A group of people in Yellowstone came across a bear cub and were attacked by a sow Grizzly, and several were injured.

In Idaho a couple of contractors were bit, requiring stitches.

Aren't all of these people lucky to be alive, especially in the case with the cub. Maybe bears are smarter than we think and were trying to chase the people away rather than kill them.

Yeah, but are they the ones we really want to survive?

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James L. "Jim" Rhiner

I don't know how smart they are, but they are just like people in one way: They are individuals and will react to situations differently. Simply put, like most animals, they are unpredictable - one may run away, the next one could attack. Often times, just like a character on the street, you can read their intentions if you can read their body language.

Mostly true-- one thing I have found while photographing bears, they all seem unsure of the noise the camera makes. However, these are Black Bears. The Griz., is another matter. There can be no predictions where cub are concerned, except the mothers are unpredictable-- most such attacks are brought about because the bears were surprised, and or some fool got either inbetween a mother and a cub, or just crossed the line and got too close, many times on purpose--

We count ourselves luckky to see even one bear in Shenandoah National Park. Last weekend we saw three in one day. Here is a young one up in a crabapple tree. I expect his first summer on his own.

Maybe they weren't bears at all, but doofuses in ghillie suits.

Some people are just plain stupid. A sow with her cubs was nearby in my town. The sow put a cub up a tree and was growling near the base of the tree. The stupid people were all closeby with there cell phone cameras taking pictures. Of course it's the poor bears fault if it attacks.

I had a 350/400lb male in my backyard on Tuesday at dusk. He's eating my fruit on my trees. He lumbered away very slowly after all I lost too much weight to wrestle him now. I give them enough distance and space.

When hunting in the fresh falling snow we were tracking bear tracks then I noticed the cub tracks were zig, dragging the sows tracks so we backed off.
I don't want the kill the cubs too.

I let anything with babies go.

When her cub is involved, I don't think a grizzly sow is inclined to run away!

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You're shy a few manners.

Unfortunately when a bear attacks a person it is usually a death sentence for the bear.

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Luke 22:36

Best thing to do is to scream..."Scotty...beam me up!" I don't want to be anywhere near a pissed off bear .

I have posted before that I was watching a documentary on Yellowstone, and the Rangers were saying that it was often quite a challenge to keep tourists from sitting their kids on Grizzles so they could take their pictures

I have a real hard time feeling sorry for people, ignorant people should pay attention to all the safety notices but being people their ego gets in the way.
I remember back in the early 60's when we went to Yellowstone there was the usual traffic jam where a bear was mooching off the cars. I will never forget watching a guy with a camera around his neck get out of the car and take a box of marshmallows over to the bear. My dad said "Hey kids watch this genious." The guy opened the box and tossed a marshmallow over to the bear, the bear being a bear ate the marshmallow, smacking his lips, the guy takes a picture and walks a little closer throwing another marshmallow, the bear greedily eats its it and by now has white marshmallow all over his lips and is drooling, the guy continues throwing them and taking pictures. His wife leans her head out the window and says "For God-sake Harry save some marshmallows for the campfire." The guy takes one more picture of the bear, closes the box and starts walking back for the car. My dad says "Pay attention boys." The bear starts to walk after the guy unnoticed, the guys wife honks the horn of the car and points behind him, by now the bear is literally on top of him, the guy falls down, camera, marshmallow box and all...He scrambles terrified for the car and the bear quietly eats the rest of the box of marshmallows. Dad said "What did that teach you Mikey." My little brother said "Stay in the car." He asked me and I said "The sign says DONT FEED THE BEARS." Dad said "Your both right and its idiots like that that ruin it for everybody else."
I understand it if your out minding your own business and you just happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time...it happens all the time. But when out of sheer ignorance people get attacked by wild animals I don't have any sympathy for them and feel sorry for the animal which usually has to be put down...but then I'm one of those guys that cheers when the bull wins in a bullfight.

A lot of people think Yellowstone is a petting zoo.





and my personal favorite a sow griz with a cub



my photo taken with a great big white lens at a safe distance

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Bill Bates

I'm leaving in about an hour to head over to Bellingham to participate in filming a bear documentary. It will be nature photographers, conservationists and bear biologists from several agencies doing an audience participation. I'm sure I will hear some great stories.

Here's photos I (we've) taken.:

Denali NP. Range: About 20-30 yards (we were in a bus):


Yellowstone NP:

About 75 yards, outside (but 20 feet from the car with the door open):


I've seen over 2 dozen grizzlies in the U.S. Several hundred black bears (both species with cubs) with only two incidents, two days apart, with the same bear. One, jaw "popping" and one bluff charge. It was a young male and he had been previously harassed.

Generally, black bears tend to be more docile, especially with trees around (although black bears are more predatory towards people). Grizzlies want to remove the threat as fast as possible.. They do!

Just some observation of two years of full-time field research on bears.

I love Yellowstone, living in Mt. it's like our neighborhood park and I've been there lots of times, but the amazing level of human stupidity I've witnessed down there never ceases to amaze me. To many Disney movies have made people think every living thing in there is a living plush toy, and I generally only feel bad for the animals and the death sentence they usually receive because of stupid human behavior, but I've also learned that you can't fix stupid.

Take care...

In the visitor center at Yellowstone, there are videos of people making really bad choices. The guy who gets tossed a good 10-15 feet into the air while trying to pet a Bison like a dog is my favorite. Thin the herd!

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NHI, 10-8.

You know they say a dog wagging his tail won't bite. Well, what if the dog is enjoying thinking about biting you??