Wild Species
Loaded For Bear
On this day, and as the cargo bay of my mobile indicates, I was out playing radio while involved in wildlife photography.
Although its late fall in this photo, and I'm parked just below the summit of the Highwood Pass in Kananaskis Country, located in the southern Alberta Rockies, there is still the potential to spot bears, and that means both Black bears and Grizzly bears.
Recently I've had conversations with conservation officers, and they have noticed that bear behaviour has changed over the years, with some bears, and in particular grizzly bears not going in to hibernation.
It is now recommended that cross-country skiers, and snowshoers as well as hikers, carry bear-spray while participating in outdoor adventures in the winter months, as the potential to run in to a grizzly bear is a possibility.
Several years ago while involved in wildlife photography in Banff Park, a park ranger showed me where a big silvertip grizzly bear had been hanging out, and it was in the middle of winter.
The ranger told me that this particular grizzly would pick a spot to slumber for a while, but was quite active, and there was the potential for cross-country skiers in the area to run in to him. The bear was feeding on grain spilt from passing trains on the CP Rail line located in the Bow Valley corridor between Banff and Lake Louise, and the area had cross-country trails set that ran parallel to the rail line.
Most outdoor enthusiasts participating in winter activities have no idea that the potential for encountering a bear is a possibility, thinking that the bears are all denned up for the winter......well maybe not!
Now where did I put my bear spray......
Click on the photo for a closer look......
