Hiking Around The Mountains

[albertatrout]

Not saying it isn't true but I have never heard of anyone who has anything remotely close to your experience. Are you in the outdoors and possibly going to the same place over and over again and seeing the same Bears? 25-30 grizzly per season? I saw 40 bears in 1 spot on the crowsnest but they were the same 3 over and over again. That is absolutely incredible. Have you been chased by wolves too? A run in with a wolf? What is a run in? You defy all odds. But then again some guy down in the states did get hit by lightning 5 times as I remembermany decades ago. If what you say is true it sucks to be you.

I can find a fair number of guys that have seen even more than me. I'm being very conservative with my numbers sighting wise, though i do basically know a few bears personally as Ive run into them so may times. There's a giant dark boar along the Gregg that comes to mind right off the bat, and that sow with the three cubs out towards Robb. Last summer there was a sow with a single cub and a lone boar both hunting elk calves within 1 km of my cabin, i actually chased the boar out of the random camping area twice as he was approaching within a couple hundred yards of kids playing in the grassy field. The wolf encounters have been awesome for the most part, one was terrifying. I was working near Robb when i came to a stream crossing on a cutline, i was about 100 metres from the quad at the end of a long day of work. I cut into the woods as there's an old spruce i use to get across the creek (on foot). As i'm crossing i hear rustling (thick willows) and its getting closer. Then the howling started, really loud. There were 5 or 6 wolves circling me in the willows so i began banging a metal ruler against my clip board and hollering, i could see them around me in the willows, about 20-25 yards away, like they were trying to flush me onto the cutline. Then, hand radio crackled and beeped and they silenced down and backed off a bit, i went through the thick stuff and got the quad, fired it up and they ran off. Adrenaline was rushing, not sure how much danger i was actually in but Ive never heard a pack of wolves that close and hope to never hear them that clearly again. I do consider that a freak encounter.

 

As for grizzlies, Ive seen 7 different bears (grizzlies) in one evening driving from Robb to Cadomin, and up to 5 in an afternoon driving from Cadomin to Gregg Cabin. Down in the Castle, they often occur in high densities in the berries but Ive only seen up to 3 adults on one slope, i know a sheep hunter that got a picture with 7 on the same slope about 5 years ago, all gorging themselves on hucks. If you don't frequent the same areas at the same times of year (spring and fall) id understand why you may be skeptical, the media says they're rare after all.

[albertatrout]

Few more photos just for the heck of it. The first one was a couple years ago but cool as the bear was sleeping on a road then ran up the hill and just growled/ popped his/her jaw at us. Pretty sure it ended up being a sow as last summer there was a young sow in the area with a cub, looks to be about the same color bear.

 

 

One evening drive last spring, mid June. Two young bears feeding off a viewpoint just off hwy 40.

 

 

Then, get out for a bit of fishing and we have company. Same young boar that charged me last spring and that appeared in my other photo (i think).

 

 

Watched the bear for the evening as he hunted elk, he cornered this calf just as it was getting dark, the cow dropped the little guy off about 30 yards from the truck (where we were safe and watching the action)

 

 

He ended up chasing the elk into the water where it swam around for a bit, got too dark for pictures but the instincts of a calf elk are amazing. The grizzly ended up catching another one that night that went to the meadow instead of the pond. Next night there were no calves left with those 3 cows. Researcher told me one of his collared bears ate 16 elk calves in one month the summer before, amazing.

[Guest Grinr]

"Researcher told me one of his collared bears ate 16 elk calves in one month the summer before, amazing.

 

Yet still,we have no grizzly hunt and waiting lists to hunt elk,amazing.

[Taco]

 

 

Yet still,we have no grizzly hunt and waiting lists to hunt elk,amazing.

 

So you wanna halt the grizzlies, who may or may not be a threatened species, from doing what they've been doing for millennia so we can have a easier chance of harvestin' an elk? Gawdamn you turned into an Albertan quick

[ÜberFly]

Yup! The grizzlies are there for his entertainment!

[Pipestoneflyguy]

Not saying it's a good thing or a bad thing, but it sure seems the nature of FFC behaviour is to respond to the most recent post, not the original

[Guest Grinr]

 

So you wanna halt the grizzlies, who may or may not be a threatened species, from doing what they've been doing for millennia so we can have a easier chance of harvestin' an elk? Gawdamn you turned into an Albertan quick

I figgered that would raise some hackles,LOL.

