Grizzly Bear Risk in Wind River Range and other Wyoming Areas

Brian in SLC wrote:

Just the girlfriend.  

Haha. Hopefully she doesn't read Mountain Project. Now can we talk about all the different types of cougars in Utah?

Ryan Pfleger wrote:

Now can we talk about all the different types of cougars in Utah?

What I've heard, is, don't make direct eye contact, and, let them buy the drinks.

That video is hilarious. "Gosh darn it! It's the end of September, you're supposed to be asleep!"

Sorry to start a big flame about brown vs black vs grizzly.

My only point was that the habitat is less favorable to grizzlies, and IMHO (and experience in the Winds) more likely to see black bears.

Arlo F Niederer wrote: Sorry to start a big flame about brown vs black vs grizzly.

My only point was that the habitat is less favorable to grizzlies, and IMHO (and experience in the Winds) more likely to see black bears.

This. Although the entire range is Grizz country, you are less likely to run into one south of Elkhart Park trailhead and above treeline. Not to say you won't see one above treeline or south of Elkhart, but they are much more concentrated up north and on the East side of the Divide. Carrying bear spray and hanging your food are the best preventatives.

John Barritt wrote: i havent been to wind river yet, but i have carried a bear can and its really not that big of a deal. the big can weighs 2lbs 9 oz. taurususa.com/product-detai…;category=Revolver&toggle=tr&breadcrumbseries=RB2 Weighs less than a bear can......guaranteed to help the missus sleep at night. JB

Idiotic Okies think guns are the answer to every problem, who knew?

Harumpfster Boondoggle wrote:

Idiotic Okies think guns are the answer to every problem, who knew?

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3XkAO_X53N8

Harumpfster Boondoggle wrote:

Idiotic Okies think guns are the answer to every problem, who knew?

I observed earlier in the thread that unless you're willing to put in *years* of practice with a handgun, you've probably got as good of odds stopping a bear by throwing the gun at it as firing the gun.

Petsfed wrote:

I observed earlier in the thread that unless you're willing to put in *years* of practice with a handgun, you've probably got as good of odds stopping a bear by throwing the gun at it as firing the gun.

Which is to say, don't bring a gun. Definitely don't throw guns at bears in Wyoming: they might be better shots than you.

With a handgun the missus might sleep better in Grizz country because after the 1000' Boar has been made truly angry and is now finishing you off the missus might have time to run. Any damn fool that things a handgun is a solution to a Grizz deserves to be ate.

Harumpfster Boondoggle wrote:

With a handgun the missus might sleep better in Grizz country because after the 1000' Boar has been made truly angry and is now finishing you off the missus might have time to run. Any damn fool that things a handgun is a solution to a Grizz deserves to be ate.

  Wrong.. people can successfully kill bears with handguns. The result are sad stories like the one below. 

Did a multi-day trip in the Cirque of the Towers years back. Lots of people camping near Pingora and Wolf's Head. Rangers even came and kicked some out of places that were too close to the creek. We didn't see any bears either on the hike or anywhere in the cirque the whole time. It's possible with all of those people, the bears smell them and avoid the area. I'm not sure. We hung our food in the trees. Most of it was freeze dried and vacuum packed, so probably didn't give off much of a smell anyway. You'll be fine.

Bill Kirby wrote:

  Wrong.. people can successfully kill bears with handguns. The result are sad stories like the one below. 

https://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/2018/06/dean-weingarten/wyoming-another-successful-handgun-defense-against-a-grizzly-bear/

Garbage. The guy should be in jail for inappropriately killing an endangered species.

Jaren Watson wrote:

Thanks for the link. He was lucky he wasn’t cited for an unjustified killing. 

The dog’s presence here complicates matters, as well. On one hand, it likely allowed the guide additional time to be prepared to shoot. On the other hand, it’s possible the dog incited the bear to charge. Hard to know.

One thing is certain. Whether you’re holding a pistol or bear spray, you’re going to use it. For the bear’s sake, it would be nice if fewer people opted for the former.

Just a side note: there’s some rueful humor here. The bear spray was not deployed because the guide was in the way, yet the pistol was fired at the bear out of fear that the bear, which had stopped charging, might attack. Weird psychology in those decisions.

The guide would have recovered from being caught in the spray. The same cannot be said of the bear and the bullet.

 I posted that to show it can be done. Not to say shooting a bear is right or wrong. All I would say on that is It’s easy to Monday morning QB from our computers. 

 I myself have been close to plenty of bears in BC, Alberta and NWT unarmed. Ive never felt like I needed a gun. I’ve ran from bears, I’ve watched them walk right by me. I’ve carried a gun to protect myself from humans more times than bears. Talk about unpredictable and stupid!  Friends say I walked away from those encounters because at 6’3” and 265 hairy lbs, bears don’t mess with a Sasquatch! I can’t for the life of me understand why people spray black bears! All that said, I still understand why people feel the need to carry up north.

I would shoot a Big Horn sleep before a grizzly. Those damn things be mugging the sh*t outta me They like to charge as much as they like to lick my car.

 Haha.. lovin’ the white knight comment. I get what you saying. Like your bear encounter, nobody can say what you should’ve done. I felt same applies to that guide. No one knows what they’re going to do until they’re put in a situation.
 
