Science Division Live: Colorado's Last Grizzly Bear

[@mtngrammy6953]

Thanks for the good story and explanation of the last Grizzly in Colorado. I've lived in Colorado all my life and for the past 53 years in the foothills of the Front Range, so I live with the black bears, lions, bobcats, elk and deer, etc. Love it. And, yes, I've seen many Grizzlies in Wyoming, Canada and Alaska. I once had to open my unscreened window to scream in a black bear's face that did not want to scare off with my banging on the window (and the dogs' barking). I guess I was pretty scary, since he did run off at that point. I would not have the nerve to do that with a Grizzly! I would not ever want to move out of my "wildlife sanctuary", but I don't think I would welcome Grizzly bears here with the dense population. The black bears have shown a pretty good increase, it seems, during the time I've lived in the mountains or perhaps they have become much more habituated to people. Fifty years ago, we were lucky to see one. Now they are a much more common sight. The coyotes seem to have gone the other direction, however.

[@AZTLANSOLDIER13]

I've become obsessed with the Colorado Grizzlies. I'm a native of Colorado. I was just at the museum again today to pay my respect to the Wiseman bear. What happened to the Round River project search after Rick Bass' book. What of the scat sample? The trail goes cold in the late 90s. I absolutely support bringing large predators back to my state. People have lived with apex predators in North America for thousands of years. Once upon a time they were revered, honored, and were basically kin.

[@nmelkhunter1]

Yes, people have lived with apex predators for thousands of years. But the human population was much smaller and all that goes with it. Just the facts.

[@windymtnmann]

David Peterson wrote a book, "Ghost Grizzlies" about possible Grizzly Bears still here in Colorado, and particularly where the last one was killed, and he couldn't conclude there were any more left.

[@steveabbott1202]

In 1997 during a trip through Colorado, I watched a silver tip sow and 2 cubs moving through a meadow close to La Manga Pass off Hwy 17. The sighting occurred about 4 pm. I had a very good set of binoculars and could easily see her hump and claws. Large front end and sloped down in the back. I have hunted both grizzly and black and am 100% sure they were grizzlies. I reported the bears after arriving in Chama at a small cafe where two wardens were eating a meal. They were mildly interested at best. I reported the sighting via phone to the CDW. Again, only mild interest.

[@Antonya944]

You can't hunt grizzly bears in the lower 48 unless your talking about alaska.

[@steveabbott1202]

@@Antonya944 Yes. I hunted black and grizzly in Alaska (Cold Bay, Yakutat) and Kodiak

[@samrichardson2641]

@@steveabbott1202 dam! I plan on doing a lot more backpacking in the San Juan’s next summer. I explored the Sangre de cristo range, but i feel like someone would have seen something, it’s a pretty narrow mountain range and it’s decently popular… saw some elk up there though

[@AZTLANSOLDIER13]

@@Antonya944 yes you can. Google news stories about Grizzlies losing protection because ranchers own politicians

[@nmelkhunter1]

@@AZTLANSOLDIER13 That’s a very biased opinion.

[@windymtnmann]

Back in the years 1989 & 1990, I booked archery Elk hunts with Wiseman's "Toneda Outfitters". Ed had his base camps in both years in about the same location he was using in 1979 when the Grizzly attack occurred. (The Middle Fork of the Conejos River). Ed took me over the Continental Divide, down into the Navaho drainage and showed me where the Bear attack took place, and then the location of where he was forced to spend the night afterwards. I was in awe of taking all that in. I have his book and know there are some that doubted he killed the Bear ground fighting, and choose to believe Ed shot the Bear first and provoked the attack. One thing people don't take into consideration is the kind of man Ed was in those days. He was one powerful guy, very stocky and when you shook hands with him, you knew a strong guy had a hold of you. Not that Ed is stronger than a Grizzly of course, but the fact that he was in shape, and pretty muscular may well have factored into his being able to prevail in that fight to the death. The other thing about this, is that he was a professional Outfitter. Meaning that unless he had a Bear tag, if he shot, (poached) a Bear with a camp full of hunting clients, not only would they lose respect for him, but chances are, word would get out about the illegal kill, and he might well lose his livelihood as an Outfitter. (Not to mention that his character was NOT that sort of fellow). Not only did Ed pass the polygraph examination, his hunting client that was with him did as well.

