Saw a Bear while hiking Monday - Got that Oh crap feeling

[98-LS1]

I thought I'd share this since i have nothing better to do at work. I took this past Monday off from work to go hiking with my wife in Ocoee, or the Cherokee National Park. We were the only one's up there on the hiking trails so it was a nice peaceful 12 mile hike, well not really peaceful after what happened! kinda cool though as there was a dusting of snow on the ground.

We saw the Bear warning signs when we entered the park, I didn't think anything of it as I've camped there for years without seeing one. My wife got a little nervous but I told her our chances of seeing a bear where slim to none. Boy was I wrong! Now this is no joke and I'm being dead on serious about this. We walked on the 5 mile trail to see the waterfall, can't remember the name of the trail, but along the way we just talked and tried to be loud.
Sneaking up on a black bear is not a good thing!

We started walking down in a Ravine next to a creek when I noticed something big and black moving off to our right. I told her to stop and I looked hard in that area but didn't see anything. I was getting a little nervous at this point.

So we keep on walking then I see it again and she saw it as well. We decided to stop and investigate a little, I don't like the thought of something hunting us or stalking us. As we stood there trying to see what was on the hill she grabs my arm and points, Oh shit, a God Damn black bear is standing right there looking straight at us. It was about a football field length away from us, maybe a little longer. I had my Sig 40 in my wallet holster so I reached back for it as we backed slowly up the trail while keeping an eye on the bear. Luckily the damn thing wasn't interested in us as it didn't follow so we turned and walked back to the car about 5 miles back. I don't think I've had that pucker factor since I was in Iraq back in 2003. My wife was scared to death, I just hope that incident doesn't make her scared of the woods.

There was a woman and one of her kids killed by a black bear in the same area last fall, two other people got mauled by one up there as well so I was a little more alert than any other times. And yes, I know it's illegal to carry a concealed firearm on National Park property but I'd rather take my chances getting caught with it than being lunch for a bear. It was one hell of an experience, has anyone else had a close call with some type of wild critter like that?

[SexOnWheels]

... I had my Sig 40 in my wallet holster so I reached back for it...

We could never get away with that you yanks are lucky to be able to have that handy.

I get the same feeling when we are 'stalking' a bear hunting. They are powerful animals.

Most families are 'armed' with pepper spray up here.

[Spaz]

i had a run in with a bear with my t/a... going around a corner i seen what i thought was a dog at the time and swerved and the thing tumbled along side of my car... freaking fur every where... i call my mom up to tell her what happened and she didn't believe me... 2 hours later she calls me back and says the bear that i hit is over at the neighbors house eating bird feeders...

[98-LS1]

We could never get away with that you yanks are lucky to be able to have that handy.

I get the same feeling when we are 'stalking' a bear hunting. They are powerful animals.

Most families are 'armed' with pepper spray up here.

You've got to be prepared. Hell Ya'll have them damn Grizzly bears up there, I don't even want to see one of those things. Didn't that retard that lived with " Harmony " get eaten by a Grizzly? I don't take my chances, especially with the wife or kids around. We have Mountain Lions, Coyotes and bear all over the Smoky Mountains. BTW, I don't consider myself a yankee. Your a little bit farther north than me. Just messing with ya.

[98-LS1]

i had a run in with a bear with my t/a... going around a corner i seen what i thought was a dog at the time and swerved and the thing tumbled along side of my car... freaking fur every where... i call my mom up to tell her what happened and she didn't believe me... 2 hours later she calls me back and says the bear that i hit is over at the neighbors house eating bird feeders...

Holy shit, I about died laughing when I read that! They have been nosing around in the valley around here, I don't know if they are running out of food or just getting more used to people but it's not a good thing.

[Spaz]

Holy shit, I about died laughing when I read that! They have been nosing around in the valley around here, I don't know if they are running out of food or just getting more used to people but it's not a good thing.

yeah... after i hit the stupid thing (at this point i still thought it was a large dog) i look in my rear view and my break lights lit up the road enough to see it... i was about to get out of my car and check on it and then it rolled over and got up on it's hind legs... i took off like a bat out of hell!!!

