unless it had a cub and you were between the two, then there is nothing to worry about
Be Bear Aware.
Went to see a back country survival talk last night hosted by Club Fat Ass featuring Allan McMordie a 30 year vet from the North Shore search and rescue.
His opinion which I have to say I strongly agree with is that most north shore bears are just having dinner (and are herbivores). So unless you accidentally stumbled onto a mom with her cub and she is protecting the cub then mostly they are just trying to stand their ground over the berry bush they are eating. The bear is probably more afraid of you then vice versa. The bear doesn't want to willingly leave a good berry bush but if you make a lot of noise they can be convinced to leave.
His recomendation is to have several Fox 40 whistles that you keep all over your person. North Shore bears will 99.999 percent back down against some nut job standing there blowing a whistle. Even a mother with her cub. Also if you're lying in a gully with a broken leg and a tree branch sticking in your arm that whistle might save your life when North Shore SAR is looking for you.
This all being said I'd like everyone to read this information from the government of BC regarding how to recognize a grizzly bear and the distribution of population in BC. I'm so sick of listening to people tell me how they saw a grizzly on Seymour the other day. (you didn't) Knowing the difference between the two might save your life (and knowing where they still live in BC). Sort of like knowing the difference between a ninja and a mormon might save your life.
http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/wld/documents/bearsmart/whoswhobears.pdf
I'm so sick of listening to people tell me how they saw a grizzly on Seymour the other day.
I agree that it's highly unlikely, but verbatim from the first publication you posted - Occasionally, Grizzly can be found in areas mapped as unoccupied.
Regardless, I'm new to riding Van/BC and definitely appreciate the information!
Went to see a back country survival talk last night hosted by Club Fat Ass featuring Allan McMordie a 30 year vet from the North Shore search and rescue.
His opinion which I have to say I strongly agree with is that most north shore bears are just having dinner (and are herbivores). So unless you accidentally stumbled onto a mom with her cub and she is protecting the cub then mostly they are just trying to stand their ground over the berry bush they are eating. The bear is probably more afraid of you then vice versa. The bear doesn't want to willingly leave a good berry bush but if you make a lot of noise they can be convinced to leave.
His recomendation is to have several Fox 40 whistles that you keep all over your person. North Shore bears will 99.999 percent back down against some nut job standing there blowing a whistle. Even a mother with her cub. Also if you're lying in a gully with a broken leg and a tree branch sticking in your arm that whistle might save your life when North Shore SAR is looking for you.
This all being said I'd like everyone to read this information from the government of BC regarding how to recognize a grizzly bear and the distribution of population in BC. I'm so sick of listening to people tell me how they saw a grizzly on Seymour the other day. (you didn't) Knowing the difference between the two might save your life (and knowing where they still live in BC). Sort of like knowing the difference between a ninja and a mormon might save your life.
http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/wld/documents/bearsmart/whoswhobears.pdf
^^^ this. I was fortunate to have grown up on Fromme, above the top of Lonsdale. Back in the day we were 2 houses from the edge of nowhere. Bears regularly came into our yard. We had a big old Government bear trap in or yard just about every summer for 8 years.( development above us stoped this trend).I live 500m from where i grew up and a mother and two cubs went throught the yard last year. I've had innumerable encounters with bears: mowing the lawn, walking the dog, fishing and riding my bike. Black bears are in general, chickens. This does not mean you should be flippant about being in the presence of one or ever underestimate the possibility of things going sideways. Switches comments above are spot on. Know what to do when you see one but there is no need to freak out. Now…as for the grizzy thing. I have it on good authority that 3 years ago a "Large Brown bear" was seen above the seymour dam. The individuals who saw this bear are VERY familiar with bears and they assured the person i spoke with that it was not a Black Bear. This is the only sighting I have EVER heard of of a non- Black bear this close to town. Given that last year or the year previous a Grizzly strolled into Squamish it is not wholly unlikely that one may be spotted on our locals some time in the future. But as it stands right now, there is a snowballs chance in hell anyone saw one wandering around on our locals.
