The Bear Facts, a Few Photos, and Some Northern Hunting Lore

[woodsroad]

I strongly considered a career in photography. I'll be posting more photographs in this section soon. I put myself through four degrees at University by doing weddings, working as a darkroom rat in the Really Big Prints Studio in Vancouver back in the 1970s. Even did some exhibitions of my photos and paintings. Looks like we have grist for a few PMs!! Thanks for your posts and stories! Was also the photo editor for the UBC student newspaper. Yes, 35mm has it's uses. Using Panatomic X or chromogenics can approach large format quality if you're meticulous.

Came close, but the career in music won out, lol. Regards, Gord

PS - how do you move a Tango up to the 2nd floor of your office? You don't!!

After giving it more thought, and salivating over the possibility of getting a Linhof Master Technika with a 6x12 back, I decided that what matters to me is the content of the final image, not the process. I don't have time to play with a wet darkroom anymore, let alone with keeping up with my current work. Hell, I haven't put a roll of film in a camera in over 20 years.

 

[gord]

After giving it more thought, and salivating over the possibility of getting a Linhof Master Technika with a 6x12 back, I decided that what matters to me is the content of the final image, not the process. I don't have time to play with a wet darkroom anymore, let alone with keeping up with my current work. Hell, I haven't put a roll of film in a camera in over 20 years.

View attachment 333967

I understand completely . . . these days 90% of my photo work is digital. Just don't have the time anymore! Some great shots you got here and above . . . you should do a spread for us in this forum!! Salut!!

 

[gord]

I understand completely . . . these days 90% of my photo work is digital. Just don't have the time anymore! Some great shots you got here and above . . . you should do a spread for us in this forum!! Salut!!

Now, even when I do shoot film, mostly 4x5 or 5x7, I shoot the developed negatives against a daylight balanced lightbox with my 24mp Pentax K3 , and reverse them in GIMP (I use Linux) and print the resultant positive digitally. When I make field trips with those big cameras, I use my much smaller 21mp Pentax KS-2 on manual as an exposure meter, and end up with a color rendition of the photograph I exposed with the Gowland 5x7 or 4x5 Intrepid. Works for me!

I also shoot only paper negatives in the Gowland now, and reverse them in my studio with a digital camera. Saves a huge amount of time printing the 5x7s, for which I don't have them money, time or space for a huge enlarger like that. My 4x5 Durst Enlarger now languishes from a total lack of use.

 

[Sig]

I cannot tell you how many dozens of small, medium and large game I've harvested with a sub 1 inch MOA/100 yards gun....countless.
You font always get your perfect set up in the bush.
A little background first....
I was a veterinarian for the state of Alaska for over a decade.
I spent 24 months straight in the Brooks Range in a cabin. 80 miles ftom a dirt road, 100 miles from a town....completely surrounded by large inland grizzlies and wolves.
In 24 months I went to town once and had 2 heli drops for supplies.
Ive done around 30 nacropsies on brown and black bears after they were involved in attacks on humans.
Ive never hunted bears for food or fun, but have had to eliminate a few unfortunately.
I have hunted a lot of Caribu, moose, goats, sheep, deer of all sort, Elk...and countless small game.
I say all of this just to say....I've done my share of investigations where someone thought they "knew" the bears.....Timothy Treadway comes to mind.
Also, almost 1/2 of the bears I've looked at, had bear spray all over them......if you know what I mean.
Spray may work on nosy bears in a park, but an inquisitive bear in the bush, will walk through your spray.
You're much more likely to be attacked by a black bear than a brown bear. We always teach....play dead with a brown bear, fight a black bear. Most of the time if a brown bear is coming near you, they are nosy. If a black bear comes to you, he's usually hungry. ALL mama's are dangerous ALL the time.
Not only when you get between her and her cubs. We have seen MANY mama's hide her cubs and go after humans from 100 yards away.
If I've learned nothing else working very closely with bears over the years, they can be very unpredictable.
Literally EVERY bear expert I know (hunters and others) have stories of just how unpredictable they can be.
Heavily hunted bears in a relatively populous area a more predictable than bush bears, but all can be dangerous.

 

[VDL_Piper]

Here in Oz we have Koala's which are cute and cuddly most of the time but a rare mythical beast called a drop bear also exists, none have been captured but their attacks are well documented and are probably "the" most dangerous bear in the world.

 

[Briarcutter]

I guess I'm never visiting OZ.........see,it worked

Here in Oz we have Koala's which are cute and cuddly most of the time but a rare mythical beast called a drop bear also exists, none have been captured but their attacks are well documented and are probably "the" most dangerous bear in the world.
View attachment 334124

 

[georged]

So Oz has mini-Sasquatches.

Who'd a thunk it?

Everywhere on Earth has some sort of sneaky bloodthirsty critter, it seems.

The human appetite for that fear-induced adrenaline high is amazing. From wingsuit flying to scary stories around a campfire.

