Bear Encounters While Fishing

[bigbassin']

Any of y’all have any memorable bear encounters while fishing?

Had one today that wouldn’t back off. It started snorting while up on a ridge 45’ above me, I puffed up, waved my rod, and made noise like I always hear you should with a black bear. Bear came down from the ridge to my elevation, got about 15’ in front of me, puffed up and growled.

I decided I should be the one to very slowly back down at that point. It was only about 200-225 pounds but I still liked its odds better than mine.

Any other time I’ve seen them they immediately take off without me having to do anything. There was a second bear with it, but it appeared to be the same size so I doubt it was a mom and cub, rutting behavior maybe? Or should I have ignored it/backed off immediately and I riled up the bear?

 

[LonnieP]

It was probably a mama bear with a cub that was born last year. They stay with them for around 2 years. I’ve encountered many bears in my lifetime. Most of the time they’re more afraid of us than we are of them but the best thing to do is walk away slowly.

[PaulVE64]

Fishing the Bow River out in Calgary Alberta you can run into a brown bear. Just the thought of such a encounter can cause paralysis in newbies.

[WRB]

Bear encounters are rare where I live. Over 60 years only had 2 while fishing. The 1st was trout fishing Piru creek remote area. We caught a few good size native rainbows and back packing cleaned the trout and started cooking dinner when a bear walked into our camp followed by a 2nd bear. We tried banging cooking utensils and yelling to no avail. The Bears ate out dinner and ransacked out camp site while we watched about 100 yards away. We had no idea bears were in the area.

The 2nd was at lake of the Woods Ontario Canada while enjoying a shore lunch. Both encounters were caused by cooking food, bears have a tremdous ability to smell food and come to find it. It's like ringing a dinner bell in bear country.

Tom

[Bluebasser86]

There would be no encounter if I was fishing and saw a bear. I'd be out of there like the Roadrunner.

[RoLo]

 

My wife & I often vacation in the outback, where the only person you're likely to see

is a native indian. Over the years, we've seen a goodly number of bear, deer and moose,

both from our boat and on land. All without incident, but not without anecdotes.

 

When I was a kid, I remember my dad telling me never to fear any animal (in NJ).

He said that they're more afraid of you, than you are of them. That was good advice,

and served me well. However, since he passed in the 60s, predatory animals have been

losing their fear & respect of man. When I was a kid, bear attacks only involved grizzlies

and polar bears, but today the black bear has stepped up to the 'plate' (Not to mention cougars).  

 

As a result, I now pack Counter Assault Bear Spray when we vacation in Canada   

 

Roger

 

 

[Sam]

My doctor suggested my wife carry bear spray in lieu of pepper spray in her pocketbook for her personal protection.

 

I have not purchased it so far but will in the future on next trip to Bass Pro Shops or Green Top.

 

My pretty blond 5'4" wife also wants to carry.

 

I am not in favor of her carrying but as soon as she takes the carry course she can get a gun.

 

I carry my .38 in the bass boat when I take it out for personal protection.

 

We had a black bear in our neighborhood last year. He did not bother anyone and seems he was just passing through. My grand dog (Aussie) saw him on a walk; I saw him, too; and the neighbor saw him behind their wood pile.

[Bird]

Living in a county with one of the highest black bear populations in the state of Va and being an avid hunter and backpacker has given the opportunity for many bear encounters. 

 

My Border collie has treed several over the years in the back yard, entertaining. 

 

A wild black bear in my experience is very fearful of human interaction and while they deserve respect, offer no threat.

When humans feel the need to feed them, they become a nuisance. 

 

I will not fish where brown/grizzly bears exist. Lol

 

Here's a rather large bear in the back yard last year.

 

 

[Scott F]

If you are hiking in places that have bears, you should wear a bell so the bears will hear you coming and leave. Also carry pepper spray. Black bear scat may have some fur and seeds in it. Grizzly bear scat has bells and smells like pepper. 

