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Seen on YouTube: "Close Grizzly Bear Encounter - Katmai National Park, Alaska" Login/Join 
Eschew Obfuscation
posted
I came across this video with the title above and the following caption: "A casual hike on Dumpling Mountain Trail in Katmai National Park led to a very up close and personal encounter with a brown bear. What a wild way to end our honeymoon!"

I hate to be a wet blanket, but I think the 'end to the honeymoon' could very easily have been the 'end of our lives'. If I came across a bear in the wild, I would be backing away, not grabbing my smartphone for a selfie with a brown bear.



_____________________________________________________________________
“Civilization is not inherited; it has to be learned and earned by each generation anew; if the transmission should be interrupted for one century, civilization would die, and we should be savages again." - Will Durant
 
Posts: 6373 | Location: Chicago, IL | Registered: December 17, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Timely post related my earlier posting in the Bear Vs handgun thread in the lounge.
Holy shit!


End of Earth: 2 Miles
Upper Peninsula: 4 Miles
 
Posts: 16005 | Location: Marquette MI | Registered: July 08, 2014Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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I heard at least some noise from them, didn’t sound like a whole lot. I didn’t see mention of any spray or a gun, maybe neither available?

In the National Park the bears may be slightly used to people, in some areas. This bear didn’t pay much attention.

I put bears in the ‘unpredictable’ camp. This bear did this, the next may choose a different course of action.
 
Posts: 6132 | Location: WI | Registered: February 29, 2012Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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I've hiked up that same "mountain." More like a hill actually.

Did not see any bears on the way up or down.

But did come closer than they did to a bear while in camp. Very cool experience.

The bears there do not consider humans a food source and if you stay out of their way, you won't be annoying enough to run down either.
 
Posts: 17733 | Registered: August 12, 2000Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Drill Here, Drill Now
Picture of tatortodd
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Katmai is the 2nd most famous place in Alaska for bear viewing due to its extremely high bear density (good salmon runs). You expect so see bears there. Sometimes bear just want to get from point a to point b and don't care who is on the trail.
quote:
Originally posted by YooperSigs:
Timely post related my earlier posting in the Bear Vs handgun thread in the lounge.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for I am the baddest motherfucker in the valley. Even if you're carrying a Barrett M107, you ain't the baddest Mf'er in Katmai.
quote:
Originally posted by sourdough44:
I didn’t see mention of any spray or a gun, maybe neither available?
Katmai's bear safety page says, "Use your bear spray if you think the bear will attack."



Ego is the anesthesia that deadens the pain of stupidity

DISCLAIMER: These are the author's own personal views and do not represent the views of the author's employer.
 
Posts: 23099 | Location: Northern Suburbs of Houston | Registered: November 14, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Just for the
hell of it
Picture of comet24
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Hope they checked their pants after that.

Was in Alaska last week. Saw a brown bear do what I would call jog, not a full run but much faster than walking. They can move fast and cover a lot of ground when they want. If that bear had decided it was dinner time those two would have been on his plate.


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Because in the end, you won’t remember the time you spent working in the office or mowing your lawn. Climb that goddamn mountain. Jack Kerouac
 
Posts: 16378 | Registered: March 27, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
The Constable
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I've been close to grizzlies here in Montana TWICE. And have SEEN them within a hundred yds or less, SEVERAL times, while hiking or hunting or simply afield.

My two CLOSE encounters were at Glacier NP and both of those bears were single adults, WITHOUT cubs. I think both were males.

Both of those encounters were like this video. Bear walked by us, seemingly unconcerned. NO threatening body language or sounds, at all. The video bear hurried up a bit when he passed them. Both of my bears leisurely walked by.

These guys did fine. They should have spoken to the bear a bit more ,so it wasn't surprised by them and I would have had my bear spray out and ready.
 
Posts: 7074 | Location: Craig, MT | Registered: December 17, 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Raised Hands Surround Us
Three Nails To Protect Us
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Maybe I watched a different video than you but I am not sure what they could have done differently? I am guessing they had no firearm so what else should they have done. Maybe been a little more quiet as it went past but they certainly weren’t trying to take a selfie. Sure they were videoing the encounter but not hassling the bear or attempting to draw attention to themselves.
They see the bear they slowly back themselves away and off the trail the bear is clearly using.


————————————————
The world's not perfect, but it's not that bad.
If we got each other, and that's all we have.
I will be your brother, and I'll hold your hand.
You should know I'll be there for you!
 
Posts: 25354 | Registered: September 06, 2003Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Eschew Obfuscation
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Thanks guys. I guess my reaction was based on the them continuing to film even as the bear approached.

I've seen too many stories of people falling off cliffs while taking selfies, filming scenes of car accidents, climbing into zoo enclosures for better shots, etc. I haven't had much experience around bears, but if I saw one coming down the trail I don't think I'd pull out my smartphone.


