Here's the true story about the large hairy mammal I encountered yesterday.

I was hunting deer in New York's opening day. On the way into the woods we cut the track of a bear, probably not a very big one. That was at about 6:15 AM, still dark.

I went to the stand location that was my first choice, and there was already a hunter there. I left to find another spot and was barely out of sight when he shot, just a minute or two before 7:00. (I later heard he shot a spike.)

At about 7:15, I spotted this big black animal approaching from my left, about 60 yards out. I faced it and it kept coming. At about 35-40 yards he saw me, started working his nose, and kept coming.

I thought, I might have time to grab my camera out of my pack. So I took off my backpack, pulled out my camera, and he kept coming. In front of me was the rotted top of a tree that had fallen. The monster came right over it, and I thought, Does he think I'm food?


I had time not only to get my camera out, but to snap about 20 photos. None are great because I didn't have time to make any camera settings, but most of them show him pretty well. Here's one where he fills the frame:


He wasn't the least bit afraid of me, nor (perhaps stupidly), was I afraid of him. While I was taking pictures I found myself about 4 feet from my gun (a muzzleloader) with the creature only 8 feet away.

I waved my arms and told him, Scram! Get out! That did nothing but startle him slightly, and he held his ground. I broke a stick off and threw it at him, missing. He just walked over and sniffed the stick. While he was sniffing it, I threw two more sticks at him. Both hit him but he didn't even flinch.

I seriously think I could have approached him and petted him. I finally convinced him to leave. As he did, I lip-squeaked and he turned his head back at me:



That's not the closest I've ever been to one of these. Once I had a 300-pounder 2 steps (no more than 6 feet) in front of me while calling a spring gobbler. Another time I had one that must have been over 500 pounds (he was as big as a couch) 12 feet in front of me -- also in spring gobbler season. But I've never had one hang around like this for several minutes.

The first thing I thought about throwing at him was a candy bar from my pack, but quickly decided that was a bad idea. He'd only want more. And when I ran out, he might not believe me.

Steve

Good thing it wasn't a real bigfoot or he'd have killed you, or worse yet taken you for his new "bride"....:)

Sheesh! I'm reminded of a line from the movie The Ballad of Gegorio Cortez....

"How come you ain't dead?"

I literally ran into something on that size scale that close years ago on an Adirondack streamside trail. All THAT bear wanted to do though was get the heck out of there.

Birdwatcher

I've had three very close encounters of the bruin kind, and so far have never been afraid. Yesterday at one point I was 8 feet from the bear and discovered that I was about 4 feet from my rifle, which I leaned against a tree while I took my pack off. I felt a little anxious about what he would do, but I can't say I was ever afraid. Maybe stoopid, yes, but not afraid.

Black bears are almost never hostile toward man. When they are, it's usually a campground situation.

Steve

That is too freaking cool.....I'm across the mountains from you in Deerfield, Mass.....we didn't get any of that snow, yet.

WOW!!! How cool! Beautiful animal against the white snow.

Bears.. nothing to do, and a lifetime to do it in.

Neat bear and neat pics! Maybe if I lived around them I'd have more of your confidence.....................nawwwwww!

"Almost" being the key term. And in those rare predatory interactions, from the accounts the ultimately predatory bear approached in a methodical, unhurried manner exactly like that one.

The most horrific account I have read is in Stephen Herrero's famous "Bear Attacks" book (thank you Kutenay) where a black bear up in Alaska casually approached a geological survey worker, knocked her over and then methodically stripped and ate most all the flesh off of the poor woman's upper arms, all the while holding her down with a paw on her chest.

Incredibly, she survived the attack, the bear driven off by the return of the helicopter that had dropped her off, it coming back in response to her distress calls on the radio during the attack.

I'll never look at a black bear the same way again

Ain't gonna keep me out of the woods of course, its just that, if possible, I'd like to have an equal vote with the bear as to how such encounters proceed...

