Feeling nostalgic for grizzlies

The recent victory for grizzlies in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has me feeling very nostalgic about my first encounters with grizzlies.  After digesting the court ruling (with a healthy serving of Thanksgiving Day mashed potatoes—my favorite food on the planet) I started to think back on my near decade of helping to protect the last, great American omnivores—my personal experiences, encounters and feelings about these icons of the Wild.

I remember the first time I stood next to a grizzly.  Fortunately, this one was a trained movie bear—but regardless, it still felt very dangerous and exhilarating.  I know that it’s unwise to anthropomorphize animals, but there was something about this bear—like he could understand everything that was being said.  He stood on his hind legs with his elbow resting on a ledge in his cage, reminding me of the old timers I knew growing up—leaning against a pickup truck or a fence post just shootin’ the breeze.  It was unforgettable how this grizzly seemed to enjoy “participating” in the conversation as much as I did.  If I close my eyes, I can still transport myself back to that place…the smell (not so great), the configuration of the “dens,” the place where I stood, and the various safety procedures pinned to the wall explaining exactly what to do in case of an “emergency.”  Trust me…I memorized every single one of them!

My second close encounter with a grizzly happened in Yellowstone during a particular time of year when spotting grizzlies is relatively easy—spring.  It’s a time when they are just emerging from their dens, hungry from months of fasting. 

Hiking with legendary tracker and guide Jim Halfpenny one afternoon, my group surprised a sub-adult grizzly peacefully grazing on the first green shoots of the season.  Right away, the grizzly reared onto its hind legs uncertain about us humans, but just as quickly dropped back down on all fours and continued to graze the luscious grass.  After years of imagining the headline “Grizzly Advocate Killed by Grizzly,” I was convinced that my first wild encounter with a bear would probably be my last.  But that was it!  No drama, no terrifying scene, no chase!  A few snapshots and we retreated slowly from where we had come. 

I’ve learned over the past several years that most people feel the same way I do about grizzlies.  I don’t exactly look for opportunities to cross paths with them, but it sure is exciting to know that they are out there.  And every time that I’ve been with someone seeing their first grizzly, it’s like experiencing my first encounter all over again—but through different eyes.  For example, I recently had the good fortune to guide some work colleagues near Yellowstone.  Following the advice of local ranchers, we woke before dawn in order to arrive at a “secret spot” where we would be able to view grizzlies from a safe distance.  For most of the fall, these bruins had been busy excavating hayfields looking for food.   It wasn’t long after we arrived that we spotted them in the first light of the morning— three grizzlies in the open, plowing the earth with their massive claws searching for the last remaining yampa roots. 

As one can imagine, catching sight of a single grizzly can be life-changing…but before us stood three big, beautiful animals, peacefully digging up the last morsels of food they will eat before denning.  Watching this scene was thrilling—everyone was speaking in excited tones sharing what they were witnessing as if others weren’t seeing the same thing—it’s like they couldn’t believe their own eyes.  Despite years of grizzly encounters, I still felt like it was the first time.

So now here we are.  The 9th Circuit has ruled, and grizzlies will continue to be protected in the near-term by the Endangered Species Act.  Grizzlies in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem will continue to ensure that millions of visitors from around the world each year will have plenty of “first time” encounters of their own to share.  And today I feel luckier than ever to have had the experiences that I’ve had—just a girl and a grizzly.  One representing the last remaining wild places in the lower-48 states, and the other trying to save it!

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