Bear and Dogs in the Broughtons

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djnward

New member
I've read on a Canadian Park website that if visiting the Broughtons one should leave their dogs at home. They warn that dogs and bears don't mix....for a variety of reasons. Can't argue with that. Has anyone walked their dogs in that area and experienced or heard of any problems? Is this a real and current danger? I'm planning a trip in July and am trying to decide on whether to take my pup or not.
Dick
 
We stopped in the Broughtons last summer with our two Cavaliers on our way back from Alaska. They went ashore twice a day, and we never had an issue with the bears. We didn't take them on walks through the woods when in bear country- we left them on board for that. But they were fine at the marinas and developed areas..

We had more concerns farther north. Whenever we went ashore, we tried to make sure the bears knew we were there. We never let our dogs out of our sight and kept them under control. It was a little challenging 'cause one of them is deaf.

Mac
 
djnward":l6fw0u4n said:
I've read on a Canadian Park website that if visiting the Broughtons one should leave their dogs at home. They warn that dogs and bears don't mix....for a variety of reasons. Can't argue with that. Has anyone walked their dogs in that area and experienced or heard of any problems? Is this a real and current danger? I'm planning a trip in July and am trying to decide on whether to take my pup or not.
Dick
Click to expand...

The nice thing about people who let their dogs run wild in bear country is, the Dog runs off finds a Bear and gets the Bear pissed off, Dog turns tail & Brings Pissed Off Bear Back To its Owners for protection, happens all the time in my neighborhood!!
Keep your Dogs on a leash in BEAR COUNTRY
:wink: :mrgreen: :beer
 
When we did a lot of camping in the sierras with our old dog we worried about bears a lot. Its not that the bears will come looking for a quick snack of mutt, its that the dog would go after the bear. Cyper was half lab and half plot. Plot being a bear hound :shock: Our worries were that he would go after the bear and 1) we would never see him again or 2) we would see him really soon :shock: with bear in tow. What we learned was that if we camped in the camp grounds we saw bears. if we camped in the back areas out side camp grounds we never saw bears. They were in the camp grounds feeding :wink: So depending on your breed of dog keep them on the leash. I don't think a loppy or a pug is going to far in to the woods casing bears and the bears would not care, but labs, bird dogs, hounds, shepards are all capable of getting in to trouble. One last bit of advice. if the dog is heading for you and the dingy with boo-boo in tow don't wait on him, START PADDLING, all dogs can swim. get going and have the dog catch up. I know bears can swim but not as fast as I can paddle :wink: The dog does not have to be a fast swimmer just faster then the bear. :wink
 
We took our springer pup with us on a two week trip to the Broughtons a couple of years ago. I didn't like having to take him to shore in some remote cove as it was getting dark. We didn't take him with us last summer.

There are a lot of bears, but in my mind they aren't the main problem. You can keep a well behaved dog away from a bear and a bear won't seek them out. The problem is the cougars. There are lots of them in that area and they view your dog as a nice snack. I didn't want to have me on one end of the leash and a cougar and my dog on the other end. That would be harder and sadder than taking a salmon away from a seal.
Lyle
 
I have been watched by two cougers while fishing twice. At teh time I did not know they were there and never say either one. One I saw the tracks to and the other a buddy of mine scared off but I did not hear them as I was on the river casting. he told me about it after and had to show me the fresh tracks. Will put a shiver up your spine.
 
Several years ago, Carol and I were on our patio in the jacuzzi, when she saw a cougar stroll through the woods next to our log garage. The next day someone saw a cougar in the field below our property.
Because of known cougars around our place we never let Jessica go outside after dark unless she was with one of us. Now, that she's 18 she still doesn't go outside after dark unless she is with one of us.....(for different reasons, however)...... :mrgreen:
 
We took our labs ashore in multiple areas with bears (the labs were rarely on leashes in the remote areas). We always made sure that the bears knew we were there--and respected them. Never had any incidents. This included the Broughtons--and we are headed there currently with a small dog. Again, we will make lots of noise, be sure that we land in an area where we have good visable sight lines and be on the look out. We don't worry about this type of problem--just use a lot of common sense. The small dog will be on a leash.

We had another couple with us about 15 years ago who had two more labs (4 labs on a Cal 46)--and these folks lived in Sealy Lake Mt--where the labs chased black bears regularly. I was concerned--but my friend let his dogs chase the bears--and treed them--not something I would do--especially with a brown bear.

