Ornery Bear

[Wea300mag]

I was out hiking last weekend and ran into this bear. Instead of running away, it decided to come to me at a fast walk. After the first picture, I fired one round just to the right of the bear which turned it slightly but also seemed to make it angry. It took three more warning shots to finally convince it to turn away but not until it was about 25 yards away. I think it was a young male, probably about 125 lbs, that had limited human interaction before. I had just cooked a nice big camp breakfast a couple hours earlier which I think the bear smelled since the wind was blowing directly from me to him. Hopefully it is now "educated".

[bearpaw]

Now be truthful, were you wearing provocative clothing, either that or the breakfast could be considered baiting.... 

[Wea300mag]

My t-shirt smelled of bacon, sausage, eggs, and hashbrowns so I guess it could be considered baiting.

[carpsniperg2]

  He doesnt look happy in those pic's Good thing you didn't turn into breakfast.

[Machias]

Young male bears have been known to act this way and see if they can intimidate or if they can see if the object is something they can be predatory with.  This bear's body language is very serious, had you been unarmed you would have had some issues with this bear.  This does not appear to me as a case of mistaken identity.  Young grizzley boars have been know to do this and once they walk up to the individuals, who have laid down, they begin to eat.  When young males act this way and escpecially black bears it can turn dangerous very quickly.

[Ripper]

I'm glad things turned out well for you. As has been said, it could have been ugly. Nice pics though.

[Kain]

The WDFW needs to get some dogs on that bear at make sure he is educated.  great pictures though.

[steelhead13]

To close for me, unless i am hunting bear of course.

[DOUBLELUNG]

That dude needs a snoot full of pepper spray.

[Tman]

Thats why I always carry when in the woods.  Glad it turned out ok for you.

[Jake T]

that brings up a good point...at what point does it become time to take more severe action than a warning shot?  i mean, 4 warning shots and it still came to within 25 yards.  to me that's doing your part to solve the problem peacfully, but it seems like any closer and he could have been on you almost faster than you could have done anything about it. 

what do you guys think?

[mulehunter]

The WDFW needs to get some dogs on that bear at make sure he is educated.

   X2

Mulehunter

[turnloose]

The WDFW needs to get some dogs on that bear at make sure he is educated.

Ha Ha Ha yeah right, good one

[Kain]

The WDFW needs to get some dogs on that bear at make sure he is educated.

Ha Ha Ha yeah right, good one

Actually they love using there Karelian bear dogs for that kind of thing.  They love waisting money on things that hunters would pay to do. 

http://wdfw.wa.gov/enforcement/kbd/

[turnloose]

If those dogs caught bears than hound guys would have them, yes waste of tax payer money.