[PaulVE64]

10 minutes ago, Scott F said:

If you are hiking in places that have bears, you should wear a bell so the bears will hear you coming and leave. Also carry pepper spray. Black bear scat may have some fur and seeds in it. Grizzly bear scat has bells and smells like pepper. 

I chuckled

[A-Jay]

I've seen plenty of foot prints & scat, especially when I was fishing exclusively from the canoe and launching from some seriously out of the way & make shift 'ramps'.

However, I'm happy to report only one actual bear sighting.

It was at first light and I was in my truck at the time.

#goodtiming

Occurred at the ramp of one of my favorite 'night fishing' spots.

Haven't been back at night since. 

Either way, the local bird feeders often attract some attention though. (Pic)

 

A-Jay

[Oregon Native]

Was invited to fish a place or two in Alaska...had bears close on all of them....note to self...will not fish Alaska unless in a boat....can't pack that many shorts.  While beautiful and pristine and all the odds that are on your side....gimmie bass fishing down south.

[813basstard]

No, but I fished with the wife once. 

[DanielG]

I've been followed by a moose swimming behind the boat for about half a mile once......

[ghost123123]

Definitely not rutting, bears breed in the winter. I’ve encountered many bears in my lifetime. Most of the time they’re more afraid of us than we are of them but the best thing to do is walk away slowly.
 

Don’t know about black bears where you live,  but in the great northwest bears breed in the spring, hiberate and give birth to their cubs in the winter. Take a dog fishing, they don’t argue, you don’t have to bait their hook or take the fish off the hook and bears go the opposite direction of where the dog is. A win for you every which  way.

[Teal]

I've seen a scraggly looking adolescent bear taking a stroll through the woods one time...only once.  We have a decent black bear population but both lakes have alot of houses on them.  

[Vilas15]

Had a small black bear run across the road about a quarter mile from the launch, thats about it. One came through the driveway and tore the american flag off the cabin a few weeks ago though. Caught him on a trail cam.

[LonnieP]

31 minutes ago, ghost123123 said:

Definitely not rutting, bears breed in the winter. I’ve encountered many bears in my lifetime. Most of the time they’re more afraid of us than we are of them but the best thing to do is walk away slowly.
 

Don’t know about black bears where you live,  but in the great northwest bears breed in the spring, hiberate and give birth to their cubs in the winter. Take a dog fishing, they don’t argue, you don’t have to bait their hook or take the fish off the hook and bears go the opposite direction of where the dog is. A win for you every which  way.

Yes, you are correct about breeding in the spring. 

[schplurg]

9 hours ago, Sam said:

My doctor suggested my wife carry bear spray in lieu of pepper spray in her pocketbook for her personal protection.

 

I have not purchased it so far but will in the future on next trip to Bass Pro Shops or Green Top.

 

My pretty blond 5'4" wife also wants to carry.

 

I am not in favor of her carrying but as soon as she takes the carry course she can get a gun.

 

I carry my .38 in the bass boat when I take it out for personal protection.

 

We had a black bear in our neighborhood last year. He did not bother anyone and seems he was just passing through. My grand dog (Aussie) saw him on a walk; I saw him, too; and the neighbor saw him behind their wood pile.

Bears attack bass boats?

[bigbassin']

For the record, I just looked it up and according to google most Black bear mating is done in June.

 

 I was planning on solo camping in this spot next week but I think I’m going to rule out that idea.

[Scott F]

1 hour ago, schplurg said:

Bears attack bass boats?

I’ve got video of a bear walking along a rocky shoreline I shot from 20 feet away from the bear while I was in my boat. Even though I was only a boat length away, he acted like I wasn’t even there.

[Sam]

3 hours ago, schplurg said:

Bears attack bass boats?

We get close to the shore, piers, and docks to flip and pitch.

 

But no, I doubt a bear would attack a bass boat.

 

I have had a snake fall out of a tree and into the bushes in front of me. No idea what type it was I did not stay around to introduce myself.

