So beautiful! Nice to see the wilderness and not a swarm of tourists. The deer and wildflowers - so serene. Thank you. Watching vids such as this is my mental wellness routine!
I appreciate that Stan is teaching about bear behavior and habitat. I hike Yellowstone solo by necessity and choice. I've become a calmer and smarter hiker thanks to Stan. I take a hybrid approach to it. I stay aware of my surroundings and avoid blundering into prime bear hiding areas. When necessary I make some hey-bear noise like before entering a stream side willow thicket or topping a blind ridge. And, I've turned back when my spidy-sense has told me to. Otherwise I emulate Stan. To each his own. Some people are just plain too afraid of bears to dare to be quiet or to leave there guns home. I hiked the Yellowstone river loop trail once with totally open vistas for miles and was subjected to loud music from a group of three for the whole way even though there was no possibility of a bear surprise anywhere. I also encountered a mountain bike rider outside of the park with a long gun strapped to his side as bear protection. I wished him luck deploying that artillery in the 2 seconds he'd have in a surprise bear encounter.
Thank you Stan. I've been stressed out with work and family issues (like many of us) and your videos allow me to step away. That break is extremely helpful. Stay safe sir!
Thanks for providing your perspective of solo hiking in grizzly country. I know a lot of Yellowstone hikers receive a different take from the park rangers. That's where the "Hey Bear!" comes from.
I lived, fished and hunted in all areas of Alaska where there were more bears than people, by far. I had four extremely close bear encounters. Two where "interior" grizzlies and one was a (giant) Aleutian brown bear. Unless you're hunting a bear, I recommend you make noise. Otherwise, being quiet you're exhibiting staking behavior. The last thing you want to do is surprise a bear, especially a sow with cubs. On one occasion, we encountered a black bear sow with cubs. The cubs went up a tree, but the sow remained close by. We kept walking and had no problems during this encounter. Yes, I carried "bear spray," and a 45/70 with 480 gr with hard/soft loads. I survived over 20 years in "bush" Alaska and able to offer my opinion. The hard fact is this: You never know what a bear will do, so you need to know what you will do when you encounter a bear. Remember that bears have "flight or fight" instincts too; give them a chance to "flight” by making noise, so you don't have to "fight."
Totally agree, it’s a matter of time before something goes awry. Nobody I know, recommends being silent when walking in bear country, except for Stan. We wish him good luck.
Save your breath, guys. He won’t listen. Every time I hear about a bear attack in the Yellowstone area, my first thought is, “I hope it’s not Stan.” I’m a big fan of him and his videos, but I’m afraid it’s just a matter of time before his luck runs out. Sneaking up on grizzly bears is a recipe for disaster. Nobody recommends doing this. It’s extremely dangerous, and the fact that he hasn’t been mauled yet doesn’t make it safe.
@@gregoneal1 "Every time I hear about a bear attack in the Yellowstone area..." Since Yellowstone was established in 1872, eight people have been killed by bears in the park. More people in the park have died from drowning (125 incidents) and burns after falling into hot springs (23 incidents) than have been killed by bears. To put it in perspective, the probability of being killed by a bear in the park (eight incidents) is only slightly higher than the probability of being killed by a falling tree (seven incidents), an avalanche (six incidents), or being killed by lightning (five incidents). ~ NPS
I'm in Florida and most of the year we have high temperatures and high humidity with a heat index in the triple digits. Many , Many ( more then I care to say ) years ago for bug protection in the hot weather I purchased an jacket from Bug Tamer. It's camo mosquito netting attached to a chris crossing ridge work that holds the netting away from the body creating a space so the bugs can not bite you while offering ventilation. I checked and they are still available today.
Just got back from a week and a half of being in Yellowstone/Tetons and you are not kidding about the mosquitoes and flies. We got about 4 miles down Slough Creek and had to turn around because of the flies. Definitely see why you wear pants and long sleeves. We’re from the South and thought our mosquitos are bad but they have nothing on the ones in Yellowstone!
July is the worst time for mosquitoes. I usually wait until mid-August or later to hike in Yellowstone. June can be bad for no-see-ums. Once, while at the trailhead of Slough Creek, some hikers, who had already started on the trail and quickly returned to the traihead, offered me a large sum of money for my insect repellent because they didn't have any. Fortunately for them, another arriving group had an extra can to give them.
I’m glad I get to hike with you. I know it’s not quite the same as being there but I’ve been there before. We only had one bear scare on pebble creek. But we packed up and got moving after seeing their tracks. Sow and cub tracks close to our camp.
I’ve been going through your videos again. Even though I still haven’t gotten to visit Yellowstone to go hiking since we last were commenting back and forth, I am still planning on going! I was t-boned in a terrible car accident and have been bed bound for 4 weeks now, which cancelled our planned vacation for this year. Your videos give me a small escape from how bad things are for me right now. Thanks, as always, for your uploads.
I love my Kenetrek boots and gators! They are so comfortable! I bought them a couple of years ago via your Amazon store. Thank you Stan for another walk in the Yellowstone ecosystem. Stay safe and be well.
Hi Stan, I absolutely love your channel. Thanks for all the virtual hikes and I have learned a lot from your videos. Maybe in the future we the viewers could request you to do certain hikes or trails. I'm certain some viewers would pay for that feature.
I think I have videos on most all the trails in the northern and western part of the park already. I don't usually go to the south part of the park because the drive is too long for me.
I wish you could tell us what hike you are doing in the beginning. Or the area if you don’t want to tell us. That way I can look it up if I don’t know where you are.
