Comments on: Not the Top of the Food Chain http://livingsmallblog.com/2005/06/14/not-the-top-of-the-food-chain/ Life, Literature, and the Subversive Power of Living Small Fri, 10 Feb 2012 23:49:42 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Lily http://livingsmallblog.com/2005/06/14/not-the-top-of-the-food-chain/comment-page-1/#comment-3664 Lily Thu, 27 Sep 2007 00:46:06 +0000 http://livingsmallblog.com/?p=275#comment-3664 Wow great story Wow great story

]]> By: Charlotte http://livingsmallblog.com/2005/06/14/not-the-top-of-the-food-chain/comment-page-1/#comment-444 Charlotte Tue, 28 Jun 2005 04:06:29 +0000 http://livingsmallblog.com/?p=275#comment-444 No -- I wasn't surprised either to see a bear in Suce Creek -- not in an intellectual sense, that is. We get them in town in the fall over here in Livingston as well, and I've seen lots of bear scat on that trail. But scat, and town sightings are one thing. All alone on a trail with a very large creature woofing at you is another thing altogether. As for bear spray -- I'm going with the stats Scott McMillion cites in his book -- for those folks who have survived, it's proven more effective than a gun, which, since I have less than no interest in carrying a handgun, means I'm going to hike with bear spray. As for the dogs -- some people say bears hate dogs, and some people seem to think they attract them -- whatever, they're my dogs and they walk with me. That's the point -- we all get a nice walk in the woods. So for now, we're sticking to the Pine Creek trail -- it's very busy, but the waterfall is gorgeous right now after all this rain. No — I wasn’t surprised either to see a bear in Suce Creek — not in an intellectual sense, that is. We get them in town in the fall over here in Livingston as well, and I’ve seen lots of bear scat on that trail. But scat, and town sightings are one thing. All alone on a trail with a very large creature woofing at you is another thing altogether. As for bear spray — I’m going with the stats Scott McMillion cites in his book — for those folks who have survived, it’s proven more effective than a gun, which, since I have less than no interest in carrying a handgun, means I’m going to hike with bear spray. As for the dogs — some people say bears hate dogs, and some people seem to think they attract them — whatever, they’re my dogs and they walk with me. That’s the point — we all get a nice walk in the woods. So for now, we’re sticking to the Pine Creek trail — it’s very busy, but the waterfall is gorgeous right now after all this rain.

]]> By: A R http://livingsmallblog.com/2005/06/14/not-the-top-of-the-food-chain/comment-page-1/#comment-443 A R Mon, 27 Jun 2005 19:22:06 +0000 http://livingsmallblog.com/?p=275#comment-443 It doesn't surprise me to hear you saw one on a busy trail. I live in Bozeman and every Fall, we have bears in town. I have seen scat and tracks on the M trail as well. I am not a huge believer in bear spray, range is about 15 feet max and you have to nail them in the face. That being said, when I am bear country, I carry it with the hood off and ready to pull. It may be better than nothing. BTW, there is some evidence dogs attract bears. It doesn’t surprise me to hear you saw one on a busy trail. I live in Bozeman and every Fall, we have bears in town. I have seen scat and tracks on the M trail as well.

I am not a huge believer in bear spray, range is about 15 feet max and you have to nail them in the face. That being said, when I am bear country, I carry it with the hood off and ready to pull. It may be better than nothing. BTW, there is some evidence dogs attract bears.

]]> By: Theo http://livingsmallblog.com/2005/06/14/not-the-top-of-the-food-chain/comment-page-1/#comment-442 Theo Sun, 26 Jun 2005 23:51:03 +0000 http://livingsmallblog.com/?p=275#comment-442 I was so glad to hear you mention Doug Peacock. His writing has been very important to me and I always associate him strongly with Ed Abbey and his buds from the 70's & 80's. I havent hearc anything about Peacock for a long time and was just recently wondering about him. Anything more you can tell us about what he's been up to? Love the blog, and thanks for filling in this blank for me. Theo (Charlottesville) I was so glad to hear you mention Doug Peacock.

His writing has been very important to me and I

always associate him strongly with Ed Abbey and

his buds from the 70′s & 80′s. I havent hearc

anything about Peacock for a long time and was just recently wondering about him. Anything more

you can tell us about what he’s been up to?

