Grizzly Watching

Grizzly Bears are magnificent and the biggest reason visitors choose our lodge!

Grizzly bears thrive here and the viewing opportunities are spectacular. We have operated our Grizzly Bear Lodge for decades and know the prime spots for bear watching. The ultimate grizzly bear photo opportunities.

Good fishing for Grizzly Bears

Salmon eating grizzly

The summer of 2014 was a good summer for the grizzlies because of the early arrival of the salmon in the river. This brought more bears to the river in early August before we were viewing the grizzlies from the viewing platforms. Once we were in the platforms the bears that were fishing close had many salmon to choose from and tended to stay longer in the area. As this photo shows there were often salmon floating around the bears so they had their pick for lunch.

 

 

See you at the Lodge

I (one of the guides at the lodge) have signed off the blog for awhile, to go to work where the Internet reception makes it hard to upload pictures. I leave you with a few comments. The majority of the pictures used in the blog were taken with a Pentax Optio 6MP 3X Optical Zoom (a good, but small pocket digital) the pictures attributed to Glen came from a much better camera and of course the guest pictures are from a variety of cameras.

Nursing Grizzly Bear

Nursing Grizzly

Not hard to tell that this is a nursing mother. The same mother in the July 1st posting and she has three cubs. This grizzly and her cubs were frequently fishing next to the viewing stands. There are three viewing times on the Glendale River set by government agencies and we are one of two lodges that has permission to use this area. Our time is between ten and noon daily. The scheduled use of the stands brings a routine for the bears and that means that many of the big males leave these times for the mothers, cubs and sub-adult bears. We do see a few large males but even though this is great for the guests if a large male is fishing most other bears remain in the bush until it leaves. As a guide I prefer ten or twelve grizzlies to one large male.

 

 

Grizzlies waiting for?

Grizzlies in River

Mid-august and we are slowly moving up the river in a 5.5 meter (yard) skiff as the tide rises. We arrived from the Lodge after an hour and fifteen minute ride up scenic Knight Inlet where, on this day, we spent time watching a black bear and several bald eagles fishing. On arrival we tied to the floating dock and transferred to the skiff and cruised the shore before entering the river as the tide rose. As you can see from the photo these grizzlies are not interested in the action behind them they are focused on the salmon in the river.

 

 

Grizzly cub staying close

Grizzly and Cub

First year grizzly bear cubs tend to stay close to their mother in most situations but this time it became an issue. We are in the viewing platform on Knight Inlet’s Glendale River, which we use after August 24th to watch grizzlies. This side of the platform overlooks the entrance to the spawning channel where salmon gather and wait before entering the spawning area. It is also one of the best areas to pick up salmon that have been killed or injured by other grizzlies. Because of all of this cubs often get in the way when mother is trying to fish and are sent to shore sometimes by a growl and others with a slap. This one got the growl and waited on the bank for a salmon to be delivered.

 

 

Grizzly Cub Trying For The Shore

Cub catching salmon

Once these first year grizzly bear cubs do catch a salmon they need to eat it on the riverbank. The pool they are fishing has many salmon that died of the heat this summer. The water level in the river and spawning channel was very low and the temperature high. This meant the oxygen level in the water was too low for the salmon and several thousand died. Bad for the salmon but good for the bears as they were able to pick up salmon from the bottom and take them to shore. The only problem for this cubs was that it’s sibling was in front and not moving out of the way.

 

 

Waiting for a rising tide

Grizzlies in the river

Prior to August 25th grizzly bears tours are in the Glendale River and its estuary. We use a flat bottom skiff to move up river with the incoming tide. Frequently the first sighting of grizzly bears is from a distance, which requires a telephoto lens for good pictures. Today’s posting is an example of that first sighting of four grizzlies which became close-up photos once the tide rose a little more. The first view of a grizzly is the most exciting and from talking with guests over the years it is often more memorable than the closer encounters. For the closer encounter just scroll through the previous postings.

 

Good Timing Photo

Dolphins Playing

Pacific whitesided dolphin love to play in the wake of the boat or to ride the bow wave. The most reliable way to obtain photos when you are traveling with a pod of several hundred is to point and click as many times as possible. Once you return to the lodge you can delete all the pictures of sky and water and you may have one or two keepers. The best way to enjoy the dolphins is to put down your camera and buy one of the photos that Glen, one of the guides, has for sale. This running with the dolphins can happen on any of the day trips whether to view grizzly bears, whales or a visit to the wild river on the extra day in camp.

 

 

Grizzly Bears Diving

Grizzly head shake

The lodge uses a viewing platform on the Glendale River after August 24th. The platform is located so two sides are the natural river and the third is the entrance to a man-made spawning channel. This third side has deeper water than the river and requires the grizzlies to dive to pick up the dead salmon that have drifted down from the shallower water. This is by far the easiest way to fish for little energy is used for the calories gained. This type of headshake occurs frequently and is likely to clear the water form the ears. Are you are wondering about the forth side to the stands?  That would be the walkway to get to the stands.

 

 

Grizzly Bear Kissing?

Grizzly mother and cub

This may appear to be a nuzzle or “kiss” from a mother to a cub but it was more of a discipline growl. At the edge of the photo is the cub that got the message and was moving away but the other stayed. The message was if you want food you need to get out of the way and let me fish. The one cub being disciplined was more interested in playing but playtime was over.