big black bear track

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pcg
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Location: Chehalem Mountain

big black bear track

Post by pcg » May 4th, 2019, 9:17 am

Front left paw, 6+" wide. Mt. Hood National Forest. That's about as big a black bear print as I've seen. Anyone venture a guess as to size? I'm guessing at least 400#, maybe 500#?
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Crusak
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Re: big black bear track

Post by Crusak » May 11th, 2019, 9:06 pm

That's a big print. Fresh looking too, right?

I can't guess at the size... maybe someone with more experience than me will chime in.
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pcg
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Re: big black bear track

Post by pcg » May 13th, 2019, 6:13 am

Yes, it appeared to be no more than a few hours old. I went back and measured the dried up track a few days ago... 1/8" shy of 7" at edges of toe impressions. One source says a 7" wide print equates to 300-400 lbs. Another source says 7" wide means 7' high.

RobinBaker
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Re: big black bear track

Post by RobinBaker » May 13th, 2019, 7:50 am

Where in the Mt. Hood National Forest did you find the track?

pcg
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Re: big black bear track

Post by pcg » May 13th, 2019, 9:13 am

RobinBaker wrote:
May 13th, 2019, 7:50 am
Where in the Mt. Hood National Forest did you find the track?
To respect the privacy and well-being of the bear, I prefer not to say. :)

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BigBear
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Re: big black bear track

Post by BigBear » May 15th, 2019, 1:40 pm

pcg, your a comedian. "To respect the privacy of the bear..." I'm of the more selfish nature: I'd depart from the area to respect my own continued health and wellness.

I remember the time I was a mile from Observation Peak (Trapper Creek) and a woman hiked toward us, telling my friend and I that there was a bear cub at the junction less than a mile to the north. Although I would sure like to have a picture of a bear cub or even give it a scratch under the chin, and my friend was eager enough to ask the woman to join us on a hike up to see the critter...I opted for the selfish self-preservation. The emotional trauma of the cub and its mother never factored into the decision, it just my selfish need to keep all body parts attached and a loss of blood to a minimum.

That's the way i feel. If a bear or cougar wanders onto "my trail," that's their tough luck. However, if wonder into them, that could be my tough luck. Just saying, I'm looking out for number one.

Webfoot
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Re: big black bear track

Post by Webfoot » May 15th, 2019, 5:18 pm

I thought BigBears went where they damn well pleased. Silly me! :lol:

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BigBear
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Re: big black bear track

Post by BigBear » May 16th, 2019, 12:07 pm

Big Bears do go wherever they want to go...it's just that some bears are bigger (and hairy) than me.

Oh my ursulus horribles, what big teeth you have... (all the better to eat you with)
and what big claws you have... (all the better to cut you up into bite-sized pieces)
and, damn, what is that smell, ursulas... (well, I can't exactly check into Holiday Inn and grab a quick shower)

Msuther
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Re: big black bear track

Post by Msuther » May 27th, 2019, 9:28 am

Came face to face with a black bear up in the Mt Adams wilderness area. Well, about 75 yards down an old logging road, but was as close as I’d ever want to be. Fortunately he wasn’t interested and we went our separate ways. He walked on all fours but I’d guess five foot tall.

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BigBear
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Re: big black bear track

Post by BigBear » May 29th, 2019, 8:41 am

Not sure if 75 yards away counts as face-to-face.

I've been within 10 feet of a black bear for my closest encounter. Fortunately, I was leading a group. I was also within 20 feet several times while hanging a food bag on a cable (the bear was hoping we would not be walking over tot he cable in pairs and he gave up the idea after 3 or 4 hangings/retrievals of the food bags.

My favorite was one morning when I went over to filter water at Pyrites Creek. I ambled out of camp, sat down on a "comfy" boulder, cast my Sweetwater line (about 2 feet long) and started pumping water into my quart bottles. Then I casually surveyed the creek and my surroundings. You, know how it is before the first cup of coffee - not 100% yet. Then my eyes landed on the big black thing drinking water across the creek from me. Yes, it was a black bear. He was curious why I was going to such measures to get water when all he did was lower his head.

All of these encounters were on backpack trips on the Quinault River Trail back int he 90s. On one trip we saw 16 different black bears.

Oh, a bear tripped over my tent line at Lake of the Woods. I didn't see him, just heard him.

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