Hello, John,
        Your note on grizzlies and the petition caught my eye. I'm giving a
paper on the very subject next week in Flagstaff. I wonder if you can offer
any specifics on that petition, like who is putting it out, how many
signatures, etc. And any other info you may have. I'd like to get as up to
date info as possible for my presentation. (I was a "bear advocate" and
liaison between park, FS, Blackfoot res., and visitors some years ago in
Glacier NP.)
Thanks
-Tc
Anthony R. S. Chiaviello, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Professional Writing
Department of English
University of Houston-Downtown
One Main Street
Houston, TX 77002-0001
713.221.8520 / 713.868.3979
"Question Reality"

> ----------
> From:         John Foster[SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent:         Tuesday, June 12, 2001 2:15 PM
> To:   [log in to unmask]
> Subject:      Note on Grizzlies
> 
> Everyone has to realize that language is a separate 'reality'. I just got
> back from finishing up some work in the Pasayten area. My eyes are on fire
> because of the altitude (1850 meters) and for the fact that I have to use
> my eyes without sunglasses. 
>  
> On the way back there was a petition put out by folk that don't want any
> of the proposed 25 Grizzlies transplanted into the Cascades or north
> Washington and British Columbia. They figure that they will munch on
> people. I looked at the petition and thought after eating the first
> 'real breakfast' for a few days. I have been in the bush working since who
> knows, back in the late 60's before the first clearcuts.
>  
> Anyway I have had numerous encounters with bears, and with Grizzlies. I
> have them all the time. I don't think that Grizzlies are worse or more
> scary than black bears. The grizzlies that I have known have left me
> alone. I bumped into one once...we almost bumped into each other...and
> nothing happened. I was on the Trophies working in a cutblock and looked
> up and saw this Grizzly 15 meters from me. We scared each other. I started
> walking backwards and I got my pepper spray out. The bear bolted about 150
> meters and stopped and continued to eat vegetation or Valerian. This was
> only about 20 km from town. Over to the south there are Grizzlies in the
> summer on the Raft, in the meadows. There are cows there all summer.
>  
> A mature male Grizzly can easily weigh in at about 800 lbs, and have claws
> 6 inches long. One swipe and you need a thousand stiches.
>  
> Anyway, I think the Grizzlies are more respectful than black bears. That
> is my experience, unless there if some beef or a moose tied up in a tree,
> the Grizzly will leave mostly everyone alone. Grizzlies prey on the black
> bears and keep their numbers down. Where there are no Grizzlies, then
> there are vastly more black bears. 
>  
> I talked to an old rancher one day. He said that a Grizzly had come in
> near his house during the night and killed  a cow. The carcas was on the
> driveway. He called over to his neighbour with the radio, and he came
> over. The old rancher was joking to the younger neighbour rancher. He
> decided to turn the cow carcas over. He did this and soon realized that it
> was not his neighbours cow. The guy went silent. Then he was no longer
> laughing about the issue. I guess the old rancher was finding the issue
> humerous but too soon...
>  
> They can see the wolves and Grizzlies from the window of old house. There
> is nothing else moving around except ravens and wolves occassionally so
> this gives them a lot of entertainment. I am more afraid of walking with
> this guy when he carries his axe than I am of cougars, wolves and bears.
> It gives me the heeby jeebies when he carries that blazing axe without a
> pouch.....he should put it into a pouch. Anyway there are no other ranches
> to the west. Zilch. None. Zero, until you get to Japan. The ocean is even
> 300 kilometers from his porch, and he thinks that the bears come from the
> coast to feed on salmon when they spawn in the Fraser. Well that is a
> fetch...I asked about this but no one would agree. I think the Grizzlies
> feed on marmots, shepherdia canadensis berries, and avalanche killed Big
> Horn sheep, primarily. They are too smart to feed on cows, only the old
> ones with tooth problems feed on cows. I don't mean Grizzlies that are
> just teething either. 
>  
> Which reminds me. I had to mountain bike 17 km into some areas to survey
> in Relay and Paradise Creek because there was a huge slide of rock on the
> road. It was all up hill. On my first day up there, I came back riding
> down hill all the way on my bike and there was a two year old Grizzly on
> the road, very blond with reddish guard hairs. I put the binders on at
> first but then the Grizzly peeled off the road and down the bank. I let of
> the brakes and pedalled fast...did not lose a minute. 
>  
> There was another Grizzly that I met up near Anahim Lake, 400 km west of
> Willies Puddle. That was a cute one. I saw it from about 300 meters and
> decided to make my retreat to the truck. It was at the spot I had left
> within a few minutes, and I was out of there...that one was very mobile
> and sort of cruzing a bit. I took a special Cirillian dog trained to
> 'tree' bears the next time that I went to this place. No bear at all. But
> the little dog went around looking for bears, and in ever larger circles,
> until I could not call him any more. So when I left he was gone. I waited
> and called for a long time. And went back and forth on the logging road.
> Then after I was had given up, I found him, believe this, coming from the
> east, and I don't know how he got that far....I left him in the west. I
> guess they go in ever wider circles until they find a bear and then tree
> it. 
>  
> That little dog just jumped into  the truck and sat on the top of my
> stuff, and never said a word to me. When I took him back to camp all he
> wanted was to be 'chained back up' and fed. No tonque wagging and barking.
> The only time he barks if he trees a bear.
>  
> Strange 
>  
> but interesting those Finnish dogs.
>  
>  
>  
> chao
>  
> john foster
>  
>  
>  
>  
>  
>  
>  
> 
>       ----- Original Message ----- 
>       From: Ray Lanier 
>       To: [log in to unmask] 
>       Sent: Friday, June 08, 2001 3:36 PM
>       Subject: Re: U of Washington firebombing
> 
>       Hello Steven,
>        
>       Thanks for your patience with my apparent indiosyncratic views.  I
> think I have not been careful enough in my comments.  Please let me try
> again.
>        
>       The people who fired the U. Washington lab were and are
> *terrorists*.  For me, that is undeniable.  They 
> 
>