Does this grizzly smell me?
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- Опубліковано 2 лип 2022
- I first saw this grizzly bear in the early morning light at about 120 yards. I spend much more time than usual observing this bear for only one reason. People continue to say that grizzlies smell you 20 miles away and they track you (read comments on my video "Real life grizzly encounter caught on video"). So in this video I try to show that this is not the case. I spend over one hour videoing and observing this grizzly with the breeze basically blowing right towards the bear, when it did blow, and never once did it smell me. They have their nose in the ground smelling for food and concentrating on that. Grizzlies do not track you either, they try to avoid you. This hike is close to the Yellowstone boundary just outside of the park.
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You are the man....I have learned so much about the best way to hike through the woods from you. I so much prefer your stealth approach ("see them before they see you") which also allows you to see all the other wildlife that otherwise would have run away from all the "hey bear" yelling most folks do when hiking. I have also learned (from you) to slow down my pace and be very careful not to surprise a preoccupied grizzly. As with so many other things in life, SITUATIONAL AWARENESS is the key.
Thanks for another great video, Stan.
Just a few days ago, a man age 68 from Buffalo NY surprised a grizzly at high altitude in Wyoming. Lucky for him he had a personal locator beacon. He had no time to deploy bear spray. Airlifted to a Billings, MT hospital.
The bear is busy. It may know you are around, one way or another, but he's content. People think nothing of hurling themselves down freeways but fear walking peacefully in nature. Thanks for your videos. Love from Alberta. 👍😎🇨🇦🌲🐻
thanks, this is what I thought too... when there is no "need" then they wouldn't
The trash left behind makes me so mad! People are just pigs.
I agree with you. Quiet hiking is the best experience. The risk is there, but you are risking more just driving out to the park. The only thing I would not do is hike in the dark. Really enjoyed this video. Beautiful country.
Grizzlies have the best nose in the wilderness, their eyesight is as good as yours, their hearing is about was good as any canine. At 300 yards you can bet he knows you are there. Whether he smells you depends on the wind. They are incredibly smart. A lot of things come into play with smell. Too damp, too dry, too much wind, no wind, he has his nose buried in the kill. They will act as though they are not concerned, but probably he knows you are there, but wild animals sometimes treat each other with disinterest.
Can he smell him? That DEPENDS.
@@flynnstone3580 most smell you, that depends.
Like Stan said, it’s not that he CANT smell him that far, it’s that he’s not TRYING to smell him that far away. That bear has one thing and one thing only on his mind and that’s the flowers/roots/bulbs he’s digging after. Bears aren’t out there sniffing for humans and then darting off the second they’d smell something. If they did they do nothing but run non stop.
Peaceful, quiet hiking is how my dad taught us. It is less stress on the animals and you get to enjoy them in a more natural context. Like you said, build on your experiences and learn from others. Thank you Stan for your amazing vlogs, and may God continue to bless you the good health to enjoy your time out in His creation!!
Quiet hiking is how you can get attacked and possibly killed in grizzly country. Always make lots of noise and speak loudly every few minutes especially when walking against the wind.
Yeah, sneak up on them. That's a bright idea. 😂
@@snappingbear He's been out there for many, many years never even had to use his bear spray.
@@michaelderyder426 If you pay attention that is exactly what he does not do.
@@marilynwillett804 So? none absolutely none of that counters the facts I stated. He has been fortunate, but luck isn't a substitute for brains. Moreover, he is in an area with a relatively low density grizzly population not in the some place like Glacier Park or Canada or Alaska where hiking quietly is a dumb thing to do in grizzly country.
Thanks for sharing this with us.
Thank you for picking up all the garbage that you came across.
Great wildlife photography and fascinating reflections on Grizzlies and hiking in the wilderness. And thanks for picking up after the slobs who have no respect for this beautiful area.
I truly enjoy your videos. I’ve learned a lot watching them and I appreciate your approach to wildlife viewing and your respect for them, the land, and the creator!
Thank you Stan for picking up people's trash, you're quite a nice person! Also, I want to thank you for showing us such majestic animals like the Moose, the 2 Elk cows, the pretty bird in the tree and the Deer at the end of the video, all wonderful beings, I wish them all a very long and uneventful life /lives! 🤗🤗🤗
I so admire your philosophy with respect to your treatment of wildlife.
It’s very sad to see people’s disrespect of America’s last wild places
Many thanks for sharing another education video in backcountry of the Yellowstone ecosystem.
Such beautiful country! Love what you do Stan, I’m able to enjoy the scenery through your thoughtful lens and almost smell the forest..like I’m right there!
