The Legendary Grizzly Bear Known as Old Reelfoot
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- Опубликовано: 29 сен 2024
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Welcome back to Scary Bear Attacks! Today’s episode takes us back to the old west, but specifically to the border of Oregon and California. This area is still pretty wild but back in the mid 1800’s it was only populated by brave souls who understood the risk to their lives in the forests surrounding them. In those days the steep and foreboding granite peaks were covered with pine, fir, and spruce trees and packed with deadly animals like cougars, wolves, black bears as well as brown bears. Sure, there were lots of deer, elk and maybe even moose, but you risk your life hunting them while surrounded by this murderer’s row of apex predators.
In the 1860’s the west still had plenty of grizzlies, and they presented a dangerous menace to anyone who managed to cross them, which was apparently easy to do. In the year 1869, in the Oregon wilds of Jackson and Klamath Counties, a giant grizzly made the canyonlands of the Siskyou Mountains his hunting grounds. When a rancher would investigate any of the many cattle this giant bear would kill, enormous tracks would lead away from the partially eaten carcass, creating a sense of fear. There were many grizzlies in this area, and even several who would kill and eat livestock, but none had the tracks of this bruiser.
In the most remote expanses of the forest in this area, giant wild grizzlies could still be found, but not all of them were intelligent, crafty and easily identifiable like this one. At Fall Creek, woodsman and rancher Bruce Grieve had set a bear trap in an attempt to capture and kill one of the many bears killing his livestock. At one point, Grieve’s bear trap had caught the forefoot of a huge bear and in tearing itself loose, it had severed three of its claws. As an adaption to the missing toes and claws, the grizzly turned its paw outward toward the side as it walked, giving it a clear and discernable track each time it struck area livestock.
In time, the less cautious grizzlies were thinned out, but the wise, crafty and deliberating grizzlies, like Old Reelfoot would persist. Despite his injured front foot, Old Reelfoot was reknown to kill a steer as quickly as most bears would kill a calf.
He even had a distinct way of hunting and killing the livestock he pursued. He was known to survey cattle from an elevated position. Using his power and speed, Old Reelfoot would catch up to any cattle that caught his eye, and plow into them with all of his weight, knocking them to the ground. He would clamp his powerful jaws onto the spine just behind the shoulders of the cattle and crush the bones, crippling the animal immediately. Carcasses of bulls, cows and steers would often be found with his telltale killing methods surrounded by his massive and unique tracks.
Now, ranchers were not about to take these losses lying down. They had purchased and set out steel jawed traps all over their ranches, hoping to curb the predation of their livestock. But, these efforts all ended in failure as the giant old bear would slip away to resume his cattle hunting in greener pastures. Even paid professional hunters couldn’t catch up with Old Reelfoot, at least not enough to put an end to him.
Just like Old Ephraim, Old Reelfoot would kill livestock, and eat his fill. Most bears would stick around and defend the carcass in order to consume as much of it as they could, but not this bear. He would be gone onto the next cow or bull by morning time. It almost seemed like he enjoyed the killing as much as the eating.
As Old Reelfoot was pursued, he would use the cover of the forest to put distance between himself and hunters, so much so that horse mounted hunters couldn’t keep up. Not only his remarkable tracks gave his location away, but a long trail of dead livestock were left in his wake as well.
Ranchers got together and piled up a nice bounty of $2700 for his hide. Now, that doesn’t make me want to grab my rifle and go after a giant grizzly that no one else can catch or kill, but back in those days, it was a lot of money. Motivated hunters ventured into the forest and some even found Old Reelfoots tracks, but none reported seeing the elusive bear. It seemed like he knew what the hunters would do before they did, then he would escape from their sights at just the right moment.
This story about ole Reelfoot goes to show from time to time we hear about an extra smart and savvy bear that seems unstoppable! But it ends up being finally outsmarted and killed! Give credit where credit is due, that was one exceptional bear! 🤔👍
Is it really “out smarting” when you kill them with a gun? I feel that that’s just “out man powered” without the gun or trap the bears would almost always win. With a few exceptions of course.
