Thank goodness there are no griz in the BWCA.

Wow I have goosebumps! Any kind of bear can be a dangerous but I think we are all glad that grizzlies aren't a thing out there!

Sounds like they were wildly unprepared for the possibility of encountering a bear, and did a lot wrong during the attack, too. There's a reason you're supposed to play dead if attacked by a grizzly and don't have bear spray or a gun. They're incredibly lucky to be alive.

But yeah, I'm glad there aren't any grizzlies in the B-dub.

NEIowapaddler: "But yeah, I'm glad there aren't any grizzlies in the B-dub. "

My buddy and I were just talking about this the other day. Grizzlies can and will kill you. Black bears are pretty much big raccoons.

They could help to keep the crowds away though.

I camp in grizzly country every few years and I feel much more comfortable camping and sleeping at night in the bwca.

Imagine if we had crocodiles.

Thanks for sharing, it was a well written story. I feel for those kids, they learned a hell of a lesson.

Terrifying experience. I'm grateful they survived. When we lived in Wyoming, we took extensive precautions when we camped and hunted in the wilderness. I realize being attacked/killed by a grizzly are pretty long odds, as the article points out.

That was an intense read. Obviously, I’m happy those guys lived to tell their story. I really hope they all stay close over the years. Time has a way of slowly distancing even the closest bonds. But a bond forged by that type of traumatic event deserves to be maintained and tended to.

"I really hope they all stay close over the years. Time has a way of slowly distancing even the closest bonds. But a bond forged by that type of traumatic event deserves to be maintained and tended to."

I had the same thought, MidwestMan. I want these two men to stay connected.

My husband refuses to camp anywhere there are grizzlies. It's ok by me. I'm fine with BWCA and Quetico.

Being in the prime physical peak of your life has it's advantages.
Those boys.......now men, truly know how lucky they are.
I can't imagine.

wow.

Props to Kendall. Not many would have the courage to do what he did.

I used to camp in the backcountry of Yellowstone alone or with my brother. They recommended after a day of fishing you even took your clothes and your food take 50-100 yards from your campsite and hang them. The clothes had fish smell and cooking smells. We often forgo having any fish or cooking with cooking oil.
Always had pepper spray.
In Glacier, I ran into an old Ranger who had a limp. A GRiZ took a bite out of his leg.
If you ever watched a Griz run-forget it they are super-fast.

I don't fear black bears, however I would never trust one. When I was about 7 years old, we lived on Basswood Lake in the summers. One night we had a Momma bear come through our kitchen window. The window was open, and it ripped out the screen. For the rest of that summer, I was afraid to go outside at night. Being the "Big" Boy that I was I never told my parents of that fear.

I spent some time in Alaska and black bear attacks were common. Some ending in death.

I have some friends in that were attacked in Isabella by a black bear about 5 years ago. They fought back with a shovel and were able to get into their vehicle saving their lives. Both went to the hospital. However, they lived and now have a great story to tell.

Black bear attacks in Alaska are rare:

"There were 66 bear attacks in Alaska from 2000–2017. While grizzly bear attacks were most common in Alaska at this period, only two cases were traced back to black bears."

I was in Alaksa in 2017 for 2 months. I know of 2 people being killed in those 2 months and a hand for of other attacks. Yes, all black bears. This is fact I was there. FYI just because one sees it on the internet does not make it true. Yes, you are correct grizzly and brown bear attacks are more common.

Yep, grizzlies scare me. We were at the San Francisco zoo today and the two grizzlies were very active. Those claws and teeth are impressive.

I’ve been thinking of posting that I can’t wait to get to the BW to feel safe with only black bears to worry about. A mountain lion has been prowling our neighborhood for the past week or so. But I’ll take either the black bears or the mountain lion over a grizzly.

Cata are the worse, its tough to figure out what their thinking.

Mis-read the Subject as... Thank goodness there are no girls in the BWCA.

Maiingan: "I was in Alaksa in 2017 for 2 months. I know of 2 people being killed in those 2 months and a hand for of other attacks. Yes, all black bears. This is fact I was there. FYI just because one sees it on the internet does not make it true. Yes, you are correct grizzly and brown bear attacks are more common."

This was reported by the Anchorage Daily News. Unfortunately, because I found it on the Internet, it might not be true:

"Patrick Cooper died Sunday as the 16-year-old came down Bird Ridge near Anchorage following a mountain race, the victim of an unusual fatal attack involving a black bear.

A day later, a Pogo Mine contract employee in the Interior was killed — also by a black bear."

However, these are the next two sentences in the article:

"Experts say fatal maulings by black bears in Alaska are rare. Until the past few days, only six deaths had been linked to black bears in 130 years, according to a biologist compiling a report on Alaska bear attacks since 1880."

So, yes, during your two months in Alaska, "black bear attacks were common." In the prior 130 years, they happened once every 21 years and 8 months.

More from the article: "Black bears accounted for just 10 percent of bear attacks in Alaska dating back to 1880, according to reports compiled by two biologists working separately.