Live, hunt and hike in grizzly country of British Columbia Canada. Seen dozens, appreciated their wildness from a distance and felt their energy close up. Hunting, being quiet early morning is hands down the most dangerous time. Bears don’t like something entering their “bubble” they have an acute sense of smell and avoid entering another bear’s or humans sent area, so when you enter theirs they perceive it as a threat and will react aggressively. You should always make noise.
If you know they might be laying near the creek, why not walk slightly higher up? Or is it the trails are easier to follow, but near the creek because the animals travel them? I agree, moving quiet and slowly disrupting far less animals than yelling "here bear" and banging pots and pans! Stickers... we call them hitchhikers.
Hungry has nothing to do with it. I have spent many years hiking God's beautiful creation in a respectful way and I have many videos to show it. It is another way to consider living. Thanks for your comments.
Hunting and the discharge of firearms remain prohibited in Yellowstone...Firearms should not be considered a wildlife protection strategy. Bear spray and other safety precautions are the proven methods for preventing bear and other wildlife interactions. ~ NPS
@@stokebailey not when it comes to protecting your own life. Pepper spray doesn’t always work. I know you can’t guarantee it either & it doesn’t matter how much experience you have.
Really enjoying this video and I'm hoping you (or other commenters) can put my mind at ease. I absolutely love backpacking, I'm very experienced, and I've spent countless nights solo in the Tetons, Gros Ventres, and beyond. But for some reason, I can't make the leap to backpack Yellowstone solo. There's that fear of grizzlies that keeps from going out alone, and yet I know how to behave around them, I put away scented items at a campsite, etc. As mentioned, I've backpacked throughout the Grand Teton/Jackson Hole region without incident, but just haven't made the jump into Yellowstone due to an irrational fear of it being more dense with grizzlies. Can you help me put this behind me once and for all?
@@StanMills I actually went with a friend last year and after 3 nights in the backcountry didn't see any sign of bears. The other problem though is my schedule doesn't align with anyone else, so I'm nearly always hiking alone, and actually enjoy it that way as well. I think I just need to go do it. Thank you for the quick response!
Stan, I like your style. Have always thought this "Hey Bear!" noise crap walking thru the wilderness is just drummed nonsense by socalled experts. I seen/heard folks blasting their itunes while hiking such pristine areas. Total nonsense. Its way more dangerous walking in Big City USA right now than Yellowstone. My view is be peaceful, quiet, respectful, own the ground you stand on and be prepared to defend it wherever you are.
Never had a bad encounter, either. Use to hike solo in the Beartooths. In Yellowstone, I prefer to keep to the areas bears are less prone to be. Are you on an actual trail or is it a wildlife trail ? The Lamar Valley has bears but there are plenty of trails that are beautiful but not intrusive to wildlife.
Hey Stan could you maybe monitor your heart rate and show that on the screen as your hiking? You seem very calm but also very cautius and I'm curious to how high your heart rate is. Mine would be border line heart attack. lol
@@brettm8970 it is not sneaking up on them. It is hiking peacefully and respectfully. Treating them and their home with respect. That is what I do, you should do what feels best for you.
I worked 5 summers in YNP and have made frequent return trips since (as I will in a couple of weeks btw). I spent a many of my days hiking solo in the backcountry there. I stay on the trails and hike typical hours of the day. I've rarely encountered a bear on these hikes. I would guess that I see about an equal number of solo hikers compared to groups (2 or more). Occasionally, I come across someone yelling "Hey Bear!" (always with 2 or more hikers), which seems weird to me, as I just came from the direction they're going and saw no sign of any bears. I prefer to see the wildlife rather than scare them away, especially in the backcountry, as I think most hikers there would agree. It's one of the main reasons to hike in YNP
Hypothetical Stan: I'm camping in "the ecosystem" alone and I'm startled awake by the noise of a grizzly trying to get my bear bag 100yds away... and it's dark. Do I confront and run off the bear or lie still and silently pray the bear leaves on his own without coming by my tent? Thx 😊
I’m not Stan, but I have an answer. First off, I’d be amazed if you heard a bear 100 yards away trying to get into your bag. Bears are amazingly quiet unless they want to be known. While scary, as long as you follow good bear aware advice, like the triangle where you cook, hang your food, and set up your tent in a triangle with everything being 100 yards away from each other, you should be okay! Also, as long as you remembered to pack your cooking clothes with what you hung, have no food in your tent, and have no scented things like toothpaste, lotion, deodorant, etc., in your tent, then the bear really has no reason to come investigate where you are sleeping! Keeping any attractants 100 yards away will keep you safe!
I have to agree with LFGSD_Danielle. I've had bears walk around my tent at night and I didn't even hear them. I know that because I see the tracks in the morning. I am talking about 20 feet close. When I do hear them, it is scary when you can't see them. I have yelled at them, but breaking the night time silence like that is even more scary. They did go away but I guess it is really the mood I am in when it happens.
Stan Mills: the Yellowstone Whisperer…literally… More commentary on what you’re thinking/doing/seeing (like in this video) is always welcome, Stan. Love it! It occurs to me there is an implicit assumption in your approach that might be worth addressing in future videos. You’re implying that if a bear’s first indication of your presence is via their ears…that is somehow materially more stressful to them than a situation where they are alerted to your presence by the sight or scent of you. It seems like a natural counterpoint to say: being quiet to show ‘respect’ borders on anthropomorphizing the bears. And your presence - no matter *how* they detect it - stresses them out…being quiet just reduces one of their three detection methods, and you’d get the same result if you could mask your scent (or be more camouflaged). Yes, they detect you *later* - so you see more bears - but you aren’t surprising/stressing them any less. Not saying I buy what I just wrote…just raising the point. I don’t know the difference between a stressed out bear running away and a calm one running away. The fact you’ve never been charged or used your spray is pretty good evidence on your side. One question in a similar vein - do grizzlies make much noise? when you are in a meadow of tall grass surrounded by forest, do you typically see them or hear them first? (I don’t have many bear encounters but the closest was in a redwood forest - there were three black bears making an absolute ruckus walking thru brush, cracking thru branches. I knew they were there well before I saw them.)
