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[Stratocaster]

I saw a cougar at the Chehalis last week.  Was at the Sasquatch Inn and fortunately she wasn't interested in me.

Seriously though, Last week, FFM and I saw someone with a hunting rifle on his back while we were fishing the chehalis.  (no he wasn't hunting).  Overkill maybe?  Don't know.  My solution is to always bring someone with you that is slower than you are!

[cutthroat22]

Lots of animals around there.  Used to do a lot of dirtbiking around there and my biggest fear up there is drunken drivers/dirtbikers/atvers and the yahoo crowd in general.  Probably not so bad in the fall/winter but summer on a weekend up can be dangerous!

As for black bears in the springtime booting around on dirtbikes to the end of Squamish FSR/Elaho FSR we can see a dozen in a day.   

Still have not seen a grizzly or elk but have encountered numerous areas of elk tracks and droppings.

[marmot]

The grizzlies are around, but they are mostly nocturnal.

Tell that to the one that followed us for half a km a couple of years back.  No tracks on the way in, and when we backtracked on the way out there was a set of dinner plate sized tracks following ours in.... makes the hair on your neck tingle.

Two years ago, a one and a half year old bear went in through the open hatch of a car while the guy was in the front seat eating his lunch.  The fellow was turned around, kicking the bear with his feet.  The CO we spoke to about it said the bear would have to be put down because next year it would be likely to take somebody's head off.

I've seen bears a couple of times (blacks) and enough grizzly sign to know that a can of spray and a clear head is a MUST if you're going to be fishing up there.  I'd second the fact that the elk herd has boosted the grizzly population.  Last year I saw two elk kills in the snow.  Blood and fur everywhere, meatless limbs scattered around... quite a scary sight when you know that the bear that did it is somewhere nearby.  I fished somewhere else that day. 

[Rodney]

That's why I said MOSTLY.

[Matt]

Sterling, I could be fear mongering, but then again, it could be the experience of seeing a grizzly track across my own when doubling back on my own trail after a firstlight walk to a fishing spot and hearing a first hand account of a grizzly charge in an area I'd been fishing the day before.  The Squamish is not a place for someone who is not comfortable with that information.

[coho13]

rodny where do u go on the squamish were u dont see alot of bears    i live here and i see them all the time on the river and im only on it once or twic d every 4-6 weeks so there are bears so be aware 

[BwiBwi]

Rodney tends to 'run' into moose more often.   

[FlyFishin Magician]

I saw a cougar at the Chehalis last week.  Was at the Sasquatch Inn and fortunately she wasn't interested in me.

Seriously though, Last week, FFM and I saw someone with a hunting rifle on his back while we were fishing the chehalis.  (no he wasn't hunting).  Overkill maybe?  Don't know.  My solution is to always bring someone with you that is slower than you are!

What exactly are you trying to say Stratocaster???   

[Easywater]

What exactly are you trying to say Stratocaster???   

He had a probably large and probably wet cougar interested in him for a short time.

[Damien]

He had a probably large and probably wet cougar interested in him for a short time.

This has happened to me, at the Roxy. 

Scary stuff Man.

[marmot]

That's why I said MOSTLY.

I would think that the most dangerous times to be walking around up there are pre-dawn (common when you're fishing) and just close to dark (common when you're fishing)...jives with the nocturnal movement of grizzlies.

You guys should know how to tell the difference between grizzly droppings and black bear droppings, as well as the prints.  Black bear droppings have some undigested vegetative stuff and seeds in it, smells terrible.  Grizzly bear crap has bells in it and smells like pepper  (i know, old one)

I havent seen cougar tracks up the squamish yet but I have seen some very large wolf prints. 

Only time I have ever fished with a shotgun on my back was up at the little smokey in northern alberta.  There was grizzly sign EVERYWHERE... very spooky.

[Rodney]

I would think that the most dangerous times to be walking around up there are pre-dawn (common when you're fishing)

Not to worry for this late riser.

and just close to dark (common when you're fishing)...jives with the nocturnal movement of grizzlies.

Possibly a worry (just one more cast... just one more cast...).

What exactly are you trying to say Stratocaster???  

I wouldn't worry about being outrun by Stratocaster...

[Stratocaster]

I'm a lot quicker than  I look. Just ask FFM

[Matt]

Saw these last week, these are some of the largest tracks I've seen yet up there.  The tracks paralleled those of an angler for about a hundred yards... but I couldn't tell the chronology.  So Stirling, I could be fear mongering, but then again, I might not be.  I personally wouldn't be too proud to run away screaming like a little girl if so much as saw this guy in person up close, of course if I did that, Id end up a as lunch though 

[bluesteele]

Bears, in particular Grizzlies, are serious business. I don't know Matt but I know the Squamish and Ashlu very well.
The Ashlu in particular seems to be quite an active area for grizzlies ( maybe Ledcor has disrupted their environment.)

If you are at all unsure of being in area where you have a strong chance of being in the vicinity of this wildlife stay away.

No fear mongering just the facts. Been stalked once up their on the Elaho, But seen many tracks down in the Ashlu area.

Be bear aware and stay safe.