I'm not saying that we should slaughter all the grizzlies because they are eating "our" elk...I'm saying that in light of the "arguably successful" recovery of grizzly populations in AB...SW AB in particular,and the increased frequency of grizzly/han encounters,that the continued moratorium on grizzly hunting in AB is based more on emotion and politics rather than sound game management and the abilty of the grizz population to sustain a limited annual harvest.

[Smitty]

Grinr:

But isn't your assertion based on the same kind of sort of emotion and politics?

 

Do you have anything beyond anecdotal evidence that the grizzly bear population can sustain a limited harvest. We all acknowledge that bears are a top-end predator, and given the habitat loss, industrial intrusion, loss of bears even due to railroads, slow reproductive cycles, that generally speaking, the recovery process is slow. You do highlight the word "arguably".

 

Set aside emotion and politics; isn't it better to err on the side of protectionism until we are bloody sure there are enough numbers - factually speaking - to justify harvest?

 

I'm simply asking for some facts here...

 

Smitty

 

P.S. Pipestone you're right, common enough "fault" on FFC (actually most forums) for a thread like this to get highjacked sideways...

[Guest Grinr]

No,I'm only going on anecdotal evidence,for the most part,speaking with hunters/anglers that report a substantial increase in bear numbers in certain areas.

For example,I know of at least one hunting party that has simply given up on hunting their long-time traditional hunting area in a certain SW AB Range due to far too many grizzly encounters and the neccesity of having to pack downed game out immediately or risk losing it to bears.In recent years they won't even gut a downed animal without a partner to keep six,and have had to abandon an elk and give it to an aggressive grizz that chased them off of their kill.It was either give up the elk,or shoot the bear,which opens a whole nuther can'o legal worms.

Some will argue also that the lack of,or more correctly,non-existant hunting pressure is conditioning bears to lose a healthy respect and fear of humans,thus creating even more bear/human encounters?Not sure where I stand on that one?On the one hand,bears might be associating humans with free food and zero consequences?On the other hand,dead bears won't make that mistake again or teach their cubs to avoid humans,and being an apex predator,I'm guessing it's not really in their nature to fear anything or anybody,other than maybe a bigger,more dominant bear?

[Guest Grinr]

All that aside^^,I think if there is a sustainable population that can withstand some limited hunting pressure,then Albertans shouldn't be denied the opportunity to harvest a trophy of a lifetime in their own backyard and be forced to travel and pay tens of thousands of dollars elsewhere for that opportunity.Hunting opps should be dictated by sound game management plans,not emotion and blanket protection for grizzlies province-wide just because some bunny huggers have made them the poster child in representing all things wild and unspoiled.

[ÜberFly]

So what you are saying that a griz hunt should be authorized for the sole purpose of someone getting a "trophy"!! Yeah, that's logical!!

 

And before you get your tightie whities in a knot, no I'm not anti hunting, but I am anti trophy and grizzly hunting!

[ScottN]

Hunting is a valuable management tool. Since grizzly boars sometimes kill grizzly cubs, what's wrong with a controlled hunt for them? Their numbers might actually increase with properly managed hunt.

[ÜberFly]

Grizzly boars kill cubs so they can mate with the sow as she'll start ovulating again! Kill the boars and the mating stops and eventually no more cubs!

[Guest Grinr]

So what you are saying that a griz hunt should be authorized for the sole purpose of someone getting a "trophy"!! Yeah, that's logical!!

 

And before you get your tightie whities in a knot, no I'm not anti hunting, but I am anti trophy and grizzly hunting!

Please show me where I wrote "for the sole purpose" ??I beleive I cited several reasons to hunt grizzlies,not the least of which being to control their numbers and put some healthy fear of guns into them,which will help reduce grizzly/human conflicts.

And so what if people want to hunt for trophies?We blast gophers for target practice,but thats ok cuz theres millions of'em?I routinely pass up young bucks and bulls in search of a big mature specimen,and it aint cuz they taste better or I need the extra meat that I can carve from a big one.

I'm gurssing that you yourself are guilty of impaling beautiful,harmless fish thru their mouth and yanking them into a foreign environment where they can't breathe for your own personal amusement and/or the "trophy" grip n grin photo,yes?

Please explain how your trophy pursuits are any better?

[ÜberFly]

A shot griz has zero chance of survival! A released fish (handled properly) has almost 100% chance of survival!!

[Taco]

No,I'm only going on anecdotal evidence,for the most part,speaking with hunters/anglers that report a substantial increase in bear numbers in certain areas.