Thank you for the lesson while on your hike. As always great shots.
Stan, your videos are first hand videos. I hike alone and I feel more comfortable using your guidance. Your art work is beautiful, you have a touch above what I have. Inspires me to enjoy to create more projects!
Love the opportunity to go on your hikes to see the beauty and wildlife. Thanks for sharing.
Extremely engaging video - vicariously took us along the ride! My favorite moments aside from the Grizzly section is around 25:10 - that birdie! Thanks Stan, stay safe!
Thank you for your stewardship of our environment. And for sharing the outdoor experience with your viewers.
Thank you again, Stan, for this great video with explanations etc. Everyone should admire your thoughtfulness, experience, and knowledge from your years of the greater YNP area. So wonderful to get to witness that area in your captures of great stuff.
Ya gotta love it! 😍 I LOVE YNP. I would be there every week if I could.
Beautiful Stan
Happy July 4th to you and yours
Your respect for nature should be required viewing in every grade school classroom
.
What ever happened to “Give a Hoot don’t pollute”. When I was a kid that was a daily commercial on TV.
Another great video! I really enjoy that you take us along and educate us! I have learned a lot, so much! I still have a fear of hiking without a guide in bear country! We travel through by car and do camp with a travel trailer. Getting out deep in the park and seeing wildlife would be awesome! I need to be braver use the knowledge and skills I have! Thank you for picking up garbage as you find it - can't believe that people leave that! Your videos are really informative - you do not need to worry about the negative people! Thank you!
Right on Stan, totally agree with your philosophy. Nice video
Thank you for sharing. Wherever you are....it is gorgeous. Always be safe!
Finally a sensible, quiet, respectable video. I love nature and I agree with everything you say about hiking quietly and appreciating the world God made.. Thank you.
Words of wisdom. Thank you. You are safer hiking with grizzlies than people walking the streets of a large city. This is one of my favorite videos. Keep hiking.
If you are too close to them, and they are very hungry, they might attack.
Wild animals live in relative harmony with each other and are not walking around looking to beat up something. The eat when they are hungry, sleep when they are tired, and fight when they are threatened. The wolf, the coyote, the fox, the grizzly, elk, deer, moose, all live in the same environment without trouble. It is man that cannot seem to fit in.
@@michaelmurray4410 Wild animals are NOT living in harmony with each other like some fairy tale from a clueless Disney movie. The natural world is brutal and very harsh. It is is as the saying goes red in tooth and claw. Most of the animals in wild places die horrible deaths of either starvation, painful disease and injuries or predation where they are ripped apart and eaten. Predators are often walking (or flying or swimming) around trying not just to beat something up, but to kill and eat it. When hungry that is what they do.
I love your videos. They are so relaxing. I have to rewatch this one. It was so relaxing.. So peaceful. Unfortunately people are pigs. Sorry for all the junk you had to pick up. I don't understand why people don't understand , if you pack it in, pack it out. Our little park is being used as a trash dump by city people. It is so DISGUSTING. Thank you for your lovely video. Happy 4th of July.
Not all city people and you would be surprised at how locals and "country" folk can leave refuse as well. There are good and evil all over. Have a good day.
Lovely walk. The country and the critters are incredible. Thank you.🐌
As much as I respect what you do I disagree with your thoughts on weather a bear can smell you. They have the ability to smell carrion from miles away. The bear may very well smell you but not perceive you as a threat. If you were a boar and the bear you are observing was a female with cubs, downwind of you, don't think she would smell you? When I backpacked in grizzly country I always had a camp and a cook area. In the cook area I left all articles of clothing with food smells and other items with odors (toothpaste) in the cook areal I changed clothes and slept in another area.
A well-founded, well-rounded personal philosophy, Stan. Was nice to hear you give credit to the Source of all that beauty. Hopefully some of the litterbugs will see this and take it to heart.
Beautiful!! Thank you, sir!!
That was a beautiful hike . You were on trash duty . A lot of littering. Nice green fields of bear food. Nice to see you enjoying the great outback. Nice moose grazing. Thank you enjoyed watching.
Honestly the skunks scare me more than anything! Great video thank you for sharing your adventures!
Certainly was a beautiful hike. Hopefully some day people will learn LNT.
