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AdamTayler
.375 member


Reged: 22/03/04
Posts: 688
Loc: B.C.
grizzly habits
      #12779 - 30/03/04 03:58 AM

I'm wondering if any other provinces, territories or states are having problems with bears becoming accustomed to a free meal whenever they hear a gun shot? Pavlov's theory seems to hold true for bears here in British Columbia in the Ft. St. John area that I hunt. Some grizzlies are becoming more "bold" since the open season for them closed a few years ago and now there is only limited entry hunting (lottery). The closure was strictly political as the population here is quite healthy. It also seems like coastal grizzlies are a little more laid back than the interior ones. My theory is that the coastals have a great food supply with the salmon and milder climate where as the interior bears have to work a little harder to survive so they are more territorial. Any other theories or observations?

--------------------
It's the journey, not the destination.

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DPhillips
.375 member


Reged: 09/10/03
Posts: 819
Loc: Alaska
Re: grizzly habits [Re: AdamTayler]
      #12792 - 30/03/04 10:40 AM

There have been a few reports of this on Kodiak and Hinchinbrook Islands here in Alaska. I don't know if any scientific or conclusive studies have been done, though.

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AlaskanPH
.224 member


Reged: 31/03/04
Posts: 32
Loc: Alaska
Re: grizzly habits [Re: AdamTayler]
      #12867 - 01/04/04 12:56 PM

As a lifelong Alaskan and Professional Master Guide here, I have had a great deal of experience with brown bear and grizzlies. Firstly, let me purpose that a distinction be made between brown bears, coastal grizzlies, and true Arctic Grizzlies. There is no such thing as a "Coastal Grizzly" as any bear of that species that lives within 50 to 75 (depending upon who you ask) miles of any coastline is a brown bear. If a bear of that species lives truly inland, at least 50 or 75 miles further away from any coastal waters it may then be considered a "Grizzly", which due to genetics and available food sources are inherently smaller than a brown bear, contrary to many peoples popular belief. A true, trophy grizzly will be in the 7 1/2' to 8 1/2' foot range (when squared), whereas as trophy brown bear will be in the 9 1/2' to 10 1/2' range.

I would suspect that bears of either sub-species that are not hunted will certainly become more comfortable around humans and thus become more bold. That is not a problem here in Alaska, as the current push within the state government is to increase the harvest of bears because of the predatory impact on the moose and caribou calves in the spring and the resulting lower number of subsistence animals that local hunters can hunt in the fall, which are primarily moose and caribou.

I don't know if this really helps to answer your question but I am increasingly frustrated with people calling brown bears in the coastal regions of B.C. grizzlies, because from a scientific stand point they are not grizzlies but brown bears!

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Arctic
.275 member


Reged: 01/04/04
Posts: 87
Loc: Arctic Canada
Re: grizzly habits [Re: AdamTayler]
      #12887 - 01/04/04 07:36 PM

As a long-time outfitter in the barrenlands, I can vouch for the fact that griz will learn to come to shots. After 25 years of leaving gut piles, it's become obvious that "resident" bears will pick up on the fact that a shot means a gut pile. The problem arises when they get too confident (usually the younger ones), come right away and try for the whole animal. 2 years ago I was forced twice to leave full carcasses or shoot and go through the paperwork.

Bears are not dumb. Our main camp, on the lakeshore, is on their hunting trail, ............but as soon as we show up, they adapt and make a big detour, avoiding the camp, meat smells or not. Most are no problem and they've leant to leave us alone and they won't be bothered, but it's obvious they've learnt to deal with us over the years.

All of this "education" has been learnt or acquired on their part, as we're 200 miles from any civilization and 75 miles from any other hint of a camp.

--------------------
"A stranger is a friend we haven't met!"

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DPhillips
.375 member


Reged: 09/10/03
Posts: 819
Loc: Alaska
Re: grizzly habits [Re: AlaskanPH]
      #12896 - 02/04/04 04:10 AM

PH,
I suspect the reason the most hunters call the Brown Bear "Coastal Grizzlies" are because they are wanting to make sure the distinction is clear between Black Bears (and their various color phases) and the Brownies. I've seen a lot of print about "Cinnamon" Bears, while most know these Cinnamon's to be Black Bears, it does confuse some. So for full impact, most will call the Brownies "Coastal" Grizzlies. Which they are a subspecies.

Also, for a lot of years, at least here in Alaska, Boone & Crockett and the Safari Club, kept moving the line where one was either considered a Grizzly or Brown Bear. I recall the line being 50 miles, 100 miles, the arc of the Alaska Range, and a few others.

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AdamTayler
.375 member


Reged: 22/03/04
Posts: 688
Loc: B.C.
Re: grizzly habits [Re: AlaskanPH]
      #12930 - 02/04/04 03:42 PM

PH

I was under the impression that brown bears were along the Alaskan Coast, and since the panhandle and some of the BC coast neighbour, we would have some as well. However, how far south does the brown bear's range extend? The bears I saw around the Dean Channel (Bella Coola) were big, but not that big. Would you consider these bears a subspecies (Lesser Brown Bear)? The wildlife branch here does not draw a distinction between the bears on the coast and the ones in the interior.

--------------------
It's the journey, not the destination.

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mickey
.416 member


Reged: 05/01/03
Posts: 4647
Loc: Pend Oreille Valley, Idaho
Re: grizzly habits [Re: AdamTayler]
      #12975 - 03/04/04 12:31 PM

Adam

There is no differenc between the Brown Bears of the Alaska Panhandle and the Grizzlies of the North Coast. The line is an artificial attempt to delinate a seperation.

The Bears around Prince Rubert and Bella Coola can be as big as the Bears in the panhandle. The B Bears on Kodiak and the Alaskan Pennisula are usually larger..

--------------------
Lovu Zdar
Mick

A Man of Pleasure, Enterprise, Wit and Spirit Rare Books, Big Game Hunting, English Rifles, Fishing, Explosives, Chauvinism, Insensitivity, Public Drunkenness and Sloth, Champion of Lost and Unpopular Causes.

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