"The black bear — that's really odd," said Tom Smith, an associate professor at Brigham Young University who's studied bears since he worked as a biologist at Katmai National Park in 1992."

Hammertime: "

NEIowapaddler: "But yeah, I'm glad there aren't any grizzlies in the B-dub. "

My buddy and I were just talking about this the other day. Grizzlies can and will kill you. Black bears are pretty much big raccoons."

Black Bear have killed over 30 people in North America since the year 2000.

Gadfly: "

Hammertime: "

NEIowapaddler: "But yeah, I'm glad there aren't any grizzlies in the B-dub. "

My buddy and I were just talking about this the other day. Grizzlies can and will kill you. Black bears are pretty much big raccoons."

Black Bear have killed over 30 people in North America since the year 2000. "

I wouldn't go so far as to say that black bears are just big raccoons. They absolutely can kill you if they want to, and deserve respect. But I'm not gonna lose any sleep over the possibility of a black bear wandering into camp, unlike a grizzly.

Gadfly: "

Hammertime: "

NEIowapaddler: "But yeah, I'm glad there aren't any grizzlies in the B-dub. "

My buddy and I were just talking about this the other day. Grizzlies can and will kill you. Black bears are pretty much big raccoons."

Black Bear have killed over 30 people in North America since the year 2000. "

That means it is pretty safe in the woods. We have over 100 murders every day in this Country. I rate the human as the most dangerous.

Pinetree: "

Gadfly: "

Hammertime: "

NEIowapaddler: "But yeah, I'm glad there aren't any grizzlies in the B-dub. "

My buddy and I were just talking about this the other day. Grizzlies can and will kill you. Black bears are pretty much big raccoons."

Black Bear have killed over 30 people in North America since the year 2000. "

That means it is pretty safe in the woods. We have over 100 murders every day in this Country. I rate the human as the most dangerous."

100% agree. That's what I tell people when they ask if I'm afraid of bears, moose etc. You're far more likely to come to harm in any city or on the highway than in the woods. People scare me way more than any animal.

This is a PBS documentary about one night in Summer of 1967 when two different grizzly bears killed two young women in different parts of Glacier National Park.

It's a fascinating documentary on many different levels. Lots of current interviews of people who participated that night.

Night of the Grizzlies

Also glad grizzlies are not in the BWCA

TomT: "This is a PBS documentary about one night in Summer of 1967 when two different grizzly bears killed two young women in different parts of Glacier National Park.


It's a fascinating documentary on many different levels. Lots of current interviews of people who participated that night.


Night of the Grizzlies


Also glad grizzlies are not in the BWCA"

We bought that book at the Glacier Park store on our first trip there in '81...

...and glad we didn't read it until on the way home!

Pinetree: "

Gadfly: "

Hammertime: "

NEIowapaddler: "But yeah, I'm glad there aren't any grizzlies in the B-dub. "

My buddy and I were just talking about this the other day. Grizzlies can and will kill you. Black bears are pretty much big raccoons."

Black Bear have killed over 30 people in North America since the year 2000. "

That means it is pretty safe in the woods. We have over 100 murders every day in this Country. I rate the human as the most dangerous."

Agree. No reason to live in fear of black bear but also they should be respected which was the reason for my post.

schweady: "

TomT: "This is a PBS documentary about one night in Summer of 1967 when two different grizzly bears killed two young women in different parts of Glacier National Park.



It's a fascinating documentary on many different levels. Lots of current interviews of people who participated that night.



Night of the Grizzlies



Also glad grizzlies are not in the BWCA"

We bought that book at the Glacier Park store on our first trip there in '81...


...and glad we didn't read it until on the way home!
"

I have been at the Granite lodge on day hikes. Back when this happened, their actions created a situation of not if, but when it will happen.
Back then the lodge had a garbage pit where they put stuff so they could watch the Griz come and eat from the lodge. Well, also you had a open tent campsite located between the garbage pit and the trail often used by Griz to get to the pit. It was a level or two above stupid.

TomT: "This is a PBS documentary about one night in Summer of 1967 when two different grizzly bears killed two young women in different parts of Glacier National Park.


It's a fascinating documentary on many different levels. Lots of current interviews of people who participated that night.


Night of the Grizzlies


Also glad grizzlies are not in the BWCA"

A must watch, I have seen it a couple of times. The helicopter pilot is a true Hero.

schweady: "

TomT: "This is a PBS documentary about one night in Summer of 1967 when two different grizzly bears killed two young women in different parts of Glacier National Park.



It's a fascinating documentary on many different levels. Lots of current interviews of people who participated that night.



Night of the Grizzlies



Also glad grizzlies are not in the BWCA"

We bought that book at the Glacier Park store on our first trip there in '81...


...and glad we didn't read it until on the way home!
"

I went to Glacier on the Amtrak Empire Builder in 1984. Me and my girlfriend only had backpacks and wanted to backcountry camp for around 8 nights. Somehow I picked up that book “Night of the Grizzlies” for the 30 hour train ride from Chicago.

