Reader-Submitted Story
Lords of the Mountains
by Norm Brennand of Okotoks, Alberta
Few things get me as excited in the mountains, as does the split second that I catch a glimpse of a bear, whether it be a black bear or grizzly. There is something very mesmerizing about watching a 250- to 500-pound bear displaying its raw power, and size, in its natural setting.
Google tells us there’s approximately 40,000 black bears in Alberta. With respect to grizzlies, the number appears to be close to 1000, although some may dispute that number as being a rather conservative estimate.
Most of my outdoors activities are in Kananaskis Country and I can confidently say that the majority of bears that I have seen in recent years is of the grizzly species, not black bears.
The more you interact with bears the more you realize that no two look the same. With black bears we have a very diverse range of colour variations. The most common being black of course, but there’s also brown, chocolate, cinnamon, blonde, and even white if you include the spirit bear of coastal BC.
With grizzlies, the colour variation is much more subtle. Most contain numerous variations of brown, silvery brown, reddish blonde and also a silvery blonde. Note the picture of the young blonde grizzly with panda-like eyes, a different look for sure. And for such big animals their hair almost glistens at times, especially if it’s a bit windy and you can literally see the waves of fur moving with the breeze. Majestic creatures in every way.
And let’s not forget about the shoulder hump of the grizzly. Usually very prominent with grizzlies, certainly not the case with black bears. However, it should be noted that the appearance of the shoulder hump of the grizzly can differ greatly, depending on the size and age of the animal.
Over my lifetime, my experience with bears has been good, never have I been charged or felt that I was in immediate danger. Only once have I placed a bullet in the chamber when a huge black bear was a bit too close for comfort. Fortunately, no warning shot was required.
My only real encounter was when I was in my twenties. I had taken the son of a good friend of mine out for a day of walleye fishing about an hour’s drive south of Yellowknife. My young buddy, John Redshaw, was about 14 at the time. Be damn if a black bear found our stringer of fish, and our backpacks, and helped himself to both. I briefly scared him off but within a few minutes he was back again. In fact, we were preparing our fishing lines when suddenly, he was on our trail, on a trot, right behind us. We literally had to move out of his way as he passed by. Not one of my brightest moments, especially while “mentoring” young John, but I decided to look in the bush for a club of some sort. I had the perfect weapon, or so I thought. I walked up to him as he had his entire head in the river attempting to remove each walleye one by one. Once he lifted his head out of the water, I hit him square, as hard as I could. I thought for sure he would go down. He just looked at me as if to say “you dumb ass.” It was at that moment that I decided it was time for John and me to call it a day.
Fast forward some 45 plus years later and I’d like to think I have smartened up a bit, and show much more respect for these beautiful animals.
In the early 90s, if I saw a grizzly on a day’s outing, I considered it to be a very rare occasion. But today, I almost expect to see a grizzly on any given day. And for that very reason I know I am much more cognizant of my actions than I was in the past. For example, for years if I was hunting I never saw the rational to carry bear spray, as I thought having my gun by my side was protection enough. But in recent years, I always have my rifle attached to my backpack and both hands are holding my hiking poles. For that reason, I now have bear spray very accessible to me in one pocket and the other pocket carries a small foghorn. And in days when I’m simply hiking and not hunting, I’ve carried accessible bear spray, and a foghorn for decades.
I would never discourage anyone from going into the mountains due to the rising bear population. In fact, I would encourage it because seeing a bear, whether it’s your very first time or your 101st time is always a special moment. But if you can do your very best to be better aware of your surroundings, and by talking, whistling, etc., it certainly helps.
In recent years, when leaving the trail head and having no option but to follow a creek bed my radar is on high alert, especially when I’m by myself and walking in thick willows. Even at my age, and with my outdoor experience, I’m guilty of letting my imagination crank things up a notch or two when I can barely see anything ahead of me. It is at those times that I am clearly 100% focused on my immediate surroundings.
It was only three years ago I was returning from a beautiful September Kananaskis hike. I was sheep hunting at the time. Usually, when by myself and in thick trees, I whistle tunes just so as not to startle a bear. But I was enjoying the silence of the bush and I made the mistake of being ultra-quiet on my return. With no warning at all, I found myself 20 to 25 yards from one very big, but beautiful black bear. He was feeding in a small open area, probably looking for mushrooms and I obviously had the wind in my favour, as I saw him well before he saw me. My number one concern was not to do anything to startle him. I slowly took off my packsack, removed the rifle, and held it in my left arm while I grabbed my camera. I was taking pictures of him and captured the exact moment when he winded me. Whether right or wrong, I remained calm and chose to continue working the camera. After a couple of minutes, I whistled, and he quietly walked away. Just as he was about to enter the trees, he took one look back at me, satisfied that I was no threat. It was an amazing few minutes in time that I will never forget.
I’m no bear expert, far from it, but over the years I have taken countless pictures of bears. It’s always a bonus to see a bear with a cub, and on a few occasions I’ve filmed a grizzly sow with three cubs—now that’s special, as the young cubs are comical to watch while momma bear tries her best to maintain some sense of order.
On the topic of re-introducing the grizzly hunt, I won’t wade into that debate. I’d prefer to leave that one to wiser folks than yours truly. But we Albertans are so very fortunate to live in a province where, on most days, if you are willing to work at it, the chances are reasonable that you may indeed get a sighting of a bear, whether it be a grizzly or a black bear.
I’ll close off by saying a hike into the mountains is always an exceptional day in my books, and with proper preparation, and awareness, your efforts may just reward you with a bear sighting. And with today’s technology, even an outdoor beginner can, with a respectable spotting scope, greatly minimize your chances of getting too close, and personal, with a bear. You’d be surprised how much fun you can have watching, or photographing a bear, be it grizzly or black bear, from a very healthy distance away from you.
If you are fortunate enough to see one of Alberta’s greatest treasures, I encourage you to take the time to smell the roses, as it simply doesn’t get much better than this. They truly are, for good reason, the lords of the mountains and most worthy of our respect and admiration.
For the previous Reader Story, click here.
