Author Topic: Whats the closest you ever got to a bear? (Read 2298 times)

THE#1hunter · « **on:** July 18, 2003, 08:56:09 AM »

Whats the closest you ever got to a bear?....Mine was when i was deer hunting, and I had one walk the stone right next to me...i was a little worried :? :eek: , lol

01magnatec · « **Reply #1 on:** July 18, 2003, 11:11:39 AM »

I have a videotape of one on my porch just inches away from me. That was with a screen door between us though.
In the woods, too close for comfort!!!! If it's not bear season and i see one, i go a different way if possible. I don't like confrontation with animals that can take advantage of the situation.

Robert · « **Reply #2 on:** July 18, 2003, 02:45:48 PM »

wearing this fur around the house...my head fits right inside of his and I do muy little indian dance..Hey,ya,hey,ya Hey ya hey ya...Seriously..about 25 yds, if you are down wind they dont know you are there if you stay still.

todbartell · « **Reply #3 on:** July 18, 2003, 03:41:43 PM »

Mine isn't as exciting as the others, but 8 yards. He stood up on his hind legs, and I put him back down with my 7mm Mag.

longwinters · « **Reply #4 on:** July 18, 2003, 05:29:45 PM »

:eek: 12 yards. I was jogging in the woods and one stood up right in front of me. Whoa . . . . I backed out making a fair amount of noise and he/she just stood there looking at me.

barber · « **Reply #5 on:** July 19, 2003, 05:23:27 AM »

Walked within 35 feet of a BIG Grizzyl, at the edge of my camp on the Bumping River 2 years ago.

PAhunter · « **Reply #6 on:** July 19, 2003, 05:38:32 AM »

I had one within about 10 feet. Big Black Bear!

I saw it about 300 yards out, going from left to right. It turned toward me and kept coming at a run. By the time it got to me. it's tongue was hanging out and I don't think it saw me until it was 30-4- feet from me and headed right at me. I moved and it veared about 10 feet to my right and ran by. I was never so relieved. My 30-30 seemed like a pea shooter, thankfully I didn't have to try to use it.

THE#1hunter · « **Reply #7 on:** July 20, 2003, 03:48:22 PM »

:eek: , alot of close encounters

Raging480 · « **Reply #8 on:** July 20, 2003, 06:32:54 PM »

My closest encounter was when I was 16, at church camp (..and one time, at church camp...) a bunch of us went on an overnite excursion, and tented at Piseco Lake, in the Adirondacks, NY. A bunch of us decided to sleep outside of the tents, in our sleeping bags, under the stars. Well, at one point in the night, the fire burned down low enough and three black bears were heard circling our site. Those of us outside all ran into one tent, and 9 people slept in a tent made for 4. One time, I could hear a bear sniffing around inches from my head, as we were separated by the nylon tent. I say "slept," but it was a LONG night. I guess the counselors didn't do a good job securing our food, because our site was trashed, and we did not eat anything until we got back to the main camp after noon the next day. If you don't count the can of coke, of which I had to wash bear slobber off of...

Cabin4 · « **Reply #9 on:** July 21, 2003, 05:53:51 AM »

I have had a couple of bear encounters other than while hunting them.

I own a cabin in the northwoods of Wisconsin in a remote area. This area is known for its heathly population of bear. More its known for the size of the bear.

1st. - While fishing on the lake a bruin poped out of the wood line of an island and starting swimming towards shore. The swim was about 200 yards for this bear which gave me ample time to motor fairly close to him just to check him out. I know he was a good size animal by the size and shape of his head. When he reached shore, I was able to estimate him in the 400 lb range. All I saw was his huge arese in full high speed gear into the woods.

2nd. Next was the perverbiale taking out the garbage right around dusk. My cabin is about 150 yards from a dumpster that I use. This is a shared dumpster and occosionally some idiot won't follow the rules and will throw fish guts in it. As I got to the dumpster, the smell of rotten fish guts was very strong. I quickly opened the lid and threw in our trash. As I turned away from the dumpster, about 60 yards down the dirt road was a bruin that I would quess at 250- 300 just standing on all 4 watching me. He was simply standing there panting like he had run to that point or was just over heated. It was hot out. I don't think he was very happy that I was in his newly adopted and favorite dumpster. I simply, walked in reverse very slowly back to the cabin. I never saw him again. But I became the permenant person responsable for taking out the trash after telling wife & son what happened. That was the last time I ever made that trip to the dumpster unarmed. 357mag with 200 gr hard cast loads make that dredded trip with me every time.

