Bear Encounters

[BigBass123]

Any of y’all have any memorable bear encounters while trout fishing?

Had one today that wouldn’t back off. It started snorting while up on a ridge 45’ above me, I puffed up, waved my rod, and made noise like I always hear you should with a black bear. Bear came down from the ridge to my elevation, got about 15’ in front of me, puffed up and growled.

I decided I should be the one to very slowly back down at that point. It was only about 200-225 pounds but I still liked its odds better than mine.

Any other time I’ve seen them they immediately take off without me having to do anything. There was a second bear without, but it appeared to be the same size so I doubt it was a mom and cub, rutting behavior maybe? Or should I have ignored it/backed off immediately and I riled up the bear?

Tried a blue line pretty far from the first spot after leaving it, turned out to only be 2’ wide. Didn’t see any bears but did see 5 or 6 tracks spread out over a two mile hike.

 

[whitetailfreak]

Lots of encounters over the years but I've never really felt threatened. With that said, I've had em' scare me half to death by crossing the creek close by like they were running a foot race to get to the other side.

 

[flyrod444]

Fishing one of my favorite streams few years back came around a bend in stream to have a good size one stand up and snort and growl at me. I backed up around the bend and waited several minutes before heading back up stream. I was releaved to find her gone. There where small cub tracks on the sandbar with hers which explaned her action of not running. This got my blood pumping even though I had a 357 in a shoulder holster on me at the time.

 

[swamp10]

Didn't see this one
rain had about washed the track away

 

[ddd-shooter]

Definitely rutting behavior, as now is getting to be prime time for them. Oddly enough, I’ve never seen a bear while fishing. Plenty of tracks though.

 

[BigBass123]

I was planning on camping there this coming week, but I think I’m going to rule that out for now.

 

[Doug B.]

I would have charged!!!!!!

 

[NCHillbilly]

I've ran into lots of them fishing. Never had any problems, though.

Last year, I was fishing when I caught movement out of the corner of my eye and looked up and saw a bear jumping from one rock to another about 5' away from me. I jumped, then it saw me and fell in the creek, almost touching me and splashing water on me as it scrambled to get up. It headed through the laurels like its butt was on fire. My heart rate was kicked up pretty good.

This is about the view I had: It was jumping from the rock in the center of the pic to one out of sight on the left. It didn't know I was there, and I didn't know it was there. It scared the crap out of both of us, and it fell into the chute of water on the left side of the pic, almost touching me as it scrambled to get out and run.

 

[ddd-shooter]

I was planning on camping there this coming week, but I think I’m going to rule that out for now.

I wouldn’t change my plans based on what most would consider an extremely rare occurrence.
If you’re really worried, bring you a pistol, although I would almost guarantee you won’t need it.

 

[flyrod444]

This was one of many tracks I found last week near a Creek I fish in the Glenville NC area. It seems to be full grown.

 

[35 Whelen]

Every one I have seen while fishing was already running or immediately began running as soon as it saw me. My brother however ran into one that walked away slowly while looking back at him.

 

[Taxman]

I saw a sow and sub about 70 yards ahead of me on the trail last week. Cub
ran across a couple time and the sow stood on the trail and watched me before
heading down a ravine.

 

[splatek]

I have seen a lot bluelining, but the best sighting I have ever had was one time when I was hiking into a remote stream that held specks. The "trail" if you could even call it that, veered up a hill away from a very steep ravine that just looked so fishy, but I wouldn't want to get caught down there. As the "trail" began to descend and the stream had jumped a few water falls, I started in toward the creek to fish. Across the stream about 50 yards a big boar male stood up and pushed on a small (6") nearly dead tree over into the stream. The splash sounded like he had done a canonball into the stream, it really startled me. Knowing NOTHING about bears at the time, I didn't know what to expect, but then he just went back to all fours and sauntered off into the forest. Disappearing as quickly as he had appeared on that trail descent. I kept on fishing and didn't see another bear the rest of the day. Maybe he was backrubbing the tree and it fell? Maybe he had been bite marking it and got a little carried away? Or maybe there were some irresistible grubs in that dead old tree that just demanded taking it down. I didn't ask him.