Grizzly Bears

[Turbowolf]

Took these last June while in NW Montana as the sun was setting. Took five days to find her and the cubs. Since this photo the mother was caught and destroyed as a threat and the cubs, now known as Chocolate and Blonde, reside in the San Francisco zoo.

1/160th, f/5.6, ISO 400, 100-400 L lens @ 400mm

[Giant]

What threat was she? Is there a problem with bears in that area?

[stoneylonesome]

Nice shot. to bad they had to kill her, like said before was she a threat to anyone?

[Turbowolf]

One of the locals emptied their freezer of old meat and left it on a porch for a few days. She got into it, thus "making" her a threat to future similiar events.

She was about 500 yards from me ... not a threat to me unless she started running my direction. She was one of 31 grizzlies killed this year due to human acclimation in Montana/Idaho. She would show up along Highway 93 every few days, where people could see her and the cubs, while she grazed the grass.

[Giant]

Its a shame!!! I hate to see animals killed for our stupidity! Its like for us in South Africa, when a stupid tourist gets killed by a lion becuase he wants a closer shot (with a camera), they have to go out and kill the lion because of fears they will want human meat again.

[Turbowolf]

Its a shame!!! I hate to see animals killed for our stupidity! Its like for us in South Africa, when a stupid tourist gets killed by a lion becuase he wants a closer shot (with a camera), they have to go out and kill the lion because of fears they will want human meat again.

No Kidding. While looking for this bear I ran across a "Grizzly Photographer" who told me that the best shots can only be obtained when you are close, the closer the better. Turns out he is known for baiting bears, and for this stupid approach behavior. He also told me that shooting RAW files was nothing more than a waste of time too!!!

The sole reason I got a 100-400 IS lens was so I could work at safer distances. Eventually I hope to have the 600mm and 1200mm lenses ... may take forever, but they'll be worth it.

[sparker1]

Yes, too bad she had to be destroyed. I admire your persistence...5 days looking for the bears? I'll never be a good wildlife photographer because I lack that kind of patience. My hat's off to you.