I have seen may other bear in this area but these are as close as it got. I did see one just north of Park Falls when leaving the cabin with a bud of mine and we have a huge bruin that we both would estimate near 600lbs run across the road in front of us.

L-Roy · « **Reply #10 on:** July 21, 2003, 03:21:08 PM »

Been 12 measured feet from bear in the woods, after false charge!

See "Charged" by a bear? in archives of this forum.

eroyd · « **Reply #11 on:** July 21, 2003, 07:20:25 PM »

When fishing local rivers we often have to share the banks with bears. Once while fishing the Nitinat River I hooked one on a backcast, played him for a bit but ended up breaking him off when he made a run. Didn't want to lose an expensive fly line.
I've chased them around with bow and arrows as well. Got right up on a large sleeping bear. For some reason at the time, It didn't seem fair drilling him. When he woke up.(buddy up the hill was playing with a predator call) he lumbered towards me, TOO CLOSE!, when the bear clued in he went ballistic the otherway.

Beaverkill · « **Reply #12 on:** July 23, 2003, 04:12:07 AM »

Less than 5 ft. I was in the front seat of a jeep cherokee and he was in the back seat.......I was setting up camp and had the rear hatch open as I unloaded the jeep. My wife says "I think I just saw a bear behind those trees", I looked and here comes a 400+ bruin that continued to walk right to the jeep and proceeded to unload my gear until he found the cooler. Now this was a 1960's vintage steel coleman, filled with a weekends worth food and ice, it was heavy. I jumped into the front seat and was yelling at the bear (the truck was less than a month old & he wasn't exactly neat) to get out of my truck. I beaped the horn, screamed at him, nothing deterred him from that cooler. He picked it up in his mouth and walked away with my cooler and ate everything inside. I got the cooler back the next morning, and the lid was ripped off....This happened about 6years ago in New Yorks Catskill Mountains and is only one of 7 bear encounters I have had while camping in the area in the last 6 years....

Leanwolf · « **Reply #13 on:** July 25, 2003, 06:21:06 PM »

Well, I've killed, dressed, and skinned two Black bears so I suppose I've got about as close as one could get... without getting on the INSIDE of one.

L.W.

Moose-Hunter · « **Reply #14 on:** July 26, 2003, 10:46:21 AM »

About 15 yards from a curious black bear. Almost shot him in the face with the 454 Casull I had in my hand. :grin:

Luv2hunteup · « **Reply #15 on:** July 30, 2003, 03:52:34 AM »

I had one sneak in behind me while I was bent over restacking my log crib in preparation of hunting that evening. The young bear was inside 8 ft when I turned around and saw him. I stood up and so did the bear. After a brief stare down he left but continued to look back standing up frequently.

I realized that I had trained that bear to come into the the sound of my atv. The bear figured every time he heard the atv leave there was food to be eaten. I tried to feed between 11:00 and 1:00 every day and always left the atv run with the exception of the day of the encounter.

Hopefully that's the last time I make that mistake. :shock:

Lawdog · « **Reply #16 on:** July 30, 2003, 12:26:00 PM »

About three feet. Hope this counts as you didn't state whether the Black Bear had to be full grown or not. I was deer hunting a number of years ago and while crawling on my hands and knees through a red oak thicket on what I though was a deer trail. I heard something coming toward me and around a red oak darted a Black Bear cub. He came to a stop, starring at me and me at him. He then cut loose with a brawl, turned and ran the other way as fast as he could go. Me all I could think of was where is momma as I was in no position to defend myself with my rifle slung under me, barrel pointed behind me and the red oaks so thick I couldn't stand. I retreated as fast as I could, found a rock I got up on and saw the cub and his mother walking up the side hill about a quarter of a mile away. Got a good look at them and that cub wouldn't have weighted more than 20 pounds. At three feet, on your hands and knees he sure looked bigger. Lawdog

Fatcatbuster · « **Reply #17 on:** August 01, 2003, 09:12:22 AM »

My first bear i shot with a bow near Brownville, Maine. The bear came in to the bait just about dark (as usual) There was no bait left and he wasnt gonn stay around so i hurried my shot. When the arrow connected the big commotion started and alot of trees snapping and the usual stuff. Then just errie silience. After a few minutes i thought i heard the moan that they sometimes make before they expire. My feelings were that i got him! So down the tree i went it was almost dark so i went to the truck to get my light and swap the bow for the 44Mag. I started trailing the path i thought he took with the flashlight , i was looking quite a ways in front of where i was walking with the light when i felt something "squisshy " under my feet. I put the light down towards my feet and there was my bear about 3 feet away looking at me. I almost crap.I Started backing up and pulling the 44 out of the holster, but i fogot to take the hammer strap off and i couldnt pull the gun out ,course i dropped the light fell on my ass and started holliring as loud as i could. I dont know why there wasnt a person within 15 miles. The bear started to move and i was able to finally shoot. 4 times. Missed 4 times. The bear expired moments after that is that close enough?