You could be correct on everything you said. What I say is just from my perspective from my experience. That in no way means I know everything or that I am right all the time. As far as who sees who first, I would say about 50/50. If you watch videos on my channel you can probably see that. In this video, there was a couple clips where a grizzly detected me first in the forrest and was already moving away when I saw it. I could not get my video going fast enough and that happens a lot. I was being quiet but the grizzly probably detected my foot steps. He was probably 20 yards away when he detected me. Grizzlies are very quiet. I have only heard them when they are going around me in the forrest or at night playing in the water. As far as being stressed, I have found the human voice causes them to react very fast, even if they don't know where it is coming from. But detecting me with smell, hearing, or sight, it is always a much slower and calmer reaction or no reaction at all. You should also see that by watching my videos. But as always, this is what I am doing. No reason to copy me. But you can watch and get your own ideas and conclusions. Thanks for your comments.
I’m 100% on your side. After watching you for years, it’s clear that bear bells/singing as you hike recommendations are simply about risk reduction for the park operators and other stakeholders. And while I understand the motivation for that calculus, it is annoying - that this advice really only tells half the story.…yes being loud means animals usually flee before you see them, but in some situations you’re surprising and stressing an animal by being loud. To say nothing of the fact that in situ wildlife watching means the reward (seeing the animals) comes along hand in hand with the ‘risk’ of an encounter. Your videos demonstrate a clear way to acknowledge the risk while mitigating and minimizing it…in service of the amazing reward. Keep up the good work!
Stan I truly believe you are divinely protected and also that the bears sense that you are respectful of their space. Thanks for the videos really enjoy watching them
Yes, and that is how I feel in everything. God loves everyone and wants to give these amazing gifts and blessings to each one of them. I pray and wish people will accept God and learn to receive from him all that He wants to give. Thank you for your wonderful comments.
Yellowstone allows one to bring firearms into the park, but federally prohibited to shoot any wildlife. That's terrifying to walk around without anything to defend yourself other than bear spray.
There is a sign out in the woods of Yellowstone that says warning enter this area at your own risk many people have been killed by grizzly bears beyond this point ! I went in that area because I was armed with bear spray air horn and 10 inch buck knife. My goal was to capture a grizzly on film. Hiked for 2-3 hours never seen a bear. So I drove around the mountain to the other side. Got out of my vehicle walked down a steep bank sliding and falling because of loose rock. When I got to the bottom I looked up there was a massive grizzly about a 150 yards away staring right at me ! I froze in fear it was at least 600 lbs ! All those deterants I had on me meant nothing I was absolutely terrified ! The Climb back up the bank I figured would take me about 10- 15 seconds to get back up into my vehicle. The grizzly suddenly stands up now it's looking like a 10 ft high 700 lb grizzly! I absolutely freaked out i turned around started running as fast as I could up the bank. Slipping and falling from going too fast. I could have swore I heard footfall coming at me. I got to the top jumped in my vehicle and sped away. I got about 75 yd in my vehicle turned my head around and there he was standing right where my vehicle was parked ! OMG narrow escape. I'm telling you when you're staring a grizzly in the eyes I don't think even a gun would make me feel comfortable ! I know you're not supposed to turn your back and run but I was so close to safety I took my chances. Don't ever feel comfortable in grizzly country !
@StanMills I have but not in grizzly bear territory. That happened about 15 years ago in Yellowstone I was there for 2 weeks. I saw 2 grizzly the whole time the other one I saw was a youngster it was probably about 150 pounds. I covered a lot of territory when I was there I brought a mountain bike also and would ride into the forest as far as the terrain would let me then I would lock it to a tree and continue by foot. Surprised I didn't see more grizzlies because I saw lots of tracks hair and scat.
I have far more respect for what you do than the hunters who kill, not for food, but for the thrill of it. Yellowstone looks green and spectacular. Your videos are always my first priority.
I have a friend from great falls, Mt that got rattlesnake bit walking in high grass just going to fish. Dont know your location, just sayin. Ive scared off grizzly bears by yelling griz that didnt see me and fled away, but was coming for a woman. I want them to hear me so the move away.
You've simply been lucky is all! I 100% disagree with your approach. But this is only my opinion. Like you say, " you do you". I hope I never prove you wrong.
"Hunting and the discharge of firearms remain prohibited in Yellowstone. Firearms should not be considered a wildlife protection strategy. Bear spray and other safety precautions are the proven methods for preventing bear and other wildlife interactions." ~ NPS
Hunting and the discharge of firearms remain prohibited in Yellowstone. Firearms should not be considered a wildlife protection strategy. Bear spray and other safety precautions are the proven methods for preventing bear and other wildlife interactions. ~ NPS
You can use bear spray. But as a note: in all the years I have been hiking and camping in the Yellowstone ecosystem, I have never had to use my bear spray.
Why would one walk around in a major city? Lots of crime and a good number of desperate scary people who have no regard for the law or fellow human beings.
Stan there are now so many Grizzlies in the Yellowstone Ecosystem, I would be very careful……. The chance of a sow cub encounter is very high and dangerous…….. I would be carrying a 44 magnum or 454 Casull if I were you …..
