Bears In Moab?!?

[Photo-John]

I never would have thought about bears in the vicinity of Moab, Utah. But here's the proof. This was shot from a trail called Kokopelli, well above Moab. We were near the La Salle Mountains, but not really in them. This isn't the kind of environment I would expect to see bears in. I estimate that this sow was at an altitude of about 7000 feet or so in this photo. It's high altitude but basically still desert and not the kind of place you think of as a bear habitat. She had three cubs with her and they were watching us and hustling right along. I got this photo thanks to the awesome reach of the 600mm equivalent Olympus Zuiko 70-300mm lens. It's not the greatest photo in the world because I was hurrying. But I'm pretty psyched about it. It's not every day you get to take a picture of a bear and it was a total suprise to see them in the Moab area.

The second photo is for some perspective on the area. It's not the exact spot where I got the bear photo. But it's the same general area. We were up on the rim and the bears were down below. You can see the La Salles there in the background.

[dana m.]

wow John.....a great chance for you to capture something special. Since I basically know nothing about bear locations, it looks as good a place to see one as anywhere else. I like that she is out on the rocks and not deep in the woods...the shot is ALL about her.

[Asmarlak]

I would never forget when I came to as close as 20 ft from a huge grizzly in BC last year. I had the camera in my hand but was so frightened the only shot I could get was not good. The bear was so cool, he looked at me up and down and walked away. Oh how lucky I was.

[Photo-John]

I would never forget when I came to as close as 20 ft from a huge grizzly in BC last year. I had the camera in my hand but was so frightened the only shot I could get was not good. The bear was so cool, he looked at me up and down and walked away. Oh how lucky I was.

Yeah, bears scare the hell out of me. I've never been close to a grizzly. But I've been hiking and riding in grizzly country and it makes me really paranoid! Last summer I almost hit a black bear on the trail near Teton Pass. I came around a corner and there he was sitting in the middle of the trail eating. You wouldn't believe how fast he took off. I'm sure glad he did. There was no way I could have gotten a photo of that one. After that I made sure to make a lot of noise since I had no idea where he/she had gone.

The bears in Moab were no threat at all. We were up a sheer cliff about 200 feet above them. They weren't very cooperative about posing for photos though

[Dylan8i]

the bears go down in to canyonlands sometimes. we were camping in the salt creek area and saw bear prints in the mud... i'll have to dig for the photo its pretty funny. but the people we were with said a few years previous to that they came back to camp in the same camp we were in, and a bear and rummaged through their tents. so yes they do come out of the la sals, occasionally.

[WesternGuy]

Great images!! I don't know about bears in Moab, but in the Western Canadian Rockies to the north, after coming out of hibernation, the grizzlies head for the high country because that's where their main source of food, elk, go for the late spring, summer and early fall. They may also take the odd dear if they can catch them. It is not unusual to encounter them at elevations above 5000 ft. if you are hiking in the high country

Cheers,

WesternGuy

[AgingEyes]

but in the Western Canadian Rockies to the north, after coming out of hibernation, the grizzlies head for the high country because that's where their main source of food, elk, go for the late spring, summer and early fall. They may also take the odd dear if they can catch them. It is not unusual to encounter them at elevations above 5000 ft. if you are hiking in the high country

In BC, you don't have to go far, i.e., remote areas, to see a bear or two. You may even find one in your backyard if you're not careful. A birding site in N Vancouver has a sign warning you saying the bears are around for the berries. And that is in the city area by the harbor. Cougars also have been sighted there, too.

[billy320]

well they are losing habitat everyday. Here a few I came across last year

Yellowstone, Momma Grizz with 2 cubs I was about 40 feet away behind a car






This the famous #399 aka Rosie in Grand Teton

[Photo-John]

I didn't realize I was going to start a bear thread. But it's kind of cool, I think

These are great grizzly photos, Billy. I've done plenty of backcountry mountain biking and hiking in grizzly territory. I think it's great to get photos. But to be honest, I am terrified of meeting a grizzly on the trail or road. The most nervous I've been is mountain biking in the Canadian Rockies, near Calgary. I knew a trail runner had been killed in the area recently and I didn't want to be the next victim. The closest I've been to bears has been when I've been on my mountain bike. I'm generally moving fast and the bike is somewhat quiet, so they don't really hear you coming. I used to have a bear bell that I kept in my car so I could put it on my bike to warn the bears I was coming. Not sure where the bell is now, though.

Question: Do you know how to tell a grizzly from a black bear?

Answer: The grizzlies jingle from the bear bells on the hikers they've eaten

[Singletracklovr]

Great Capture John,
Kokopelli is also looking as awesome as always.

[mjs1973]

Way to be prepared John. I have seen a couple bears in the wild, but never been prepared to get a photo.

I just saw a documentary on the Discovery Channel the other day. It was all about Yellowstone, but there was a part that featured bears. There are moths that live in the loose rocks high up in yellowstone. The beard climb up there to eat the moths. Don't know if the same thing goes on in Moab, but it could explain why they were so high up.

[WesternGuy]

AE, you will sometimes see grizzlies along the TransCanada but usually only in National Parks. They have learned that sometimes (stupid) people will throw food out of their vehicles. Usually if that happens wardens come and chase them back into the high country. If they become a real nuisance then parks will sedate them and move them elsewhere to a remote area of the park. We get the occassional bear on the city fringes. If they become a nuisance, then Parks and Wildlife will come and move then to a more remote area. Don't have quite the problems that N. Van. has - at least not yet.

Cheers,

WesternGuy

[paulnj]

Awesome finds everyone!