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Washington State Bear question.

this may seem like an odd question...But.....

I went on a trail run up on the flanks of Mt Adams in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest yesterday, July 23rd. I was on the Pacific crest trail. I found a set of bear tracks that had me certain it was a Grizzly track.

I live up in Alaska and see plenty of bear tracks, both black and grizz. But I did not know there are Grizz in Washington. The claws were a full 2 inches from the pad. No way was it a black bear track...the Pad measured just under 6 inches across with the claws far far from the pad.

Does Washington State actually have verified Grizz population? Anyone ever come across a grizz in Wa?

elmer, I wouldnt doubt for one bit it was a grizz track. I hunt up near the Wa-Can border and theres posted signs that warn outdoorsmans and hunters alike that grizzlies are in the area, theres no reason why one couldnt migrate down that way imo. Last I heard there were a few known in the Passeyten wilderness and the pacific crest trail runs along the edge of it, so..... Brian

Because Mt Adams is adjacent to some very remote areas of the Yakima Nation, its very possible, but it is even more likely you came across a remote area blackie that happens to be large. 6 inch pads are not uncommon in this state. Generally accepted rule of thumb, 6 inch pad, 6ft bear. R

Yes there are in fact grizzly in WA.

I hunt in NE Washington and yes there are Grizz here! I concur with the signs warning about "hunter's, know your bear!". I think the scariest moment I've ever had in the woods was where a buddy and I had just seen an old pole that is used to measure snow fall at a remote weather station. The pole was worked over pretty well and there was fresh claw marks, large claw marks as high up as my buddy who is 6' tall could reach and grizz hair stuck all over it. The scary part came about 15 yards later when "The Smell" met our nostrils, something like wet, musky dog and ketchup. For some unexplainable reason I had a cold chill of terror move up my spine and the dog that was with us got very quiet and struck herself to the side of my friends leg. I didn't know if I should be loud or quiet, we just retreated as quickly and quietly as possible. I never want to feel that way again!

Also, I heard from a trust worthy source that while he was hunting Turkeys up near Colville, he saw a large, silver old bear which he claimed was a grizz. He said it was large but emaciated and covered with scars. He claims he shouted at it with no response, he then let a shot from his shotgun go with the same result. He said he finally shot into the ground near the bear which finally got the old bear to lumber off. If this was a grizz and I really don't doubt it, it just shows that these guys can travel if they are a mind to.

I went up and did a trail run on Mt. St. Helens today. On the drive I stopped in at one of the National Monument offices..Got some good info on where to go hurt myself.....

and I timidly asked if there were any grizz in the area or over by Mt Adams. First lady did not know. But another lady had just been in a meeting and the Higher ups looking over both Mt. St Helen and Mt Adams had recently admitted there are in fact grizz in both St Helens and Mt adams wilderness areas.

It was fun to see the faces of the other tourists and even the other co-workers who had not been at the meeting.

So from some feds...Yes there are Grizz in Washington, and more precisely in the area I saw the track!

who'd a thunk it!

I was bear hunting last year in NE washington with my wife.

We were stalking down an abandoned logging road that was fairly over grown.

There were A LOT of bears in the area. Tons of sign

We had been slowly stalking down the road and had gone maybe 1/2 mile.

I was approaching a right hand turn in the road, about 20 yards away.

Out from the right turn in the road came a big brown furry tractor...

I've seen a number of bears, this one was $*?&% HUGE!

The most startling thing was it's blocky body shape and its hair. Brown with lighter tips. EASY 40" to the top of its hump... I remember that thing emerging out from that corner, and it just kept emerging... that was a LOT of bear...

I did not for a second think anything other than "Right on! Big Bear!" I dropped to a knee and pulled an arrow onto the string of my recurve.

The bear made the turn in the road and saw us at about 15 yards, and just kept turning doing a full 360 and went back the way it came.

I pulled out my predator call and starting screaming

I heard the bear run

And then around the corner of the road about 90 yards away I saw it climb a tree

HOLY CRAP! I just treed that bear with my call!!

I ran, my wife in hot pursuit.

I was blowing that predator call like a kazzoo to keep the bear UP the tree

I got to the bottom and was just about ready to set up for a shot.

But something wasnt right

... there were TWO bears in the tree.

And As I struggled with the simple math equation it started to dawn on me that these two bears combined were not as big as that big sucker that had walked around the corner of the road. I couldnt even imagine THAT bear getting up a tree...

I had a chill run up my spine.

My wife, who is smarter than I am, and apparently solved the puzzle at light speed was poking me in the ribs

I broke my attention away from the bear situation up above me and gained full appreciation for the bear situation about 15 yards away from us, menacing stare, head down...

Back up slowly, I said in a hushed but firm tone, make sure you have an arrow knocked, if I start shooting, you dont stop.

And we backed up.

She took two steps toward us and I thought I was going to have to outrun my wife... (just kidding) then she called the cubs down and beat feet out of there.

I dont know if it was a grizzly or a phenominally huge black bear. The cubs were each an easy 90 pounds, but I do know that my wife's presence probably saved me from having my face relocated. With two of there that bear didnt charge.

Though I dont recommend treeing ANY sow's cubs with a kazzoo regardless of species or how many people you have with you...

Retired Timber Faller from Kelso here. In the 90's the local news paper "The Daily News" ran a story about a woman with her children visiting "Lahar Viewpoint" at nearly the very bottom of the South-southheast corner of St Helens. The article said she thought she saw a female grizzly with cubs and reported it to the Forest Service. The article went on to say that Forest Service Personnel went there and "absolutely positively identified female grizzly bear paw prints with cubs". In the spring of 2023 I saw a juvenile grizzly cross the USFS 8100 RD just past the viewpoint above Cougar still on the paved road but before Merrill Lake. I also stared an at least 700 lb brown bear in the eye with a very flat face from maybe 30' in October of perhaps 2019? Both in broad daylight. A woman told me that her and her Father who has killed several Black Bear, saw an enormous brown bear cross the road West of Longview in the Bradley Trails area. She said her father was convinced it was a grizzly. She said it's back nearly as high as the hood of their stock full size pickup and took up almost took up the road nose to tail. She is the first person since the Daily News article that I know of that has seen one around here other than myself. I've told my story many times. I don't know about Mt Adams but St Helens has Grizz for sure.

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