You write, "The chance of a sow cub encounter is very high and dangerous." ... "Since Yellowstone was established in 1872, eight people have been killed by bears in the park. More people in the park have died from drowning (125 incidents) and burns after falling into hot springs (23 incidents) than have been killed by bears. To put it in perspective, the probability of being killed by a bear in the park (eight incidents) is only slightly higher than the probability of being killed by a falling tree (seven incidents), an avalanche (six incidents), or being killed by lightning (five incidents)." ~ NPS
@@robertbailey3024 I really like these statistics that you and other people are providing. It is nice to see some good information coming out of this video. Thank you very much for the information that you provide.
@@robertbailey3024 The Park makes up a very small part of the Bear ecosystem in Wyoming, Idaho and Montana. Please go back and count the number of people killed or mauled in the 3 State Bear ecosystem within 25 years and come back and we will talk. You are also using figures when the Grizzly was almost totally wiped out by hunting and predator control measures………. Now, in the 3 State ecosystem, the Bear population has absolutely exploded……. You maybe willing to accept the risk……. but please do not let the eastern housewife think her family is not without risk of an unexpected attack…….. These bears are some of Gods most beautiful creatures, but also some of the most dangerous…. Have a good hike, I might see you on the trail, I am the one wearing a 44 magnum on my chest.
@@williamfeldner9356 "Hunting and the discharge of firearms remain prohibited in Yellowstone. Firearms should not be considered a wildlife protection strategy. Bear spray and other safety precautions are the proven methods for preventing bear and other wildlife interactions." ~ NPS
That will always be the general advice for average hikers and folks who don’t do this often. But, for hikers who do this on the regular, as well as hunters and the like, we usually want to be quiet as we move through the landscape. I personally don’t want to wake up and scare an entire valley just to announce my presence, especially in areas rarely visited by humans. Though Stan has a bigger backbone than I do; I really try to avoid those trails where you’re hemmed in on both sides by trees. I need more open space and visibility 😅
@@MarkPharaohPlus bears' sense of smell is 7 times greater than a bloodhound's (per a Nat'l Park episode on NatGeo), and their hearing is also excellent. They are very adept at listening for the subtle sounds of potential prey such as deer walking quietly or rodents and other small animals that try to move about quietly on the forest floor. So I agree and see no need to make any excess noise when hiking or hunting because the odds are a bear will be well aware of your presence before you have a chance to lay eyes on it. It comes down to us being at the mercy of a bear's perception of us at that moment (if it arises) as to whether they see us as a prey item, a threat to them, their cubs, or territory - or if they see us as none of those and just continue to go about their day.
8:10 "You should do what you think is best for you" lol great advice for a future piece of bear meat! What you're doing is risky af! Being silent means you have a better chance of surprising a bear you can't see and in that area, it could be 3 meters off the trail and you wouldn't see it until it was too late! Happy trails but I think your gonna be showcased on Scary Bear Attacks in the near future!
![ละลาย (LALALYE) - DAOU PITTAYA ต้าห์อู๋ พิทยา [OFFICIAL MV]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/wo6r9TgausI/mqdefault.jpg)
![ILLSLICK - KILLSHOT REMIX [FULL VERSION]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/RIK8RrqIAzE/mqdefault.jpg)
So beautiful! Nice to see the wilderness and not a swarm of tourists. The deer and wildflowers - so serene. Thank you. Watching vids such as this is my mental wellness routine!
I appreciate that Stan is teaching about bear behavior and habitat. I hike Yellowstone solo by necessity and choice. I've become a calmer and smarter hiker thanks to Stan. I take a hybrid approach to it. I stay aware of my surroundings and avoid blundering into prime bear hiding areas. When necessary I make some hey-bear noise like before entering a stream side willow thicket or topping a blind ridge. And, I've turned back when my spidy-sense has told me to. Otherwise I emulate Stan. To each his own. Some people are just plain too afraid of bears to dare to be quiet or to leave there guns home. I hiked the Yellowstone river loop trail once with totally open vistas for miles and was subjected to loud music from a group of three for the whole way even though there was no possibility of a bear surprise anywhere. I also encountered a mountain bike rider outside of the park with a long gun strapped to his side as bear protection. I wished him luck deploying that artillery in the 2 seconds he'd have in a surprise bear encounter.
Thank you Stan. I've been stressed out with work and family issues (like many of us) and your videos allow me to step away. That break is extremely helpful. Stay safe sir!
Thank you for another beautiful video Stan !! Love all your videos ❤️
Thank you very much for sharing this beautiful video be careful always I love watching the grizzly bears AND the beautiful horizon 👍🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
Thanks for providing your perspective of solo hiking in grizzly country. I know a lot of Yellowstone hikers receive a different take from the park rangers. That's where the "Hey Bear!" comes from.
I lived, fished and hunted in all areas of Alaska where there were more bears than people, by far. I had four extremely close bear encounters. Two where "interior" grizzlies and one was a (giant) Aleutian brown bear. Unless you're hunting a bear, I recommend you make noise. Otherwise, being quiet you're exhibiting staking behavior. The last thing you want to do is surprise a bear, especially a sow with cubs. On one occasion, we encountered a black bear sow with cubs. The cubs went up a tree, but the sow remained close by. We kept walking and had no problems during this encounter. Yes, I carried "bear spray," and a 45/70 with 480 gr with hard/soft loads. I survived over 20 years in "bush" Alaska and able to offer my opinion. The hard fact is this: You never know what a bear will do, so you need to know what you will do when you encounter a bear. Remember that bears have "flight or fight" instincts too; give them a chance to "flight” by making noise, so you don't have to "fight."
