Bears at rubicon springs

[rockwrangler]

Ran the Rubicon on Aug 5-7
Had a run in with 2 bears at the camping site across the creek just past the jeepers lodge. I was Runnig the trail with the red rock 4-wheelers out of MOAB Utah 11 rigs total were camping in this area.

First bear hit our camp 20 minutes after going to bed and got one ice chest out from under our jeep. I Set off jeep alarm and used flash light to send him on his way and recovered the chest it had some nice teeth marks in it. I got a close look at the Bear approx. 12-15 feet away.

About 15 minuts later a second one stoped by to say HI!! I herd him sniffing and breathing and was able to get out of the tent before he had a chance to get into camp and This one kind of got my blood pump going good . I steped out of the tent and 5 feet from me setting up on a rock was a smaller bear than the first but was in the 350lbs range. I flashed my light at him and set off my alarm and he went on his way. At the same time a nother jeep in our group started yelling at a nother bear which was the first one that hit our camp.

After the secong bear came into our camp I started a propane lantern and placed it on the hood of the jeep, after that I had no more problems at my my jeep but a jeep 20 feet away with a rear rack and box on the rack was chewed up fairly good before I and the jeeps owner were out and sending him on his way

We placed about 4 ice chest into the craper 15 feet from camp and at no time did the bears go after the chest in the craper i think the smell of $HIT over powered the smell of the food and the chest were out of site. SO keep this in mind!!!

The caretaker at Rubicon springs did give us a heads-up about the bear but he said only one Bear not Two!!

So to keep what yours and to be safe put your stuff in a tree or the $HITTER no pun intended and have a GREAT trail ride

[Mondo EB]

A few days before that we had bears in our camp at Buck.
We met a couple on ATV's who had their food strung up seriously high and got to talking to them. The guy was saying how the Feds were no longer killing problem bears in Yosemite but instead moving them into the area between the Con and Hell Hole. He was convinced that it was only a matter of time before these bears were regulars on the Con and people were in for a big surprise when the old pots and pans trick failed to scare the new bears off.
Needless to say the ladies in our group weren't too happy to hear all this.
Anybody know if this is for real ( the bear relocating ) or should I have raised my hand and called bullshit?

[rockwrangler]

I have herd that story before but I don't know if it is true
I do know that one person from a group fired a few shots overhead but within 10 minutes the bear was back.

I have herd that a shot from a chemical fire extinguisher will send them packing fast and thats what I had in my hand as a last resort if the alarm and the light did't work. I know that the chemical fire extinguisher hurts my eyes and nose when i have had to use one. So i think it should work on a bear as there nose is alot better than ours.

It is kind of funny that all the ice chest in the shitter were not touched

[jdjanda]

Pepper spray will do the trick.

I had a post a couple weeks back in the Gen section about bears and camping bear safe as we had a visitor at LS.

Joe

[MochaMike]

Originally posted by MIke Mondloch
AThe guy was saying how the Feds were no longer killing problem bears in Yosemite but instead moving them into the area between the Con and Hell Hole. Anybody know if this is for real ( the bear relocating ) or should I have raised my hand and called bullshit?

He was sort of Half right.
They no longer kill the bears.
Problem Bears in Yosemite Valley are relocated.
But it's within Yosemite.
They move them to the Hetch Hetchy Reservior area.
There are HUGE mountains between HH & YV.

If you can't/don't want to hang your food or use bear canisters, here are a few options.
They know what coolers look like & what's in them.
If they see one, they immediately go for it.
Covering them with blackets or sheets helps.
A good trick, which I use on my tent while backpacking
(never keeping food or anything scented inside of course) is to bring a bottle of Cayenne Pepper. (an ingredient of pepper spray).
I sprinkle it all over the outside of the tent.
You can try that on the sheet or blanket covering the cooler.
One good sniff & the bear can't smell a thing, which is how he finds your food when he can't see it.
They sell bear repellent (shoots 3-4 times further than pepper spray), and a good whistle might help as well....

