My group of 4 put in on Sea Gull on June 26. There were bear warnings for the NW end of Sea Gull, and 5 campsite closures on Alpine. We camped on Rog (just west of Sea Gull, just south of Alpine) on June 30. Around 7pm, still full daylight, my wife went to get a food bag. One bag was there, one was missing. She looked around camp thinking someone moved it. When she went back to look again she heard growling and rustling in the woods very near her. She ran towards me yelling that something was back there. I went to look and saw a bear that had climbed a small tree. I yelled at it, it climbed down and I thought it ran off into the woods. When I went to look I heard it growling at me behind the hill at the edge of the woods. I could not see it, so I yelled and threw rocks in its direction. After several minutes of not hearing it, I went to look for the food bag. It was by the tree the bear had climbed. The bag had a rip in it. Some flavored almonds and breakfast bar wrappers were scattered around. I picked them up and they were still wet from bear saliva, as was the food bag.



As I was having the yelling match with the bear, our group decided it best that we leave. As we were packing up, the bear came back. It was in the open this time. It was small, maybe 120 pounds. Still, it was a bear. It walked away after getting yelled at some more. We cheesed it back to Sea Gull. Just after sunset we found a site on an island on the south side, away from the reported bear activity.



A few days later when we got back to the Sea Gull boat ramp, a local resident launching his boat said the dry spring and summer has limited the food for bears, so the bears are starving. Too bad they don't eat mosquitos and flies. We called the Ranger Station in G.M. to report the incident, and they were glad for the information.



So, if you are headed there, be careful and be smart. Bring a food vault. Report any bear activity to the wilderness rangers if you see any, or to the Ranger Station when you leave. That information is how they decide what sites to close and where people should be warned. It's not only for your protection. It's also to benefit the bears.

Edited by user Tuesday, July 7, 2020 9:34:42 AM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

JustinCarl,

Thanks for the bear update. I hear there is more bear activity than ever due to the droughty spring conditions and bear food availability.

I would have hightailed it out of your campsite too.