@@knowjusticeknowpeace15 Totally agree !!
Old Reelfoot was smarter than the average bear.
That’s why he had a name and the average bear doesn’t.
@@H.K.5 What about that bear in Japan that slaughtered that family and managed to avoid hunters and villagers his name was Sankebetsu he was killed by a professional bear hunter and there was another Japanese bear who did the same thing but I can't recall his name.
Good one Dad!😂
@@bigczech7 Hey, if the shoe fits man.
@@kimbelsimpson7535 yeah man, its good
1800lbs?! The old west was home to some real monsters
The last Ice Age mammals especially predators were so big compared to current species. Humans would not have stood a chance at surviving. Its why I find it so laughable when "scientists" babble about humans taking down mammoths like they were primary prey. Humans would've been daily meals for the Dire Wolf, American Lion, Flat Faced Bear, Smiledon, etc. The bison of the period were so much bigger than today's bison, if I'd seen one I'd crapped my pants and fainted.
Reelfoot was one smart bear. We don't have Grizzlies but plenty of black bear.
Hello, Atticus and everyone who likes interesting, scary bear attack stories! I just found the story! My reaction later, just saying hello! 🐻🐻
Perfect timing 💖 Warming up some homemade soup and a baked sweet potato 🍠
Great video as always.
mmm yum!
Sounds delicious. 😋
I looked it up. $2700 USD today would have been worth @$61,000 USD in 1869.
Reelfoot: Height: 8feet, chest: 40in wide, claws: 4.5 in in length, Ears were 10.5 in apart Distance around muzzle: 42in ear to ear estimated weight 1,800 lbs! Even without mentioning much else, Reelfoot fully enjoyed his diet of grade A Western beef, so much that he used all his strength and cunning hunting skills to ensure that he always followed those rancher's herds to swipe one bull or cow!! I really enjoyed this story! That bear was massive! I know they were sure GLAD someone dispatched it and collected the bounty placed on its head! It would be safe to say Ole Reelfoot was one of the greatest rustlers of all time! Thank you, Atticus for another scary narrative! To me, anything that big, with such a huge skull and claws more than likely scared a lot of people while that thing was running around swiping livestock!
wonderful story would be afraid to live around where the bear stalked cows
here here scares me and i live in south jersey (no bears here) 14:23
Awesome story , reminds me somewhat of the movie Night of the Grizzly , where the bear outsmarted his pursuers , sadly the bear took the easy way out to stalk cattle rather than go after deer and elk
Can’t imagine going into brush you can’t see through looking fir this monster
Great job again as usual thank you
.....I believe that movie was based on this Bear.....
I watched the PBS documentary, Night of the Grizzly. Those women died horrible deaths. Hard to believe it's a true story. 💯 Ever since I saw that I've wanted to go to Glacier National Park where it occurred. I've never seen the movie though.
@@cathypiner7075....the movie we are referring to is a 1960's western with Clint Walker - Night of the Grzzly.
Any man willing to sleep under the stars in grizzly country is legendary in his own right.
This BEAR was one TOUGH ONE TO KILL
It is terrifying to think of having to kill one. They are way too tough for me to try
The story telling was immaculate 👌
Awesome bear!
The one shot of the big bear standing while lifting his claws always scares me.
I drove along coast, from Oregon to California, back in 2014. The forest in many areas is so thick, that it as dark as night. I've also been to Yosemite and Sequoia several times, and also the Angeles National Forest is basically my back yard. I've never seen forest as thick and dark as those in the extreme north west of California. You're not tracking anything thru that forest !
57mins...... 😬
Here we go!
I hope you enjoyed it. It wasn't the usual blood and guts but a great piece of history.
