Grizzly Bears

Was in Katmai National Park and got some bear pics.

10d
EF100-400L

Wow.... beautiful. But I am afraid to get that close to them...those bears are BIG!

great shots...third one the bear is looking back saying, "come on dude, one more shot and I'm going to eat that 10D of yours."

Nice bear shots!

Great captures, were they near a town??

TOP NOTCH shots!....strong work!

I like the last one the best because it looks like you had to duck behind some grass at the last second to keep from being noticed.

Thanks everyone! It was an awesome experience that I will never forget. We took a floatplane form Homer, AK and landed in a river in Katmai NP in the Swishak Bay area then we took about a 20 min hike to the sedge grass fields where the Bears were snacking. The guide/pilot (Bald Mountain Air) has been doing this trip for about 16 years without incident and depending on the time of year he will go to different places to see the Bears. Since it was early and salmon were about a week from starting their run the bears are eating the sedge grass and waiting its was also a few days before thay start breeding so they have the look of love in their eyes...well thats what I thought!

After the hike we came over a rise and there they were. So he picked 2 of us to go first (my wife and myself) and said just walk down the bank and when they look at you, and they will check you out, Just don't make eye contact and act nonchalant! Look away and continue. Um OK. So we did and they did and we sat down and they just went back to doing their Bear thing. We sat their for about 4 hours watching them come and go. It was AMAZING! Some came as close as 25 feet and did not seem to care that we were there.

Great pictures, but that's closer than I'd ever want to be.

You are correct. At that distance a grizzly can be on top of you within 2 seconds, considering that at full stride on a charge this bear can cover 16'. Some people who have survived bear charges in Alaska say that all they see is a "brown blur" before they realize what is happening. Approximately one person+ every other year (an average number) has been killed by bears in Alaska in the past 100 years. Take a look:
http://www.absc.usgs.g​ov …/bear-human_conflicts.htm

I would think that somewhere around 75 yards is too close to a bear's safety zone, and hard to tell how a bear will react.

Great shots, I sure would have used a looooooooooooooong lens, and made sure I was at least 28' away.

I am going to be in Alaska in August, but unfortunately I don't think I will have the time or money for a trip to Katmai. Shame, your bears look quite a bit larger than the ones I saw in Yellowstone!

awesome captures the last one is incredible ,,, what a thrill that must have been , your heart must have been just pounding ,,, thanx for sharing

Where will you be heading? What parts are you going to?

HEY BEAR!!!!! (that's what I've been told to shout all along while hiking in AK )

I wouldn't have been that close to him, but WOW, great shots!!!