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Hey Jim. I see you are on line there. Hows the season going in bear country?

Well, sir, it's going pretty slow due to all the wildfire smoke. But I snuck out this morning with my new pup to introduce him to ruffed grouse. Still a little early in the season, but we managed to move two ruffs, both bumped, one by both of us, the second by me. Young Rudy smelled the first one along a narrow trail through the aspen and stopped to test the wind on the downhill side. Too bad the ruff was on the uphill side 'cause he would have offered me a pretty clear shot. Of course I just let the bird fly off. But that's when Rudy realized no more planted pigeons, that we are now hunting the real thing. He next found and pointed a ruff in thick alder, but it departed before I could get on scene. The pup held his position, all bent like a pretzel, just like a pro until I released him. Then the breeze brought the smoke back in so I called it quits for the day.

Tomorrow morning I'll hopefully be back out there at another spot, a much better ruffed grouse covert, and maybe Rudy and I will pull off our first grouse kill together?

On Wednesday I take off with all three of my Brittanys for an annual sharptail season opener about 100 miles southeast of Fairbanks. Lots of grouse on the farm this year, and I can't wait to put that pup down on the ground and then use up some of this 16 gauge ammo I've got. Don't want the shells to get stale now. It's in pretty good grizzly country.

Haven't seen any bears so far this early fall, but we'll be in the high country after ptarmigan off and on during September and could easily move a few bears, mostly grizzlies. I'm looking forward to one of the finest upland seasons of my life.

Thanks for asking!

Jim

Its always nice to hear from good folks from places I'll probably never see or experience personally. I've always read the bear stories in the big three outdoor mags since I was a kid. They were always thrilling, but now I know that most are a tad of reality spiced up with a large dose of fiction to sell mags.

I've had some limited dealings with black bears. I find they are highly intelligent, adaptive, and opportunistic. They have never proved dangerous to me, because I am not afraid and respect their space. I have no desire to kill one or pet one either. I've tried the meat several times. It is not for me. I've noticed they seem to pick up on body language. They seem to sense I'm no threat to them, and they simply watch me pass, amble or lope off.

the few encounters I've had, I've vocalized my peaceful intentions in a low calm voice to let them know I'm there. That seems to put them at ease. They don't approach me, I don't approach them. I've only been followed once in the Shenandoa national park at a discrete distance by a young bear that was probably hoping for a handout. It soon lost interest and followed another more likely prospect a while later.

My grizzly experience is nada. However, I realize from the documented evidence that we not at the top of the food chain in their world and are probably on the menu occasionally if the circumstances are right. Meat is meat when you are the top predator in your domain. Not a comforting thought to sentient beings like ourselves.

It must be downright humbling to be approached by one, regardless of its intentions. I believe I'd be edging toward the back door as best and as calmly as my sense of mortality would allow me to, regardless of how well armed I was. Fear is the beginning of respect, and common sense too. Ending up as so much bear scat is not how I'd like my life to go. I'd also hate to kill one to keep the peace either. It would be a tragic waste.

However, I've also wondered about the accuracy of the wildlife shows on PBS. It seems everyone has an agenda that can slant the truth for the writer's or producer's purpose. I'm certain the truth lies somewhere between. Its nice to have a hands on reference to go by. Anyway, good luck this season and keep us posted about your adventures in the great North state. We love to hear about it.

One has to remember, that even in Alaska only around 61 people have been killed by bears...in the last 100 years! Of course a whole lot more have been roughed up by bears, one just the other day.

I've spent many years photographing Alaska's wildlife - mostly just grouse and ptarmigan these days - and have been very close to a great many bears and never had a problem. Once spent the entire day surrounded by 64 or more brown bears and not one problem. But it's not a good thing to surprise a bear in the woods. Your solution to softly speak to a close bear to let it know you are there is wonderful advice to all. One doesn't want to act too aggressively toward a bear and provoke and attack.

Jim

I learned to talk to bears in a low, calm voice from reading an account of how the Western native peoples managed to get along quite well with grizzlies, yet how early American explorers had a number of violent encounters as soon as they came upon these big bears.

The native folks had learned to talk to the bears with deference and respect. they considered them a powerful tribe of beings who predated their own existance. In other words, they respected the bears and their right to exist in the same environment without being insessently pestered or harmed. The bears had learned to respect the native peoples as beings not to be provoked either. For the most part, the respect was mutual. That is not to say that the native peoples did not hunt the bears for their needs. They just went about it in a common sense manner and did not attempt to kill every bear they encountered. They took the smaller, younger ones and tended to leave the biggest most dangerous ones alone. Occasionally, a bear would attempt to raid a camp for food and the native people would defend themselves. It was accepted as a normal part of life. No grudges were held and the bears were not hated or villainized for being bears. The natives emulated the bears and learned much from them.