Thanks for your comments. Maybe you would like this video: th-cam.com/video/qe_N5ua6EU0/w-d-xo.htmlsi=qSwa4Tts0Kub34AU
Totally agree, it’s a matter of time before something goes awry. Nobody I know, recommends being silent when walking in bear country, except for Stan. We wish him good luck.
@@cachi-7878 I don’t recommend. My videos are about what I am doing. You can watch and consider. But you should do what you feel is best for you.
Save your breath, guys. He won’t listen. Every time I hear about a bear attack in the Yellowstone area, my first thought is, “I hope it’s not Stan.” I’m a big fan of him and his videos, but I’m afraid it’s just a matter of time before his luck runs out. Sneaking up on grizzly bears is a recipe for disaster. Nobody recommends doing this. It’s extremely dangerous, and the fact that he hasn’t been mauled yet doesn’t make it safe.
@@gregoneal1 "Every time I hear about a bear attack in the Yellowstone area..." Since Yellowstone was established in 1872, eight people have been killed by bears in the park. More people in the park have died from drowning (125 incidents) and burns after falling into hot springs (23 incidents) than have been killed by bears. To put it in perspective, the probability of being killed by a bear in the park (eight incidents) is only slightly higher than the probability of being killed by a falling tree (seven incidents), an avalanche (six incidents), or being killed by lightning (five incidents). ~ NPS
Thank you for this beautiful video Stan. I enjoy them very much….take care out there.
It is very enjoyable to see you hike thru grizzly bear area. Thank you!
Thanks for another video. Beautiful country we live in.
Lovely perspective, so nicely filmed and edited my friend!👏
LOVE your videos. So relaxing and informative. Your voice is so soothing and I know you keep it that way as to not disturb wildlife. ❤
Beautiful flowers. Love seeing the scenery and wildlife.
I'm in Florida and most of the year we have high temperatures and high humidity with a heat index in the triple digits. Many , Many ( more then I care to say ) years ago for bug protection in the hot weather I purchased an jacket from Bug Tamer. It's camo mosquito netting attached to a chris crossing ridge work that holds the netting away from the body creating a space so the bugs can not bite you while offering ventilation. I checked and they are still available today.
❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
Just got back from a week and a half of being in Yellowstone/Tetons and you are not kidding about the mosquitoes and flies. We got about 4 miles down Slough Creek and had to turn around because of the flies. Definitely see why you wear pants and long sleeves. We’re from the South and thought our mosquitos are bad but they have nothing on the ones in Yellowstone!
July is the worst time for mosquitoes. I usually wait until mid-August or later to hike in Yellowstone. June can be bad for no-see-ums. Once, while at the trailhead of Slough Creek, some hikers, who had already started on the trail and quickly returned to the traihead, offered me a large sum of money for my insect repellent because they didn't have any. Fortunately for them, another arriving group had an extra can to give them.
I’m glad I get to hike with you. I know it’s not quite the same as being there but I’ve been there before. We only had one bear scare on pebble creek. But we packed up and got moving after seeing their tracks. Sow and cub tracks close to our camp.
I’ve been going through your videos again. Even though I still haven’t gotten to visit Yellowstone to go hiking since we last were commenting back and forth, I am still planning on going!
I was t-boned in a terrible car accident and have been bed bound for 4 weeks now, which cancelled our planned vacation for this year.
Your videos give me a small escape from how bad things are for me right now. Thanks, as always, for your uploads.
I. Hope you heal quickly soon and can go on a trip again 😊
I love my Kenetrek boots and gators! They are so comfortable! I bought them a couple of years ago via your Amazon store. Thank you Stan for another walk in the Yellowstone ecosystem. Stay safe and be well.
Thanks for the great info Stan. Hiking the therefore route next week.
Through the teton wilderness? Is that a visible trail throughout?
@@davidsuch8942 Yellowstone southeast
Boundary north to fishing bridge.
@@TrucksandDucks is this a portion of the thorofare trail which takes a week or more, and goes deep into the teton wilderness?
@@davidsuch8942 yes it will be 8 day trip. It’s called the Most remote trail in the lower 48.
@@TrucksandDucks FYI, the thorofare is a much longer route than the 2 points you gave.
Good stuff Stan. Stellar area. Definitely prefer solo myself as well, staying quiet and starting at 5-530 am is always smart
Staying quiet is not smart and is poor advice. There are definite spots, especially blind spots and thick timber where you better make some noise.
I live in Teton County. I backpack in grizzly country a lot, solo.
Watch the wind.
Stan , what trailhead did you park at? That scenery looks quite nice.
Hi Stan, I absolutely love your channel. Thanks for all the virtual hikes and I have learned a lot from your videos. Maybe in the future we the viewers could request you to do certain hikes or trails. I'm certain some viewers would pay for that feature.
I think I have videos on most all the trails in the northern and western part of the park already. I don't usually go to the south part of the park because the drive is too long for me.
Hey Stan, you took my kids pics when they were kids back in the day.❤️ I remember you.🥰
Always a pleasure seeing you videos and your comments. 😅
🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
Beautiful in both voice information and videos.
Where were you at in this video? Awesome video and info thank you
The Mister Rogers of Yellowstone
In the Sierra Nevada I had one of those biting flys chase my Volkswagen Bug for over a mile down the dirt road I was traveling on.
Very beautiful terrain. We should all be so lucky!..👍
Awesome video, thank you Stan! 👍😎🇨🇦🐻🦌
I wish you could tell us what hike you are doing in the beginning. Or the area if you don’t want to tell us. That way I can look it up if I don’t know where you are.
