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Old 09-07-2017, 10:06 AM
bigblue77 bigblue77 is offline
 
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Default Charged by grizzly

Just a heads up for those fishing the Clearwater river north of the Clearwater store (trading post). On Monday was walking back to my truck after an amazing day of rainey day fishing with my 9 year old son. From behind me he says dad did you hear that stick break and starts to scream. Spinning around I seen a grizzly charge from the brush. When they say everything goes into slow motion I can say folks , everything slows down to a stand still and your legs and arms suddenly become completely useless. I put my boy behind me and started to scream and waved my arms while whipping my ugly stick like an english broad sword. This later on was a topic of much mirth . She stopped her charge at 20 yards and from behind her 3 cubs stood up and bawled. She spun around and retreated after the cubs which would indicate she was a good mother and just as scared as we were. We stood our ground, lots of yelling and waving and appears to have worked but Im thinking first timers luck perhaps thank God. I was not packing my usual 12ga friend or spray this time as I was fresh from work up north and very excited to be home and in a hurry to hit the river without my usual gear. This was a decision I will regret forever as my son was put in imminent danger due to my poor judgement. Spent Tuesday with the Rocky fish and wildlife at the scene. Appears she has an extensive history there which is interesting as I fish and hunt the river alot and outside of cougar tracks never ever have seen bear tracks or scat as in the soft mud that would be seen sooner or later. So for those that want some wicked fishing which requires alot of walking please come on out but pack your spray or whatever else you choose and stay alert .. for what its worth the spotted black and pink and white Panther Martins are getting slammed hard this year..
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  #2  
Old 09-07-2017, 10:12 AM
Envitro Envitro is offline
 
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Glad to hear that you and your boy are OK. That's a close call, 20 yards is not far at all. Quick question, were her ears up or down, if you can remember??


Never been charged by a Grizz, but have been chased when I was a teenager out in K-Country. If it weren't for my late dog, we all would have been toast. He stood up to him and ran the other way to lead him away from us. I thought my dog was a goner, but he showed up at the cabin a few minutes later without a scratch. Will never forget that day! The F&W guy wanted to give us a ticket for having the dog off-leash LOL... Those guys sometimes.
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Old 09-07-2017, 10:20 AM
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3blade 3blade is offline
 
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After rick cross was killed, and myself being chased by a moose, stalked by a pack of coyotes and bit by a dog...I've made it a point that I don't step out of the truck without spray. Spend enough time outside and the odds catch up. Glad you are ok.
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Old 09-07-2017, 10:24 AM
1stLand 1stLand is offline
 
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that would scare the heck out of me
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Old 09-14-2017, 08:57 AM
aardvaark aardvaark is offline
 
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that would scare the heck out of me
- - - and some other stuff at the same time - - -
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  #6  
Old 09-07-2017, 10:35 AM
HIGHLANDER HUNTING HIGHLANDER HUNTING is offline
 
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Wow. Glad it ended well for your son and you. Could have been very different for sure.
I personally always have spray with me. It's attached to the pack I always wear so it isn't even a thought. Not saying that to judge you, just saying.

A few years back I took my young son along on a bowhunt for elk one evening.
At the end of the night, another guy with us casually mentioned that the patch of bush me and my 8 year old were tramping thru cow calling was where he had just saw the biggest grizz he'd ever seen walk out of. So I guess it winded us and chose to vacate. It could have ended very different.

They walk among us......Carry protection.

Cheers.
John
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  #7  
Old 09-07-2017, 11:13 AM
Bigwoodsman Bigwoodsman is offline
 
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Glad you and your son or OK.

BW
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  #8  
Old 09-07-2017, 11:15 AM
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Albertadiver Albertadiver is offline
 
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Glad it turned out ok.

The Grizz are getting more and more aggressive in the hills. Population / pressure is up and will play into the Y2Y guys agenda to increased closures to reduce 'human/wildlife' interaction.
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  #9  
Old 09-08-2017, 06:59 AM
slough shark slough shark is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 3blade View Post
After rick cross was killed, and myself being chased by a moose, stalked by a pack of coyotes and bit by a dog...I've made it a point that I don't step out of the truck without spray. Spend enough time outside and the odds catch up. Glad you are ok.
Until Rick was killed I never even owned spray, almost went hunting with him that day and probably would have had I not shot an elk 2 days previous and spent a long night processing it. 3 years ago this last Wednesday, I still miss him, it was also sobering going to bass pro and buying spray a couple weeks later from his son.
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  #10  
Old 09-08-2017, 07:06 AM
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58thecat 58thecat is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by slough shark View Post
Until Rick was killed I never even owned spray, almost went hunting with him that day and probably would have had I not shot an elk 2 days previous and spent a long night processing it. 3 years ago this last Wednesday, I still miss him, it was also sobering going to bass pro and buying spray a couple weeks later from his son.
Be safe and cautious doing what you love to do every year.