Mike

[Jeepndel]

Good points on the cayene pepper around your tent and gear. Bears can't see worth a darn. In fact, little sight at all except for up close. They can smell though. Well. So pepper would be what they smell, and it won't make them too curious for further inspection.

DON"T SHOOT at them or over them. Especially on the 'Con. There's too many of us out there sleeping in weird places, or catching a squeeze from our sweetie up in the rocks in the dark, for someone to go blasting away.

Del

[rockwrangler]

DON"T SHOOT at them or over them. Especially on the 'Con. There's too many of us out there sleeping in weird places, or catching a squeeze from our sweetie up in the rocks in the dark, for someone to go blasting away.

I feel the same way Del
This person was told the next day to keep his gun put away and I posted it as a not to do as the bear came right back 10 min. later so it was not real helpful as a deturent to the bear.

I will bring the pepper on my next trip
Jerry

[phaegan]

(phaegan writing a note to self for upcoming trip): 2 bears... sprinkle cayenne pepper ... no guns.... pots and pans don't work... ice chest in the crapper... squeeze in the trees with my sweetie... GOT IT!

[cruzila]

i heard from friends camped at Loon that a marine type hand held air horn will work to scare them off. i am not sure how long they will stay away as these bears just went to another camp.

Got to go now...........To get my bear tags.........seasons coming up

[randii]

DON"T SHOOT at them or over them.
Amen. You might hit something else... or you might just wing the bear. Their skulls are mighty thick -- you better be packing some SERIOUS heat to take one down, because you DON'T want to piss one off. They can run as fast as 35 miles an hour. How 'bout you?

Keep in mind that you are visiting their home -- camping in their yard. Keep your food well-stored and your critters under control, and the only way you'll hear about bears is that your neighbor's camp got busted into. Think about it -- if you keep a cleaner camp than the next guy, which way is Yogi gonna go?

Randii

[rockwrangler]

Keep in mind that you are visiting their home -- camping in their yard. Keep your food well-stored and your critters under control, and the only way you'll hear about bears is that your neighbor's camp got busted into. Think about it -- if you keep a cleaner camp than the next guy, which way is Yogi gonna go?

Randii
our group had a clean camp and had every thing put away and out of site (covered all chest and duct taped the lids and that did not matter) Also hung the large trash bag high in the tree away from camp . To these bears it did not matter, thay hit everyones camp that night and some of us were hit twice. one bear even went for a container with tools in it. I think just because it was a box.
The other reason was that it was durring the week and there was only our group in the camp grounds But it shure was nice a outing even with the bears

[Monkeyboy]

I usually have no problem when I sleep without a tent with my dog sleeping near by.

[rustbucket]

At what point can you shoot the bear? Is it when he charges you? Seriously, no guesses I want to know exactly when I'm justified to drop one out of season.

[rockwrangler]

This is from the lips of A Game Warden
You better have A DAMED good reason to shoot a bear!!
Like someone being attacked! And a real attack, Bites, Cuts Ect.
There must be proof of an attack or it's JAIL TIME

Most Bears will run off when you do the things listed in this post
But there are some bears that will get use to people and may not run off. When this happens report this type of bear to the RANGERS in the area. When a few complaints are made the bear will most likely be relocated to somewhere else.

DO NOT SHOOT at the bears just because there into your ice chest and your scared. You can go to the store to replace your food!!!
If you shoot and injure one he most likely will turn on you or someone else !!

MOST HAND GUNS are not going to stop a bear
so don't even get it out! And if your are NOT a hunter and don't have experince you will most likely shoot someone else in all the panic.

Remember your in the bears back yard he has more rights than you!!
The game warden say's you must have a Hunting LIC. and a bear tag and it must be in season, if not you ARE GOING TO JAIL for poaching !!!!
NO IF ANDS OR BUTS


I want to know exactly when I'm justified to drop one out of season.

YOUR NOT JUSTIFIED unless there is an attack on you or someone else and you better have proof and be a damm good shot !! Just leave your gun put away for everyones saftey PLEASE

[samurizer99]

We had one cross right in front of us at the top of walker hill a couple weeks ago. Its awsome to be with them in there home

[Rubicrawler]

I have had several run ins with the local bears at Loon, McKinstry and at Spider. In each case, I was at fault for not having a "clean" camp. I didn't take ANY precautions! In each case, the bear wanted nothing to do with me. Just my food or garbage.

