Grizzly Fishing

[Richard C. Jones]

This animal is looking for salmon, my guide was very confident I was safe as the bear was only interested in salmon, "They are not interested in putting white Anglo Saxon males
over 70 on the menu" he joked , but from the front of the boat where I was closer to the bear, I asked "What if he gets my age wrong and thinks I'm younger?" My guide quipped
"Then you're bear bait" Sorry for the out of focus, I do have an excuse, but I'm guessing excuses will not be tolerated. This was very close, but I really did have confidence in my guide,
after all he did have a can of spray in a quick draw holster.

 

[Barrysprout]

The shot looks much sharper on your Flickr stream Richard might be a better idea to share files from there rather than the method you have used for this. At 640mm 1/60th of a second shot from a boat I think I can forgive a small amount of movement.

 

[Richard C. Jones]

The shot looks much sharper on your Flickr stream Richard might be a better idea to share files from there rather than the method you have used for this. At 640mm 1/60th of a second shot from a boat I think I can forgive a small amount of movement.

Well thank you Sir for your most helpful post. I cant post from Flickr as the site has been messed with by Varisign and I'm locked out. Thanks for pointing out the IQ difference, due probably to multiple saves on the JPG. The light was very low and I had to take what I could, the slow shutter speed and wide aperture all contributed to the poor focus.

 

[speyghillie]

I know the feeling Richard, the only difference was I was fishing when a Grizzly came over towards me, no camera but that wasn't the first thought I had, where did you take the image as a matter of interest ?
Gordon.

 

[Richard C. Jones]

I know the feeling Richard, the only difference was I was fishing when a Grizzly came over towards me, no camera but that wasn't the first thought I had, where did you take the image as a matter of interest ?
Gordon.

Hi Gordon, this was taken in September 2013 on a camera cruise aboard a wonderfully restored 104 year old traditional schooner, cruising the Inside Passage now referred to as the Haida Gwaii. It was an amazing trip and I have many more photos of the more common Black Bear and also the very rare genetic variant, the white Spirit Bear as named by the First Nations people living in that area of BC. Its colour is more yellow like a Yellow Labrador. I will make time to post some of them. Thanks for your interest and cutting me a break on my poor shot. You may prefer to go to my Flickr site for more bear shots. A caveat though, they're not all tack sharp as many had to be heavily cropped due to distance as with the spirit bear.

 

[speyghillie]

Hi Richard,
I know the area very well, I have some very good First Nation friends I stayed with for a couple of years, I have also visited that area of BC more than 40 times over the years from my home in Scotland, would be great to see the Spirit bear on here, I have fished with Black Bears and had a couple of cubs come right up to me, great to see but you really want them to go away as mum will be around somewhere, but no Spirit bears, I have a friend that has moved from Chilliwack to Haida, time to visit him as I know he has a really good boat too.
If you ever plan to go back to BC let me know as I have some very good guide friends and know great places for wildlife as I guide small groups of Photographers from the Okanagan to Vancouver Island, anyway will would be good to see the Spirit bear.
I see the Grizzlies at Grouse mountain have appeared after hibernation https://www.grousemountain.com/news/grinder-and-coola-awake-from-hibernation#.Vwt9cMvmpjo

Thanks Gordon.

 

[Richard C. Jones]

Hi Richard,
I know the area very well, I have some very good First Nation friends I stayed with for a couple of years, I have also visited that area of BC more than 40 times over the years from my home in Scotland, would be great to see the Spirit bear on here, I have fished with Black Bears and had a couple of cubs come right up to me, great to see but you really want them to go away as mum will be around somewhere, but no Spirit bears, I have a friend that has moved from Chilliwack to Haida, time to visit him as I know he has a really good boat too.
If you ever plan to go back to BC let me know as I have some very good guide friends and know great places for wildlife as I guide small groups of Photographers from the Okanagan to Vancouver Island, anyway will would be good to see the Spirit bear.
I see the Grizzlies at Grouse mountain have appeared after hibernation https://www.grousemountain.com/news/grinder-and-coola-awake-from-hibernation#.Vwt9cMvmpjo

Thanks Gordon.

This was very interesting and pleasurable to read. Thank you so much for sharing your own experiences in the Haida Gwaii. Even if one did not see much in the way of wild life, just being in such a wild pristine place fills me with joy. It sounds from your post that you are as empathic to the wonderful First Nations folks as me. It was an amazing trip, the forest the critters and the people who live there. I will now make an effort to post the Spirit Bear shots. I repeat the caveat, they are very heavily cropped and it gives the impression they have had a painting filter applied. Other than the heavy cropping, there is no other major PP. Thanks for your latest post, it was very enjoyable, took me home.