Birdwatcher

I've read too many of those stories too and rather than an equal vote I prefer to fix any such elections wholly in my favor. The only way I'd let a bear get that close to me, would be if I was asleep or unarmed, which is nearly the same thing in my perspective.

Still I do admire your confidence, fortitude and courage. I'm sure it was an experience you will remember forever.

We called one in a few years back. I was doing a cow-calf in distress kind of thing hoping to draw in a herd of elk. What we got was about a 350 lb. dark chocolate colored Ursus Americanus.

I guess he figured that calf was in enough distress to make it an easy warm meal. Of course that meant he was focused on my location and all we were armed with was one bow, mine not having an arrow nocked.

My first thought on seeing him was, "really beautiful rug he's wearing", then "I don't have a bear tag" (non-resident tags are too expensive) and finally "he's close enough". The last one was when he hit the 20 yard mark at a fast trot. My partner and I started making noises....mostly yelling "ho bear" and barking like dogs. He skidded to a stop and rocked back like a dog sitting and looked totally confused. We were all camoed up including face paint and we were standing in the shade so I don't know how well he saw us. He sure took off after the intial shock though.

I sure wish I'd have had that tag. I'd have loved to have taken him home. I'm not sure if my beasts would pack a bear but there's only one way to find out.

Point well taken. I was a little concerned when I found that I was 4 feet from my gun and 8 feet from the bear. If he had decided he wanted a piece of me, he would have been on me faster than I could have reached my gun (an in-line muzzleloader), and I would have had only one shot anyway.

On Birdwatcher's post: I have read Herrero's book -- thanks for reminding me of that point. There probably won't be a next time, but if a bear ever approaches me that way again, I'll be a little more suspicious of his intentions.

Incidentally, rifles are not permitted in the area where I was hunting and they do not permit bears to be killed. Neither of these regulations make sense, but until a bear puts the hurtin' on someone real bad (hope it's not me), the rules will probably not change.

Steve

thought sure it was going to be a thread about Shaq.

I'd have had to work the camera one handed at that distance, I ain't the trusting sort.

Any bear that's close enough to realize you're human and doesn't react the way BW's bear did is a bear that needs close watching of, most likely through sights and not a camera lense. YMMV


watch4bear, bout the perfect sentence to describe bear behavior ime.

I can't help thinking about Buddy Bear from the song by Jimmy Buffet.

Yessiree. I was using the digital display on the back of the camera, rather than the eye viewfinder. That doesn't help hold the camera still, but it did allow me do keep a better eye on the bear. And it partly explains why the pictures are not clearer. I wasn't about to take my eye off him to change the ISO settings and the aperture.


I also thought that was an apt comment.

I appreciate everyone's comments, and as I think about this I realize that there is a difference between being afraid of bears and having a healthy respect for them. When you consider what could have happened, I'm wondering if I may have briefly blurred the line between those two things. Maybe in choosing whether to scare the bear off early or have an incredible encounter with one, it's possible that I may have chosen the wrong thing. I'm no Tim Treadwell, but I did believe that I could actually have eased over to the bear and petted him, or at least touched him. Yes, a real dumb thing to do, and I would not seriously consider doing it.

I doubt anyone can determine a bear's intentions, and when approaching as he did, he may have actually been considering whether or not to attack. I suppose there is no way to know for sure.

Several times I did move toward the bear, raise my arms, try to look as big as possible, and speak strongly and confidently. Those actions would not bring me a victory against a bear with hostile intentions, but may cause a bear that has not made up his mind to decide it might not be worth it.

Do I respect black bears? I think I do. Am I afraid of them? Maybe I ought to be more so. I do realize, however, that showing fear (as in backing up or running away) might have resulted in a completely different outcome. I will not show fear to a black bear. (A brownie? I wouldn't be writing this story.)

Steve

Here in Oregon, we kill 'em and eat 'em.

Steve

Now those are some cool pictures!