Love the blog, and thanks for filling in this

blank for me.

Theo (Charlottesville)

]]> By: Jessie http://livingsmallblog.com/2005/06/14/not-the-top-of-the-food-chain/comment-page-1/#comment-441 Jessie Mon, 20 Jun 2005 14:30:25 +0000 http://livingsmallblog.com/?p=275#comment-441 Wow...definitely a "real experience"! Glad you and your dogs--and the bear--were all OK. Very cool that you called Doug Peacock. My grandmother was good friends with his mother. Small world! Wow…definitely a “real experience”! Glad you and your dogs–and the bear–were all OK. Very cool that you called Doug Peacock. My grandmother was good friends with his mother. Small world!

]]> By: Meg http://livingsmallblog.com/2005/06/14/not-the-top-of-the-food-chain/comment-page-1/#comment-440 Meg Fri, 17 Jun 2005 15:14:32 +0000 http://livingsmallblog.com/?p=275#comment-440 Yikes! there must have been cubs, because most often bears are pretty much not happy to see people and beat it as fast as possible outta there if they're solo. I remember yelling 'hello, bear!' in a cheerful tone if we heard one crashing our way in the woods while riding (horses REALLY hate bears!). Then listen to them crash in the other direction, fast. Which was yikes enough for me, even on a horse which could likely outrun the bear in a pinch!! Yikes! there must have been cubs, because most often bears are pretty much not happy to see people and beat it as fast as possible outta there if they’re solo. I remember yelling ‘hello, bear!’ in a cheerful tone if we heard one crashing our way in the woods while riding (horses REALLY hate bears!). Then listen to them crash in the other direction, fast. Which was yikes enough for me, even on a horse which could likely outrun the bear in a pinch!!

]]> By: Charlotte http://livingsmallblog.com/2005/06/14/not-the-top-of-the-food-chain/comment-page-1/#comment-439 Charlotte Fri, 17 Jun 2005 15:14:28 +0000 http://livingsmallblog.com/?p=275#comment-439 Hmm -- went out on the town last night and had three different people tell me they'd seen grizzly tracks up in Suce creek this week. So perhaps I was even a little further down the food chain than I thought, which is so terrifying that I'm deciding it was just a black bear. Hmm — went out on the town last night and had three different people tell me they’d seen grizzly tracks up in Suce creek this week. So perhaps I was even a little further down the food chain than I thought, which is so terrifying that I’m deciding it was just a black bear.

]]> By: Amy http://livingsmallblog.com/2005/06/14/not-the-top-of-the-food-chain/comment-page-1/#comment-438 Amy Fri, 17 Jun 2005 01:16:47 +0000 http://livingsmallblog.com/?p=275#comment-438 I had a sympathetic shot of adrenaline while reading this! Whew. Glad you and the pups are okay. I had a sympathetic shot of adrenaline while reading this! Whew. Glad you and the pups are okay.

]]> By: Loretta http://livingsmallblog.com/2005/06/14/not-the-top-of-the-food-chain/comment-page-1/#comment-437 Loretta Thu, 16 Jun 2005 11:49:29 +0000 http://livingsmallblog.com/?p=275#comment-437 I commend you for keeping your cool. I think I would be yelling "holy shit!" inside my head and be shaking too hard to get the cap off the bear spray. Better read the directions before you go out....or get a cat! I commend you for keeping your cool. I think I would be yelling “holy shit!” inside my head and be shaking too hard to get the cap off the bear spray. Better read the directions before you go out….or get a cat!

]]> By: Charlotte Freeman http://livingsmallblog.com/2005/06/14/not-the-top-of-the-food-chain/comment-page-1/#comment-436 Charlotte Freeman Wed, 15 Jun 2005 18:31:14 +0000 http://livingsmallblog.com/?p=275#comment-436 This was my first run in with a non-habituated bear, so it was a little spooky. Doug thought from the behavior I described that there might be a cub nearby, which would explain it. But we'll be sticking to the dog park for a little while from now on! This was my first run in with a non-habituated bear, so it was a little spooky. Doug thought from the behavior I described that there might be a cub nearby, which would explain it. But we’ll be sticking to the dog park for a little while from now on!

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