Grand Teton National Park, Spring 2022, A great time with bear 399 and her cubs, (Remember A fed Bear is a Dead Bear)

Renita had the car started and we were ready to take off. Where before there had been thirty some photographers, only two others remain. As she shifted gears, I yelled, “Bears”, as a grizzly had appeared in a clearing,

followed by another and then three more! We had lucked out and found them and had been the first ones to spot the famous grizzly bear family.

Leaving Kansas, we drove a thousand mile, heading toward Montana. Bear 399 and her cubs had just emerged from their den and had been spotted heading south. I suggested we change our route and go into Grand Teton National Park and try to find them. It added some miles, but we first drove to Dubois and spent the night before crossing Towgotee Pass. It had snowed the night before and as we crossed the pass it became treacherous as the road was covered with ice and snow.

Our Subaru worked great, and we never had any control problems. As we drove down the pass to Moran the roads cleared, and we started to look for bears. There was a lot of snow, and we did not see any tracks until we neared Pilgrim Creek. Bear tracks were alongside the road! Turning around we next drove to the Oxbow Lake area and then to the Jackson Lake dam. Below the dam were tracks where the bears had swum across the Snake River and climbed up the other side.

The Park Highway was still closed so we returned to the main highway. Our friend Terry O, (thanks for your posting), had placed picture of the elk migration on Facebook.

It was just starting and so we drove to Kelly, Wyoming where we saw several thousand elk grazing in a snow free field. Reentering the park, we drove north to the Bradley Taggert trailhead and then turned around as the road had been closed at the three-mile marker. We decide to eat lunch at one of our favorite spots and as we approached, we saw the parking lot was full of cars and people, with many cameras on tripods. Getting out I talked with several people, and one of them was kind enough to say they had been there all day waiting for 399 and her cubs. Two of the cubs had been collared and they knew she was within two miles of the parking lot, (Not sure how they knew that). Nothing was happening, so we ate lunch and heard one man announce that he was tired of waiting and was going to another spot. Soon all but three cars remained.

The bears came shortly after they left and walked to the pond where the two of the sub adult grizzlies raised their noses smelling for food. They then walked over to the pond where one collared male waded out and swam to a spot.

Testing the air again he plunged his head into the frigid water and pulled up a dead goose carcass. Wading out with his prize he was chased by two of his siblings, but Mom growled at them,

(it was the first time we had heard her growl (she was about one hundred plus yards away which is a safe distance) and he was left alone with his meal, (bears will eat about just about anything). Meanwhile, 399 tested the air, and started to dig in the mud and two of the others joined in as they found another dead animal.

During all this time no one else arrived and we were able to watch the family as they continued to search for food. It was the first time we have been able to watch bears smell out food.

I noticed one other person texting and sure enough cars soon appeared and people with cameras and phones jumped out and ran past us. The bears didn’t like the activity and they started to walk further south.

We followed them for a little way, but we did get to see them form a scrum or huddle. From there more people arrived and the bears stared to run. We gave up but many continued to follow them through the deep slushy snow. As the crowd reached a copse of trees a Ranger appeared and stopped them, telling them that they could go no further. It was time to leave the bears alone.

Because 399 and her cubs are so famous five Rangers, Fish and Wildlife specialists, and Wyoming Game and Fish personal have formed a group trying to keep the famous bears out of trouble. The last thing they want is to have the bears fed by people as they will then have to be euthanized.

It won’t be long before 399 abandons the four siblings and heads into the woods for some well-deserved peace and quiet, (unless she finds a male boar). We were extremely lucky to have seen the family while they were still together. It was an emotional moment for both of us. It had been the best bear encounter/viewing we have ever experienced. Clear skies