Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Cliffy Windbag
Thanks, me too. The biggest difference between Treadwell and me is that he predicted he would one day become bear scat as if it was his destiny or something, whereas I was packing a double holster of UDAP bear neutralizer and always made it a point to stand next to the guy carrying the biggest gun. Guess I didn't see the appeal of spending time in the intenstinal tract of a Kodiak Brown.
It was a little unsettling, though, staying one night at the Shelikoff Lodge (where he used to camp out when not out with the bears) and being only a mile down the river from where he was feasted upon.
|
Yeah, Timothy Treadwell... That dude was certifiable! Some of those on-camera rants against the Alaskan Game & Wildlife and Forestry Service were just nutso!
I'm all for preserving the bears but that guy went way beyond taking measures to help protect the bears, he felt like he was somehow kin to them. I've watched that documentary twice now and although he did get some great video footage and stills, I felt that he had an unnatural obsession with the bears.
It's not the exact same but I'm around some pretty big animals myself on pretty much a daily basis with the Russian Boars of the 4B. When you're in close proximity to a 400 lb. boar with 4" tusks, you better damn sure be aware of the environment. Any sows close by that are in estrus? Any babies nearby? How hungry are they? There's all kinds of things that can set them off. Some I know to look for but sometimes it's hard to tell. You just have to notice what their general attitudes are and you learn to give a wide birth to certain animals no matter what. Brown Bears are some badass carnivores. Make a mistake with them and you pay with your life as Timothy and his GF did.
Neat stuff, Cliffy. I had no idea you were an amateur naturalist. Very cool.