What a fat bear!
This year hasn't been a great year for bear-viewing probably because of the incredible huckleberry crop up here and the odd weather. In October, however, things began to pick up a little.
Here is a record of some more of your sightings.
October 8th
7.15am. Saw apple this morning on east side of Golf. She was eating clover and appeared extremely fat. She seemed a little more wary than normal and after a while moved off into the bush.
In the afternoon had a short glimpse of another smaller grizzly.
October 10th
7.30am. Apple was at Golf again. She moved up and down between there and the creek a little below, but seemed more wary than usual again. Then she moved back to the apple tree at Golf. She may be too fat to climb. To bring down the apples she just kind of reached forward with her huge belly and appeared as if she couldn't even stand up straight! Occasionally she grabbed the tree and shook it to bring down more apples. Then she begins to eat clover again. Fantastic viewing.
October 11th
Moose at 48. Very shy. That afternoon we watched Apple eating grass, clover and apples for more than an hour. Eventually she swam across the river and headed off downstream. Great display and some very happy guests.
October 14th
Just one dark silhouette of a bear today behind the car. Moved off into river.
October 15th
Amazing viewing just before lunch. We spotted Rapid Bear just south of the creek and then went ahead through the bushes and waited by the riverside. For more than three quarters of an hour we watched in absolute silence as he approached, stopping every few seconds to grab another salmon.
When he was about 100 feet away he saw us, sniffed and then carried on up the river. It was so quiet we could hear him crunching the fish in his mouth. Then as he drew parallel - now only only about 60 feet away - we resumed normal conversation so that we didn't surprise him at very close quarters. He moved up onto the bank, huffed a little and then moved off. At 2.00pm we saw him again - this time from the raft at almost exactly the same spot.
October 16th
Dawn at Sierra Charlie Gillian came across a bear on foot near dead fish corner. he ran off into the bushes with a lot of crashing.
October 19th
Watched a tall bear fishing at Hotel 485 for a while. He was tall and fairly thin, certainly compared to the others who seem to have had an amazing summer.
Then in the afternoon a cougar on the side of the river. Very rare sighting!
At 4.15pm a good viewing of a female sub-adult (watched her pee so definitely female). probably 2.5 years old. Saw her one more time before leaving.
