Close encounter of a bear kind..

theres nothing like seeing a bear up close i had one with in 20  yeards while archery before it was awsome

I was hunting just outside of Eldred, in Mckean county at my camp.  I had a 600 pounder come barreling out of a thicket 10 yrds in front of me.  I was walking down a logging road in a hollow, and he stopped in front of me, we connected eyes, and he was gone like a bat out of hell. I know black bears will not do anything, but I turned around and went back up that hill, that was a big old bear, and at 10 yrds, it gets your heart pumping. 

Hunting Bradford this year i had one run right in front of me while walking in to my stand opening day...I guess something spooked him...Very very large animal..the earth shakes under their feet when they run...Froze in my tracks...awesome sight...too scared to really enjoy it...lol

Krott more people have been mauled and killed by black bears than by grizzleys

ORIGINAL: krott243

I was hunting just outside of Eldred, in Mckean county at my camp.  I had a 600 pounder come barreling out of a thicket 10 yrds in front of me.  I was walking down a logging road in a hollow, and he stopped in front of me, we connected eyes, and he was gone like a bat out of hell. I know black bears will not do anything, but I turned around and went back up that hill, that was a big old bear, and at 10 yrds, it gets your heart pumping. 

I would like to see that data, relayer.  I'm not discounting it, just like to see it.
 
I've been close to both grizzly and black bear.  As you might suspect, more often black.  Closest was about 6-7 feet.   I've got one on viedo camera at about 15 feet walking straight for me.  Wish I could post a clip of it.
 
Whatever the case or the data, coming face to face with both kind, will get your heart pumpin'.

SK -
 
I have read in a couple places (can't remember exactly where, but probably hunting & outdoors magazines mostly) that black bears usually attack people to kill.  Whether it's for a meal or just for s***s & giggles, I'm not sure. What I've read says that grizzlys usually attack to defend territory.  While they sometimes result in death, they usually just attack to stop a perceived threat and will stop when they no longer consider a human a threat.  I think I remember reading that most black bear attacks on humans end in death.  The advice was to fight off a black bear attack when able and to play dead with grizzlys so that they no longer perceive you as a threat. 
 
Like I said, that's just what I remember reading.  Haven't seen any hard evidence or studies to support those claims. 

i've come across a lot of black bears up here in the ANF for many years. if they aren't looking at me i do nothing, if they are walking at me or stopped to look at me i've always move a bit to let them know i'm there. the smaller ones 200lbs or less run the other way. the bigger ones usualy walk away. the latest was last year i was fishing millstone creek down from loletta camp ground. i heard something coming towards the creek i was in and it stopped 20feet at the most from me. i looked up at it as it looked down towards me. i just waved my hand slowly to let him know i was there. he shook his head and turned and trotted off. if he would have came closer.. well good thing i had on brown neoprenes!!

Seems like there's more brown bear attacks in North America thru the decades.....
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fatal_bear_attacks_in_North_America_by_decade

I have had many encounters with Black Bears and they allways get my blood running. Only once did I get threatened by one. I was looking at a property that was for sale near Fertigs in Venango Co; in as the timber was semi hard cut a few years before it was choked with blackberrie canes. About 60 yds away I heard coarse blowing and looking that way I watched three little cubs shinnieng up a tall cherry tree. I guess I was being dumb thinking they were far enough away and just stood there. It was so thick with brambles that I couldn't see anything on the ground between me and the tree. However when that sow came at me I knew I could be in trouble because she was smashing everything on her way and fast. I was on a skidder road and backed to the other side. She came out of those brambles at ~ 5ft from me with the hair up on her back  pounding on her front legs and blowing. Then she turned and went back, I looked around stunned not knowing what way to go, toward car took me closer to the cubs (not good), the way I came from on the skider road was a swamp, and behind me a wall of brambles. In less time than it took you to read the last sentance she charged again with the same warning, and turned around again. I tell my friends I just refused to fight a female, and I quickly turned both****cheeks as I scooted through those brambles. However since I don't know any of you I guess I can admit I was a coward and didn't want any part of that bear male or female, and was never so glad to get into my vehicle seat in my life.

When they start wulfing at you  they mean business.Good call on the retreat.