Yeah, I enjoy soli hiking. When you're not talking and not distracted you see more. Thanks 😊 🙏
Great Video Stan ! Walking through the wild sage , it smells AWSOME . It helps clean the air. 👍👍👍😊 Happy & Safe Independence Day . 🇺🇸
Good hike Stan, sad to see the trash the slobs leave
Hey Stan,
When I first started watching your videos back in 2020 I was amazed how relaxed you were while hiking alone in grizzly country. Back then I was absolutely terrified to go hiking alone around Yellowstone or Grand Teton areas. In 2021 I started working for an agency in a position with grizzly bears and now have learned that hiking alone isn't necessarily a death sentence. Now I can go hiking in peace without the paranoia I once had. I too have had close encounters with grizzlies on the trail and know how to handle myself in most situations. Thanks, Gunner
That is one healthy looking griz. You get a lot nearer to them than I'm comfortable doing. Stay safe and keep hiking. Maybe we'll meet on the trail somewhere.
So great & relaxing to watch:)
You are so peaceful this world is so messed up. Thank you for bringing peace back
great hike...I have never been backpacking/hiking that I didn't have to pick up trash.
Great to have Stan, in his quiet way, scorch critics claiming he’s an attention-seeking fool who endangers all grizzlies he meets (apparently by requiring them to be put down after they devour him). This, by hiking alone, often at dawn, and, yes, sometimes, gaining a bear’s attention. Also like hearing him admit he accepts the added risk that comes from doing what gives him great joy, hiking through often breathtaking country seeking wildlife. The snarky, flippant comments about Stan asking to be a bear’s next meal seem dim and childish after this most-thoughtful, well-articulated defense of a true skill (cautious, respectful, well-prepared hiking) many of us admire. Hike early and often, Stan. Your videos provide as much joy to us as the actual hike does to you.
Who are these critics? You mean just commenters?
I’m a great admirer of Stan. Love these videos and have for many years. This is a great one - I always wish he’d talk more, offer more commentary along the way. And I appreciate the fact that he’s rewriting the book on solo hiking in grizzly country…I’ve learned a ton and I think he’s figured out so much and could swap stories with a Shoshone brave of 150 years ago….
and yet…
I can’t quite dismiss people who express concern - and sure, some is laced with unnecessary snark - but the fact that Stan has lived to see another day doesn’t mean he’s not taking elevated risks….if I cross the street 100 times blindfolded, it’s entirely possible I’ll be unharmed. But my lack of injury doesn’t prove that blindfolds are a superior method to looking both ways. They *might* be…just as solo/quiet hiking *might* be superior to numbers where everyone wears a bell and a bullhorn…but Stan’s videos - where he sees animals and walks away unharmed - don’t necessarily prove that’s ‘the way’. It’s entirely possible he’s simply gotten lucky, he’s been dodging bullets, and a few months from now we’ll all start wondering why Stan hasn’t posted a video in a while…and then we’ll find out his luck ran out.
I went thru this a few yrs ago with a youtube channel of a totally different flavor, but kind of a similar risk profile - Stobe the Hobo made freight-hopping videos for 3-4 years…had been doing it offline for a decade. Videos were akin to Stan in many ways. He made it look accessible, easy, had developed a set of loose safety rules, seemed like he found a safe way to do it…then in November 2018…Stobe went dark…and a month or two later we learned the bad news. This veteran, this expert, was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and was killed by a train…
Stan, thanks for another great video. Also, thanks for picking up the trash left by slobs. I can never understand people who can carry in a can or bottle full of liquid but when it’s empty it’s “too heavy” for them to pack out so they discard it on the trail. Are they too lazy to pack it out, don’t know any better or just don’t care? It would not surprise me if some of the trash was discarded by horse packers, based on my experience with them.
Great perspective.
Hi Stan, thank you for this hike vid. Question at the back 🙋🏼♀️
How many more grizz's are likely to be with in 300 yds in any direction as you're glassing that one snacking bear?
What's the population of bears where you hike? Be well & Blessings to you & yours.
P.S. You Sir, are the very antithesis of Tredwell. Now, I'll have a go at comparing apples to aubergines...
In my humble opine, of the Mountain Trekker/Outdoorsman/ecologists/Nature guide vlogger type dude category, I find your content rivals Sir David Attenborough.
Outstanding sir. I have always marveled at people who have the confidence to hike alone in grizzly country. But, you pass on the knowledge to one to venture out, carefully and with a degree of confidence to do so with prudence and care as you say to not disturb the wildlife, but being prepared to deal with a surprise close encounter with an “upset” or injured grizzly. I’m not quite there, but maybe I will. Maybe I will. Oh, and thank you for picking up the trash that disrespectful hikers left. I’m appalled at the utter disrespect. Take care!