If we would all learn to pick up and package our trash before lights-out and keep our food out of harms way (hang it & keep it out of your rig) we will all sleep a little better.

I might be weird, but I actually like seeing a bear up there. It reminds me that we are in "their" backyard!

[lightfoot]

I worked as a wildlife biologist for 3 years and have been hunting/fishing/backpacking for many more and have seem my fair share of bears. I have had my camp raided countles times, vehicle broken into, stalked a few times and charged when I got between a sow and her cub. Most of the time all you see of a bear is the pads of their feet as they get the hell away from you.

Problem bears are another story. Yosemite, Kings Canyon and Sequoia have more than their fair share. Downieville area off of hwy49 isn't too far behind. Havn't spent much time in the Tahoe basin but figure it's probably in the same situation.

As for bear control...leave the guns at home. Most people don't know how to shoot the things anyway. I have read quite a few articles about pepper spray and for the most part it seems to have little or no effect. If a bear comes into camp usually all it takes is a little noise to send them on their way. If you have a dog that wont chase one and stays in camp all the better.

If you run into a bear consider it a bonus to the trip even if it does tear your shit up. Bears, Mtn. Lions, coyotes ect are all pluses to any trip. Hell the most dangerous thing you can run into out in the woods is a HUMAN.

lightfoot

[Rubicrawler]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by lightfoot
[B] Hell the most dangerous thing you can run into out in the woods is a HUMAN.

So true!

[Monkeyboy]

I am way more affraid of people then wild animals.
I have actually been stepped on by a bear once while sleeping peacefully in my sleeping bag
Who is it in all those movies that turns every one against each other in survival type movies. It's not the fawking bears or the damn snakes or monsters in the night.
It's one asshole that don't take orders from no one and he's gonna do whatever he wants no matter what
Hell you can't legally shoot a human like that if you have problems in the woods.
But you can get rid of a bear.

[rustbucket]

Holy cats!!! Is this a sierra club meeting or what. I am all for conservation and leaving the bears alone and keeping a clean campsite, but to read what you people write makes me very uneasy. Everybody writing here seems to think that if you carry a gun in the woods you are some kind of reckless fool. You offer no instances of people actually shooting at bears and hitting other campers but you asssume that if someone has a gun that is the first thing they will do. I know that there are very irresponsible people who own guns and perhaps even wield them when they shouldn't but the very rhetoric you are all using is the same rhetoric that those people who are against four wheeling use. You make it sound as though having a gun at your side while camping as a LAST MEANS of protection is a bad thing and that if a bear were to charge you you would not hit the bear or scare it away but instead shoot all of your friends and family in there sleep only to be mauled to death by the bear.
People who know nothing about four wheeling make ridiculous claims that anyone who owns a 4X4 will most likely drive off of the trail to crush any endangered species and and poison the water and polute the air. Surely there are irresponsible people out there, but they should not define all four wheelers or gun owners.
I Keep a clean campsite and I chase the bears off with pots and pans and I respect and admire the bears and their home but when I cahse off a bear I like having my .357 at my side just in case there is a problem. I've got enough sense to know where and what is behind what I'm shooting at just as I have enough sense to know that my 4X4 will tip over easier than my car. So give us gun owners the same benefit of the doubt that you wish poeple would give you about your 4X4.

[lightfoot]

LMAO....thinking back to when I was charged by the sow with a cub. She covered 30 yards so fast the friggin pot and pan wouldn't have had time to hit the ground much less given me time to draw a .357. Could the average shmo have drawn and hit that sow...I doubt it. I wouldn't have with a handgun...my shotgun probably would have been a different story though. By the way she bluffed and stoped at about 10 feet then moved on.