Live, hunt and hike in grizzly country of British Columbia Canada. Seen dozens, appreciated their wildness from a distance and felt their energy close up. Hunting, being quiet early morning is hands down the most dangerous time. Bears don’t like something entering their “bubble” they have an acute sense of smell and avoid entering another bear’s or humans sent area, so when you enter theirs they perceive it as a threat and will react aggressively. You should always make noise.
If you know they might be laying near the creek, why not walk slightly higher up? Or is it the trails are easier to follow, but near the creek because the animals travel them?
I agree, moving quiet and slowly disrupting far less animals than yelling "here bear" and banging pots and pans!
Stickers... we call them hitchhikers.
If he's hungry the grizzly doesn't care how "respectful" you are.😮😅
Hungry has nothing to do with it. I have spent many years hiking God's beautiful creation in a respectful way and I have many videos to show it. It is another way to consider living. Thanks for your comments.
Thank you, you are very brave. We never would hike without a DEFENCE GUN.
Hunting and the discharge of firearms remain prohibited in Yellowstone...Firearms should not be considered a wildlife protection strategy. Bear spray and other safety precautions are the proven methods for preventing bear and other wildlife interactions. ~ NPS
@@stokebailey not when it comes to protecting your own life. Pepper spray doesn’t always work. I know you can’t guarantee it either & it doesn’t matter how much experience you have.
@@stokebailey ya, I would be happy to tell a judge ‘go ahead and throw me in jail. At least I am still alive.”
Beautiful area for view of nature
Really enjoying this video and I'm hoping you (or other commenters) can put my mind at ease. I absolutely love backpacking, I'm very experienced, and I've spent countless nights solo in the Tetons, Gros Ventres, and beyond. But for some reason, I can't make the leap to backpack Yellowstone solo. There's that fear of grizzlies that keeps from going out alone, and yet I know how to behave around them, I put away scented items at a campsite, etc. As mentioned, I've backpacked throughout the Grand Teton/Jackson Hole region without incident, but just haven't made the jump into Yellowstone due to an irrational fear of it being more dense with grizzlies. Can you help me put this behind me once and for all?
@@FreeRoamingPhoto maybe you can get a couple people to go camping with.
@@StanMills I actually went with a friend last year and after 3 nights in the backcountry didn't see any sign of bears. The other problem though is my schedule doesn't align with anyone else, so I'm nearly always hiking alone, and actually enjoy it that way as well. I think I just need to go do it. Thank you for the quick response!
Kinda like still hunting. Do you carry bear spray and/or ranged protection?
@@povcamping 2 cans of bear spray.
Stan, I like your style. Have always thought this "Hey Bear!" noise crap walking thru the wilderness is just drummed nonsense by socalled experts. I seen/heard folks blasting their itunes while hiking such pristine areas. Total nonsense. Its way more dangerous walking in Big City USA right now than Yellowstone. My view is be peaceful, quiet, respectful, own the ground you stand on and be prepared to defend it wherever you are.
Yes, I agree with you 100 percent but I think we are in the minority. Thanks for your comments.
I’m seeing some beautiful wild flowers on this hike. Lupine and some others I can’t quite see 7:37
I have so much respect for you and admiration for your attitude for all of nature that God gave us GOD Bless and keep you .
Thank you!
Never had a bad encounter, either. Use to hike solo in the Beartooths. In Yellowstone, I prefer to keep to the areas bears are less prone to be. Are you on an actual trail or is it a wildlife trail ? The Lamar Valley has bears but there are plenty of trails that are beautiful but not intrusive to wildlife.
Hey Stan could you maybe monitor your heart rate and show that on the screen as your hiking? You seem very calm but also very cautius and I'm curious to how high your heart rate is. Mine would be border line heart attack. lol
So don’t make noise by saying hey bear. Just sneak up on them while they are eating or sleeping?
@@brettm8970 it is not sneaking up on them. It is hiking peacefully and respectfully. Treating them and their home with respect. That is what I do, you should do what feels best for you.
I worked 5 summers in YNP and have made frequent return trips since (as I will in a couple of weeks btw). I spent a many of my days hiking solo in the backcountry there. I stay on the trails and hike typical hours of the day. I've rarely encountered a bear on these hikes. I would guess that I see about an equal number of solo hikers compared to groups (2 or more). Occasionally, I come across someone yelling "Hey Bear!" (always with 2 or more hikers), which seems weird to me, as I just came from the direction they're going and saw no sign of any bears. I prefer to see the wildlife rather than scare them away, especially in the backcountry, as I think most hikers there would agree. It's one of the main reasons to hike in YNP
I have heard TO make noises, when in (black) bear country, NC, SC!
Hypothetical Stan: I'm camping in "the ecosystem" alone and I'm startled awake by the noise of a grizzly trying to get my bear bag 100yds away... and it's dark. Do I confront and run off the bear or lie still and silently pray the bear leaves on his own without coming by my tent? Thx 😊
I’m not Stan, but I have an answer.
First off, I’d be amazed if you heard a bear 100 yards away trying to get into your bag. Bears are amazingly quiet unless they want to be known.
While scary, as long as you follow good bear aware advice, like the triangle where you cook, hang your food, and set up your tent in a triangle with everything being 100 yards away from each other, you should be okay!
Also, as long as you remembered to pack your cooking clothes with what you hung, have no food in your tent, and have no scented things like toothpaste, lotion, deodorant, etc., in your tent, then the bear really has no reason to come investigate where you are sleeping!
Keeping any attractants 100 yards away will keep you safe!
@@PadresFaithful you've never been alone in the wilderness obviously. You can hear a mouse fart at 200yds.
