Reply-to: "james.d.mcintyre" <james dot d dot mcintyre at worldnet dot att dot net>
Sender: owner-birdtalk@utahbirds.org
On a related note, I recently spent 2 weeks shooting in
Idaho and Yellowstone NP. During that time I saw 7 Grizzly and 7 Black
Bears. One Griz sow and two Black sows had cubs. Last year we
only saw one Black Bear.
The bears seem to have retreated from the high country early
this year - probably due to a drought-related shortage of whitebark pine nuts
and berries. They are now in hyperphasia, consuming vast amounts of
calories directly before hibernation.
As Tim Avery noted yesterday, this may be a good winter
for irruptions. Interested Utah birders may also wish to subscribe to
IBLE (Idaho Birders Linked Electronically). The URL is www.yahoogroups.com/group/ible.