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Outpost:  BEAR!  |
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acairnsmom
True Blue Farmgirl
1319 Posts
audrey
cheyenne
wy
1319 Posts |
 Posted - Oct 03 2008 : 8:00:08 PM
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Last weekend we went up to the high country one last time before it gets too cold. Sunday night we were 1 of 3 campsites still occupied. We had invited one of the other couples down to our site for a chat around the campfire. We get the fire going and are sitting around waiting for the guests and it is dark! We start hearing snapping of twigs going from right to left and DH keeps shining the lantern around and even goes into the next deserted campsite. We thought it was a moose since one came visiting the previous night. For some reason DH and I were getting really spooked and then all of a sudden we smelled a horrible smell, like one of the logs had been soaked for hours in urine. We realized it was not coming from the campfire but was on the wind. We stayed out and waited for our guests and kept smelling that awful smell and hearing twigs breaking nearby. We got totally spooked and put the grate down on the fire and went inside the motorhome. About 10 minutes later we hear ROOOOOAAARRRR!!!!!!! And then we saw the car lights of the couple we were waiting for come on and they drove down to our site.
Seems they were on there way down, walking along the road and passed a bit too close to Mr. Bear! He bellowed out his displeasure and they skeedaddled it back to their car!
All you brave souls who camp at this time of year, be verrrrrry careful out there! 
Audrey
Toto, we're not in Kansas any more! |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
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eskimobirdlady
True Blue Farmgirl
700 Posts
connie
fairbanks
ak
USA
700 Posts |
Posted - Oct 04 2008 : 02:10:39 AM
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we camp in bear country all the time and this is how we handle it. keep our eyes ears and nose aware at all times, and keep a loaded .44 on our hip and a loaded shotgun and/or rifle within arms reach! thankfully we have never had to use them but during moose season this fall we had a bear wandering around in the woods several times a day, it never came near camp. another time we had one snuffling outside our tent but considering there was a fresh moose kill across the way we figured he wasnt all that hungry so went back to sleep lol. when picking berries if i smell a bear i quickly and NOISILY leave the area! be cautious, be aware and carry a big gun! lol
peace connie in alaska |
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LindaEllen
True Blue Farmgirl
275 Posts
Linda
Missouri
USA
275 Posts |
Posted - Oct 04 2008 : 06:47:09 AM
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Thanks Audrey, good you were all safe. With all the critters being less afraid of humans, we need to be alert. We have cougar and I have been confronted twice within 15 ft , just froze and it went away, very awesome and beautiful creature. If I had my gun I would not have been able to use it, to frozen.
I have not seen bear yet, but I think they would be more of a problem in the camping area like you shared.
I have been camping out, this will be my 8th weekend in the woods and have not seen a cougar, not to say it has not seen me walking the trails. I carrry a big stick, yep thata do it ;).
I have been on trials that have beware of bear signs out. To make noise so not to startle them and they can head off. Standing in a big berry patch in bear country is not a good idea, I took out in a hurry. But gosh darn I would love to see one at a distance.
Oh would a moose be fun to see too, but I think not here in MO for maybe a very long time.
Linda
Farmgirl Sister #343
Locust Trail Homestead
http://www.homesteadblogger.com/walkabout/
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wild daisy
True Blue Farmgirl
503 Posts
Madelynne
Billings
Montana
USA
503 Posts |
Posted - Oct 04 2008 : 3:43:24 PM
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Yeah, they do smell. My husband and I were traveling back to Montana from Salt Lake area in Utah. We came back up through Jackson Wyoming and through Teton National Park. Just before we entered Yellowstone National Park, we got to see a grizzly moving through the trees off the side of the road. Didn't get close enough to smell but what a sight.
Living up here in Montana you are always on the look out for bears in the woods.
Madelynne |
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acairnsmom
True Blue Farmgirl
1319 Posts
audrey
cheyenne
wy
1319 Posts |
Posted - Oct 05 2008 : 4:10:19 PM
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Linda, I have not been fortunate enough to see a cougar. We do have them here and one even ventured into our suburbs last summer not 2 blocks from my house. I would have discounted the sightings but one of the individuals was a policeman so thought he wouldn't be exagerating. We stayed away from that park for months! There have been many sightings closer to the foothills so they are out there. I think I'd be very spooked if I saw one since they are known to stalk people just like a housecat with a mouse. Even had a tragic case many years ago of a little boy on a family outing being killed and carried away. It took them years to find his remains and of course in the meantime his family was suspected to have done him harm. Poor people!
Connie, DH actually had a 9mm with us but kept laughing at trying to stop the bear with it. Said it would have just made him madder! We usually only need to worry about bear this time of year when they are looking for food and don't care who gets in the way of it. We've actually seen bear several times during the day but this was the first one at night where we couldn't actually see him. Also the first one we were close enough to smell. I don't think I'll be forgetting that odor for awhile! Also, ours are only black bears not grizzlies like you all from Alaska and Montana have to deal with. My sister lives in Cody, WY and is very reluctanct to go camping anywhere outside of the campgrounds in Yellowstone. I guess they've had many, many man-grizzly encounters in Cody.
Y'all stay safe while camping out. We'll be going back, can't let a little wild beast scare you away from something you love to do!
Toto, we're not in Kansas any more! |
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lacisne88
True Blue Farmgirl
1181 Posts
Chelsey
Lake Stevens
Washington
USA
1181 Posts |
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Outpost: BEAR! |
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BEAR!
