bear sighting during logging

lynde37avery · May 22, 2016, 11:29:05 PM

was going for my second hitch on the skidder today. when i saw a mother bear with her 2 cubs running away from the direction I was going. kinda scared to say but i kept working. this is the second time this has happened in 3 years. bear with cubs. anyone had seen this before? 3 years ago it happened I left the woods in a hurry lol. could say I'm getting use to it now.

coxy · May 23, 2016, 06:38:29 AM

i was looking at a job one time and came up on a mom a 2 cubs mom was not happy she got up on her hind legs and made some funny sounds and started snapping her jaws together will never forget that sound

HiTech · May 23, 2016, 07:10:16 AM

Last summer two cubs came sliding down a tree behind me and momma was right there. She was making all kinds of sounds. All three took off when the cubs hit the ground. Made me a little nervous...naw scared the s@#t out of me is more like it. lol I have bears around my house and I am the first house outside the village limits. They seem to be everywhere today. More and more people are seeing them.

Corley5 · May 23, 2016, 07:18:36 AM

As long as the cubs and momma are running away it's all good ;D

John Mc · May 23, 2016, 07:25:03 AM

Quote from: Corley5 on May 23, 2016, 07:18:36 AM
As long as the cubs and momma are running away it's all good ;D

Yeah, you don't want to get between a mother and her cubs, or otherwise have her get the impression you are a threat to them.

colincb183 · May 23, 2016, 11:34:40 AM

One day last September while taking a break from cutting and had a sao and 3 cubs wander by at about 15 yards. Mom and 2 of the cubs kept going through but one decided to circle around behind me, leaving me between the cub and his mom. I'm sure they knew I was there but they didn't seem to be bothered by me. Definitely not comfortable place to be.

Ken · May 23, 2016, 06:24:39 PM

Quote from: coxy on May 23, 2016, 06:38:29 AM
i was looking at a job one time and came up on a mom a 2 cubs mom was not happy she got up on her hind legs and made some funny sounds and started snapping her jaws together will never forget that sound

Had the same thing happen to me in deer season one time. Only animal I know that makes that sound. The bear population in our province has been increasing for some time. Seems like I see more every year but I don't feel threatened by them (yet) while walking in the woods.

Spartan · May 23, 2016, 06:29:43 PM

good thing between a skidder and a bear, skidder always wins.

I have been charged, and seen dozens of bears within 100 feet. Never when logging.
I have not seen a bear in our job area for 3 years. I know they are around, just have enough sense to stay away.
could have something to do with loud equipment..... just possibly.

lynde37avery · May 23, 2016, 10:30:23 PM

I think they are becoming more tame. because it was on my second hitch I seen them. i figure they heard me but could have run off earlier. makes me wonder if the bears ain't too scared of us anymore.
that snapping of the jaws sound would have right on made me fill my britches up.

Spartan · May 23, 2016, 11:03:01 PM

are they hunted there?

Has a big bearing on how tame or freaked out animals are around here.

Corley5 · May 23, 2016, 11:27:46 PM

Here's a good read on black bear attacks.

http://www.adn.com/alaska-news/article/lone-predatory-black-bears-responsible-most-human-attacks/2011/05/11/

terry f · May 24, 2016, 12:23:43 AM

The bears that have seen me left as fast as they could. The few that I saw without being seen, were fairly easy to back away from. 14 deaths in 110 years doesn't seem like much to worry about, I guess its just the next one you have to worry about. I would have thought sows with cubs would have been the main culprit, but not so.

starmac · May 24, 2016, 01:38:31 AM

If you want some interesting reading concerning bear attacks, pick up aa copy of bear tales and bear tales # 2. They pretty much document and detail every documented bear attack in Alaska, most are grizzly, but a few are blackies.

BargeMonkey · May 24, 2016, 09:22:11 AM

I do everything I can to make sure my posts are "appropriate", this picture came to mind when I read this post, I unfortunately can't edit out the 1 word at the bottom. Don't want to be thrown under a bus ;)

I think it's beyond funny, and fits the topic.

ehp · May 24, 2016, 09:36:26 AM

Up where I am from you seen bears pretty much everyday logging in the summer time , some days 5 to 10 bears . Bears are not to bad to work around and never really hard any trouble , yes been charged and all that other stuff but their just showing you to leave them alone . NOW the big one , a big mature bull moose in rutting time , now that's a problem you have to deal with . You may think your to fat or old to climb a tree but when he is charging you can do things you never thought you could

motohed · May 24, 2016, 09:51:27 AM

I have seen bears on jobs , as long as you stand your ground with in reason and always face them , they move on , don't make the mistake and run , I've had them run upto me with in 20 feet and I didn't move and they left . They look for flight mostly , just don't scare them from a quiet position and you should be good . They will always know ,your there before , before you will ever see them . If they feel threated most generally they will move off . That being said , I make no guarenty of your safety . Bears will smell fear , and that can add to a bad situation , Stay calm and make noise , so they know your human .

enigmaT120 · May 24, 2016, 05:46:59 PM

There are supposedly over 20,000 bears in Oregon. I don't know where they hide, I've seen more mountain lions.

red · May 24, 2016, 06:21:27 PM

I was working on a jeep and heard some noise. When I turned around 3 cubs were close to me . I stood my ground and they moved on . A few minutes later momma came by she was nasty and made noise but also moved on. I have often wondered if things could have gone Bad that day . Just give them space.

starmac · May 29, 2016, 01:38:14 PM

I took a load up north yesterday where they were setting up a temporary camp for a fiber optics crew. The super had a video on his phone he took the day before of a large (for interior) grissly that was walking right down the middle of the road. Walked right past his pickup as he had stopped in the road to video it, within 2 to 3 feet of the drivers side, the bears shoulders were close to the height of the bottom of the windows, and it did not even acknowledge they were even there.

rjwoelk · May 29, 2016, 05:14:00 PM

While guiding in Alberta had 10 guys on horse back had a little black bear look at us from behind a tree then he left. No issues with the horses. Then 600 yards down the trail a grizzly sow and 2 Cubs showed up. Those horses were out of there as she came on a dead run towards us. She broke off after 100 yard charge.we had turned and I yelled at the guys to run which we did for a about 200 yards at which point she turned and went off to the Bush. My heart was just a pounding pretty scary stuff. The only thing that raised the hair on my neck just as bad was the screaming of a cougar. 4 legged kind. :D

lynde37avery · May 30, 2016, 06:03:05 PM

Omg I would be terrified getting chased on horse back. I been seeing bear poop all over this area stove I has the sighting. I just carry my .380 and I'm not worried anymore. I'm too superstitious of a logger I guess.

loggah · May 30, 2016, 06:07:24 PM

We have had a couple hanging around or house,this one was here a few hours ago,hung around for 15 minutes or so.

Ron Scott · May 30, 2016, 06:23:41 PM

Great pictures!

lynde37avery · June 01, 2016, 10:23:34 PM

saw another black bear while logging today again. not from the same family. I don't know what they are eating up there but it must be good enough to keep them around.