[@nmelkhunter1]

Great comment. What is the name of Ed’s book?

[@windymtnmann]

@@nmelkhunter1 The book's title is "Grizzly Attack in Colorado, The Ed Wiseman Story". written by Ed's niece I think? who is Deb Carpenter Nolting.

[@nmelkhunter1]

@@windymtnmann Thank you. I’ll see if I can find it. Take care.

[@ericarmada5211]

I just finished reading about the Wiseman Grizzly in the book The Last Grizzly! Great read and I highly recommended it!

[@twostop6895]

The dude lied and poached it

[@AZTLANSOLDIER13]

Absolutely

[@michaelkraus4135]

I can't believe that no one has made a movie about this !

[@EranRicos]

There are the Gobi, Himalayan (India, Nepal, Pakistan, Tibet), and and Syrian/Turkey, in the Carpathian and Caucasus Mountains in Eastern Europe/Russia, and a growing number in Italy/France/Spain mountains. There are large brownies in Scandinavia, all aka “Eurasian Brown Bear”

[@ericarmada5211]

Having lived in both inland Alaska and coastal Alaska (Kodiak) I have seen many grizzly and the giant brown bears of Kodiak. I know the last one in my home state of Arizona was killed in the 30s and many people would like to see the reintroduction of the grizzly to the Southwest. I would agree as long as they were heavily monitored and we’re released in remote areas of the Mogollon Rim. Also on the subject matter of whether there is a remnant of a grizzly bear family roaming the San Juan’s, it’s possible. The habitat is there . There were alleged sightings into the 90s. You also would have to beg the question of that last one killed by wiseman being a sow must have had Cubs over the years . I guess we just need some good photographic evidence and some DNA evidence and we could put this debate to rest. I also wouldn’t put it past fish and game to know that the grizzly bear is still around, and they’re just keeping it on the down low. I know back in Vermont they were having mountain lion sightings for years and Fish & Game denied it untilone turned up with the radio collar and then they had to announce that they did know that there was a small population of them existing in the state and that the big cats were part of a study.

[@AZTLANSOLDIER13]

If parks and wildlife are conspiring to keep proof hidden it's not for altruistic reasons. If they're doing that its because their masters the ranching industry is dictating it. Wildlife agencies are not friends of conservation. There is a Federal department called WILDLIFE SERVICES. Go down that rabbit hole and research these heroes. Millions of tax dollars spent to kill millions of native wildlife at the behest of commercial industries

[@windymtnmann]

I know Ed Wiseman, and have his book as well. The Sow Grizzly that he killed was believed to have been a barren Sow, never having had Cubs. Why a Black Bear didn't do the job when she was in estrus, I can't say, but the so called experts didn't think she'd ever had Cubs, probably based on her teat examination?

[@brendacole736]

Let's keep them where they are... there's no way to keep them away from popular hiking areas simply because the vast range of a boar is enormous...😳

[@AZTLANSOLDIER13]

Yeah, because your leisure time in the woods is more important than any other consideration

[@judegarcia6135]

many confuse light colored black bear for griz..4 of us flyfishing in colorado. hiked13 miles in saw huge bear standing looking over a tree at us .we climbed huge rocks watched it leave .my brother took pictures 5 game wardens . said it was 100% male old griz..we said we took pic. in montana. have pictues to prove of bear and sighn of colo hikeing trail

[@samrichardson2641]

Can u rewrite that last part? What do u mean? Your brother took five picture game wardens?

[@AZTLANSOLDIER13]

Why didn't you report this to anyone else?

[@samrichardson2641]

@@AZTLANSOLDIER13 I think they* did after looking at the comment again, atleast to the game wardens where he was fly fishing

[@garrisp]

Yeah poplar bears and climate change we see how that went down.