Re: [pct-l] Grizzly

[Owen <jrowen@ibm.net>]

Dan L Simenstad wrote:
> 
>  In 1994 I was Elk hunting in the San Juan Mts about 15 miles west of
> Monte Vista, CO.( 10 miles or so from the Continental Divide)  On the
> first day I was at about 10,000' and suffering from a slight case of
> altitude sickness having driven from Mpls ( 800') the previous day.
> After sitting on a log pretty much motionless for about 30 minutes
> waiting for some aspirin to kick in I saw a bear walking straight for me
> as if not knowing I was there.  When it aproached about 70' away I could
> plainly see it's head was wider than it's shoulders and the trademark
> hump on it's back.  I guessed it's weight to be around 500 lbs which also
> is rather large for a black bear.  So I figured it to be a 3 or 4 year
> old grizzly.  As it continued towards me I could only think of one thing
> to do to scare it off if got much closer and that was to fire a warning
> shot into the air.  I clicked the bolt down on my rifle which somehow had
> been slightly raised and this was enough noise to send the bear bolting
> towards a 100' bluff.  When it reached the bluff it began to climb it as
> though it wasn't there. Very gracefull.  20' feet from the top it stopped
> and stood broadside for about 1/2 a minute then on it went. I was indeed
> awestruck. I told the story to a local artist in Alamosa and he said that
> there had been several grizzly sightings in that area.  So I do believe
> there's grizzlies roaming on or near the CDT in the San Juan mts.


Dan - 
I didn't see a bear out there but you'd have a hard time convincing me
there aren't grizzlies in the San Juans.  I've got a picture of a
grizzly den that I took in 97.  I'm glad you reminded me cause I was
supposed to send a copy to one of the rangers out there.  



> Eat a live toad first thing
> in the mourning and nothing
> worse can happen to you
> the rest of the day.    Dan


Nothing worse will happen to either of you the rest of the day. 

Walk softly,
Jim
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