Life is precious, live it to it's fullest.
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  #11  
Old 09-08-2017, 08:58 AM
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SamSteele SamSteele is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by slough shark View Post
Until Rick was killed I never even owned spray, almost went hunting with him that day and probably would have had I not shot an elk 2 days previous and spent a long night processing it. 3 years ago this last Wednesday, I still miss him, it was also sobering going to bass pro and buying spray a couple weeks later from his son.
Same here. I didn't know Rick personally, but my son had him as a counselor at Camp Tee Pee Pole west of Sundre. He was devastated by the news and I started carrying spray with me ever since.

SS
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  #12  
Old 09-07-2017, 02:10 PM
AlbertaWild AlbertaWild is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bigblue77 View Post
Just a heads up for those fishing the Clearwater river north of the Clearwater store (trading post). On Monday was walking back to my truck after an amazing day of rainey day fishing with my 9 year old son. From behind me he says dad did you hear that stick break and starts to scream. Spinning around I seen a grizzly charge from the brush. When they say everything goes into slow motion I can say folks , everything slows down to a stand still and your legs and arms suddenly become completely useless. I put my boy behind me and started to scream and waved my arms while whipping my ugly stick like an english broad sword. This later on was a topic of much mirth . She stopped her charge at 20 yards and from behind her 3 cubs stood up and bawled. She spun around and retreated after the cubs which would indicate she was a good mother and just as scared as we were. We stood our ground, lots of yelling and waving and appears to have worked but Im thinking first timers luck perhaps thank God. I was not packing my usual 12ga friend or spray this time as I was fresh from work up north and very excited to be home and in a hurry to hit the river without my usual gear. This was a decision I will regret forever as my son was put in imminent danger due to my poor judgement. Spent Tuesday with the Rocky fish and wildlife at the scene. Appears she has an extensive history there which is interesting as I fish and hunt the river alot and outside of cougar tracks never ever have seen bear tracks or scat as in the soft mud that would be seen sooner or later. So for those that want some wicked fishing which requires alot of walking please come on out but pack your spray or whatever else you choose and stay alert .. for what its worth the spotted black and pink and white Panther Martins are getting slammed hard this year..
Where about at clear water.... do you have a range road or GPS location were you were charged by that Grizz... we going camping that area by cow lake tommorow for the weekend.
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  #13  
Old 09-07-2017, 02:23 PM
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kujoseto kujoseto is offline
 
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Glad you're both okay. That would've been a nightmare having a child along.
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  #14  
Old 09-08-2017, 01:53 PM
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Vook Vook is offline
 
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Glad it worked out well for you. I was bluff charged by black once. It stopped at 5 meters. Terrible experience.
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  #15  
Old 09-09-2017, 08:04 PM
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Schatz Schatz is offline
 
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Thanks for the heads up dude.
I spend a lot of time in Clearwater county fishing and 70 percent of the time I carry a 12 gauge with slugs.
The 20% of the time it might seem like it's more convenient to not have it but a guy always has it on the back of his mind.


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  #16  
Old 09-10-2017, 05:03 AM
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WillyOneStyle WillyOneStyle is offline
 
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To the OP, I am glad you guys are okay. Sounds to me like you did everything right.

I read an article in an american hunting magazine a couple years ago that cited a study done by Alaska fish and game. They looked at all recorded bear encounters in Alaska and compared them to bear encounters resulting in bear attacks. They determined that a person carrying a firearm was something like 50% more likely to be attacked then someone not carrying a fire arm. As human beings our survival instincts probably change when we are packing heat.
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  #17  
Old 09-10-2017, 02:23 PM
kman35ca kman35ca is offline
 
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Really glad you and your son are okay. I've had a run in with a Grizzly in Waterton, but he kept his ground and didn't charge us. Still a scary situation. But nothing like yours.
Hope your son is doing alright. Could be pretty traumatic for a young kid I'm sure. Hope it doesn't change his attitude towards the outdoors life.
Sometimes I feel lucky my hunting is done in the Praries. Only Cougars to worry about. And that's really nothing compared to a Grizzly.
But I definetly want to start hunting in the mountain WMU's. And will prepare accordingly.
Take care.
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