Difference between black bears and grizzly's.

[Barry Willis]

Some of you folks may have seen these already, I've had a few more requests since. Some of my favorite pics. The way I put it is some people will see a black bear and wonder if it is a grizzly, if you see a grizzly you'll know it is a grizzly and not a black bear.

Edited May 5 by Barry Willis

[glen]

Nice bedtime story about a black bear. 
 

https://www.thestar.com/news/ontario/mauling-victim-gives-chilling-account-of-bear-attack/article_440f9db9-7b04-565f-9298-39e68338f5b9.html

[Barry Willis]

I can tell you some harrowing stories that would keep most folks awake at night. Involving grizzly's but were all bluff charges, didn't need to use the bear spray or bangers. I experimented with bear spray once. I was back in the middle of nowhere in a pretty good size meadow doing some target shooting with some of my rifles and decide to test a bottle of bear spray, I emptied it. There was no wind but after a couple of minutes it filled the meadow and my t-shirt become soaked with saliva, I could not see, jumped in the jeep and drove out of there blind with my rifles resting on a blanket on the hood. Thank god they stayed there. One of my friends and and his wife were out hunting and at the end of the day getting inside their travel trailer his wife sat down on the couch forgetting the bear spray she had on her belt with the trigger guard off, in just a couple second it filled the trailer and her husband spent nine days in the hospital. It would have to be a life and death situation before I would spray any bear with that stuff. I know it is meant to save lives but man is it ever potent.

[lew]

Not sure if I showed you this picture in one of our private talks or not Barry, but I went out on the back deck early one morning a few years back and this big ole black bear was sound asleep at the back of my yard. I went for my camera and when I came back he was awake and just watching me. He let me take the picture then he got up and sauntered  off LOL

[LostAnotherOne]

Someone took this photo today in temagami and posted online.  

[Barry Willis]

Thanks for sharing this. Taken from a semi or a very fancy RV. These guys see a lot of wildlife, especially bear and elk driving from Alberta into BC.  Not very often you will see that many bears in one place all at once. Back up to Lew, Oh man, that is just priceless buddy, I wish I could be so lucky. if I had my way my back yard would be full of bears. 

Edited May 7 by Barry Willis

[Cast-Away]

I understand the main two differences are that a Grizzly has the prominent hump above the front shoulders and cannot run down hill. A black bear and also a brown bear can both run down hill.

[Barry Willis]

That old theory that a grizzly can't run down hill is a bunch of Bull Cast-Away. I have videos of them doing exactly that, at full tilt, it just helps them go that much faster. I have a video of a large male grizzly running down hill so fast that it is damn scary, after that he took down an elk. They have what seems to be unstoppable stamina. We have wild horses out here in Alberta and the Wild Horse society has about 40 trail cams scattered around and have captured grizzly's  taking horses down after a long chase.  The brown bear that I believe you are referring to is just a different color phase of a black bear. In some parts of the country, many moons ago, the grizzly was called a brown bear. The photos of the bears are not mine. 

Edited May 8 by Barry Willis

[Dara]

MNR trapped moma and 3 cubs at the highschool up the street from me today.

My wife was wondering what was going on as she walked the dog past it all.

[Barry Willis]

I'm sure your wife was a little curious to say the least. Hopefully they were re-located rather than shot which is the normal practice in BC. Last year over 600 bears were shot or killed by other means in that province. It sickens me.

Edited May 14 by Barry Willis

[kuhaman]

If it climbs up the tree to get you, it's a black bear. If it knocks the tree down to get you, it's a Grizzly. 

[Barry Willis]

Well put Kuhaman.

[BillM]

I got some great pics a few years ago when I was out west..

 

[lew]

Your closer to that grizzly than I'd ever want to be Bill LOL

[BillM]

They were much more interested in the dandelions  

[lew]

I still remember your polar bear story from years ago Bill, that was epic LOL

[Moosebunk]

No matter the bear, they're a scary bunch of big fur balls I want no trouble with.

[Barry Willis]

They are an animal to be reckoned with and given respect when we are in their living room. In the next 4-6 weeks I should have some nice photos of both, not just tail cam but mostly hand held Canon digital.  