I have to agree with LFGSD_Danielle. I've had bears walk around my tent at night and I didn't even hear them. I know that because I see the tracks in the morning. I am talking about 20 feet close. When I do hear them, it is scary when you can't see them. I have yelled at them, but breaking the night time silence like that is even more scary. They did go away but I guess it is really the mood I am in when it happens.
@@StanMills nevermind your advice is worthless. Thanks for nothing. I ask what happens when I'm startled awake and you act like it's impossible.
@@ericcomp7032 weird, I told you it happens to me and it’s scary.
Thank you.
Why would anyone hike in that country without a gun?
I love you videos
Stan Mills: the Yellowstone Whisperer…literally…
More commentary on what you’re thinking/doing/seeing (like in this video) is always welcome, Stan. Love it!
It occurs to me there is an implicit assumption in your approach that might be worth addressing in future videos. You’re implying that if a bear’s first indication of your presence is via their ears…that is somehow materially more stressful to them than a situation where they are alerted to your presence by the sight or scent of you.
It seems like a natural counterpoint to say: being quiet to show ‘respect’ borders on anthropomorphizing the bears. And your presence - no matter *how* they detect it - stresses them out…being quiet just reduces one of their three detection methods, and you’d get the same result if you could mask your scent (or be more camouflaged). Yes, they detect you *later* - so you see more bears - but you aren’t surprising/stressing them any less.
Not saying I buy what I just wrote…just raising the point. I don’t know the difference between a stressed out bear running away and a calm one running away. The fact you’ve never been charged or used your spray is pretty good evidence on your side.
One question in a similar vein - do grizzlies make much noise? when you are in a meadow of tall grass surrounded by forest, do you typically see them or hear them first? (I don’t have many bear encounters but the closest was in a redwood forest - there were three black bears making an absolute ruckus walking thru brush, cracking thru branches. I knew they were there well before I saw them.)
You could be correct on everything you said. What I say is just from my perspective from my experience. That in no way means I know everything or that I am right all the time. As far as who sees who first, I would say about 50/50. If you watch videos on my channel you can probably see that. In this video, there was a couple clips where a grizzly detected me first in the forrest and was already moving away when I saw it. I could not get my video going fast enough and that happens a lot. I was being quiet but the grizzly probably detected my foot steps. He was probably 20 yards away when he detected me. Grizzlies are very quiet. I have only heard them when they are going around me in the forrest or at night playing in the water.
As far as being stressed, I have found the human voice causes them to react very fast, even if they don't know where it is coming from. But detecting me with smell, hearing, or sight, it is always a much slower and calmer reaction or no reaction at all. You should also see that by watching my videos. But as always, this is what I am doing. No reason to copy me. But you can watch and get your own ideas and conclusions. Thanks for your comments.
I’m 100% on your side. After watching you for years, it’s clear that bear bells/singing as you hike recommendations are simply about risk reduction for the park operators and other stakeholders.
And while I understand the motivation for that calculus, it is annoying - that this advice really only tells half the story.…yes being loud means animals usually flee before you see them, but in some situations you’re surprising and stressing an animal by being loud. To say nothing of the fact that in situ wildlife watching means the reward (seeing the animals) comes along hand in hand with the ‘risk’ of an encounter.
Your videos demonstrate a clear way to acknowledge the risk while mitigating and minimizing it…in service of the amazing reward.
Keep up the good work!
Stan I truly believe you are divinely protected and also that the bears sense that you are respectful of their space. Thanks for the videos really enjoy watching them
Yes, and that is how I feel in everything. God loves everyone and wants to give these amazing gifts and blessings to each one of them. I pray and wish people will accept God and learn to receive from him all that He wants to give. Thank you for your wonderful comments.
Do you take bear spray with you?
Yes, 2 cans.
Kenetrek best boots ive ever known
Yellowstone allows one to bring firearms into the park, but federally prohibited to shoot any wildlife. That's terrifying to walk around without anything to defend yourself other than bear spray.
There is a sign out in the woods of Yellowstone that says warning enter this area at your own risk many people have been killed by grizzly bears beyond this point ! I went in that area because I was armed with bear spray air horn and 10 inch buck knife. My goal was to capture a grizzly on film. Hiked for 2-3 hours never seen a bear. So I drove around the mountain to the other side. Got out of my vehicle walked down a steep bank sliding and falling because of loose rock. When I got to the bottom I looked up there was a massive grizzly about a 150 yards away staring right at me ! I froze in fear it was at least 600 lbs ! All those deterants I had on me meant nothing I was absolutely terrified ! The Climb back up the bank I figured would take me about 10- 15 seconds to get back up into my vehicle. The grizzly suddenly stands up now it's looking like a 10 ft high 700 lb grizzly! I absolutely freaked out i turned around started running as fast as I could up the bank. Slipping and falling from going too fast. I could have swore I heard footfall coming at me. I got to the top jumped in my vehicle and sped away. I got about 75 yd in my vehicle turned my head around and there he was standing right where my vehicle was parked ! OMG narrow escape. I'm telling you when you're staring a grizzly in the eyes I don't think even a gun would make me feel comfortable ! I know you're not supposed to turn your back and run but I was so close to safety I took my chances. Don't ever feel comfortable in grizzly country !
@@recordfishhunter9234 great and memorable story. Have you gone hiking again?
@StanMills I have but not in grizzly bear territory. That happened about 15 years ago in Yellowstone I was there for 2 weeks. I saw 2 grizzly the whole time the other one I saw was a youngster it was probably about 150 pounds. I covered a lot of territory when I was there I brought a mountain bike also and would ride into the forest as far as the terrain would let me then I would lock it to a tree and continue by foot. Surprised I didn't see more grizzlies because I saw lots of tracks hair and scat.
