Bears are out

[Alaskanguide]

The bears are out this is our First mauling this spring.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AK_SECOND_MAULING_AKOL-?SITE=AKFAI&SECTION=HOME

 

Be careful when you visit.

Alaskan Guide

[GloriaF]

My goodness! That poor man - he is lucky to be alive and the prognosis good for his full recovery. He must have an odor that the bears either like or are extremely distraught to smell.

 

My first reaction when I saw the header was "Great! Maybe we'll be able to see some bears!". Then I read the article. I wish the best for Mr. McInnes.

 

Thanks for the report, Alaskandude.

 

BTW, what is the temp today where you are?

[chipandjohn]

My sympathy and wish for a fast healing. But I have to do the YA’Bear dance. My cruise will start May 7th and my real reason for coming to Alaska was to see Bears and Whales. I’ve been told on several occasions that there would be no bears. I still may not be in the right place at the right time to see a bear. And I hope I don’t met a bear around the corner like Mr. Macinnes did, but I’ll be on the outlook in hopes to seeing a bear.

[Yukon]

May is the hot time for both grizzlies and black bears along the highway between Skagway and Carcross. Cathy and I make that drive as often as possible during May, specifically for bear-viewing. Mid-May is the "average" start, but with temperatures forecast to be high 60s this weekend, the bears willl be up and around much earlier.

 

Murray

[Deb in Cali]

Well count me in for whale watching. But I have had enough experiences with bears that really don't care if I see one. Living near Yosemite and Sequoia I have seen plenty.

[katmai]

But the bears are different.

California only has Black bear, which is much smaller than grizzly bears and easier to handle.

In Alaska, you're more likely to encounter a gizzly.

[jodyrick]

May is the hot time for both grizzlies and black bears along the highway between Skagway and Carcross. Cathy and I make that drive as often as possible during May, specifically for bear-viewing. Mid-May is the "average" start, but with temperatures forecast to be high 60s this weekend, the bears willl be up and around much earlier.

 

Murray

 

Hey Murray - we are going to be driving from Skagway to Emerald Lake and back on May 21st. I hope we see some grizzlys along the way - What words of wisdom/advise do you have for novice grizzly viewers? I will have my cameras with me and hope to get some good shots but I know that one should never approach them in any way and keep some distance. Are most of the sightings along the road? on the road? down the valleys?

 

Rick

[danielle24]

when I saw the header was "Great! Maybe we'll be able to see some bears!". Then I read the article. I wish the best for Mr. McInnes.

[Yukon]

Rick - DO NOT get out of your car. Bears in the Spring are in really dirty moods if you annoy them in any way. The best viewing is along the road, which is where the new grass they want is (grass gets their digestive systems working again after a long winter).

 

Murray

[jodyrick]

Murray - thanks for the quick response. I'm not usually a worry wort of any sort and I will take your advise to stay in the car when we encounter a bear of any type. Is there much to worry about when we drive up the road and back - If we encounter a big bear on the road - what should we do - what is the correct thing to do - keep driving - honk - slow down and stay back?? Just want to make sure we do the right thing.

 

Thanks,

Rick

[GloriaF]

That's a good question. We'll be driving the road only a few days later on May 24th.

 

In Yellowstone and the national parks in the lower 48 the rule is the animals have the right of way and you just have to sit in your car quietly until they decide to move on.

[Yukon]

If there's a bear on the road, he's just crossing (always quickly) to the other side for better grazing. Pull onto the shoulder and start shooting! The traffic is so light that I have no qualms about pulling onto the shoulder of the oncoming lane to shoot.

 

Murray

 

p.s.: vehicles here don't have horns (at least I don't think they do, because you never hear one). :D

[GloriaF]

Thanks, Murray.

[jaspertl]

we won't be in skagway until the 16th of june....will that be to late for the bears?

[Yukon]

>>we won't be in skagway until the 16th of june....will that be to late for the bears?<<

 

It is past the best period - chances of seeing one are greatly reduced, as they've headed into the high country away from the noise.

 

Murray

[jodyrick]

Thanks Murray - that is awesome and I look forward to seeing and photographing some bears! But I won't be too dissapointed should we not see any bear at all on our road trip from Skagway - seeing Emerald Lake and the mountains will be awe striking beautiful in itself. Maybe we'll see you out there on the road too! We'll wave since we may not have a horn to blow!! :)

[CruiseIsGood]

That poor guy. Before I went my first time, I wanted to see bears. But then someone Emailed me a picture of a man who'd been mauled. All of the tissue chewed off his legs. I'm totally not interested in seeing bears anymore. :(