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Massive grizzly bear dwarfs storage shed; questions are raised

Images showing a giant grizzly bear dwarfing a storage shed while scratching its back on the structure have raised questions.

Photos showing an enormous grizzly bear dwarfing a storage shed while scratching its back on the structure have raised questions.

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks used the images in a quiz that asked followers to guess whether this was a grizzly bear or black bear. But the answer was clearly visible in the description’s wording:

“Here is a helpful hint: Grizzly bears are generally larger than black bears and may be bigger than a small shed. Also, they can be distinguished by longer, curved claws, humped shoulders, and a face that appears to be concave.”

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If that wasn’t a giveaway, two hashtags mentioned grizzly bears and not one mentioned black bears. (See images below.)

Perhaps a better question was asked by the photographer, Jamie Goguen, who wondered on Facebook how much this grizzly bear might weigh.

Wrote Goguen: “Our old generator storage structure on Montana’s eastern front has become Brutus’s personal scratch tree. Then he took a nap.”

Goguen’s post generated more than 2,000 comments, mostly pertaining to the size of the bear. (The image showing the napping bruin reveals the telltale grizzly bear hump.)

Male grizzly bears are larger than females and can weigh up to 700 pounds. Black bears of the same sex and age class can be half the size of grizzly bears.

Grizzly bears are known to scratch against trees, power poles and other structures as a means of “scent marking” to communicate with other bears.

Rabbit hunter in Alaska is forced to shoot a momma grizzly bear

With his life on the line, an Alaskan rabbit hunter who happened upon a grizzly bear with cubs had no other choice than to kill the bear. \

An Alaskan rabbit hunter who happened upon a grizzly bear with cubs was forced to shoot and kill the momma bear with his .44 handgun when it began to maul him.

Nicholas Abraham, 34, was hunting on the Kenai Peninsula north of the Sterling Highway at mile 73.5 on Saturday at approximately 8:24 p.m. when the encounter occurred, according to the Alaska Wildlife Troopers.

“Abraham became aware of the sow when he was about 15 feet from her,” Troopers spokesman Justin Freeman told the Anchorage Daily News. “She was on him immediately after he became aware of her.”

Freeman told ADN that Abraham, a Sterling resident, managed to drive himself to the hospital where he was treated for minor injuries.

Troopers went to the scene of the attack Sunday but did not see any cubs on the site, Freeman told ADN.

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The Alaska Department of Fish and Game states that “You may kill a bear in defense of your life or property if you did not provoke an attack or cause a problem by negligently leaving human or pet food or garbage in a manner that attracts bears and if you have done everything else you can to protect your life and property.”

It also says, “If you have to shoot a bear, be sure you shoot to kill — wounded bears are potentially more dangerous than healthy bears.”

Generic photos courtesy of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Alaska Dept. of Fish and Game.

Montana black bear hunter kills charging grizzly with handgun

A Montana hunter last week shot and killed a grizzly bear during a surprise close encounter in the Madison Range.

The hunter was targeting black bears in rugged terrain when the grizzly bear charged, according to Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks. The hunter, who was not injured, killed the bear with a pistol.

Grizzly bears are under state and federal protection and the case is under investigation.

The hunter notified authorities on the same day, FWP stated in a news release, claiming that he shot the grizzly bear in self-defense.

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The grizzly bear was a 15-year-old female known to researchers, with no history of human conflict. She did not appear to be with cubs, according to the hunter.

The bear died outside the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem but inside the Demographic Monitoring Area for the Yellowstone grizzly bear population.

–Generic grizzly bear image courtesy of ©Pete Thomas

Nonresident Idaho hunter kills protected grizzly bear

A nonresident Idaho hunter is at the center of an investigation after he shot and killed a protected grizzly bear that he mistook for a black bear.

The incident occurred June 8 north of Upper Priest Lake in the Panhandle Region.

According to the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, the hunter reported his error soon after inspecting his kill and identifying the bear as a grizzly.

The hunter is said to be cooperating with the investigation.

Grizzly bears are protected under state and federal law. Hunters are responsible for knowing the difference between grizzly bears and black bears. (See the accompanying chart.)

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On May 1 near Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, a hunter killed a grizzly bear in another apparent case of mistaken identity.

Patrick M. Gogerty, 65, of Cody, Wyo., left the bear carcass alongside the North Fork Highway. Images of the carcass went viral before Gogerty turned himself in the next morning.

He was was charged with killing a protected grizzly bear without a proper license and faces up to a year in jail and a $10,000 fine (plus restitution).

–Generic grizzly bear image courtesy of ©Pete Thomas

Yellowstone guide saves motorist from momma grizzly bear’s wrath

A grizzly bear cub was struck and killed just outside Yellowstone National Park last weekend, leaving behind an angry and confused momma bear.