For example,I know of at least one hunting party that has simply given up on hunting their long-time traditional hunting area in a certain SW AB Range due to far too many grizzly encounters and the neccesity of having to pack downed game out immediately or risk losing it to bears.In recent years they won't even gut a downed animal without a partner to keep six,and have had to abandon an elk and give it to an aggressive grizz that chased them off of their kill.It was either give up the elk,or shoot the bear,which opens a whole nuther can'o legal worms.

Some will argue also that the lack of,or more correctly,non-existant hunting pressure is conditioning bears to lose a healthy respect and fear of humans,thus creating even more bear/human encounters?Not sure where I stand on that one?On the one hand,bears might be associating humans with free food and zero consequences?On the other hand,dead bears won't make that mistake again or teach their cubs to avoid humans,and being an apex predator,I'm guessing it's not really in their nature to fear anything or anybody,other than maybe a bigger,more dominant bear?

Elk or sheep huntin' in SW Alberta and SE BC we've always had to deal with overly assertive bears, certain areas you got your game dressed, loaded and got the hell outta there. A few times I've had a big boar follow us 10-15 miles back to camp and raise hell. I had one big arrogant as shole follow me around for 3 days and keep me awake for better part of 2 nights lettin' me know I was trespassin' on his turf. It ain't some new thing, aggressive grizzlies and what they consider easy eats in their territory.

[Guest Grinr]

So because released fish are likely to survive, that makes it ok for you to torture and likely terrify fish for fun and ego boosting photo opps?

Orrrr,being as you are not opposed to hunting....only trophy hunting,can I assume that you only fish for food and humanely kill every fish that you land?

[ÜberFly]

So then lets talk about baiting!! How is that hunting!!

[Guest Grinr]

So then lets talk about baiting!! How is that hunting!!

huh??

What does baiting have to do with anything?

 

oh wait,yes baiting is in fact OP relevant.

 

While "Hiking in the Mountains" this spring and fall,be sure to excercise caution,an eye on your pets and children on a leash in the vicinity of bear baits which should be clearly marked with the outfitter's/hunter's contact info and WIN#.

[Weedy1]

 

And so what if people want to hunt for trophies?We blast gophers for target practice,but thats ok cuz theres millions of'em?I routinely pass up young bucks and bulls in search of a big mature specimen,and it aint cuz they taste better or I need the extra meat that I can carve from a big one.

I am sickened by the thought that the trophy hunting of Gophers is allowed in the Great Gopher Fields of Alberta. How is this possible when the majority of Albertan's find the killing of Gophers for Sport and Trophies abhorrent and immoral? The Gopher, an Alberta icon, is not a traditional food hunt, regulations don't even require hunters to remove the flesh from the site, isn't this is wasteful use of wildlife? Recently the First Nations people announced that they oppose Trophy Gopher Hunting in their traditional territories while the Alberta government insists on allowing Gophers to be hunted for sport, these Gophers may even carry the "Spirit Gopher" gene. The future of the tourism economy in Alberta is clearly in Gopher-based tourism and not in killing Gophers for sport trophies. Statistics show that Gopher viewing generates far more revenue for the Alberta economy than trophy Gopher killing, not to mention the optics of "Sunny Alberta" being a killer’s paradise.I think Alberta needs to implement a complete ban on trophy Gopher hunting.

 

 

 

 

 

...and to answer the OP's question, kick em in the nuts and run.

[lad]

I am sickened by the thought that the trophy hunting of Gophers is allowed in the Great Gopher Fields of Alberta. How is this possible when the majority of Albertan's find the killing of Gophers for Sport and Trophies abhorrent and immoral? The Gopher, an Alberta icon, is not a traditional food hunt, regulations don't even require hunters to remove the flesh from the site, isn't this is wasteful use of wildlife? Recently the First Nations people announced that they oppose Trophy Gopher Hunting in their traditional territories while the Alberta government insists on allowing Gophers to be hunted for sport, these Gophers may even carry the "Spirit Gopher" gene. The future of the tourism economy in Alberta is clearly in Gopher-based tourism and not in killing Gophers for sport trophies. Statistics show that Gopher viewing generates far more revenue for the Alberta economy than trophy Gopher killing, not to mention the optics of "Sunny Alberta" being a killer’s paradise.I think Alberta needs to implement a complete ban on trophy Gopher hunting.

 

 

 

 

 

...and to answer the OP's question, kick em in the nuts and run.

That's Beautiful!!!!!!!!!!!!! hahaha A couple of friends are meeting at my house and are going out gopher hunting. I will show them this and try to convince them to bring cameras. Maybe the rancher that buys us our Ammo would rather have a 8x10 glossy framed of a gopher! Good one!

[Hawgstoppah]