Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Bear Hunting => Topic started by: Bobm on September 24, 2008, 08:18:31 PM

Title: Grizzly Bear Recovery in Washington State
Post by: Bobm on September 24, 2008, 08:18:31 PM: Just the mention of Grizzly gets my attention as I think most of you will agree.

On my recent deer hunt I had the opportunity to talk with some hikers
who mentioned that in Washington State there was a Grizzly recovery program that involved some of the wilderness areas. They stated that there was and is an ongoing (semi-secret according to them) project that desires to place 1 grizzly every 20 sq. miles. I don't know? AND you know how a lot of
crap can be said.

I did bring up this site that offers some information.
http://www.bearinfo.org/observations.htm

Have any of you seen a Grizzly here in Washington?
Have you any pictures?
What do you know?

I get different answers from govt. agency's.

I think it an interesting topic.

We don't need "bear stories" here if you know what I mean....
Title: Re: Grizzly Bear Recovery in Washington State
Post by: BC CHASER on September 24, 2008, 08:38:26 PM: Had one run across the road in front of me and my cousin about 7-8 years ago when we were on our quads. 30 yards away and no doubt he was a grizz. Next year talked to two forrest service guys and they had seen a bear on the same road that year. We were east of Oroville. Fishing is for fools and I saw tracks in the NE while whitetail hunting, they are here and have been for a while. Yeah it is funny that different agencies give you different answers. Why post the "Hunters know your bears'' signs if there are no grizzlies around? :dunno:
Title: Re: Grizzly Bear Recovery in Washington State
Post by: Bscman on September 24, 2008, 08:53:35 PM: My father was WAYYY back in the hills outside Darrington about 8yrs ago and came across one on his way to repair of piece of logging equipment. Coming from a guy who's spent dozens of years hunting, and took a (no longer) book blacking in AK, I don't doubt him one bit.

The darrington ranger station also has pics off one walking a gravel road off the Mtn. Loop Hwy.

They are out there...and more of 'em than many will think (or admit).
Title: Re: Grizzly Bear Recovery in Washington State
Post by: Bobm on September 24, 2008, 08:59:12 PM: Quote
Why post the "Hunters know your bears'' signs if there are no grizzlies around?

Yeah, I've seen those signs too!

Quote
They are out there...and more of 'em than many will think (or admit).

I agree with that.
Title: Re: Grizzly Bear Recovery in Washington State
Post by: jackelope on September 24, 2008, 09:03:05 PM: last year we went to the eagle festival up the skagit and there was a bunch of environmental groups there...one was the grizzly recovery folks. they were not attempting to make a secret out of any of it. lots of info, pamphlets, pic's, etc.
Title: Re: Grizzly Bear Recovery in Washington State
Post by: Ray on September 25, 2008, 04:29:46 PM: Quote from: jackelope on September 24, 2008, 09:03:05 PM
last year we went to the eagle festival up the skagit and there was a bunch of environmental groups there...one was the grizzly recovery folks. they were not attempting to make a secret out of any of it. lots of info, pamphlets, pic's, etc.

They'll only be happy when a grizzly finally eats someone's kid.
Title: Re: Grizzly Bear Recovery in Washington State
Post by: pendoreilleadventures on September 25, 2008, 04:36:33 PM: i got a trail cam picture of what i think is a griz a few years back up in the mill creek drainage in pend oreille county
Title: Re: Grizzly Bear Recovery in Washington State
Post by: bowpredator on September 25, 2008, 04:45:59 PM: Saw one on the way up to Harts Pass over in Winthrop about 4 years ago. It crossed the Road and went up the hill about 50 yrds and sat there looking at us then walked off.
Title: Re: Grizzly Bear Recovery in Washington State
Post by: russ on September 25, 2008, 05:02:21 PM: they are here and have been for sometime, just like the wolves. anyone who tries to hide it is :liar:
Title: Re: Grizzly Bear Recovery in Washington State
Post by: bearmanric on September 25, 2008, 05:36:48 PM: last week on my final week of trying to call bear's. i was just north of newport across the river from usk. the last two day's i hunted up on north baldy mountain. there were several pamplet's on grizzly's. had two different people tell me dont shoot the grizzly's. there were two sow's each had two cub's in the Hulkleberry field's. coming back to north skookum lake camp is when the black wolf ran in front of me pretty cool. that was pend oreille country. Rick
Title: Re: Grizzly Bear Recovery in Washington State
Post by: norsepeak on September 25, 2008, 06:00:38 PM: about 7 years ago the forest service took a photo of a very large bear track, they believe to be a griz track in Rainier Natl. park. I never saw the photo, but it can from a reliable source.
Title: Re: Grizzly Bear Recovery in Washington State
Post by: Houndhunter on September 25, 2008, 06:24:54 PM: Quote from: norsepeak on September 25, 2008, 06:00:38 PM
about 7 years ago the forest service took a photo of a very large bear track, they believe to be a griz track in Rainier Natl. park. I never saw the photo, but it can from a reliable source.
i hunt near rainier nat park, i think alota hikers are mistaking brown black bears for griz. lots of color goin on in the bears out there
Title: Re: Grizzly Bear Recovery in Washington State
Post by: norsepeak on September 25, 2008, 07:29:30 PM: I agree, I've seen 4 color phase bears this summer and only 3 blackies.
Title: Re: Grizzly Bear Recovery in Washington State
Post by: Machias on September 25, 2008, 09:36:19 PM: Well at least in the NE part of the state no one is trying to keep it "secret". There are radio collared bears that travel extensively between the panhandle of ID and into the Salmo Preist Wilderness area. There is a sow that usually winters on Molybendite Mtn (SP?). And they have clear vidoe footage of a male grizz just north of Deer Park. Oh one of the "bear story" :) A Kanisku Indian killed one on the reservation, I think about 8 to 10 years ago.
Title: Re: Grizzly Bear Recovery in Washington State
Post by: WOLFMAN on September 26, 2008, 05:37:32 AM: I've talked with the Colville Ranger District and they told me that there is a grizzley bear recovery zone in the Selkirk Range. It's true they are out there.
Title: Re: Grizzly Bear Recovery in Washington State
Post by: WAcoyotehunter on September 26, 2008, 07:40:50 AM: There are a handful up in NE Washington as well as the Pasayten. A guy killed one last year in Pend Orielle County and self reported as an accident. I'm not sure what sort of trouble he got in.
Title: Re: Grizzly Bear Recovery in Washington State
Post by: goosegetter79 on September 26, 2008, 08:39:47 PM: family has a cabin on sullivan lake ( EXTREME NE WA) and every year we get a notice from the forest service saying there has been sightings of the griz around there i believe it that would be a perfect place for them (but what do i know).
Title: Re: Grizzly Bear Recovery in Washington State
Post by: WildlifeAssassin on September 26, 2008, 08:46:41 PM: This is what WDFW says is their habitat,

http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/gap/gapdata/mammals/gifs/urar.gif