Yesterday's high country bear trip – no bears yet

[rayborbon]

#6309

Hike into the Glacier Peak Wilderness about 8 miles yesterday and just above the treeline. Even before making it out of the treeline I spotted two bears about 1/2 mile apart from each other. Once I made it to the treeline I saw a bear 200 yards uphill from me. I decided to take a closer look, paying attention to the wind.

I watched this bear for about thirty minutes. Then I saw another one arrive just about 150 yards below it. At some point I realized both bears had two very small cubs each. So it was time to go looking elsewhere.

This took me uphill again where I saw two more bears above the trail grazing.

But just as I rounded a corner I saw one bear at about 30 yards only 5-10 yards off the trail. I took a short video.

I crept up on this bear of about 150 lbs and watched it eat roots and grass for about 20 minutes. I was at shooting range ~10 yards and the wind was in my favor. During this time I was also paying attention to the two bears uphill. At some point I decided to pass on this small bear and go after one of those two bears above about 150 yards away. It had a cinnamon colored coat and was somewhat larger. Another reason is that I felt if I was going to spend all day packing a bear out and I have choices, it should be one which I will be happy with.

High mountain bear hunting terrain is steep, slippery and sometimes without much cover. When I attempted to reach that big cinnamon bear it saw me coming and turned on it’s after burners. I was busted. I should have used one of the depressions to my right to go undetected.

So I went back down to the trail ,downhill a ways and watched another bear feeding on the hill above about 60 yards. Another guy hiking through was watching me (he hunts as well and was interested). The terrain was far too steep to put a stalk on, and the bear was not much bigger than the one I had passed on. He lived.

So I went back to look at the two sows and cubs for a while. I decided that I will return with my friend Jay within a week, weather permitting. I still had a lot of fun.

Two bears one slope.

[Charles Ek]

#50111

Well, you’re killing me here. 😀 The Glacier Peak Wilderness was the last place I hiked into for a farewell backpacking trip nineteen years ago. Came out after three days, drove home to the recently-sold, now empty house, and left to meet my wife in Minnesota the following week. Haven’t been back to WA since, and that’s been a big mistake. Glacier Peak is just one of the reasons why I miss it.

Good luck and thanks for sharing!

[rayborbon]

#50442

Yeah it’s awesome up there. People who come from out of state are usually stunned. If I had been taking video or photo footage of scenery instead, it would have been just as neat. Across the valleys on both sides loom some nice glaciated peaks. Most hunting areas in there receive little pressure and the terrain is so rugged, the distances far enough that about 95% of hunters do not even bother with it.

I know when I get old I will not forget all the memories and images. It’s days like yesterday that make me want to reject trip ideas to places like Prince of Wales (Holy Grail of big Black Bear hunting). Although I might have to sample some of that one day anyway 😈

If you want to make a trip in there next year and are feeling in good shape I’d be willing to set some time aside and do some pre-season scouting. September appears to be the best month for high country bear hunting over in there. Blueberries are just coming ripe.

[Charles Ek]

#50930

Thanks very much for your offer. I think I must say no, however. My wife and I have planned our vacation for next year already, and I don’t think I could take the time for another one in the summer.
Ever see any sign of Blackie’s bigger, fiercer cousin? I’m one of the few who thinks it’s a good idea to encourage them, maybe even restore them, in the North Cascades. (BTW, my wife does not share this opinion. She walked up on one in AK while we lived there (forty yards away, a quarter mile from our house) and doesn’t care to repeat the experience. Which is why we’re not living there.)

[wildschwein]

#50980

Great images!

[rayborbon]

#51019

Ever see any sign of Blackie’s bigger, fiercer cousin? I’m one of the few who thinks it’s a good idea to encourage them, maybe even restore them, in the North Cascades.

No, never did see any sign. They have unconfirmed sightings every now and then. Mostly in the Pasayten Wilderness and once in a while in the area north of Lake Chelan.

I don’t think it would be a good idea to have grizzlies brought into the North Cascades by man. Although there may not be very many hunters there are a lot of other outdoor user groups in significant numbers where I believe attacks on people would be inevitable. The way they are managed in the Rocky Mountains near Yellowstone is not a good model in my opinion. Especially after they drugged that one bear and released it, left no signs and then it killed that old man earlier this summer. The government doesn’t seem to have a care in the world about their responsibilities. Just north of Washington state, grizzly bears already inhabit 90% of the areas they once roamed. There are for example an estimated 25,000 grizzlies in the Yukon, B.C. and Alberta.

In fact I also believe the government has grossly mismanaged wolves in Idaho (at the very least). There is debate if they are even the wolf species which originally roamed there and additionally the grizzly and gray wolf are not really endangered. There is this new concept of “endangered in the U.S. and repopulation”. In my opinion, the government has taken it upon themselves to use the Endangered Species Act to carry on with negligent or abusive methods.That topic is potentially very political.

I can imagine…The first time some lady or kid is chewed to death by a grizzly bear which is relocated into the North Cascades will be an outrage I am sure.

[Patrick]

#51332

Very cool Ray! Thanks for sharing.

[rayborbon]

#56721

I was out Thursday again at the same spot.

There were 7 bears visible on the mountainside. I was focused on the big cinnamon colored bear. I stalked him several times and attempted an ambush. The terrain was very steep and void of trees. The only available concealment were steep gullies with lots of rocks in them. Anyway, the wind was the major problem and my presence was revealed when wind whirled in different directions near the mountain pass. I believe I spent 5-6 hours on that one bear alone but was unable to get the job done. This was a really great looking bear.

[MontanaFord]

#57222

Well, Ray, sounds like you have your sights set on this bear, unless a better one shows up. Good luck, hope everything turns out good for you.

Michael.

[Rocks]

#63704

Good luck Ray! I can’t watch the video’s due to slow internet here at work, but nice looking country from what I can see. Good hunting!

[strait-aero]

#53825

thanks for sharing,Ray….Sounds like some pretty rough country to hunt. Keep at it and keep us posted.

[Cottonwood]

#53913

Only bears I’ve seen this year, were in GNP or on private property. Go after you bear 8)

[Jesse Minish]

#54203

That’s not far from where I grew up. The North Cascades are beautiful!

[JL]

#54862

Great pictures, good hunting and thanks.

[Author]

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