[smitty55]

7 hours ago, Moosebunk said:

No matter the bear, they're a scary bunch of big fur balls I want no trouble with.

Specially where you work up north. Polar bears can scent humans from amazingly long distances and they are definitely on the menu.

[lew]

I watched a TV show awhile back about polar bears in Churchill where the bears basically wander right into town. It said nobody ever locks their car incase anyone encounters Mr. Bruin and they can jump into any car to get away from the critter.

Makes a lot of sense to me.

[aplumma]

Here is an oldie but goodie story about bears. The National Park Rangers are advising hikers in Glacier National Park and other Rocky Mountain parks to be alert for bears and take extra precautions to avoid an encounter.
They advise park visitors to wear little bells on their clothes so they make noise when hiking. The bell noise allows bears to hear them coming from a distance and not be startled by a hiker accidentally sneaking up on them. This might cause a bear to charge.
Visitors should also carry a pepper spray can just in case a bear is encountered. Spraying the pepper into the air will irritate the bear's sensitive nose and it will run away.
It is also a good idea to keep an eye out for fresh bear scat so you have an idea if bears are in the area. People should be able to recognize the difference between black bear and grizzly bear scat.
Black bear droppings are smaller and often contain berries, leaves, and possibly bits of fur. Grizzly bear droppings tend to contain small bells and smell of pepper.

Cheers Art

[Terry]

Here is an oldie but goodie story about bears. 
The NationalPark Rangers are advising hikers in Glacier National Park and other Rocky Mountain parks to be alert for bears and take extra precautions to avoid an encounter.
They advise park visitors to wear little bells on their clothes so they make noise when hiking. The bell noise allows bears to hear them coming from a distance and not be startled by a hiker accidentally sneaking up on them. This might cause a bear to charge.
Visitors should also carry a pepper spray can just in case a bear is encountered. Spraying the pepper into the air will irritate the bear's sensitive nose and it will run away.
It is also a good idea to keep an eye out for fresh bear scat so you have an idea if bears are in the area. People should be able to recognize the difference between black bear and grizzly bear scat.
Black bear droppings are smaller and often contain berries, leaves, and possibly bits of fur. Grizzly bear droppings tend to contain small bells and smell of pepper.

Cheers Art

 

i can’t focus on highlighted text so I reposted it

 

good one

[Barry Willis]

Here is one here Terry, a little more graphic.

[lew]

Came across this video on YouTube and figured it'd fit this thread.

 

[Moosebunk]

Some Inuit have said that polar bears can smell your fear. Like, when you encounter one and you didn't bring your gun, they'll know, cause you'll be shiznitting yourself instead of shouldering your weapon.

A tracked polar bear swam a distance of 400kms over two weeks without getting out of the water. 

A polar bear's fur, the guard hairs are hollow, serving to trap air, maintain heat and help with bouyancy in the water. And the hair isn't white, it's clear, while the skin is all black.

Northern Russians used to trade polar bear canines as talismans to southerners. To carry the tooth would help ward off grizzlies, the polar bear being the superior beast.

World largest polar bear on record is 2209 pounds, the grizzly (grown large in captivity) 2130 pounds. Polar bears are the strongest bear by bite force and endurance, their average range is far superior, they don't hibernate, they're more apt to not take risk. Grizzlies are more aggressive, meaner, larger claws and likely to fight.

In Nunavut the most expensive hunts are through Resolute and Grise Fiord. The largest bears are the furthest north. Hunter's pay $60,000-$70,000 on average per hunt. The Wildlife Office issues only so many tags per year. The community keeps the bear meat and pelt as these are not exportable to the U.S. and some other countries. On a recent trip home from Grise Fiord I met two hunters so filthy rich they wipe they're arzes with Benjamin Franklins. One got his bear in Grise, the other did not get his in Resolute. They've killed everything from giraffes, elephants, rhinos, lions and one fella all but 1 of the 28 big game animals of North America. I don't see the sense in it but, if they're not pulling the trigger and paying big bucks to Arctic communities, then the Inuit are pulling the trigger and asking big bucks for pelts.