Not your teddy bear

Posted by lapazfarm on July 3rd, 2008 filed in cross-coutry trip, nature study

We saw a LOT of bears on this trip. Most were black bears (about a dozen, including a couple of mother and cub duos), and of course the Spirit bear of my last post.

And then there was this guy/gal.

Grizzly. Big. Not friendly. You could tell by the look in his eyes he was not happy about having his grazing interrupted by 4 gawking tourists in a pick-up truck. And unlike the Spirit bear (which we got out of the car to watch), we decided we’d best do our peering at this guy from the safety of our vehicle. After all, he was a only mere yard or so (at most!) away from our truck!

And that’s when the dogs caught scent of him from the back of the truck and the hysterical barking began.The bear did not care for that at all. He was eying the dogs closely and I honestly think the bear considered his options for awhile here, and we were considering ours as well!

Luckily he decided to back away rather than open our truck topper like a pop can and have a meal of Golden Retriever with a side of Yellow Lab for lunch. I guess he had filled up at the roadside salad bar, LOL!

It’s funny, but in all our time at Kodiak last summer, with the MUCH HUGER brown bears there, I never sensed the level of tension or aggression that I did with this particular bear. And I know Ed (dh) sensed it too, as he admitted to keeping his foot poised above the accelerator ready to speed away from this bear should it charge us (after getting the obligatory gaping maw photo, of course!LOL!). It was an eerie feeling, really, unlike any I have experienced before. I certainly would not have wanted to run across this particular grizzly on foot in the woods.

Regardless, it was another beautiful wild animal to add excitement to our trip!

12 Responses to “Not your teddy bear”

Angela, MotherCrone Says:
July 3rd, 2008 at 6:04 am
A friend is a former fish and game ranger has often mentioned a similar conclusion. He would take brown and black bears any day over a single grizzly. But still, exciting from the safety of the running car!
Paula in MN Says:
July 3rd, 2008 at 6:10 am
GREAT pictures and great story! After reading this, I’m feeling much better about our little ‘ol bear sighting. I’m so happy that you are all together again!!
Karen Edmisten Says:
July 3rd, 2008 at 6:54 am
Wow … you’re much braver than I. So interesting to hear about the palpable level of tension. Remember when Atticus said his idea of roughing it was a hotel without ESPN? That’s more our speed, but I have to admit it would be breathtaking to see all that you guys are experiencing. I don’t remember seeing a single bear when I lived in Alaska.

(Do you get to pick your anti-spam word for the comments? I love that it’s “home” ….)
Rhonda Says:
July 3rd, 2008 at 7:18 am
Even though I would have been very curious and wanted to get photos of the grizzly, I don’t know, something about the look in his eyes in that first photo that gave me goosebumps. I probably would not have hung around long enough to get a photo. You’re a brave woman.
Margaret in Minnesota Says:
July 3rd, 2008 at 7:23 am
I don’t think you had anything to worry about. This poor guy was just working up the courage to ask you all for an autograph! He is now consoling himself with the fact that at least he “made the blog.”
Nature Mama Says:
July 3rd, 2008 at 8:38 am
Beautiful photos of the grizzly, while somewhat terrifying at the same time! *grin* We have lots of black bears on our property all the time but the site of a grizzly turns my blood cold. We have recently began to see a few of them on our island and the few encounters with them have been life threatening so I’m so glad you were in a vehicle ready to speed away in a seconds notice Neat trip!
Meredith Says:
July 3rd, 2008 at 11:55 am
Well, you’ve already seen more bears than me ever!!! Hugs!
Chelita Says:
July 3rd, 2008 at 12:41 pm
My children are very jealous! What a beautiful unnerving big guy!
tribeofautodidacts Says:
July 3rd, 2008 at 10:25 pm
What glorious pictures. And what a story!
Laura Says:
July 4th, 2008 at 1:19 am
Those pics are awesome! You are so much better about nature than I am! I would have probably been freaking out, while dh was the one taking pics!
Chrissy Says:
July 4th, 2008 at 10:40 am
Wow..your pictures are amazing.

You are much braver than me. I would of been out of there faster than you could say grizzly. But dh would of been sitting next to you trying to get a photo.
Donna Says:
July 6th, 2008 at 5:44 am
Yikes…what an encounter !!! I think I would much prefer observing his type on Wild Kingdom