Stan, I enjoy all of your videos but your last three on grizzlies are intriguing. I would think today's bear would have looked in your direction a little more if he smelled you. You are teaching me a lot and reinforcing what I learned from others, especially Dad. Would you care to comment on the grizzly's sense of sight? For a week I have been trying to figure out if that bear in low light from last week saw you. Thanks also for encouraging people to pick up other's trash. I seem to find the most garbage where the horse hunters roam. Thanks for what you do.
I like to see before I'm seen. The only way is quiet and easy going. My wife asked me if it was boring walking in and out the same way. As she said , after all you have seen that area already. I told her , by returning and seeing the other side of everything I saw going in. Here in Central Florida several years ago. I walked down a path of Florida sugar sand. Gong in I spooked a deer that was about 20 feet from me , no idea which one us jumped the highest when it snorted and took out. Later returning by the same path I noticed Panther tracks over my foot prints , going the same direction that I had gone. I'm sure it saw me. Probably sat in the bushes ( laughing , IF THEY LAUGH ) and watched me walk by not knowing it was there. Panther 1 point , Me 0 points.
Stan, wife and I are in Yellowstone now and been hiking around and all I can think about is you and these videos. There’s a dead bison in the Antelope BMA up above Tower. We just spent all evening watching a black and grey wolf, black bear, and grizzly move around the carcass. No where tops Yellowstone.
Also have a hiking/backpacking question I plan on email you soon.
Amazing 👍👍 Nice video ✌
Stan, you're a grizzly bear magnet. But you're still in one piece so you must be doing something right.
In bear country, I am typically looking to shoot videos & photos; for this reason, I always hike alone but ... I will stop occasionally, listen, look back, look up into the trees, look for recent scat, prints and scratch marks. Most of the bears I've seen are running away from me, so fast, I can't even get a photo. But always have bear spray; never used it but reached a point where I had to remove it from its holster, take the safety off as I backed away. Only 15 feet away and both of us were out in the open - it ignored me but it sure knew I was there.
I would pack my Smith & Wesson 500 every time.
Thank you for the video and picking up the trash. Is the Vortex monocular a range finder ? LNT
That bear can smell you a mile away.
Man you have a good eye to see those things... makes you wonder how the folks got up that away with so much?
Good Scenario👍👍👍👍
Many of us love nature we enjoy being out there doing various recreational activities but one thing we must keep in mind is nature and wild life are as real and cruel as it gets and when your alone in the back country or even with someone else keep that in mind it is easy to get to comfortable in your environment like the Yellowstone, when a person is out there enough you grow more and more comfortable with it, you may let down your guard some, its easy to do we all do it, its human nature, so try not to let this happen stay aware, and alert do the right things and hope for the best because when it comes to bears the outcome in a confrontation is unpredictable.
Who ever said you are like Treadwell is so wrong, you are nothing like Treadwell, I'm surprised he lasted as long as he did before his demise, he was delusional, it was just a matter of time, I am with you vicariously, since I am homebound, I enjoy the videos you share...Thank you
Inspiring videos Stan💪, may i ask you what model of your equipment that you showed us on the trail, the sort of small telescope? Thank you for your work 🙏
That was a Vortex moonscope. 8X36 I think.
@@StanMills thank you!
If a Grizzly smelled me and headed my way, I would just take my shoes off. He would run the opposite way immediately. LOL.
Hi Stan what kind of protection do you have with you on your hikes in the case you meet a grizzly? Besides bearspray do you carry a weapon? Thanks for uploading …you have a new subscriber😀 greetings from The Netherlands.
Netherlands, beautiful and clean country. I’ve been there once. I always take 2 cans of bear spray but have never used one. Thank you for your comment.
I'm sure a grizzly bear would track you down, if, it was very hungry.
Nice hike, you kept a close watch on that bear. He was a good distance away so no charge. Was a friend of his close by? The one you see in the distance is not the one who bites your butt.
Your videos are just beautiful. I wish everyone could injoy this beauty. But people please when you go to these places please leave no traces that you were there. Someone just dropped their batteries on the ground and left them. Its up to all of us to keep nature beautiful. Please let's stop destroying our world. Thank you Stan for everything you do. God bless you.
Too bad about the amount of trash that is left behind by folks. Great video!
The grizzlies know your person forsure!!!
Are you leary of walking up to a hill top knowing there might be a grizzly on the other side? Has that happened yet? Thanks as usual for all of your vids! Awesome work!
It happens very often. Seems like they are always over a little hump or small hill.