As for the average idiot with a gun. I received my first gun when I was 6 years old (Ruger 10/22) and have been a hunter all my life. Guess I am only a slight idiot since I havn't shot anybody yet , and I do own a pair of binoculars instead of using a scope to identify "hmm, what is that guy doing over there". I have seen too many accidents and close calls and get very leary at times. It is no fun to get shot..trust me.

btw...put me at a Sierra club Meeting


lightfoot

[rockwrangler]

Everybody writing here seems to think that if you carry a gun in the woods you are some kind of reckless fool. You offer no instances of people actually shooting at bears and hitting other campers but you asssume that if someone has a gun that is the first thing they will do.

Rustbucket

I am a hunter and I do carry my gun at times when outdoors and when i am not hunting, and I beleave in saving me and my family from danger . But I FEAR that person who is not a hunter who let's his or her FEAR get the better of them and has no reason to even own a gun. The worse one is the person who calls him/her self a HUNTER who has NO clue as to what a SAFE HUNTER IS and WILL injure or kill someone.

Example :I did not see that kid there in the dark!!!, I did not know the bullet would go that far!!!
He was behind me!!!

When you or any hunter is out Hunting you are focused on the hunt and you are most likly in a open area away from others.
You as a hunter are hopfuly following some type of saftey procedures to make sure that your bullet is going to your target or if you miss that your stray bullet is going in a safe direction as to not hit someone else.

Most if not all of these bear encounters have been within camping areas where there are other campers around you, and also have happened durring the night. You as a HUNTER should know that you don't go shooting when you don't have a clear shot and you are unshure of the back ground of where your shot might go..... It's dark and your in a camping area and your not hunting!!! in a open area!!!! you don't know whats behind the bear your shooting at and there could be someone behind the Bear or within the line of fire!!!!!

That is why I said keep your guns put away

Sentance from Rustbucket
You offer no instances of people actually shooting at bears and hitting other campers

I hope this is the case for everyones sake!!!!! And the reason for this is that NO one has been stupid enough (YET) to Go shooting at bears in the fucking campgrounds!!!

Please keep Hunting you'll hit someone some DAY


Sorry Kids JUST had to vent POOOOFFFF!!!!!!

[MellowYellow]

I just thought I’d chime in.
We used Cayenne pepper by sprinkling it on our food containers, seats, tarps, and stuff.
I think it worked.
We had a bear sniffing our stuff at 4am on the 7th of September. We were camping on the springs sided of the sluice. I don’t know the name of the area, but it was just past a bog/wetland area.

The bear sniffed around and left. My wife and I didn’t sleep a wink after that. I have to say that was the most scared I’ve seen a person and I think it was the most scared I have been. I understand that the bear was not going to hurt us for no reason, I know I had done all the right things with my food, trash, tooth paste, etc., but when you wake up to the sound of something very big sniffing 2 feet from your head….It’s hard to relax.
No body with a gun has made me that nervous. Well not while I was camping.

[jdjanda]

Originally posted by MellowYellow
I just thought I’d chime in.
We used Cayenne pepper by sprinkling it on our food containers, seats, tarps, and stuff.
I think it worked.
We had a bear sniffing our stuff at 4am on the 7th of September. We were camping on the springs sided of the sluice. I don’t know the name of the area, but it was just past a bog/wetland area.

The bear sniffed around and left. My wife and I didn’t sleep a wink after that. I have to say that was the most scared I’ve seen a person and I think it was the most scared I have been. I understand that the bear was not going to hurt us for no reason, I know I had done all the right things with my food, trash, tooth paste, etc., but when you wake up to the sound of something very big sniffing 2 feet from your head….It’s hard to relax.
No body with a gun has made me that nervous. Well not while I was camping.

I'm going to try this method this weekend, on you advice. If it doesn't work I'll be expecting an air drop of food and supplies.

[rustbucket]

That's exactly it rockwrangler, nobody gets the benefit of the doubt, and that's the same way people who don't wheel think about those of us that do. That's my point. It seems you are saying that it is ok for you to have gun at your side in the campground but that everyone else should leave theirs home. Set me straight if that's not the case. In order to buy a gun in California you must complete hunters safety or another gun safety class first not to mention going through state and federal background checks. I'm not saying I want everyone to pack I just don't want to here everyone talk about gunowners with the same resentment that some talk about wheelers.