Grizzly recovery area in King County....?

[hoytem]

here is a link to a map i just fond on wdfw. Anyone really think there has been a grizz sighting in these areas? king county really?

http://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/bear_cougar/bear/graphics/lg_counties_bear.jpg

[Special T]

I think they should dropp several off right out side of Norht bend so those voters can have a close encounter with them!    matter of fact i think all reintroductions should take place near I90 so that they can experienc they joy of recovery!

[Cascade_fisher]

I can give you an exact address of a grizzly sighting east of Hwy 203!  My wife will freak out and look like an angry grizzly when she finds out what I just spent on licenses and permits 

[MikeWalking]

My last job assignment had me talking with a couple retired LEO's daily, one has a cabin near Plain. He's had eyes on meetings with Griz in that area.  Worked a with a couple others I'd trust to know their bears that have also seen them North of there.

The USFS has confirmed sightings in that shaded area but I understand they don't talk much about it.

[Dan-o]

1)  Last Fall, Seattle times had a pretty clear pic of a griz.  They said a hiker took it "in the north central cascades" if I recall correctly. 

2)  12-15 years ago, there was confirmed griz (sow and cub) on Kapowsin tree farm deep into sough Pierce county around base of Mt. rainier.   WDFW confirmed by scat and hair sample and tracks. 

3)   Multiple unconfirmed griz sightings north of Cle elem (liberty area).   I have one trusted friend who swears he saw a griz there.  I believe him.

Any of those would be a do-able walk for a bear to get to South King county.


I have no inside info on their actual range, but I guess I wouldn't have any real reason to dispute the map.

[hoytem]

I guess after thinking about it for a while the green river water shed could be very possible place. Still just seems like most of the small number of grizz would be passing in/out from Idaho and Canada. 

[Knocker of rocks]

1)  Last Fall, Seattle times had a pretty clear pic of a griz.  They said a hiker took it "in the north central cascades" if I recall correctly. 
Sahale Arm of NCNP to be exact

2)  12-15 years ago, there was confirmed griz (sow and cub) on Kapowsin tree farm deep into sough Pierce county around base of Mt. rainier.   WDFW confirmed by scat and hair sample and tracks. 
I have a friend who is a PhD Grade Wildlife Biologist for the USFS.  He has stated that they have suspected that there were Griz in the Cascades for over twenty years, but have had difficulty getting DNA evidence.  This could have happened prior to DNA testing becoming very accurate and relatively cheap

3)   Multiple unconfirmed griz sightings north of Cle elem (liberty area).   I have one trusted friend who swears he saw a griz there.  I believe him.
My friend has heard about these, and believes them highly plausible.  They think most griz are north of the White River (Chelan Co), north and NE thru Glacier Peak Wilderness, NCNP and the Paysayten

Any of those would be a do-able walk for a bear to get to South King county.
Yep

I have no inside info on their actual range, but I guess I wouldn't have any real reason to dispute the map.
Seems like a good map

[Knocker of rocks]

I guess after thinking about it for a while the green river water shed could be very possible place. Still just seems like most of the small number of grizz would be passing in/out from Idaho and Canada. 

There has always been griz north of the border up thru the Coquihala and Manning Prov. Park

[Dan-o]

Knocker,

I wish I could remember more about the griz confirmation in Kapowsin.    I do remember that they (WDFW) called it a confirmation.    Back then, it was Champion timber land, and I remember it pretty clearly because I ued to hunt deer in that exact area.

You'd think that maybe with all the trail cams out there, somebady would eventually catch a griz??

Does anybody recall maybe 18 years ago when soem area in Mansahtash was quickly closed down due to a griz sighting?   Seems like I recall something like that, but .........

[Button Nubbs]

3)   Multiple unconfirmed griz sightings north of Cle elem (liberty area).   I have one trusted friend who swears he saw a griz there.  I believe him.

funny you should mention that. a few years back a buddy and i were turkey hunting in the cle elum area. we had just hiked this hell (an i mean HELL) trail to try and drop over the back side of the ridge only to find out it was a false summit we sat down above this drainage to take a break and were watching some deer on the other side. we heard some crashing in the bottom and there was the biggest *censored*ed bear i have ever seen. it was about 300 yards away but was one of those animals that makes you go "holy s%$t!" immediately. it was a brownish blonde color.

i have seen my fair share of bears and had an up close not so friendly encounter with a kodiak i honestly think the bear we saw could have rivaled the size of that kodiak. i just figured it was a giant color phase blackie, it didnt even occur to me that grizz could possibly be in the area. makes a guy wonder...

[Knocker of rocks]

You'd think that maybe with all the trail cams out there, somebady would eventually catch a griz??

I thought they had the same special eye sigght as bigfoot, and could see IR

[Scottystyle]

If memory serves me correctly, was there a sow and cub hit by a car near one of the Mt. rainier entances? about 1997 ish?

[Knocker of rocks]

Here's the Seattle Times article.  I'm thinking alot of the problem is poor record keeping between agencies, the State and the Feds and between districts of the same agency.  There is probably a plethora of differing criteria used by all the different agencies also

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2015482252_grizzly02m.html

[MikeWalking]

BTW  does anybody want "Recovery Zone" to become official?  As in no more access, Recover Zone..

[JimmyHoffa]

BTW  does anybody want "Recovery Zone" to become official?  As in no more access, Recover Zone..

I had read earlier in the year that the FS was closing down maybe a couple hundred miles of road in WA/ID near the Selkirk area to help grizz recovery. 

[NataSS]

Looks like an excuse to convince the wife to let me buy a bigger rifle 

[WAcoueshunter]

There are huntable populations of them just across the border in BC.  There is essentially uninterrupted Wilderness (and national park) from the border to I-90, on both sides of the PCT.  Makes sense that the occasional grizz (and wolf and moose) would travel down that corridor until they hit I-90.

[Special T]

I don't think I 90 presents much of a barrier... I've seen the elk cross it way to many times in traffic.

[brackens]

There are multiple Grizzly sightings on Sherman Pass.  My brother and his friends live in the Curlew area and see them once in a while.

[hoytem]

i have no doubt about the sightings in the far north cascades and northeast corner. I expect grizz to be in those areas.

[CavemantheHunter]

My dad and I saw a grizzly 2 years back just east of Mt. Rainier National Park. I know the difference between a grizz and a black and there was no doubt in either of our minds that this was a grizz. Biggest animal I have ever seen while hunting.

[Ripper]

A friend of mine saw one out by Marblemount at least 10 years ago. He is an experienced hunter and I have no doubt that he knows what he's talking about. He grew up in Montana and has hunted Alaska a few times. I know they are around and I'm not looking forward to running into one!