Only sketchy encounter I've had with a black bear was being charged by a mama sow when I was stalking a bedded bull.
Heard squirrels freaking out. Knew it couldn't be me causing their alarm. Then saw three little cubs run up a tree.... And then mama went for me. I backed up behind a bush and bugled. Think she thought I wasn't a threat after that. Took me a day to get my head back in the game though LOL.
Most all acted as if they were offended by my presence. When a bear drops it’s head and looks at you from that position, after standing upright and woofing at you, it’s thinking about coming at you instead of turning and running. Which only the sow and cubs have done. The rest starred me down and either walked around me or eventually turned and walked off.
That’s been my experiences with them.
If I run into them running and gunning, they generally bug out (black bears).
I also pee on them from my treestand when possible. :^D
I called a pretty blonde boar in across 400 yards of sagebrush, then rose up out of the sage and shot him when he stood up. Fall bears in CO are tasty, indeed!
Shot a bull in Colorado in the evening and trailed him up the next morning. Nothing had been on him overnight so broke him down and packed out a load and went to get my kid and some help. When we got back, one bag was missing. Saw the drag marks and followed up into the willows with my 9 year old kid. Found the ripped up bag about 40 yards into the brush and pulled it back out to the opening. Didn't really think about what might have happened if the bear would have decided to fight over the meat! Especially with my kid right there...
Not in the elk woods, but two years ago had a black bear come right at me and a buddy packing out a Coues in Arizona after dark. We yelled at him and he just circled and got in behind us. Followed us over a mile in the dark, woofing and popping his teeth. We got to the point of stopping and throwing rocks and branches at him every so often and finally got lucky and landed a rock on his head before he backed off. Kinda spooky.
If you are hunting in bear country and kill an elk, take the quarters at least 100 yards away from the carcass and put them out in the open where you can see if there is a bear on the quarters. Pee around it if you can and leave some sweaty clothes near the meat. The bear will most likely go to the gutpile and leave the meat alone.
Jackaroo's Link
More details in case some of us have the same experience
JMO, a beat that doesn’t turn tail first thing is a bear in dire need of aversion conditioning. Pepper spray is best for all concerned if you have it. No paperwork, assuming it’ll work in the first place.
JMO, we hunters - whose boot-prints often lead to FOOD - have something of an obligation to other human visitors to reinforce the idea that people are best avoided. Non-lethal measures are preferred, of course, but ya gotta do whatchagottado to make the point when the point needs to be made...
The 2nd was this past Saturday. And it was a harrowing experience. I had hiked in with a plan of about a 12 mile round trip to check a couple trail cams. I was in a dry creek bottom to remain nameless. There was a pinch point where we had thought about placing a camera, but didn’t back in June. I heard some sounds in the thick stuff that were made by a large animal, or maybe a rock rolling down the slope into the trees at the bottom. It got my attention.
But after about 10 minutes of remaining motionless, and rehydrating, I eased back to the other side and cat walked the steep rocks to be on the safe side instead of venturing into a location I couldn't see into. I went on for about another 15 minutes and heard another sound. Again I saw nothing. Onward toward trail cam 1.
My buddy had left his knife on a rock last September and we found it in June when we were setting cameras. I stopped at the rock where he left it and proceeded to mark the location on my gps as the trail was now within eyesite up to the camera. By this time I’m getting excited to go pull an SD card and see how many pics are on it. Not even thinking about what I had heard back there. Then it happened.
The moment I decided to get technology involved and drop my guard taking my head off its swivel, I heard crashing across the rocks in the dry rock bed. I turned just in time to unintentionally yell “oh F—k!” As the huge black bear broke off his charge and ran up a big ponderosa pine 10’ from me! Staring at me the whole time. As if to say “hey human! This is my turf! And you should not be on it!”
And then he gave me the same look as he came back down the tree from 30’ up. Don’t climb a tree if a bear is coming at you. You won’t escape! It was very intense and intimidating! He had me if he wanted me before breaking off the charge! You always hear how fast these animals are. I can vouch first hand! As he was climbing that tree you could hear the claws ripping the bark as chunks were flying off the tree. Proof that a grip like that would mess you up badly if he ever got a hold of you!
While he was going up or coming down, it’s a blur, I drew my .45 and was yelling “go away bear!” When he got down the tree standing on his hinds he just looked at me as if to say “yeah right human, that only works in magazines and on the forums”. I’m 6’ tall and was looking up at his eyes.
Then he calmly dropped down on all 4’s and made his way back across the dry creek and up the rokslide on the other side, rather nonchalantly until out of site. What a rush and believe me when I say God blesses me by letting me see and experience this, and spared me so I could live to tell about it. I might just leave that area alone, even though there are 34 pics on the disc from the cam that I haven’t seen yet ;$
Since then I've discovered the ultimate light weight bear repellent. Buy a bear tag. I haven't seen one since!!!!
A big black came out and was walking straight across towards me. I didn't want to screw up the area by yelling so I stood up and in a "loud whisper" said "Hey Bear" 5 or 6 times to no avail. I don't think he heard me - he never even looked up.
He got to about 20 yards so I said in a normal voice "Hey Bear, this is my spot", at which he finally heard me and when he turned and ran it was amazing how fast they really go. I was in awe at the size of the clumps of grass and mud his claws flipped up as he ran.
From that point on, I always carry a side arm and/or spray.
I've also generally kept a clean camp and haven't (yet) hunted in Grizzly country. I'll be hunting in Grizzly country next month and will have a pistol in a chest holster.