[SexOnWheels]

You've got to be prepared. Hell Ya'll have them damn Grizzly bears up there, I don't even want to see one of those things. Didn't that retard that lived with " Harmony " get eaten by a Grizzly? I don't take my chances, especially with the wife or kids around. We have Mountain Lions, Coyotes and bear all over the Smoky Mountains. BTW, I don't consider myself a yankee. Your a little bit farther north than me. Just messing with ya.

Yanks = USA
Canuck = Canada to the rest of the world! Messing back with you!

I have been drawing for a Griz tag for years but the tree huggers have stopped it for three years atm, which will change when the first death/mauling occurs.

The Prince Valiant did get consumed but the bad part is he brought his g/f to be killed as well, the guy was mentally challenged!

[98-LS1]

Yanks = USA
Canuck = Canada to the rest of the world! Messing back with you!

I have been drawing for a Griz tag for years but the tree huggers have stopped it for three years atm, which will change when the first death/mauling occurs.

The Prince Valiant did get consumed but the bad part is he brought his g/f to be killed as well, the guy was mentally challenged!

Are guns illegal in Canada? I always thought you guys did lots of hunting in the wilderness up there, Moose, Bear, etc..????? I've got a concealed carry permit so I carry mine pretty much everywhere I go just for personal safety. You never know what kind of nut job you can run into or critter way back in the mountain while alone.

Back in High School some buddies and me went camping way up in the woods on White Oak mountain. At about one in the morning as we were playing cards and goofing off next to the campfire we heard this scream, just a terrible sounding scream that scared the living hell out of us. It was a mountain Lion not even 75 ft away from us. I still remember that, we didn't get any sleep that night. That sound was just God Awful! I've carried a firearm in the woods ever since then.

Yeah that guy was a idiot, I just couldn't imagine what getting attacked and eaten by a bear would be like. Man that had to suck while it lasted.

[SexOnWheels]

Not guns but handguns are restricted weapons were I can go to a competition or range but that is it, no carry at any other time!

I have handguns but I am a rareity as far as Canucks are concerned!

[third_shift|studios]

We decided to stop and investigate a little...

lol, famous last words!

[98-LS1]

lol, famous last words!

Very well could have been.

[third_shift|studios]

man, truthfully, i'm not a gun fan, but that was a smart move to pack heat while going through a forrest

[Nastyfoot]

Isn't it true that you shouldn't look a bear in the eyes as it assumes you are being aggressive by doing so?

[98-LS1]

Isn't it true that you shouldn't look a bear in the eyes as it assumes you are being aggressive by doing so?

Yep, do NOT stare back at one. That is a sign of aggression according to the Park Ranger signs. The sign did say to be loud and makes lots of noise waving your arms around. I don't see what good that would do but they seem to think it scares them off. I wasn't about to try that, we just quietly backed away while keeping an eye on it. Oh, and the sign also said that playing dead doesn't always work so it's not a good option. If you are attacked, fight back with everything you have. I don't want to be close enough to one to get in that situation, the distance we were to this bear was close enough for me or a little " TOO " close.

[riceslayer302]

i have a bear phobia man they scare the fuck out of me lol

heard a story on hunting.net of a guy who shot a charging griz in the face with a 300 win mag and the 220 grain round glanced off its skull and it kept coming. tough animals.

[98-LS1]

i have a bear phobia man they scare the fuck out of me lol

heard a story on hunting.net of a guy who shot a charging griz in the face with a 300 win mag and the 220 grain round glanced off its skull and it kept coming. tough animals.

Screw that! They make me nervous, anything that weighs that much, can run over 30 mph, climb a damn tree and can swim better than me freaks me out. There is NO getting away from a bear is your out in the woods without a firearm, even then you ain't safe.

[riceslayer302]

ever see that show hunter and hunted on NGC??? some lady tried climbing a tree and a fuckin 1000lb griz climbed the tree and f-ed her day up... idk what ide do in that situation... try some mohamed ali shit or something man idk.

whats that movie w/ anthony hopkins and alec baldwin killing the bear? i cant even watch that alone im that scared of bears. they freak me out, its prolly from my grandfather telling me bear stories when i was a little tyke.

[ztrouble]

i used to be scared of the bald headed bear in that john candy movie lol

[Camaro2fast4u]

if you do a lot of hiking in black bear territory you need:



and

http://www.doubletapammo.com/php/cat...roducts_id=105

grizzly? you're fucked unless you have a shotgun with brennake? slugs or a large rifle.

[pecha]

bears eat from my trash in the summer