If I were you, I'd have someone do a collage (sp?) of those pics, fuzzy or not, though they look good to me. They are too cool not to make into something for the wall and display. Everybit as good of a trophy as his hide would have been and not as easily obtained. Might also remind you of some things some posts may have stirred up. It sounds like you have been very fortunate in similar past encounters. Could be luck pushing time from here on out.

Good idea. Thanks. I am going to have my brother (a graphic artist) suggest an idea. I realize I have been fortunate, and I have asked myself if I have been pushing my luck. My conflict is between an interest in the rare, close-up experience (although I don't go looking for it) and my personal safety. Maybe it's time I change the priority.

Steve

EDhunter, good post

well thought out and reasoned, I can like that in a man.


Once had a griz sow with twin cubs surprise me and a pard on a sheep hunt she and the cubs just popped up into our camp from down below, by the time we layed eyes on them they were 15 away.

Pard had gone to refill a water platy at a seep, we both spied them about the same time, I was looking at them through my scope on my 7 mag, he was VIDEOING them!

They took flight and I asked him WTF over? what the hail are you doing videoing instead of grabbing your '06??????

He said he knew I'd grab my rifle and it was great footage, figured he was covered on all counts.

It worked out just the way he planned I guess, but am thinking if I'd had to shoot that sow off of him he'd have caught a buttstroke at the end. grin

I too had close encounters with some bears
I left my little travel trailer parked where I was going deer hunting and went to work for the week , on returning I heard a noise come out of the trailer I stood to the side and opened
the door and out came a blond 200 lb bear, Scared the crap out of
both of us, damage was 4 broken windows and a large mirror inside of the trailer.
I wanted to see how close I could get to another bear I got within
10' and took pictures,
Charlie [email:][/email]

Albeit a 60-40 deal, .......close encounters with "Nature's Clowns" is a blessing.......Black's almost always crack me up...

my Dutch Oven "Bear Paprika" would break your heart.

You must not'a been real hungry.....saving that ML for an ungulate, methinks.

Wonderful pics, and a great post.

GTC

I was actually bear hunting when I took that picture I ended up
with a big chocolate He too put on a show laying his ears back
and woofing ,shot him at 25 yds with a 300 rum 200 gr tsx.
He died rather quickly.
Fish cops told me he had been a problem bear relocated from Park City UT to the Manti La Sals.
Charlie

wow! cool pictures !

Thought you were going to tell us you were at a NBA game.
Jim

I would not trust any bear that made eye contact and still kept coming towards me. I believe you went beyond brave and crossed over to foolish. You have a wonderful memory of a close encounter though!
There have been several instances in western Canada where predatory black bears just walked up and started eating someone. It doesn't need to look like the kind of attack they stage for TV audiences. I'd have been closer to my rifle than my camera if in your place, but thank you very much for sharing the photos.

THAT, ...is way to subtle,

even for the likes of me.

My compliments on a well tuned and perspicacious sense of humor.

GTC

AWwww, fer cryin' out loud,

The NW resounds with stories of camp cooks bangin' em' in the noggin' with cast iron pots and pans......

Lighten up just a mite, on the slavering , flesh eating, very dangerous, .....yawn.

GTC

ya got balls that clang EdHunter. Some very cool pics no doubt.

+1

GTC

beary nice photos.


It was there..come on.

I knew that one was bruin.

I prefer "The only thing that you can predict about bears is that they're unpredictable." Years of up-close-and-personal acquaintance with grizzlies and brownies has seared that truth deep into my brain.

CASTNBLAST - "I would not trust any bear that made eye contact and still kept coming towards me."

Same here!!

In Idaho, if you are muzzleloader hunting or archery hunting, you can still legally carry a handgun. There are some big Black bears here... and some of them are not nearly so friendly as that bear in the photos.

Glad it all turned out for the good.

L.W.

Me, too!

Steve

Great pictures.....Thanks for sharing!