On the other hand, the white explorers attempted to kill the first grizzlies they encountered and found that these big animals could absorb a lot of lead and still kill their tormenters. As usual, the whites' arrogance and lack of respect got them into a lot of trouble. Unfortunately, the bears got the blame, were villainized and nearly exterminated.

Perhaps our race is learning now what 12000 years of existance had already tought the native peoples. It too bad our people were not better listeners. We could have saved ourselves and everyone else a lot of pain and suffering. And so it goes.

Member Joined: 26 Jun 2005 Posts: 376 Location: North ID.

I miss the fall bird hunting in Alaska. Lived in Western AK. for about 18 years, and spent a great deal of time chasing Ptarmigan across the tundra. Birds were extremely plentiful, as were the mosquitos in August.
Cameron

Member Joined: 26 Apr 2005 Posts: 743

I hunt grouse and woodcock in Upper Michigan every year. Have seen a few black bears; actually, more while driving than hunting. Because I always hunt with a dog, and the dog always has a beeper or a bell, I think that causes the bear to vacate the area. Wolves, on the other hand, are another story. Wolves in the UP have gone after dogs (although never humans, as far as I know). When I was up there a few years back, there was one report of a dog on a chain killed by a wolf, and a photo in the local paper of a bird dog that had been attacked by a wolf (survived but really ripped up badly). Protected species or not, a wolf isn't going to be protected from my gun if he goes after my dog.

Larry, not that it is any consolation to someone whose dog has been destroyed by wolves, but wolves are acting on instinct. They are hard wired to destroy any other cannid that does not appear to be a healthy active wolf. They are also hardwired to be very territorial. They will challenge and, if necessary, destroy any other strange wolf in their home range. This is common to nearly all top predators. wolves will not tolerate coyotes in their territory either. That is why prior to the mid to late 19th century, coyotes were restricted to marginal and arid areas which wolves could'nt dominate or survive in.

Now, coyotes have moved into those areas once dominated by wolves and are a far greater threat to pets and small livestock than the wolf ever was. Also, when the prey base becomes too streesed, wolves will not breed until things improve. Not so the coyote. They will continue to have litters until the prey base is destroyed or the stress of starvation and desease thin out the coyote population.

Any hunting dog with a strong human smell on it and a bell or beeper is not very likely to be attacked by a wolf unless it strays into the wolf's core denning area. Even then, the wolf will avoid it if possible. Not so with coyotes. They have become too used to human pressence due to the many hunting restrictions on them in their new found territories around the urban and suburban areas. They will not hesitate to attack any hunting dog that appears to be at a disadvantage in size or numbers, regardless of strong human scent or gadgets on the dog.

Regardless of the law, I kill any coyote I see whenever I can safely and without risk of arrest. They do not belong in the eastern areas and have not properly adapted to the conditions there. They are an invader species that stresses the environment due to lack of natural controls. However, due to too much urban based animal rights and anti-hunting politics, no eastern politican or wild life official has the guts to do the right thing. It is up to the hunters and woodsmen to do what is necessary regardless of official policy. Just be quiet and cautious about it. I got this advice from a Mass EPO who shall go nameless. He is one of the wildlife officers that shows some common sense. Not all do.

Member Joined: 26 Apr 2005 Posts: 743

Guy, I encounter coyotes quite frequently while hunting. Have never had any problems with them, and in fact my dogs have actually pointed a couple. Always hurry them on their way with a buttload of 6's, but they're never close enough for a killing shot.

We haven't had wolves in Iowa for a long time, probably 100 years or more. Coyotes . . . they were not common at all when I was a kid, but along with the whitetails and the restored turkeys, they seem to be one of the "success stories" in increased wildlife numbers--if you consider more yotes a success. Other than coons hunted by the hound guys, coyotes are the only furbearers in Iowa that attract much hunting pressure at all. When we get snow, there are some fairly serious coyote hunters. Usually about all other seasons are closed by that time, and it's a pretty popular late winter sport.

Good idea about the butt load of 6's. it seems Iowan wildlife managment has a handle on the situation.