 

[georged]

I cannot tell you how many dozens of small, medium and large game I've harvested with a sub 1 inch MOA/100 yards gun....countless.
You font always get your perfect set up in the bush.
A little background first....
I was a veterinarian for the state of Alaska for over a decade.
I spent 24 months straight in the Brooks Range in a cabin. 80 miles ftom a dirt road, 100 miles from a town....completely surrounded by large inland grizzlies and wolves.
In 24 months I went to town once and had 2 heli drops for supplies.
Ive done around 30 nacropsies on brown and black bears after they were involved in attacks on humans.
Ive never hunted bears for food or fun, but have had to eliminate a few unfortunately.
I have hunted a lot of Caribu, moose, goats, sheep, deer of all sort, Elk...and countless small game.
I say all of this just to say....I've done my share of investigations where someone thought they "knew" the bears.....Timothy Treadway comes to mind.
Also, almost 1/2 of the bears I've looked at, had bear spray all over them......if you know what I mean.
Spray may work on nosy bears in a park, but an inquisitive bear in the bush, will walk through your spray.
You're much more likely to be attacked by a black bear than a brown bear. We always teach....play dead with a brown bear, fight a black bear. Most of the time if a brown bear is coming near you, they are nosy. If a black bear comes to you, he's usually hungry. ALL mama's are dangerous ALL the time.
Not only when you get between her and her cubs. We have seen MANY mama's hide her cubs and go after humans from 100 yards away.
If I've learned nothing else working very closely with bears over the years, they can be very unpredictable.
Literally EVERY bear expert I know (hunters and others) have stories of just how unpredictable they can be.
Heavily hunted bears in a relatively populous area a more predictable than bush bears, but all can be dangerous.

That's some serious documentary movie caliber shit, right there. ^^^^

I bet you knew Rob Cannon at the Icy Bay Lodge, didn't you? Their fishing guide for wealthy fly-ins. Messing around rivers during salmon runs is asking for big furry brown trouble, and they had to settle things with 'em a few times that involved guys like you after the fact.

 

[gord]

I cannot tell you how many dozens of small, medium and large game I've harvested with a sub 1 inch MOA/100 yards gun....countless.
You font always get your perfect set up in the bush.
A little background first....
I was a veterinarian for the state of Alaska for over a decade.
I spent 24 months straight in the Brooks Range in a cabin. 80 miles ftom a dirt road, 100 miles from a town....completely surrounded by large inland grizzlies and wolves.
In 24 months I went to town once and had 2 heli drops for supplies.
Ive done around 30 nacropsies on brown and black bears after they were involved in attacks on humans.
Ive never hunted bears for food or fun, but have had to eliminate a few unfortunately.
I have hunted a lot of Caribu, moose, goats, sheep, deer of all sort, Elk...and countless small game.
I say all of this just to say....I've done my share of investigations where someone thought they "knew" the bears.....Timothy Treadway comes to mind.
Also, almost 1/2 of the bears I've looked at, had bear spray all over them......if you know what I mean.
Spray may work on nosy bears in a park, but an inquisitive bear in the bush, will walk through your spray.
You're much more likely to be attacked by a black bear than a brown bear. We always teach....play dead with a brown bear, fight a black bear. Most of the time if a brown bear is coming near you, they are nosy. If a black bear comes to you, he's usually hungry. ALL mama's are dangerous ALL the time.
Not only when you get between her and her cubs. We have seen MANY mama's hide her cubs and go after humans from 100 yards away.
If I've learned nothing else working very closely with bears over the years, they can be very unpredictable.
Literally EVERY bear expert I know (hunters and others) have stories of just how unpredictable they can be.
Heavily hunted bears in a relatively populous area a more predictable than bush bears, but all can be dangerous.

You have lived a life with which I envy!! And you are absolutely correct on all of what you say. I've often been asked if I have ever been stalked by a bear, and I always answer "six times that I know of." I've also had a couple of very very close and dangerous experiences. Bears are, indeed, especially blacks, highly unpredictable and I realize I've been fortunate in my photographic efforts. I stopped doing this stuff about 10 years ago when I didn't want to be a clone of Timothy Treadway.

We all have to grow up sometime, eh? Or not live to regret it.

Fantastic reply! Thanks!

 

[gord]

You have lived a life with which I envy!! And you are absolutely correct on all of what you say. I've often been asked if I have ever been stalked by a bear, and I always answer "six times that I know of." I've also had a couple of very very close and dangerous experiences. Bears are, indeed, especially blacks, highly unpredictable and I realize I've been fortunate in my photographic efforts. I stopped doing this stuff about 10 years ago when I didn't want to be a clone of Timothy Treadway.

Fantastic reply! Thanks!

 

[anotherbob]

In my summer long camping excursion, I ended up at a campground in WI that had warnings for bears. I have never seen a bear in the wild and was quite excited to maybe see one.

The park ranger told me they didn't see them often, and said I REALLY wouldn't see one with my two dogs with me.

Alas no bears were seen that two weeks I was there. Still exciting though.