THE#1hunter · « **Reply #18 on:** August 01, 2003, 05:09:10 PM »

TOO CLOSE :shock:

dabigmoose · « **Reply #19 on:** August 03, 2003, 05:03:31 AM »

well
Back years ago I use to go hunt blacks in the winter with my grandfather
up the yukon river and some with my great uncle around koykuk we would take the dog team and visit dens that we had found while running the trap line.We dig out the opening of the den and crawl inside with a flash light and trapper carbine in 30/30 check if the bear is a boar or sow with cubs. The bears are very lethargic this time ofyear we always did pretty good look em over then shoot them and tie a rope on their foot.I go a job doing it back then that the fish and game biologist gave me a part time job to help him out finding them to dart and tag with radio collars after we dug them out.Sometimes there would be more than one bear in the den and there usually is another entrance or exit.
I am to old and big to do it now but my son does it to this day but with a snowgo instead of dogteam the dogs always were a great help if ya found a grizzly den and it came out one of the other exits.

dabigmoose

bearhuntr · « **Reply #20 on:** August 09, 2003, 01:15:36 PM »

Fellas/ladies,

Did not want to see this thread die! I find the responses interesting! I came nose to nose with him (blackie) whilst bird hunting: the distance was close enough to kiss him, though we never made contact! (Guess I did'nt know him well enough! :oops: :lol: ) Another time I was setting in a blind up Indian Creek and had a brownie charge my position only to grab a silver salmon at my feet: distance: one rifle barrel! The last brown bear I took was shot at 15 feet. I'm happy to say that the 416 did it's required job and that I won. :grin: I have a picture of a friend holding a fly rod over the edged of a bank on the brooks river and two brown bear swimming under his feet! After antics like his, I'm happy to announce that he is still with us! :eek:

Dabigmoose,
You are the "KAHUNA

!" I woud no more stick my head inside a den than drive through Soldotna on a Saturday afternoon in the summer! :shock:

best,
bhtr

dabigmoose · « **Reply #21 on:** August 10, 2003, 08:09:37 AM »

Bearhunter
I would rather crawl in the bears den those tourist are a lot more dangerous to us than those Old bears this day and age.I sure
do miss the old Soldotna it sure did not take long to
turn into a metropolis did it and every time a bear eats one
more show up.Something about tourist and lemmings :lol:
You take care and get some more bear with that 416

dabigmoose

Losthwy · « **Reply #22 on:** August 13, 2003, 12:25:14 PM »

Well, about 30 inches, not feet, but inches! My brother and I were backpacking in Great Smoky National Park and had stop to cook some lunch along the trail. We were both sitting on a rock that had brush, 5 ft apart, watching the water boil. Just before the ramin noodles were done. We heard this grunt. Both of us turned to the inside, and, an uninvited guest, a black bear had his head was sticking thru the brush between us close enough for both of us to backhand :eek: . Both of us yelled like we had been stabbed in the in the ass; I went right, my brother went left, and the bear went back down the way he came. We quickly gathered our pots and packs, we were still putting them on when the bear appeared on the trail about 20 feet from us. Luckly he was on the opposite direction were heading and didn't block the trail. Eating and walking very fast we made a hasty exit as the bear was sniffing the area we had just left.

Rod WMG · « **Reply #23 on:** August 15, 2003, 07:14:13 AM »

Well, I didn't measure, but it was less than 20 feet, probably about 15.

I was sitting on a stump with my Nikon on a tripod watching a creekbed in western NM. I was hoping a bear would come by to photograph. After about 45 minutes my rump went to sleep, so I got up to move to a different vantage point. I heard a rustle in the brush and saw a large bear head sticking out of the leaves in front of me.

