, ever since I inadvertently became a bear pinata while hanging from a tree branch while climbing down a small cliff face. In reality I was probably a good 10-15 feet above the mama bear but let me tell you I could feel her claws scraping the bottom of my boots. And this was a tiny black bear, a petite 250 to 300 pounds of angry, cub protecting Ursus Americanus in fighting form. The cubs were cute until mom showed up. Given your admitted diminutive stature, any interaction with grizzlies would make you a tasty treat in snack size. And for your edification, chipmunks are not the same as bears. 

My brother, stay away from them peyote chips.

         

[Hanshi]

  But wait!  I have an ice cold, Hell is here, stare.  That griz knew I was boss; just like that blackie in WV last fall.  Bears, along with snakes, don't bother me at all like they do most people.  It's good to be mean. 

[Hawken50]

 ........... ,......

[beowulf]

hanshi`s tellin the gods honest truth , I have a photo of that monster grizz , and he`s lucky he survived the encounter !  just the killer look in that grizz`s eyes is enough to make ones blood run cold !

[DandJofAZ]

Been close enough to hear the WOOF but brother and I successfully exited area.
Non- incident.
Doug

[hotfxr]

There are a couple of sounds that are engraved on my brain with letters of fire; The strange coughing-wuff sound of an annoyed mama bear and the distinct sounds of an AK47 bolt being racked into place along with the sounds of the bullets coming out of the barrel pointed in my direction. If I never hear those two sounds again, well that will be just fine with me. 

[DandJofAZ]

Got to agree with your #2 bad sound.  Didn't take me long to figure out I don't like being a target.
Doug.

[old salt]

Those two sounds scare the he!! out of me and I am fearless

[Hanshi]

First of all, that's a tribble you have pictured there, beowulf; a real one, not a "Hollywood" one.

I also woof and pop my jaws; and that kinda scares the bears. 

[pilgrim]

[/color][quote

I also woof and pop my jaws; and that kinda scares the bears. 
[/quote]

    Probably reverse of what is stated.  When Hanshi's  significant other smacks hit then you hear the POP,  followed by Hanshi's woof.    Never mess with any female of any species.