As for cougers--again--common sense--an attack on two humans, even with a small dog, in open country would be extremely rare. Of course I would prefer to have a weapon if faced with this issue--but with the current gun laws in Canada, this is difficult....So prudence will prevail. Remember that this is the wild animal's home--not ours--and respect their needs.
 
Thanks for all your input. Very sobering. I have a golden retriever(mostly) who is well trained on a leash but nutzo when let loose. "Off leash" was the second class offered, we only completed the first so far. Sounds like keeping him on a leash, not going ashore late in day, and making lots of noise is the plan if I take him.
Bob:Maybe I'll see you when I'm up there. I'm leaving Bellingham around the 9th of July and hope to have better weather than you have had so far. I've got two+ weeks...a chosen route...but no specific time table.
Dick
 
Currently sitting in Telegraph Cove waiting for Sea Pal to arrive when we will go join Dreamer in Lagoon Cove and determine if he has caught all the shrimp or if he has left some for us!! Saw a black bear walking along the road by the logging operation here as we came in.

Merv & Kathy
 
As tsturm said a annoyed bear will chase a dog from her cubs and the dog will run for cover near her master.......I know this first hand. I hunt in bear county and have had no trouble with them in the fall. Spring is different
bears spend time wandering around looking for deer fawns and seem to stick close to water. Its funny if you watch the hair on the dogs neck and back it will stand on end when a bear is near. I simply turn around and walk away to avoid potential trouble. I found it impractical to leash dogs where I walk and hunt. Having the ability to call the dog off a "Hot scent trail" is very important. Training is key. Porcupines are also a wild card that are trouble.

Many local dog owners have more trouble with the wolves. They seem particular about what other canine passes in their home range.

I can only speak for Black bears the brown guys I know nothing about.

Chris Bulovsky
Washburn Wi
 
No, it's not Christmas, but I got a good gift today!

The little white dog in the picture, Pepper, my 28 lb Jack Russell cross (with what, we don't know) treed a 250 or so pound brown bear at Whiskeytown Lake today.

The little guy is fearless and dangerous to his own and my own safety!

The big girl, Misty, our 155 lb Great Dane, came running to us for protection (Miss Whimp!)

Fortunately, we were able to call Pepper off, throw him into the Durango, and get away cleanly. (My 38 year old son was with me.)

The gift was my butt saved by a not too aggressive bear. (Can't run with the new hip!)

We'd seen it earlier before today, but didn't expect to run into it again a couple of miles up Brandy Creek.

Live and learn! (Especially happy for the "live" part!)


Joe. :teeth :thup

2128469588_ce45f916c1.jpg
 
Here's a photo of what I believe to be the same bear taken at night outside our motorhome a year ago.

During the day, its color appears cinnamon in the daylight.

We've seen this bear at least three or four times before.

Will have to watch and control the kamikaze dog!

2607036092_7446fbe4e0.jpg

Joe. :teeth :thup
 
We have been in the Broughtons for about a week now with the dog, and no issues. The bear problems seem to be more common on the mainland side of BC-to the East. There definately are cougars. We saw fresh tracks yesterday when hiking. There had been sightings a week or so before, but only briefly. Bears--rarely seen in that specific area--but a black bear had been seen two days before on the bank.

We have just kept "miss priss"--(about 18 lbs) on the beach or near beach areas. We do not take her on long hikes--and if she goes with us, she is on a leash (and often carried, by Marie as the dog whimps out.....

I would say that at least 25% of the boats up here have dogs, and we have not heard of any problems.

My answer is to bring the dog.
 
Thanks for the advice Bob. I'm heading out Tuesday morning with my 60lb pup. I hope to run into...actually let me rephrase that...visit with you while there! I'm taking the mainland route north.
Dick
 
We will be starting to work our way South in the next week or so. Keep in touch with the internet, and we can meet up along the way--assuming we take the same routes. Not sure of our route, but it will depend on the weather. We crossed Georgia Straits at Nanaimo coming up. Except for the longer passages we have been averaging 5 to 6 knots to keep the fuel economy up.
 
I failed to mention that most of the resorts have "floating piddle parlors"--some are sizable (10 x 20 feet), others are about 6 x 6 feet. These are on log rafts and have grass growing on the surface.

One of the reasons we tend to go to more marinas/resorts up here, is the dinghy the dog ashore factor. We even put a very small hole in the bottom of our inflatable the first week on a barnicle. (easily patched, and we flip the dink and put "goop" over any other areas of abrasion). It is so much easier to walk to the "piddle parlor"
 
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