Stan the man Mills thanks,
I have far more respect for what you do than the hunters who kill, not for food, but for the thrill of it.
Yellowstone looks green and spectacular.
Your videos are always my first priority.
Why?
I have a friend from great falls, Mt that got rattlesnake bit walking in high grass just going to fish. Dont know your location, just sayin. Ive scared off grizzly bears by yelling griz that didnt see me and fled away, but was coming for a woman. I want them to hear me so the move away.
i didnt see you or your gators when I responded. I have a pair I use alot especially in march and april in Arizona prospecting gold
You've simply been lucky is all!
I 100% disagree with your approach.
But this is only my opinion.
Like you say, " you do you".
I hope I never prove you wrong.
I enjoy reading your opinion. I am sure glad we are not all robots and think alike. Thanks for your comments and opinions.
How about finding a large fit heavily armed human to go with you. I doubt if "hey bear" works.
"Hunting and the discharge of firearms remain prohibited in Yellowstone. Firearms should not be considered a wildlife protection strategy. Bear spray and other safety precautions are the proven methods for preventing bear and other wildlife interactions." ~ NPS
Bring a slower runner 🏃♀️
Stay Stinky Stan
My understanding is that firearms are not allowed in all parks. Such as Banff, Jasper, Revelstoke, Kootenay.
How does one defend in camp at night ?
Hunting and the discharge of firearms remain prohibited in Yellowstone. Firearms should not be considered a wildlife protection strategy. Bear spray and other safety precautions are the proven methods for preventing bear and other wildlife interactions. ~ NPS
You can use bear spray. But as a note: in all the years I have been hiking and camping in the Yellowstone ecosystem, I have never had to use my bear spray.
🐻🦌🤛👍🦅🙏😎🇺🇸
Why do ppl walk around in this kind of environment? What's the point?
@@luminous3357 to see wildlife in their natural habitat.
Why would one walk around in a major city? Lots of crime and a good number of desperate scary people who have no regard for the law or fellow human beings.
I strongly recommend against it.
Let's not
Stan there are now so many Grizzlies in the Yellowstone Ecosystem, I would be very careful……. The chance of a sow cub encounter is very high and dangerous…….. I would be carrying a 44 magnum or 454 Casull if I were you …..
@@williamfeldner9356 thank you for your comments. Here is a video you may like: th-cam.com/video/qe_N5ua6EU0/w-d-xo.htmlsi=b204mU42Km-5zlUS
You write, "The chance of a sow cub encounter is very high and dangerous." ...
"Since Yellowstone was established in 1872, eight people have been killed by bears in the park. More people in the park have died from drowning (125 incidents) and burns after falling into hot springs (23 incidents) than have been killed by bears. To put it in perspective, the probability of being killed by a bear in the park (eight incidents) is only slightly higher than the probability of being killed by a falling tree (seven incidents), an avalanche (six incidents), or being killed by lightning (five incidents)." ~ NPS
@@robertbailey3024 I really like these statistics that you and other people are providing. It is nice to see some good information coming out of this video. Thank you very much for the information that you provide.
@@robertbailey3024 The Park makes up a very small part of the Bear ecosystem in Wyoming, Idaho and Montana. Please go back and count the number of people killed or mauled in the 3 State Bear ecosystem within 25 years and come back and we will talk. You are also using figures when the Grizzly was almost totally wiped out by hunting and predator control measures………. Now, in the 3 State ecosystem, the Bear population has absolutely exploded……. You maybe willing to accept the risk……. but please do not let the eastern housewife think her family is not without risk of an unexpected attack…….. These bears are some of Gods most beautiful creatures, but also some of the most dangerous…. Have a good hike, I might see you on the trail, I am the one wearing a 44 magnum on my chest.
@@williamfeldner9356 "Hunting and the discharge of firearms remain prohibited in Yellowstone. Firearms should not be considered a wildlife protection strategy. Bear spray and other safety precautions are the proven methods for preventing bear and other wildlife interactions." ~ NPS
I thought staying quiet was a bad idea? Making noise so they know you're coming instead of surprising them?
That will always be the general advice for average hikers and folks who don’t do this often. But, for hikers who do this on the regular, as well as hunters and the like, we usually want to be quiet as we move through the landscape. I personally don’t want to wake up and scare an entire valley just to announce my presence, especially in areas rarely visited by humans. Though Stan has a bigger backbone than I do; I really try to avoid those trails where you’re hemmed in on both sides by trees. I need more open space and visibility 😅
@@MarkPharaohPlus bears' sense of smell is 7 times greater than a bloodhound's (per a Nat'l Park episode on NatGeo), and their hearing is also excellent. They are very adept at listening for the subtle sounds of potential prey such as deer walking quietly or rodents and other small animals that try to move about quietly on the forest floor.
So I agree and see no need to make any excess noise when hiking or hunting because the odds are a bear will be well aware of your presence before you have a chance to lay eyes on it. It comes down to us being at the mercy of a bear's perception of us at that moment (if it arises) as to whether they see us as a prey item, a threat to them, their cubs, or territory - or if they see us as none of those and just continue to go about their day.
8:10 "You should do what you think is best for you" lol great advice for a future piece of bear meat! What you're doing is risky af! Being silent means you have a better chance of surprising a bear you can't see and in that area, it could be 3 meters off the trail and you wouldn't see it until it was too late! Happy trails but I think your gonna be showcased on Scary Bear Attacks in the near future!
Thank you for your comments and opinions, I enjoy reading them. Are you from Alaska? Have a great day.