About fifteen years ago I ran from a grizzly. That thing was huge and I was scared. Just like the guy in that link I could’ve done things different but in the moment we react.
 

splitclimber wrote: my wife wants to pull the plug on our wind river trip this August because she is worried about grizzly bears. I need to alleviate her concerns because I really want to go there to backpack and climb. Any experiences with grizzly bears in the wind river range? or tetons? or other areas in Wyoming? Worse or better than other areas? this is the only prior thread on the topic that I could find mountainproject.com/v/bears…

I know it’s kind of an old thread, but I thought I should share this just in case people needed some assurance.  Me and a couple other guys went into the remote parts of the windys, through Lander, driving through the Shoshone reservation, and hiking 50 miles round trip to places like Lake Movo and Roberts Lake.  I packed bear spray and rope to string up my food.  As we started hiking, I was paranoid about bushwhacking through shrub because I’m not to keen on surprising bears. 

 The whole trip I didn’t see anything, not even a chipmunk... I’m sure if we didn’t see anything for 50 miles of mostly bushwack, up through the most barren and untraveled parts of the Winds, I’d say you’re in good hands.  Just make sure to string up your food every night and you’ll be awesome.  Plus, it’s some of the most beautiful terrain you will ever see in your life, 10/10 would recommend :)

Connor White wrote:

I know it’s kind of an old thread, but I thought I should share this just in case people needed some assurance.  Me and a couple other guys went into the remote parts of the windys, through Lander, driving through the Shoshone reservation, and hiking 50 miles round trip to places like Lake Movo and Roberts Lake.  I packed bear spray and rope to string up my food.  As we started hiking, I was paranoid about bushwhacking through shrub because I’m not to keen on surprising bears. 

 The whole trip I didn’t see anything, not even a chipmunk... I’m sure if we didn’t see anything for 50 miles of mostly bushwack, up through the most barren and untraveled parts of the Winds, I’d say you’re in good hands.  Just make sure to string up your food every night and you’ll be awesome.  Plus, it’s some of the most beautiful terrain you will ever see in your life, 10/10 would recommend :)

Wind River range = best backpacking in the country with only a few secret exceptions.

Connor White,

Was that a recent trip?  I went into that area in 1971, and didn't see a soul. I suspect not many go in there.

Just returned from Pinedale and a backpacking trip into Elkheart Park.  Here's some beta:

   Bugs are BAD this year - second worst I've seen.  We aborted our trip after 3 days and will try again in 2 weeks.  But the Indian paintbrush and columbine are BEAUTIFUL!  Some of the biggest buds I've ever seen!

Chatted with a Ranger on the trail and she told me the following information:

USFS got a grant, so they hired many volunteer "rangers" who are stepping up patrols.  They are emphasizing the 200 foot rule - don't camp within 200 ft of lakes or major trails.  They are handing out $80 fines. They emphasized that even though a campsite is established, many violate the 200 ft rule - and you will be ticketed.

With increased use comes increased government oversight and less freedom.  Ranger said there are 100 people per day using the Elkheart Park entrance.  The Winds are no longer a place of solitude ... unless off the beaten path.

Unfortunately, one of the things the rangers are having to do a great deal of is dig catholes for inconsiderate or uneducated campers who don't know how to properly take a crap in the woods. I have seen much of this in the Winds on my recent trips to the Winds - this should be a $10,000 fine!

BEARS - There is a problem bear around Big Sandy that they will probably euthanize.  Another consequence of uneducated and careless campers who don't follow food storage protocols.  A bear had to be euthanized in 2015.  It was ranging from Big Sandy to Shadow Lake.  So if you are climbing in the Cirque or Clear/Deep Lake be extra careful.

WOLVES - This one surprised me.  Wolves are attacking dogs between Elkheart Park and Photographer's Point (killing the dogs).  The Ranger also said they were harassing dogs in people's campsites.

The grizzles and wolves have steadily increased their range since being introduced or protected in Yellowstone.  I think it's time to reintroduce them to the Sierras and Appalachias - Wyoming shouldn't get to have all the fun!

Arlo F Niederer wrote: 
WOLVES - This one surprised me.  Wolves are attacking dogs between Elkheart Park and Photographer's Point (killing the dogs).  The Ranger also said they were harassing dogs in people's campsites.

Dayum!! Keep the pooch inside the tent! Thanks for the info.  

matt hanrahan wrote: August is fairly a mellow times in a bear's annual cycle, so unless you're trying to sneak up on it it's not likely to be aggressive with you. They're not especially hungry, and their cubs are getting older.

also, it's not smart to shoot at bears. loud noises are great deterrents, but even if you land a few rounds it's not likely that the bear will stop its charge before getting to you, and you'll both wind up injured or dead. However, if you use bear spray properly the bear will decide to stop charging you: a bear's own body has a lot more stopping power than any handgun round. why would you kill something unnecessarily, when it's less likely to help you? I'm all for confidence measures, but just know that if you carry gun it's more psychological than practical. I often carry in the backcountry, but I'll be shocked if I ever actually use it.

Also, not sure how defense relates to food storage. If you don't store your food properly and wind up killing a bear because of it, that's a huge problem.

Great stuff. I carry both (with Spray as my first choice most of the time). In times of rain or high wind (both instances that can aide in an encounter) and may elect to draw my firearm first. I may also do that depending on distance (both far and right on top). Every situation is different except the part where you’re shitting your pants