Is it counter productive to ride on my exercise bike with a cocktail in hand?
Went to see a back country survival talk last night hosted by Club Fat Ass featuring Allan McMordie a 30 year vet from the North Shore search and rescue.
His opinion which I have to say I strongly agree with is that most north shore bears are just having dinner (and are herbivores). So unless you accidentally stumbled onto a mom with her cub and she is protecting the cub then mostly they are just trying to stand their ground over the berry bush they are eating. The bear is probably more afraid of you then vice versa. The bear doesn't want to willingly leave a good berry bush but if you make a lot of noise they can be convinced to leave.
His recomendation is to have several Fox 40 whistles that you keep all over your person. North Shore bears will 99.999 percent back down against some nut job standing there blowing a whistle. Even a mother with her cub. Also if you're lying in a gully with a broken leg and a tree branch sticking in your arm that whistle might save your life when North Shore SAR is looking for you.
This all being said I'd like everyone to read this information from the government of BC regarding how to recognize a grizzly bear and the distribution of population in BC. I'm so sick of listening to people tell me how they saw a grizzly on Seymour the other day. (you didn't) Knowing the difference between the two might save your life (and knowing where they still live in BC). Sort of like knowing the difference between a ninja and a mormon might save your life.
http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/wld/documents/bearsmart/whoswhobears.pdf
There most certainly ARE grizzlies on the north shore. And wolves.
(OK, so they live in fenced off areas on Grouse Mountain.)
;)
Yeah, good advice. I don't freak when I see bears. They always run away it seems.
I had a coyote crouch down low and slowly walk towards me which scared the shit out of me though. Weird little guys those coyotes. I just got on my bike and pedalled away but I kept looking over my shoulder all paranoid that it was following me. And deer…oh why oh why do they stare? I mean they're like really big stupid dogs or something. Oh and a raccoon mama with babies hissed at me and stood on her hind legs but that can be expected when you startle them.
Wrong. Always.
I'm so sick of listening to people tell me how they saw a grizzly on Seymour the other day. (you didn't) Knowing the difference between the two might save your life (and knowing where they still live in BC). Sort of like knowing the difference between a ninja and a mormon might save your life.
Here's an easy way to tell:
what convinced them? pics please
Wrong. Always.
Thanks to the BC Government the word of the day is Extripated:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Local_extinction
to settle another arguement… the brown bear vs grizzly one. yes there are other brown bears in existance. but in canada, if you see a brown bear, you can be pretty confident you're looking at a grizzly. the alternative is a black bear that has a browner coat or the coastal brown bear, but they seem to be rarer.
We had a Griz roaming Powell River last year. Black bears in the back yard a couple weeks ago, but some hick shot them.
http://www.prpeak.com/articles/2010/09/10/news/doc4c89641653adc131696619.txt
Here's an easy way to tell:
lol
i have a mom and two cubs in my back yard right now. i better stay inside all day.
to settle another arguement… the brown bear vs grizzly one. yes there are other brown bears in existance. but in canada, if you see a brown bear, you can be pretty confident you're looking at a grizzly. the alternative is a black bear that has a browner coat or the coastal brown bear, but they seem to be rarer.
Black bears with brown fur are relatively common in the dryer parts of BC and in Alberta.
Lots of pics of them here:
http://www.photoscanada.com/gallery/cinnamon_bears
(There are pics of them in Squamish and Pemberton too)
I've seen a LOT more black bears with brown fur than Grizzlys (that includes 2 summers of working in a national park).
Fur colour is NOT a good way to decide which species of bear you are looking at.
How do you distinguish a black bear from a grizzly bear
http://www.mountainnature.com/wildlife/bears/bearid.htm
i would say 50% of the black bears i see in squamish are actually cinnamon in coloured. they generally seem to be the larger of the two between the blacks i see, don't know if its a gender thing or what.
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