Mark of the Grizzly, 2nd: Revised and Updated with More Stories of Recent Bear Attacks and the Hard Lessons Learned
Author : Scott McMillion
Published : 2011-11-08
Amazon Price : $11.52

"Somebody gets nailed in grizzly country every year. Almost always, they survive these attacks by animals that can take down a bull elk or an Angus steer, though the injuries can be gruesome. This more than anything refutes the myth that grizzlies are man hunters that lust for human flesh. If they wanted to kill us, they would do it in short order. But their power, their capacity for ferocity, is also what makes them so compelling."

- Scott McMillion, "Mark of the Grizzly"   Read More

From the

Mark of the Grizzly

Bear attacks horrify us, and yet they also, in a morbid way, fascinate many. They’re evidence that even in today’s modern world tragic confrontations with nature do occur and, in the case of bears, demonstrate that man is not always the apex predator.

This past summer, for the first time to the best of park officials’ knowledge, there were two fatal maulings of hikers in Yellowstone National Park by grizzly bears. They followed a year, 2010, in which there were two other fatal maulings just outside Yellowstone’s boundaries.  Read More

“This interview with bear attack survivor Deb Freele is pretty amazing. Whatever feelings of voyeurism or rubber-necking you have at the beginning swiftly evaporate as she recounts the mauling and what she did to stay alive and talks about one of the other victims, and even expresses sympathy for the bear. If I were 1% as brave and level-headed as this woman I would think of myself as a successful human being. I wish her a speedy recovery.”

As for how things are coming along, I’m doing great.  They recently given me the boot from the Hand & Upper Limb Clinic at St. Josephs Hospital.  I just have to work on increasing my range of motion just a little more and strength exercises, which I can do on my own.   The splint I now wear stays in play for a few more months, because although the bone is healing, it’s not completely healed.  It’s just a minor inconvenience.  My only fear these days?  Falling.  Oddly enough, I don’t have nightmares, just trouble falling asleep. If I recall…that wasn’t totally new either.

The really good news is that I am now out pursuing my favorite activities.   It’s now fall, and with that comes falling leaves, colder water, gray sky, rain and steelhead.  I got out last week with a friend from the local fly fishing club.  My first steelhead of the season!

Just one reason to be out in the bush this time of year.  It’s beautiful.

The leaves are all gone now and snow is just around the corner.  That also means it’s deer hunting season.  I heard several close shots while fishing last Friday.  I realized that I should have had on my blaze orange.

Until next time,  let it rain!!!

Added August 22 2010 This was a segment with Jamie Durie, done for Sunday Night (ABC) in Australia

 

yes that’s me.  It’s not the way you would want to find your fifteen minutes of fame. Trust me.

Now besides that bit, I did get a lot of fishing in, in beautiful country.  Here is a teaser.

Just a view from the lower Frying Pan River, in Colorado.

Typical rainbow trout from below Reudi on the Frying Pan.

Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout

More to come,
Deb Freele

Ian James was my fly fishing companion and mentor for the first few years of my fly fishing experience.   I did more laughing than learning.  You’ll see why in this video. 

I made this cool gadget.  I can’t figure out how to get it into my blog but if you want it, it’s free.  It works with Windows Sidebars. (At least Vista…not sure about Win7)

Windows Sidebar Trout Opener Count Down Gadget   Click this:

To see it in action  before downloading, try http://fcfc.ca

Nice one Tom. 

For those of you who use Fire Fox as your browser, I have  a present for you.  If you like to dress up your screen, I’ve made some skins for the Fire Fox browser, especially for those who love trout, fly fishing etc.. 

You need a Fire Fox Add On called “Personas” .   It’s free and I’ve been using it for over a year now with no problems.  Click the photo link below to get the download.

  Once you’ve downloaded it, you can go find thousands of skins that will customize the look of your browser (FREE) or you can make your own.  You can even post them there for others to download if you like, which is what I’ve been doing.  You won’t get mailings or or other nuisance ads.  This is a Mozilla add on.  