And I've seen them in my neighborhood before. Man they can run fast.

 

[brian64]

Even the circus bears get fed up sometimes.

 

[warren]

Turn the dogs loose, they'll likely bring you one ... on the run. My little lab started chasing one, a black bear, he found at my front door. Bear took off with Gus in close pursuit, into the woods and out of sight. Bears usually only go so far before turning and confronting. Luckily Gus was wearing his shock collar. Two hard jolts, accompanied by two loud yelps and he was back beside me. He wears the collar every time we go out during the season. Usually only needs the tone to return.

 

[bullet08]

Other then they are dangerous, I know for a fact they shit in the woods.

 

[warren]

My dad used to accompany his father to Kamchatka in the summer. Grandad managed logging operations there. Dad always had stories with regard to "trained/tamed" bears in most camps. It's a Russian thing going back generations I guess. Dancing bears were camp entertainment.

 

[Sig]

You have lived a life with which I envy!! And you are absolutely correct on all of what you say. I've often been asked if I have ever been stalked by a bear, and I always answer "six times that I know of." I've also had a couple of very very close and dangerous experiences. Bears are, indeed, especially blacks, highly unpredictable and I realize I've been fortunate in my photographic efforts. I stopped doing this stuff about 10 years ago when I didn't want to be a clone of Timothy Treadway.

We all have to grow up sometime, eh? Or not live to regret it.

Fantastic reply! Thanks!

Ive had my share of close calls myself.......usually NOT my fault......a couple ABSOLUTELY my fault.
In 2004 I was Elk hunting in Southwest Montana.
A snow storm had moved in which made for a pretty uneventful first few days. On the 5th, and last day of the hunt I was able to put down a decent bull.....6x6, 750 pounds approximately, 40 inch inside spread.
While quartering him out, a relatively small grizzly (500 lb) walked right up to me without even a glance my way. He went right for the wrapped rear quarters. Long story short......I got in a 3 minute tug of war.
Not a great idea.
It only ended when my partner happened along and blasted a couple rounds of 45/70 in the ground near the bear.

 

[Sig]

That's some serious documentary movie caliber shit, right there. ^^^^

I bet you knew Rob Cannon at the Icy Bay Lodge, didn't you? Their fishing guide for wealthy fly-ins. Messing around rivers during salmon runs is asking for big furry brown trouble, and they had to settle things with 'em a few times that involved guys like you after the fact.

Not sure, ive known a lot of outfitters over the years.
My "beat" was mostly based from Fort Yukon over to the Seward Peninsula.... In the foothills of the Brooks Range.
Also spent a lot of time in SW Alaska from Bethel down to Kodiak.

 

[georged]

10-4

Rob does his thing on the southern coast. It's all float planes and sea level weather & forest-y stuff...

It's easy for us Lower 48'ers to forget that Alaska is so big.

 

[warren]

Spray may work on nosy bears in a park, but an inquisitive bear in the bush, will walk through your spray.
You're much more likely to be attacked by a black bear than a brown bear. We always teach....play dead with a brown bear, fight a black bear. Most of the time if a brown bear is coming near you, they are nosy. If a black bear comes to you, he's usually hungry. ALL mama's are dangerous ALL the time.

True, very true!

I learned, as a copper, that pepper spray doesn't always work on humans. So, I've never carried "bear" spray. Ky luck would mean I meet a bear with a taste for Mexican food.

I've got a photo somewhere of a black bear on my drive, looking up at me. You can almost see his mind working, "Toy? Food? Threat?" I've often observed if given the choice, I'd rather find a brownie in front of me on a trail than a black bear. For some reason, over the years I think of blacks as more "unstable" than the big bears. Blacks can become inured to humans in proximity. Brownies and Grizz, in my experience, prefer avoiding humans unless they are injured and starving or, perceive a threat to themselves or cubs. Well, except when there's a pile of salmon on the river bank. I'm never surprised when a human has a bad encounter just surprised that, given how many Alaskans closely co-exist with bears that there aren't more confrontations, Unthinking folk will unwittingly bait bears. They tie the dog or leave the llamas out when they go to work. Then they are surprised to return home to scattered fur and other remains.

I never go into bear country without my shotgun, slugs then "00". Never had to shoot but, I've let the safety off more than a couple of times. It's amazing how fast a brown can move, lotta ground with each stride. Living in the middle of bear country I keep a scatter cannon just inside the door and pay close attention to my dog's attitude, ears, nose, stance and such.

Anyone who says they understand bears is talking through their hat. I had a guide on Kodiak tell me the first deer is always for the bear. They associate a gunshot with a "free meal."

 

[bullet08]

My dad used to accompany his father to Kamchatka in the summer. Grandad managed logging operations there. Dad always had stories with regard to "trained/tamed" bears in most camps. It's a Russian thing going back generations I guess. Dancing bears were camp entertainment.

I could get along with Russians. Drinking makes everyone happy. I'll bring some Rose's Lime juice. I'm sure they'll have vodka.