It obviously has to do with which way the wind is going. They can smell u from great distances down wind or if they are on the trail your on but if they are not down wind than no animal can smell you. That also doesn’t mean they will come towards the smell as it might scare them away. It looked like a valley so wind probably was going down or up...that’s reason why that wolf came and went the way it did. You can go almost scent free by washing your clothes in unscented detergent and spraying those clothes with scent spray. Also get a shower with unscented soap. Spray the bottom of your boots with spray and use unscented deodorant. If you don’t feel like constantly washing your clothes than u can buy a scent bag for around $250. You stick your clothes in and it destroys all odors.
At 2:43 the bear looks right at you
Stan have you ever been in a dangerous situation with a wild animal? I’d imagine with as many miles as you have hiked out there that something might have happened.
I would say, "Does this bear have my scent?" or "Does this bear have wind of me?". Using smell sounds like you need to bath more often. 🙂
You are nothing like Tim Treadwell , the respect you have for God’s animals is truly beautiful . God Bless
Good info on being quite and respectful to the animals. It's a shame the trash you had to pick up.
The thermals probably played some part in him picking your scent up. Whether there is a breeze or not, the thermals are always moving one way or another. You’re right he was focused but your smell didn’t reach him I don’t think, so I have to assume the thermals were moving down. Thanks for posting it stan. Was hoping you’d post some video this wkend. Missing home a lot lately
Yup
That just shows how disrespectful some people can be to throw their trash in a national park like that of all places!
Very cool, well said. We must go into nature with reverence and respect. There is a peace and stillness in nature that we humans have mostly been disconnected from.
I would also say, there are other variables to an animal smelling a human. Some of the perfumes/colognes, shampoos, soaps and machine washing detergents with tons of perfume that linger and are intense, would be smelled a lot easier than if you were someone who didn't wear or use any of that. Hell, I could smell people with perfume/scented products on from that distance...
I"ve come across those "Hey Bear!" hikers. I just tell them, "I'm coming back on the trail you're heading out to. I haven't come across any bears, so I think you're 99.9% safe from a bear attack.So why not just enjoy the peaceful place you're in and be a part of it." Or words to that effect.
I think it did, when it paused & looked your way.
Miles, what kind of waterproof boots are you wearing? They seem waterproof, non slip and knee high?
Stan your right, I'd say the best way to see wildlife is to be like a hunter, whether with a camera or bow or rifle, my only suggestion to everyone hiking in bear country is try not to smell like food either, keep the human scent going because most animals are afraid of humans more than anything, that would be the main difference between your average hiker and a hunter the hunter is trying to cover the human scent.
If he's down wind of you , then yes he smelled you .
It makes my blood boil!
So, have you ever had to deploy your bear spray? And if so, under what circumstances?
Do you have the same approach with black bears?
Grizzlyyyyyy and Stan are bride and groom
Bear hasn't been able to smell much of anything since his bout with Covid
Better to learn to respect than fear.
Given that a grizzly has more olfactory sensory neurons than a blood hound, it's possible but it would have to scanning for you. Swinging its' head back and forth, huffing breath in and out, standing on back feet would give the message that its' interest is piqued. Absent those kind of indicators, you could get very close, as it fed, unaware. But...then what? 😳🥴
I don't care how careful someone thinks they are. All it takes is for ONE grizzly having a bad day to ruin your day. There is NOTHING out there worth seeing for me to risk my life with a Grizzly, wolf or anything else. Life is complicated enough. I don't need to make it more complicated OR Stressful by going into the few places they have left and bother them. But then, I prefer to use the common sense God gave me.
There is always rude people
Beautiful wilderness to hike. Sad to see so much trash.
How or who made it to hunt bear? I thought there numbers were low?
If one of these come after you in a predatory manner then what? You are playing a dangerous game here young Stan.
Stan has been hiking in the back country of Yellowstone for a long time, I’m pretty sure he knows what he’s doing and is prepared for anything.
Bear Spray is pretty effective but no way I would be hiking there without a large caliber firearm.
I wonder if bears in a park are so habituated to the smell of humans in their environment without suffering any negative consequences, they no longer react to our smell?
What a beautiful tan coyote... and bird at the end... I have no idea what it is.
Looks like a Grey (or Canada) Jay
Clark's Nutcracker as of the Lewis and Clark
Does the bear spray work on other animals such as lions, moose and elk?
yes it will it is very powerfull pepper spray when deployed in the face or sinus cavity area it will irritate the area very badly
when walking through such dense and wild parts of wood, you should make some noise, I hope you know that
Hasn't smelled you or just does not care. I have been near them at Kenai and they did not care I was there.
It all depends on how well they are eating and whether or not you surprise them.
The last thing I would do is hike in wild bear country. No.
Henry, that is what most people say. But when they do it and actually see a bear it turns out to be one of their most amazing experiences of their life. Thanks for your comment.