http://peninsulaclarion.com/stories/071603/wil_071603wil001001.shtml


Scary!!! Just a heads-up for those headed that way, I know a number of readers head up this way for late July reds so I thought you might want to know.

I fished in that campground a few years ago. I was warned then about bears wandering around every so often. We never saw any though. It was great action on the reds anyhow.

I have been b slapped on this board for questioning the validity of a side arm for protection from the local wild life.I spend alot of time cross country and deep in the back country and just do not feel the fear others do.

BUT, if I was to do, what I do down here, up north in griz,moose country I would be packing the biggest side arm I could possibly cary.Then damn moose are more dangerous than the griz!

We fished with several guides while in AK and each carried a 44 magnum. BUT each also said they had NEVER used them. Browns need to be respected but if you use common sense and keep your distance, they are almost never a problem. The black bears are another story....

One day about 10am while shore fishing in the Quicic (sp), our guide told the four of us that he thought it might be a good idea for us to get back in the boat. About 30 seconds later a bbbbiiiiggggg she brown bear and her two cubs showed up. The mother bear stood on the same rock I was fishing from and proceeded to catch two reds in less than 5 minutes. Meanwhile we were a mere twenty yards away in the river in the boat having a very pleasant nature experience. The bears checked us out, determined we werent a threat and got on with their biz.

I guess the freak accident in the article was just one of those things -- not good if you were the victim, but it would be a shame to kill a bear just because it got in your way while it was doing what comes naturally. My $0.02.

Here is more news on the mauling. Sounds gruesome

http://www.adn.com/front/story/3486845p-3517966c.html

A couple bears have been assisting with catch and release as well. It doesn't take them long to learn that a fish on the line is an exploitable situation. I wear a sidearm on Kodiak, not because I'm worried about the bears so much, but in certain situations having a gun can be very valuable, aside from a bear giving you trouble.