I happened across a post on a hunting forum regardign a fatal bear attack near Dubois, WY. Since I had just driven thru Dubois on my way back from Yukon, I wondered how close to where I'd camped (Togwotee pass - N.F. free camping) had it happened. well, one thing led to another and here's what I found recently.
September seems to be a bad time to be in the grizzly woods. I've read of many encounters in that area south of "Jellystone" - Yogi and Boo Boo know that a gunshot means a likely deer carcass, just like Kodiak island and others in Alaska - bears will come running to a gunshot.
first attack near Dubois 9/5/14
(You need to Login or Register to view media files and links) fatal attack - no gun or bear spray - in an area noted for its concentration of bears and hunting. "The victim’s remains were found adjacent to two deer carcasses bears had been feeding on. No bear spray or firearms were found at the scene, Hunter said."
second attack near Dubois 9/22/14
(You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)The attack happened Sunday afternoon when two elk hunters surprised a female grizzly with two cubs just north of Dubois. Wyoming Game and Fish Department Regional Wildlife Supervisor Jason Hunter said Monday the bear bit one of the hunters on the side. He says the hunters then fended off the animal with bear spray
9/16/2014 - fatal attack
(You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)not much detail - that guide may be a fast runner
9/6/2014 fatal, west of Calgary - I drove this highway on the way back from yukon - I camped in the same vicinity, and remember the name Picklejar Creek - a really nice drive thru there.
(You need to Login or Register to view media files and links) "the hunter had done nothing wrong, he just crossed the path of a grizzly feeling protective of both her cub and a recent deer kill"
fatal black bear attack 9/21/14 clueless city slickers
(You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)"Police said in a Sunday release that the five men, all from Edison, had been hiking together in the 576-acre nature preserve on Sept. 21 when they encountered a black bear that began following them."
"They became frightened and attempted to flee the area," said West Milford police Lt. Keith Ricciardi in the release. "During the confusion the group became separated as they ran in different directions."
"According to the release, four of the five men were able to reconnect with each other following the bear encounter, and they began searching for Patel. When they couldn't find him, they contacted police at approximately 3:44 p.m. The township's Search & Rescue Team was dispatched to the scene, and immediately began to search the area that police describe as "heavily-wooded." The team found Patel's body at approximately
"Evidence at the scene indicated that the victim had been attacked by a bear," states the release. "A bear was located at the scene and immediately euthanized."
8/14/14 - la de da, think I'll go hiking along a stream full of spawning salmon in Grizzly country and let my dogs run loose
(You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)Thea Thomas was hiking on Tuesday along the Heney Ridge Trail in Cordova, a remote and sparsely populated coastal fishing community southeast of Anchorage, near a stream in which salmon were spawning when two dogs she had with her ran ahead.
The dogs soon sprinted back to her chased by a bear, which she estimated to be between 6 to 7 feet, reared on its hind legs. She told the Alaska Dispatch News she was bitten about seven times, the worst to her back and inner thigh.
Now this is an old incident from 2004, but it was September, and near Dubois - Togwotee pass is a nice place to camp on the way to or from Yellowstone - free, and up high enough to be cool in summer. I've camped there 3 times. This year, coming back from Yukon, I loaded the shotgun and kept it handy in the back of the pickup (same as I did on highway 40 near Picklejar Creek area)
"about a seconds worth of spray left"
Speckhals, a 46-year-old ski patroller and quality controller with Evans Construction, and fellow Evans employee and full-time skier Tom Foley, said the grizzly they battled was persistent and backed off only when there was about a second’s worth of spray left in the can of deterrent. Speckhals gave credit to Foley, who carried his can of spray on his hip, for rushing into the fray and saving his life.
"Within two weeks another bear attack on an elk hunter resulted in a crushed skull. That hunter recovered, as did the other two men—a hunter and a hiker—who were involved in bear attacks last fall. "
all of these are pretty common occurances - always joggers in AK
7/7/14 - the third grizzly mauling in AK as of date of this article
(You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)jogging on a trail thru thick brush, headphones on, no bear spray, a trail near a stream soon to be full of spawning salmon - from the article
common for hunters to have issues with grizzlies too, claiming a downed deer or elk, or the carcass leftovers - read about that in WY almost every year
last year I bumped into black bears near elk carcasses 5 or 6 times - once a bear was sleeping behind a tree about 4' away from me and jumped up that close, another time it was a sow and 2 cubs within 20 feet, but they had an easy escape rout and ran off, another time it was a bear sleeping on a shelf - it jumped up at 15' and ran off - archery hunting, I dont' carry a pistol nor bear spray while hunting, but keep a 9mm in camp - you just take your chances. but those grizzlies, man, you don't want to take any chances hiking in thier country during hunting season or salmon spawning season