It is not very often when I am hiking that I can photograph an encounter like this one. I watched this old cinnamon bear for about an hour.
I located this black bear cinnamon headed upriver, stopping to rub on this tree, and continued upriver. The bear was on the other side of the river from where I was. Keep in mind that I was shooting with a 600MM lens and keeping my distance. The bear would occasionally stop and sniff the air, had deferentially picked up the scent of something. I looked further upriver and spotted what the bear was looking at two elk on the river’s edge further upriver. After spotting the elk, it was on a fast track to them. The elk spotted him and were heading out in a panic, the bull elk across the river where the bear was. The bear and the elk crossed paths in the middle of the river. I did not know his goal was to get to the young elk in the group in the tree line. The group of elk was aware now of the danger headed their way. The young were getting restless and grouped up with the help of their moms.
They were all moved out of harm’s way, and the bear continued upriver without a meal.
Cinnamon Bear rubbing on the tree, the cinnamon bear is a subspecies of the American black bear.
He had spotted the two Elk at the rivers edge.
The elk were waiting to see what the bear was going to do.
On the move and keeping an eye on them.
The Bull Elk headed into the river towards the bear. I am not sure if it was a distraction for the bear or in a panic headed the wrong direction.
The bear had its eyes on the young elk on the other side.
Working his way closer and keeping an eye on the young elk.
The bear was getting closer to the herd of elk.
The herd know he was coming their direction.
The young were getting restless and not sure what to do.
The female were rounding up the young and moving them out of harm.
The young still were not sure as to what was going on. I don’t think they ever did see the bear.
The old bear had not luck catching the young elk!