I pulled my Smith .45 DA and watched him emerge from the bushes. He was a small bear with a very large head. He was clearly nervous and confused, jumping up on a log with his forefeet and then jumping down. I got a few photos for proof of his presence and then just watched. He finally got too spooked to stay and ran away.

I wondered if I was the first human he'd seen.

little red · « **Reply #24 on:** January 08, 2004, 06:42:06 PM »

HEY WE HAVE TREED A LOT OF BEARS OVER THE YEARS WITH OUR HOUNDS. sOME WILL GO UP A BIG TREE.SOME A SMALL TREE. sOME WILL GO TO THE TOP,SOME JUST OUT OF REACH OF THE HOUNDS. sOME WILL STAY TREED AND SOME WILL COME DOWN RIGHT WHILE YOU ARE THERE. i'VE BEEN REAL CLOSE TO A LOT OF BEARS. tHEY ARE VERY UNPREDICTABLE. i ALWAYS CARRY A LARGE ENOUGH RIFLE SO THERE IS NO QUESTION IF IT IS BIG ENOUGH OR NOT. wHY PUT YOURSELF AND THE BEAR AT RISK. aS FAR AS I AM CONSIRNED A PISTOL SHOULD NEVER BE USED ON BEAR, THEY JUST ARE NOT A GOOD CHOICE. hUNTING WITH HOUNDS IS REALLY ABOUT THE CHASE AND NOT THE KILL. wE LOVE DOGS, TRAINING DOGS, THE CHASE, AND DOING IT AGAIN. wE HAVE LET MANY MORE GO THAN WE HAVE KILLED. a GOOD VIDEO OF THE CHASE, THE HOUNDS, THE TREE, AND FRIENDS IS THE BEST PRIZE OF ALL. LITTLE RED

lilbiggun · « **Reply #25 on:** January 10, 2004, 03:33:33 PM »

Many times. Anybody who spends time in the woods up here will come face to face with a bear eventually.

We camped along kenai lake (ship creek) and we had a brownie sleep on the edge of our tent. I didnt hear him but my wife did and she was mad the next morning because I didnt wake up ( I sleep good in the woods :oops: )

Also I had my rifle at the ready in arctic valley one time and the brownie had the choice of what he wanted to do. after the 2nd bluff he dicided to call it quits.

Its not the close bear that gets me worried, its the one that gets ahold of me that pisses me off.

Maine_Hound_Hunter · « **Reply #26 on:** January 15, 2004, 02:57:11 PM »

When hound hunting am usually under the tree with the bear getting the hounds back so they wouldnt get their jaws ripped off...

Also been right next to fighting bear which have fell victiim to my handgun at about 2 feet....needless to say I usually have a substantial amount of blood on me after these hunts

WNY_Whitetailer · « **Reply #27 on:** March 17, 2004, 07:39:42 AM »

My experience is not as interesting as the rest. I had climbed down from my tree stand and was a little tired so I was going to relax on a logging road a little ways away. I was sitting down and about 50 feet down the hill walked a bear. I had to blink a couple times because this was the first bear I had seen in the wild. It was my first season hunting at my friends land in Scio NY and we had seen some bear prints and scat but I didn't expect to actually see any bear. I was wrong...The bear never realized that I was there.

Camp Cook · « **Reply #28 on:** March 17, 2004, 12:36:38 PM »

First close encounter with a black bear was about 20 years ago. It weighed about 250 to 300lbs I had to shoot it to stop its charge. Dropped it at about 7 to 8 yards in front of me with a 308 Norma mag.
Second time was a buddy and I had just bought ice cream cones at a small store in Aspen Grove, B.C. and while we we're driving back to our camp a small bear ran across the road in front of us and stopped about 30 feet from the side of the road. We stopped got out of the truck and started walking slowly towards it. At about 10 feet from the bear I threw my ice cream cone to it. The bear sniffed it then picked it up and ate it. The look on its face was priceless. I guess it never got to have ice cream again.
Lastly last fall while hunting for deer and moose my son and I were walking a trail when we came around a sharp bend in the trail and about 10 feet in front of us was a mother bear and her cub. She grunted at her cub who shot up the nearest tree. She ran just about as fast away from us.
I've seen hundreds of bears but these are the closest ones.
Cam

Sourdough · « **Reply #29 on:** March 23, 2004, 08:15:11 PM »

Had a Grizzly knock my tent down and walk all over me one night. Luckily while he was standing in the middle of my back a couple coming down the trail looking for a place to camp, shinned a spotlight on him and he ran away. I was unable to walk for two days.