Here is a sample of what I’ve made …and there are more coming soon. 

Brook Trout 2

Brown Trout

Brown Trout Watercolor

These are all from real photographs of trout I caught this past summer on the AuSable .  They seem to beautiful to be natural living skins but the are.

Here is a sample shot of my own computer screen with “Brook Trout Kaleidoscope”  To be available tomorrow.

This one is Brown Trout 3

Let me know what you think! 

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I loved this story.  It gives me hope  for many good fishing years to come.

For the complete story click the link below.

Casting at 100 | Dixie Monkhouse still flings flies on the McKenzie River

Consider this an experiment.

AuSable Brook Trout in Fall Colors

I’ve been frothing the water with flies, most of the summer. We took another impromptu trip over to Michigan’s AuSable River.  It has become my "home water" since the rivers here on Ontario have been taking a real beating with all the rain we’ve had this season.  It’s not that the rivers rage in height here…but with all the agriculture and the way farmers are tiling their fields these days, the river just turn to chocolate milk after every rainfall…even small ones.  The cooler weather and organics in the run off has also promoted a fair amount of algae growth.  It’s frustrating to say the least.  I’ve become very spoiled by  stable flows and the gin clear waters of the Michigan streams. 

So we were on the AuSable from June 20 – July 10…then again from Aug 3 – 13.  I have another run up there in September for two weeks or so. 

It’s Trico time up there and the fishing has been spectacular.

Fishing the Trico hatch was very productive.  This has to be my favorite hatch.  I have a passion for fishing small flies…and these are small. 

They are getting used to seeing the usual patterns so try to come up with something a little more unique.  Mine shall remain secret for the time being…but it was very productive. 

The Trico hatch is usually over by about 10:30 AM but it all depends on when the mist leaves the water and the sun starts to warm the cool morning air.  Some mornings the spinners didn’t fall  until  close to 11 AM.  Oh…and you don’t really have to get out there until around 8 AM…even later if the mist is still heavy.

Other productive flies for me, after the Tricos were over for the day were BWO’s on the cloudier periods and the low light of evening and ants on the clear sky days. 

I’ve also been experimenting more with the night fishing.  What an adrenaline rush that has been.   It’s a bit creepy wading in the pitch dark but it has certainly been productive.   I wish I could show you the photos of those night time fish but I have a new camera and still fumbling with how to use it.  I had been setting up the photo  on three very nice browns when they charged out of my hand or net just as I was ready to hit the shutter.   I finally gave up even trying.  Oh well…that’s fishing I guess.    But suffice it to say that none were under 16 inches and two were over 18.  I even had a 15 inch brook trout in the mix.  Anything that will put a big wake in the water worked well.  I used G.Harvey’s Pusher, Gartside Gurglers and a Morrish Mouse.  All had solid takes.   A big black streamer also produced well. 

Twice in day light, I had a big brown come and strip the brookie I was bringing in, off my line.  Thrilling but that also should tell you that streamers will produce if you want to find the big guys. 

Daytime has it’s challenges for the angler…

…but it can also be productive.   Just leave your expectations for peace and quiet at home.

I pulled this little “trout slam” out of the same small pool in about ten minutes time…between canoe flotillas.   The fish here have seen so many go by, they just don’t care and they no longer put the fish down . 

   From top to bottom: Brook Trout, Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout.

This summer…until this week (August 17) has pretty much been the summer that wasn’t in this part of the country with unseasonably cool weather.  It has not been a good summer if you like to be getting wet.  The lakes and rivers haven’t warmed to a comfortable level…but this has been very good for the angler and fish, indeed. The hatches have been later, slower and more prolific.  The fish are also more eager.  This has been the best summer of fly fishing  on the AuSable I’ve  seen.   I suggest you get out there and enjoy it.

Until next time…. Tight Lines!