Bears!!! Part IV

Sunday, 11 March 2012

Bleach's Den

Sunday morning, we drove to the top of Hay Canyon to see if the roads were good enough to get to Bleach's Den. We were in one truck and Julie's family was in a second truck. Hal gave us a Sunday School lesson (2 Kings 2:23-24 among other animal-related scripture stories) to make up for us missing church.

We saw LOTS of elk along the drive.

This was the ridge road. It appeared the snow was melted enough 

for us to get through, so we decided to go for it.

Just to be safe, we chained up the front tires.

We made it out to Moon Ridge without any difficulties.

Josh took the receiver and started looking for Bleach's den.

This hike was longer and steeper than the 2 previous hikes. 

We like the leaning effect displayed in this photo.

We hiked down the dry side, and up the snowy side to get to the den.

Bleach was denned in the bottom of a draw under this rock--poor choice as the

inside of the den was encased in ice from the days that the snow melted.

Bleach and her yearlings had already been out a few times

based on the bear tracks visible in the snow around the den.

 

 

Ian started getting cold once we were waiting around at the den.

 He warmed up with Hal's camo jacket and with 

hand warmers inserted in his boots.

But he still wanted to try making a fire using the fire-starting kit 

he made in scouts.

 

Once Bleach was asleep, I crawled in to put on her blindfold and look

for her yearlings. She was supposed to have two.

 

I could see a black rear end of a yearling tucked up behind the rock on the left

of this photo by Bleach's rear legs.

 Josh noticed that there was another opening to the den on the side.

He could see 2 yearlings from this point and positioned himself

to keep them from escaping through this hole.

Eventually we got the yearlings tranquilized and inserted ear tags.

We didn't pull out any bears due to the constraints of the den.

Ian looked at the yearlings afterwards.

When we finished, we hiked part-way back up the 

other side of the canyon and took a lunch break.

Hal preaching some more sermons...

before he and Josh pushed down the slab of rock in front of them.

(It must be a guy thing.)

 We miss the Utah mountains!

Group photo back at the trucks

This is what the roads looked like on the drive out after the snow melted.

It was MUDDY! But the chains worked and we didn't get stuck.

Bears!!! Part III

Saturday, 10 March 2012

Rosy Finch's Den

Saturday was the day the masses came. Hal is very accommodating and each year invites people to join in on an easy-to-access den site. Rosy Finch's den was located up East Canyon right off the main dirt road and had been previously chosen for the crowds. Hal and Larisa stayed behind to talk to the group (150+ guests including students from BYU, scout groups, church groups, friends, family, and other random people) while Josh, Randy, Janene, Ian, and I went ahead to locate the den and tranquilize the bear(s).

Unfortunately, Rosy Finch was sitting outside her den when we approached. Even though we were quiet, she ran away, possibly with one of her yearlings (she was supposed to have 2 yearlings with her). Fortunately for the masses of people waiting to see a bear, Millie Jane (the other the yearling) was still inside the den. We tranquilized her and pulled her out once she was asleep.

 Ian helped put in ear tags.

Sweet little yearling with her new "earrings"!

Ian sitting in the nest in the den

April & Ian with Millie Jane

Bear Denning Fever can be catchy!

This is Julie M. She is a relatively new graduate student studying den emergence behavior. She puts trail cameras aiming at the den openings in order to record when the bears and their young leave the den. She had some great photos from last year's dens and was collecting another year's worth. I think she had cameras on 18-20 den sites throughout Utah.

Once we were finished working the yearling, the masses hiked up to see her. 

It took about 2 hours for everyone to file by and take photos.

Lisa & Lex (Hal's son) and Lisa's father

 Bear Crew Old & New:

Larisa, Hal, Janene, April, Josh, & Julie

Hal said Ian is the Bear Project's future.

If we train him well, he can take over in a few more years!

Bears!!! Part II

  Friday, 9 March 2012

 Maytag's Den 

Early the following morning, we drove up Dark Canyon to this snow-covered road to embark on a "hike" to Maytag's den. This was the easiest den ever, with the "hike" being less than 1/4 mile. It was just over the edge on the left of the photo below.

Once we went over the edge, the terrain was rather steep.



Ian watched as Larisa tranquilized Maytag.
We could hear cubs squalling!



After 15 minutes, Maytag was asleep and Hal gave Ian 
the honor of crawling into the den 
and pulling out the cubs!!!

[We have video footage of it, but can't get it to upload on Blogger.]

Ian was thrilled, to say the least!
There were 2 cubs, one male and one female.



Their eyes hadn't opened yet and
they were still pretty small.









Maytag asleep in her nest



The entrance to the den--yes, it is blocked by a large immovable rock on the left.



Josh, Eliza, and Mari H. and a cub



 Lynnette and Janene with the cubs



Back at the ranch...
Ian relaxed while waiting for dinner.



 Lynnette apparently became the unofficial Bear Crew Cook
when she went denning last year. None of us minded.



After dinner we played some Dutch Blitz.


 

Bears!!! Part I

April was invited to join the BYU bear crew on their winter denning trip. Since we didn't have a collapsed ceiling and the recent trauma of moving this year, it was possible to go. Ian accompanied her for a fabulous adventure to the Book Cliffs of Utah.

Wednesday, 7 March 2012

The trusty red Subaru was packed with winter gear, 

and we left sunny Yuma to find some real snow up north.

Human Interest Photo taken by Ian:

Giant tires being hauled someplace along Highway 95

We drove ALL DAY Wednesday and arrived at the Black's home in Mapleton, Ut, around 9:30 p.m. They had their guest apartment all ready for us. Here is Ian on the hide-a-bed.

Thursday, 8 March 2012

April got up early to do a session at the Provo Temple. Then we helped Hal and Larisa load up the trucks, went grocery shopping, and waited for the rest of the crew to arrive after getting off work. We left around 5:00 p.m. and arrived at the Elmgreen's Bed and Breakfast at the south end of the Book Cliffs around 10:00 p.m.