The fear of man

We've noticed this year of a bear problem like never before. Grizzly bears seem to be everywhere. Trains plow'n em off the tracks. Hunters be'n attacked, bears kill'n calves, kill'n sheep, raiding chicken coops wandering around neighborhoods look'n for handouts.

It's nice to live around wildlife but there should be a limit.

Then over east, near the Rocky Mountain Front, I think near the town of Pendroy west of Conrad, the ranchers couldn't get all their grain in because of the early snowstorm. So now it's fermenting and griz is bottoms up--well sorta. Anyway, someone saw eight bears staggering around gett'n ready for a long winter nap. I'm sure just what some rancher or hunter wants around is some tipsy bears. Bad enough when they're sober.

Many moons ago I had close encounter of the bears kind. Let me tell ya makes the hair on your neck stand up. These things ain't noth'n to cozy up to. Had one on the summit at our old place that come within 20 feet of turn'n me into bearburger.

It's true when you live in bear country, you can expect and should expect an ol' bruin will from time to time come look'n for an easy meal and we should be responsible enough to lock up our chicken food and garbage. However sometimes griz will tear the door off. You can only do what you can and should do. As long as there are humans and bears we'll have problems.

So what's the solution to the problem? In my opinion (and I'm entitled to one), any animal that's hunted will have a much greater fear of man. We need a limited grizzly bear hunt in some areas. May not be the total answer but in the long run it will even save many bears. And as bears over populate it will only get worse.

I was think'n about that guy years ago who had a elk tag down on the Clearwater, shot a elk and was dressing it. He was mauled and killed by a bear. Anyone this day and age who kills an elk better have eyes in the back of your head or someone to stand guard with a 338. Sad about that guide over in Wyoming who was killed and near him was an empty bear spray can. Those things work sometimes but sometimes they don't.

Then there was the poor soul north of Kalispell rid'n down a road on his bike and got mauled by griz---not a good way to die.