Reading that book was a big mistake. My partner was very jumpy in the back country. On day 2 she sprained an ankle coming down a steep switchback trail.

After that we hitch hiked to different public campgrounds. She was more relaxed and we had a great time. But that book….. it’s pretty intense. Gruesome story.

Maiingan: "

Also glad grizzlies are not in the BWCA"

A must watch, I have seen it a couple of times. The helicopter pilot is a true Hero."

Agreed. He risked both his life and the rangers as they flew in the dark through the mountains with no instruments.

Imo this was a man created disaster. The bears were not at fault. It’s quite different there these days. We learned the hard way.

In 1967, Glacier National Park had twentyeight fires caused by one lightning storm. Our first detail in was before the two young women lost their lives in that tragic night. The second dispatch was after. The Park was unable to convince the fire crews that they knew if they had killed the right preditory bears or not.

I now live in Grizzly country. Camp pretty near every weekend in the summer and see a couple each year. We just take a few more precautions and do not let them change our plans nor do we worry about them too much. Same as in BWCA with the black bears; take care of food and cooking area and you will have no problems! We see them in our yard or on our street in the spring and they really do not cause many problems. They are beautiful and it’s neat to see them.

I lived in Alaska for 12 years and every year from May through September we spent nearly every weekend, and some week-long stretches, either backpacking, canoeing, rafting, and/or fishing in Grizzly country. We saw a lot of grizzly/brown bears on some of those trips, sometimes we just came across bear scat, and sometimes there was no sign of bears. You learn to take precautions and you maintain awareness of your surroundings, but that's no different than any other trip into a wilderness (or a large city). I would have missed out on some amazing adventures if I had stayed home all of those weekends instead of pitching a tent in a mountain meadow or river gravel bar.

There was one Griz in the wild around 1980 in Minnesota. It escaped from a game farm and last seen up by Bemidji.

Ely Bear Center:

Do Grizzlies Live in Minnesota?
No, not any more, although grizzly bears may have lived within 50 miles of Ely 5,000 to 8,000 years ago. At that time, much of Minnesota was prairie. Grizzly bear skulls have been found as far east as Ontario and Labrador.

In the last 5,000 years, forest reclaimed much of the Minnesota prairie and pushed grizzly bears to the western edge of Minnesota. In the 1800’s, grizzlies lived from western Minnesota to California and from central Mexico north through Canada and Alaska. They also may have persisted into the 1800’s east of Hudson Bay because a grizzly bear skull dating from the late 1700’s was found in an Eskimo midden in Labrador.

The 1800’s were a bad time for grizzly bears in the prairie states and prairie provinces of central North America. European settlers waged killing campaigns as they converted prairie habitat to farmland. By 1900, grizzly bears were eliminated from most of that area, including Minnesota, and were nearly eliminated from Manitoba and Saskatchewan. After 1900, only a few isolated pockets survived in those two provinces. One of those pockets persisted until at least 1960 when a grizzly bear was seen in the Porcupine Hills near the Manitoba-Saskatchewan border. That was the last sighting in those provinces and is probably the closest a wild grizzly bear has come to Ely-about 500 miles-in the last century.

Today, most of the remaining grizzly bears in North America are in Alaska and western Canada. About 30,000 live in Alaska, and about 22,000 live in British Columbia and Alberta.

In the lower 48 states, grizzly bears now occupy only 2% of their former range and are mostly restricted to mountains. Five subpopulations remain in Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, and Washington. Grizzly bears are difficult to survey, but population numbers are thought to be around 600 in the Yellowstone National Park area, 500 in the northwest Montana Rockies, 50 in the Selkirk Mountains of northern Idaho and northeastern Washington, and 30 to 40 in the Cabinet-Yaak area of northern Idaho and western Montana. Probably less than a dozen grizzlies live in the North Cascade Mountains of Washington.

This hunter survived by killing the bear with a pocketknife.
Hunter Armed With Knife Survives Black Bear Attack A Minnesota hunter is lucky to be alive after he was mauled by a 525-pound black bear.

The true number of people that lost their lives in grizzly attacks is difficult to come by because we don't know what happened to all of the people who have gone missing in the Rockies and AK.

Although rare, and probably even more rare in the BW, a Black Bear that has never seen a human in predator mode is nothing to mess with. You are not going to outrun, outswim, or outclimb it.
All of those big animals up north have earned some well deserved respect.
50+ trips, one bear encounter, but it was big and popping it's jaws in the middle of camp on a sunny July afternoon.

Amazing story! "Greater love has no one than this - that he lay down his life for his friends."

Grizz found in Northern MN

Chilly should have posted that :-)

missmolly: " Thank goodness there are no griz in the BWCA. “

It’s just a matter of time. ;-)

FIRST grizzly bear seen in Minnesota since the 1800’s

Take the TIME to check the date on that report, or you will deserve your fate …

April? April what?