I was born and raised in grizzly country here in Montana. Have spent plenty of time hunting among them, along with hiking in Glacier National Park. Have been within 50 feet of grizzlies a couple of times in Glacier and the Bob Marshall Wilderness and both left. Have also packed fresh game meat out on my back in areas with plenty of grizzly sign. Have been doing stuff like that for almost 50 years, and the biggest problem so far was when a bear tore up part of a tent camp, looking for food, after an outfitter friend and I left the camp for a couple of days.
Have also hunted considerably in grizzly country in Alaska, Alberta, British Columbia and the Northwest Territories. Have been bluff-charged twice, both times by mama bears with cubs. That was on Kodiak Island, and both charges happened in the same morning. In my six other trips to Alaska have seen plenty of other grizzlies and browns, sometimes within 20-30 feet, and none of those have threatened me in the slightest.
Have also taken one grizzly in Alaska, in two hunts. That seems to be about the normal success rate for inland bears, and believe me, it generally takes considerable looking to find one, even when you're tent-camped not far from a well-beaten bear trail.
That doesn't mean people haven't been killed by grizzlies in Montana. Obviously that's happened, but the chance of being injured or dying while traveling to and from Montana is probably a million times greater than being attacked by a bear while hunting.
Statistically, the most dangerous large animal in Montana isn't the grizzly bear, but the saddle horse. Now, obviously there are a lot more horses than grizzlies in the state, but if you book a horseback hunt in the Montana wilderness, the odds are still considerably greater of being hurt or even killed by your horse than just seeing a grizzly bear.
I realize all that doesn't provide any comfort, since apparently one of the most horrible things many people can imagine is being attacked by a wild animal with large teeth and claws. But it's reality.
I've been around big bears, and I've been around a horse or two. I'll take the bears.
I think it's great their range is expanding. But then, I like my wilds a little wild.