A grizzly bear cub was struck and killed near Yellowstone National Park last weekend, leaving behind an angry and confused momma bear.

The incident occurred May 26 before dawn on U.S. 191. The driver wasn’t sure what he had struck but the collision badly damaged his truck.

According to Yellowstone Tour Guides, the driver somehow walked safely 200 yards to the tour company’s office, hoping to access a cellphone signal and call for help.

Guide David Reeves was outside preparing to pick up clients. He offered the man a ride back to his truck after the man had telephoned police and a towing company.

The man said he’d walk. But when Reeves reached the scene first he spotted the carcass of a 1-year-old grizzly bear on the highway and a clearly agitated momma bear.

“She was over the carcass and bluff-charged my vehicle,” Reeves told FTW Outdoors. “I immediately stopped and turned around, knowing that the man could not walk up to that.”

Grizzly bear family near a road this spring in Yellowstone. Photo: ©Pete Thomas

Reeves persuaded the man to accept a ride and, back at the scene, positioned the tour vehicle so the man could safely climb into his truck’s cab.

“His truck was undriveable,” Reeves said. “I told him to wait inside until the sheriff and tow truck arrived, that the bear would kill him [if he got out].”

Reeves added: “I did potentially save this man’s life, or at least save him from being severely injured. I’m not sure how he made it safely away from the scene [after the collision], walking down the road oblivious to the extreme danger.”

Reeves said that as he left to pick up his tour group, he spotted the grizzly sow walking away from the carcass up a hill. Soon afterward, a friend told him that police had arrived and that the carcass had been picked up.

Black bear mom and cubs alongside Yellowstone road. Photo: ©Pete Thomas

Yellowstone Tour Guides stated on Facebook: “We are glad our guide was there to help prevent this from becoming a much more serious incident.

“This was just an accident, and the man was not speeding, as he wasn’t stopped too much further than the carcass. It was dark which made it hard to see the bear darting across the road in time.”

Yellowstone National Park, in a news release, announced that two adult male black bears were killed two days later, also on U.S. 191 but inside the park.

The park added that an elk and bison also were struck recently, and urged visitors to exercise extreme caution while driving on park roads, especially at night.

–Grizzly bear image atop this post is generic, courtesy of ©Pete Thomas

Momma bear rescues panicking, crying cub in swift river crossing

A momma grizzly bear teaching its cub how to cross rivers in Yellowstone National Park was forced to rescue the little one.

A momma grizzly bear teaching its cub how to cross rivers in Yellowstone National Park was forced to rescue the little one as it loudly cried out in a panic in the rushing water of the Soda Butte River.

“I don’t think I have ever recorded grizzly cub cries like that before,” Ron Sterbenz told USA Today/For The Win Outdoors.

Sterbenz of Yellowstone Video on YouTube regularly videotapes wildlife in the iconic park during the tourist season. He recently captured the various steps in the grizzly’s teaching process, including the rescue.

“This one is a grizzly sow who swims a number of the Lamar/Soda Butte river forks while scaring her cub to death,” Sterbenz told For The Win. “She is a kind of odd sow as you can see in the video.

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“In one part she is scolding the cub for not following her across the river and attacks the 1-year-old [sequence starts at the 2:40 mark]. Next, she is leading him into a faster fork and the cub cries out loud fearing downing [sequence starts at the 6:45 mark].

“I barely had time to catch it, but I did. The cub makes to the bank, so it’s a happy ending.

In the rescue, the momma bear gets alongside the cub and swims toward the bank, essentially pushing the cub along. They both climb out and, as Sterbenz states, it’s a happy ending.

Photo courtesy of Ron Sterbenz.

Huge grizzly bear springs into action after scent-marking tree

Images showing a grizzly bear scent-marking a tree in Grand Teton National Park are reminiscent of dramatic trail-cam footage captured in August 2021 in Canada’s Yukon Territory.

Buckrail on Thursday published images showing a grizzly bear standing while rubbing its back against a telephone pole in Grand Teton National Park.

Buckrail explained that this is more about scent marking than scratching. Marking is a means of communication and the higher a bear can place its scent the larger it’ll appear to other grizzly bears.

The publication describes this as a spring phenomenon, but the photos are reminiscent of trail-cam footage captured in August 2021 in Canada’s Yukon Territory.

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The Yukon Wildlife Cams footage (posted below) shows a giant grizzly bear rubbing against a tree before charging toward the camera in slow motion.

Please note the thoroughness with which this bear marks the tree, but also the remarkable perspective afforded by the camera as the bear runs past in slow motion.

You might agree with trail-cam operator David Troup, who exclaimed via Facebook: “Look at those claws!”

