Grizzlies and blacktail deer

Grizzly and deer

This is a common sight in the Glendale River estuary of Knight Inlet, which is the main location for the lodge’s grizzly bear tours. The spring sedge grass that both the deer and grizzlies graze is high in protein and keeps the bears going until the salmon arrive in August. Only once in my ten years guiding have I seen a bear attempt to catch a deer and that was after a deer had swum across the bay and the bear assumed it was tired but it wasn’t. On the flat of the beach the deer have an advantage and the energy use does not compare to the possible gain.