_____________________________________________________________________
“Civilization is not inherited; it has to be learned and earned by each generation anew; if the transmission should be interrupted for one century, civilization would die, and we should be savages again." - Will Durant
 
Posts: 6373 | Location: Chicago, IL | Registered: December 17, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Raised Hands Surround Us
Three Nails To Protect Us
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quote:
Originally posted by CoolRich59:
Thanks guys. I guess my reaction was based on the them continuing to film even as the bear approached.

I've seen too many stories of people falling off cliffs while taking selfies, filming scenes of car accidents, climbing into zoo enclosures for better shots, etc. I haven't had much experience around bears, but if I saw one coming down the trail I don't think I'd pull out my smartphone.


At that point not sure what else they could have done.
Granted in my case the G20 would have been ready and the wife filming. At that point they are all ready pretty close, running is completely out of the question. At the time the bear is not defensive or upset. Get off the trail and let the bear take the trail as that seemed to be his original plan.
Probably should have been a bit quieter longer but I don’t take issue with what they did given the circumstances.

I have black bear on my property. I hope to see them in person and will video if the opportunity allows.


————————————————
The world's not perfect, but it's not that bad.
If we got each other, and that's all we have.
I will be your brother, and I'll hold your hand.
You should know I'll be there for you!
 
Posts: 25354 | Registered: September 06, 2003Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Jack of All Trades,
Master of Nothing
Picture of 2000Z-71
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quote:
Originally posted by tatortodd:
Katmai is the 2nd most famous place in Alaska for bear viewing due to its extremely high bear density (good salmon runs).

I thought Brooks Falls in Katmai was the most famous for bear viewing. What am I missing that's number 1?




My daughter can deflate your daughter's soccer ball.
 
Posts: 11749 | Location: Eagle River, AK | Registered: September 12, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Drill Here, Drill Now
Picture of tatortodd
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quote:
Originally posted by 2000Z-71:
quote:
Originally posted by tatortodd:
Katmai is the 2nd most famous place in Alaska for bear viewing due to its extremely high bear density (good salmon runs).

I thought Brooks Falls in Katmai was the most famous for bear viewing. What am I missing that's number 1?
Alaska’s McNeil River Game Sanctuary. You have to win a lottery to go there and a ADF&G guide armed with a 12 gauge w/ Brenneke slugs takes you from camp to viewing sites and back to camp.

It’s most famous because it’s so exclusive (10 people per day) due to the lottery system.



Ego is the anesthesia that deadens the pain of stupidity

DISCLAIMER: These are the author's own personal views and do not represent the views of the author's employer.
 
Posts: 23099 | Location: Northern Suburbs of Houston | Registered: November 14, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Protect Your Nuts
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quote:
Originally posted by Black92LX:
Maybe I watched a different video than you but I am not sure what they could have done differently? I am guessing they had no firearm so what else should they have done.


I don’t see anything wrong either. They did exactly what I would have done, make enough noise that the bear knows you’re there and let him see you back away slowly. If you have spray or a firearm have it ready, but all of my bear encounters have been about like this, granted usually from greater distances. I see him- “thinks- shit”, he sees me “thinks- shit”, then we both cautiously go our separate ways. Only time I’ve seen a bear come jaunting down a trail like that though is in a national park.


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Posts: 2695 | Location: VA, mostly | Registered: June 14, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
The Unmanned Writer
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While up in Yosemite a few years ago, as I was in the tent and cleaning/packing, my then soon-to-be wife was on a large boulder trying to get warm in the morning sun when a 400-500 lb brown bear walked through our camp.

I hear from her "bear, Bear, BEAR!!" as the bear is less than 20' from the base of the boulder. I slowly looked out of the tent and told her to "be very, very quiet and do not move" at which point the bear looked at me. I kept motionless, silent, and just watched. Inside the tent and without a weapon, I would be screwed.

The bear, thankfully, wasn't phased by us and created the perfect end to a wonderful week in the mountains but damn, I have never let my wife know the possible danger we could've been in.







Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.



Only in an insane world are the sane considered insane.


The memories of a man in his old age
Are the deeds of a man in his prime


 
Posts: 14020 | Location: It was Lat: 33.xxxx Lon: 44.xxxx now it's CA :( | Registered: March 22, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Picture of Prefontaine
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It's like the zombies taking selfies and falling off cliffs and such and dying. So many idiots. Videoing some bullshit or taking some bullshit video is more important to them than actually living in the real world. We need Morpheus to start unplugging these dipshits, stat. Or just let Darwin put on his devil ears. So sick of this bullshit!



What am I doing? I'm talking to an empty telephone
 
Posts: 12569 | Location: Down South | Registered: January 16, 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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