Probe launched as grizzly bear is found dead near Yellowstone

The discovery of a grizzly bear carcass outside of Yellowstone National Park on Monday has prompted investigations by Wyoming and federal authorities.

The discovery of a grizzly bear carcass in outside Yellowstone National Park on Monday has prompted a federal investigation.

The carcass was lying on a Wyoming hillside perhaps 40 yards from the North Fork Highway between Yellowstone and the town of Cody.

The Wyoming Game and Fish Department has not provided details about the incident. Nor has the agency addressed social media reports that the bear appeared to have been shot.

A spokesman for the agency told FTW Outdoors:

“Grizzly bears are currently managed as a federally protected species by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The Wyoming Game and Fish Department is assisting the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in the investigation.

“No further details are available at this time because it is an ongoing investigation.”

Amy Gerber of Cub Creek Photography on Monday posted an image of what she believed was the same large male bear she saw alive more than a week ago. Gerber estimated the bear’s weight at 500 pounds.

Grizzly bear carcass discovered Monday. Photo: ©Amy Wells

Amy Wells captured the image in the body of this text, showing the carcass. (The top image is generic.) More of Wells’ graphic images were shared Monday on a Yellowstone-themed Facebook page.

Grizzly bears in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem continue to emerge from hibernation and search for food in lower elevations. Close encounters with humans often occur during this period.

Anyone with information regarding the dead bear is asked to contact the Wyoming Game and Fish Department.

–Generic grizzly bear image atop this post is courtesy of Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone grizzly bear does somersault to celebrate end of hibernation

A tourist in Yellowstone National Park captured footage of a grizzly bear that appeared to be celebrating the end of hibernation.

The “playful bear” can be seen trudging through the snow, sliding “like an otter” in the snow, burying its head in the snow and completing a somersault in the snow, all to the delight of Yellowstone tourists out to get a glimpse of the few bears that have emerged from hibernation.

The man filming the footage on April 17 posted it on ViralHog with the title “Happy grizzly emerges from hibernation in Yellowstone.”

“I had been watching this bear for 2-3 days and knew where he would come down the mountain,” the videographer told ViralHog. “Apparently, he was very happy it is almost spring and he was going to eat again after a long winter in his den. He had been feeding on a winter-killed Buffalo carcass and was showing off how well he made it through a tough winter in the Rockies!”

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“This is so cool,” one commenter on YouTube wrote.

“So adorable,” another stated.

With more grizzlies emerging from hibernation in Yellowstone, there are sure to be more adorable videos to come.

Photo courtesy of ViralHog.

World awaits famous grizzly bear to emerge to see if it breaks a record

A 27-year-old grizzly bear that has received worldwide attention could become a record-setter when it emerges from hibernation.

If the famous bear known as Grizzly 399 emerges with cubs in Grand Teton National Park, she will become the oldest monitored grizzly in the history of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem to bear a litter of youngsters, according to WyoFile.

“We looked it up, and from what I’m finding, the oldest known age of actual reproduction is 25,” Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team leader Frank van Manen told WyoFile. “Of course, that might change this year if 399 comes out with cubs.”

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The family tree of Grizzly 399 is quite impressive with at least 24 bears—cubs and cubs of cubs)—having descended from her, according to Thomas Mangelsen. She has produced at least seven litters.

And she has a good chance of adding to the family.

Chuck Schwartz, a former federal grizzly researcher, completed a worldwide study 20 years ago that found that grizzly fertility shuts off around age 29.

“We’re at the end of the curve where things change pretty rapidly,” Van Manen told WyoFile. “I wouldn’t give it a high probability, more like 50/50.”

From WyoFile:

Grizzly 399 has also pushed the envelope on reproductive norms.

In 2020, she lumbered into view seven weeks after the COVID-19 pandemic began changing life for humans. At her side were four little ones — a feat in itself. Four-cub litters comprise just 2% of all litters in the ecosystem. At that time, Grizzly 399, then 24, was the oldest sow being monitored with cubs in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.

Since then, the old grizzly moms’ club has added to its ranks. Two 25-year-old females were documented with new cubs in 2022, van Manen said, tying the record — shared by four females — for the oldest age of reproduction documented in the Yellowstone region…

Grizzly 399 has a couple of things increasing the odds she’ll again reproduce. One, she was observed breeding last summer.

“I saw her breeding with Bruno in June,” wildlife photographer Tom Mangelsen said.

That same male bear, Grizzly 679, was also seen mating with Grizzly 399 in June 2019, the year before she emerged with four cubs.

Biologists say that Grizzly 399 also appears to have stayed in good shape.

So, stay tuned.

Photo of Grizzly 399 with four cubs in 2020 courtesy of Wikipedia Commons.