My only close encounter with a grizzly was on my first elk hunt in Idaho. There was fresh snow on the ground. I was watching/glassing the valley below as I saw tracks going into the valley and no tracks coming out. The bear came up to maybe 20 feet behind me. I did not hear him/her. I saw the tracks though when I turned around and headed back. I was carrying a 600 Remington 308 Win. I carried either a 338 Win Mag or a 350 Remington Mag with 250 grain partitions on every elk hunt since then until the last elk hunt. I also was much more aware of what was behind me. When I saw how close that bear came up behind me I was shook! That elk hunt in Idaho was nearly 50 years ago.
I’ve often wished for a coastal bear hunt. My then wife had a propensity to spend much greater than my propensity to earn. Her sister told me (after that wife died) she was always giving money away.