Here in Ma, these pests are treated like an endangered species. Yes, we have a season on them. However, just try hunting them when Mr or Mrs suburban home owner is around. The cops get called, the EPO gets called, the town fathers get called...etc. The next thing you know, there's a town meeting and the Animal Rights clowns show up. Then the media and the anti-gun and anti-hunter crowd get in on it. By the time the dust settles you'd have thought someone was attempting to commit murder. The hunter is publicly humiliated for being a cruel, heartless thug to these cute little yodel puppies. The politicians take note of the wind direction and scamper back to their fox holes to cover their butts in retoric. And so it goes.

I think the damned coyotes have spies at these fiascos and plan accordingly. They then experience fine dining on the local pet population and attempt to waylay your hunting dog. We have even had a few small tykes mauled in their own back yards by the coyotes down towards Cape Cod and in the Berkshires. That is no joke. However, try talking to the average urban cliff-dweller about it and its "tough crap, nobody should live near the woods anyway. thats Bambi's home."

You can't win this one. So I waste them on the QT mode and nobody's the wiser. The cops and the politicians don't care as long as you don't involve them. Dumb and happy is the way they shall remain. The good part is the coyotes don't have lawyers, at least not yet. That may be coming out of professional courtesy. Wink

Joined: 07 Sep 2005 Posts: 3 Location: Anchorage, Alaska

Must admit as I've gotten older I'm a lot more cautious in bear country than when I was younger.
Spent 4 days this past week at my duck shack across the inlet from Anchorage. Spent the first day cleaning up and repairing/replacing four windows and my bunk from a brown bear visit. Came through a small window in the front (only window that did not have plywood and bear nails)
trashed the inside, jumped on my cot breaking part of it and exited through the back window which had 1/2" plywood screwed on from the outside.
In past years have replaced or rebuilt the front door 1/2 dozen times.
A couple years ago a guy was hunting grouse just south of Anchorage and was charged by a brown bear (grizzly) and he emptied two barrels of 7-1/2's on him. The bear left the scene, not sure what ever became of it.
I guess you try to use a lot of common sense and cross your fingers.
Larry, seems like a couple of years ago down there in Iowa there were reports of mountain lions?
Steve

Joined: 19 Jun 2004 Posts: 1480 Location: Mpls, MN.

"Why, THIS bed is just right!!!"

Sorry, couldn't resist...

Best,
Ted

Ted, don't tell us you found yourself "bearly" able to stand the temptation. Is that "bearly" possible? To tell the "bear" truth, I hope we can 'bear" it. "Bear" with me here, I'm on a roll.

Joined: 21 Jul 2005 Posts: 25 Location: Somerset County, NJ

16GG,

You have the right idea about coyote management. Down here in NJ they have become pests on a scale of racoons and skunks. I live in a suburban community that has a fair about of open land and woods. Two years ago, the town fathers actually had to hire professional hunters to come in and cull the deer herd that was numbering as high as 70 head per square mile. I am lucky enough to live on the fringes of the township near an area known as The Great Swamp. It is a federally protected reserve with tons of wildlife.

Every once and a while, I've been know to chase a buck or two that has been dining on my wife's roses. A couple of them have even sought refuge in my freezer. My neighbor across the street (a prudish widow with obvious Democratic Party affiliation) used to refer to me as a "barbarian" because I keep hunting dogs and own guns She's had the local gendarmes here on more than one occasion after "hearing gunshots" at odd times. Imagine my surprise when a couple of coyotes cornered her "foo foo" dogs in her backyard about 5:45 one morning and she called me in a panic. By the time I got there with a .44 mag in hand, they had killed one and were mauling the other. A couple of quick shots sent both to wild dog heaven, but she jumped to offer aid to her injured dog before I could warn her put put on gloves to protect herself from any blood or fluid spatters. The law showed up within a couple of minutes and she made it sound like I was John Wayne coming to the rescue. The real downside to the whole matter besides the cops giving me the 3rd degree about the .44 was that both coyotes tested positive for rabies. She and her dog had to undergo treatment as a precaution. Fish & Game gave me a bunch of noise because I shot them with a handgun rather than a shotgun because they were in season at the time of the incident. I told them that I don't keep a loaded shotgun under my bed, but I do keep the .44 handy.

Now, if the old girl hears what she thinks is a shot, she will call first. She likes the idea of dispatching pests before they can do any more damage. I can't wait to see what she will do the next time a bear shows up. Laughing

JCM

Member Joined: 02 Oct 2004 Posts: 425 Location: Maine

Hey I wonder if we could convince hastings to make metro barrel extensions for 16g rem choke and invector guns Razz

I'll start working on some subsonic 1 1/4 oz. coyote loads right now Laughing