 

An individual could attack a bass boat and that is why I carry on the boat.

 

If you think about it, you are a sitting duck when fishing. Anyone can come up to your boat and pull a gun and take your equipment, if not the boat.

 

Also, being close to Washington, DC with the animal rights groups you can't be too protective in case one of these groups decides to hit the water and attack fishermen.

 

Believe me schplurg, if a bear did attack a bass boat  somewhere I am sure everyone will know about it.

[schplurg]

56 minutes ago, Sam said:

We get close to the shore, piers, and docks to flip and pitch.

 

But no, I doubt a bear would attack a bass boat.

 

I have had a snake fall out of a tree and into the bushes in front of me. No idea what type it was I did not stay around to introduce myself.

 

An individual could attack a bass boat and that is why I carry on the boat.

 

If you think about it, you are a sitting duck when fishing. Anyone can come up to your boat and pull a gun and take your equipment, if not the boat.

 

Also, being close to Washington, DC with the animal rights groups you can't be too protective in case one of these groups decides to hit the water and attack fishermen.

 

Believe me schplurg, if a bear did attack a bass boat  somewhere I am sure everyone will know about it.

But they don't, save for a lake in Texas 10 years ago on the Mexican border (Mexican Pirates). I can find no other reports of fishermen being robbed on lakes (boats on docks, yes). I'm sure there are a few areas that are sketchy, but I wouldn't fish them anyways.

 

I'm a sitting duck at a red light too, and carjackings actually DO happen, but I'm not worried about it. The odds are astronomical. 

 

I think it's more likely a bear attacks your boat than some gun-wielding PETA nutbar  Is it legal to carry a concealed loaded weapon on a boat? I don't know if it is here. Everything is illegal here.

 

I could see carrying when bank fishing in some places. That makes some sense. I don't know if a gun is really the best defense though.

 

I ask all this because there are a few members of my family that are gun enthusiasts and I do not trust their judgment very much. They are not responsible gun owners.

 

I know a few other people who are very responsible with their firearms, take care of them, show the proper respect and actually know their weapons inside and out.

 

In my experience, most people fall into the "dumb idiot" category, and the thought that all these people could be carrying worries me more than the criminals.

 

Thank you for the discussion. I don't own a gun now but I have, and I have access to a safe full of them across the room as I type this, so I'm not anti-gun.

[king fisher]

I guided in Alaska for over 30 years. With more than a few encounters with bears.  Many surprise encounters, false charges, that sort of thing.  Lots of bear chewed rafts, oars, outboard cowlings, and one even chewed  the fabric on the tail of my airplane. without damaging the metal tubing ( Glad I had lots of duck tape).  With all the close calls, I only had to shoot one bear in self defense. One night a small brown bear destroyed my fish cleaning table, then decided to join me in my tent. I yelled and  fired a warning shot in the air but he kept coming.  When he got less than five yards away, I had no choice but to kill him.  The next morning when I went to start my outboard, I noticed oil leaking.  Taking a closer look, I found I had not only shot the bear, but also shot my oil filter.  Killed a brown bear and a Honda in one shot.  Replaced the oil filter, put a piece of duck tape over the whole in the cowling, and went fishing.  I still have the bullet some place. I  Thought about sending it to Nosler, thanking them for making such a fine product, but never got around to it.   

[GreenPig]

10 or 12 encounters with black bears while hunting and all but one ran off when I hollered at them but one. One night predator calling solo at 3 am a far piece from my truck I spotted a black bear with my night vision that was coming to eat a distressed rabbit, the call I was blowing on for fox & bobcat. I tried hollering and blinding it with lights to no avail. By the time I got in my truck that bear was 20 yards away and seemed genuinely upset as I fired up my truck. I was hunting with my 22 Magnum, at the time it was the legal maximum for fox & bobcat and I didn't want test it on a bear. You said 15', I'm older and a bit wiser, that bear would've got to hear how loud my 10mm is.