First time I felt bad for the bear in one of these stories. I understand the ranchers needing to dispatch this particular bear, but too bad such a special animal had to be destroyed. It was remarkable that 'Old Reelfoot' never attacked a human during all those years of being hunted ,until he was cornered and had no choice. Can't imagine hunting such a bear with a single shot 38-55 and a 44-40. In the 1800's, those calibers without modern gunpowder, were better suited for coyotes and deer. They lacked the penetrating power required to break bone or reach the vitals so it was no surprise it took the one big gun they had to bring the bear down.
I felt sorry for him too. Poor old grizzly bear.😥
At least no human attacks were confirmed. I’m sure people went missing in the area. Whether it was by bear, wolf, cougar, nagging wife, hypothermia, or a fall, or many other reasons.
"Being outsmarted by a bear weighs on a man's self-esteem". I love that quote!
Great story. Mayyyyyybe it grew over time, a bittle, but it was all perfectly plausible.
Darn good story, sir. Thanks!
Definitely plausible!
Old Reelfoot was one smart bear!
Would love to live in a remote area where there's no grizzly
I live in the middle of nowhere in the mountains. It is like heaven
Angry lookin bear! 🐻 Rooooaaaarrrr!!!
RRRROOOOOAAAARRRR!~!!!!
I live on a 600acre cattle farm...we have black bears but thankfully no grizzlies...I cant help but wonder how he kept the cows from stepping in the bear traps
I was thinking about the same thing.
(kygreenskeeper) Do you need any help on the cattle ranch? I’m looking to relocate ‘South’ from Vermont. Please reply in this comment thread, and thank you.
- Jason/Freedom Fighter Until Death/Vermont, CFSA (‘CFSA’, meaning “The Completely Fucked States Of America”)
He puts grease on their shins
He put the traps outside of the fence that kept the cattle in.
@@joeybidensAnIdiot hahahaha
No way would I want to live by a bunch of grizzlies!!! Me + Steph said we got a lot of better things to do with are lives!!! Love love love these stories!!! Please keep em coming!!! Thank you Atticus for another fantastic episode and storytelling!!! Love ya❤️ 16:30
You have better things to do with your lives than toss them away senselessly by doing something needlessly idiotic 👍
Imagine the people who chose to live in polar bear ranges, often by birth.. The archipelago of Svalbard near Norway... Nobody leaves home without a shotgun or rifle... I suppose the kids that grow up there will be on-guard for their life, and probably be incredibly aware living on the "main land" continents.. Polar bears are extra special scary.. They don't eat berries! Just warm stuff.. ;)
@@frisk151 I do think about them and continuously comment (correctly) about how each of them deserve precisely what they get in any negative outcome stemming from that decision.
Love the old stories Atticus.
💡I would absolutely love to live on a ranch, I don't care what it's surrounded by, It can't be worse than living in the city surrounded by a whole lot of psychopaths that you don't know are psychopaths until they're caught doing something sick!😕 At least we'd know that the bear's are dangerous when we see them, in the city a dangerous sadistic human can be standing/living right next to you and you wouldn't even know it until💥😖
What a badass bear!
Really enjoy these bear stories. No I would not like to live in grizzly country. I think they are beautiful majestic animals, but want no part in there even being a chance I walk up on one. Moving to location now, where the population of black bear is moving closer. That's bad enough to think about for me
My friend lives in an area with a high black bear population. At her mother's house close by a big sow comes to hang out in her yard every summer and every year she brings her newest batch of cubs to show them off. This year she brought four little ones and one from the year before.♥️
At least he never took to hunting and killing humans. Kinda sad how he was leaving ranch area when they got him, real legend this bear. ❤
Wow this was amazing real foot was really smart had to be HUGE, dang scary…..I LOVE this story! Great COVER my fav 😊thank you Addicus and nope not living nowhere around grizzlies like this 😅
All that talk of eating cattle has got me hungry. I'm going to have a steak . I don't blame Reel foot one bit.
Mid-rare. Ribeye. Nice thought.
So, they killed him about 125 yards away in-between a gulch as Reelfoot was sleeping off the chasing he received from the other hunters and their dogs. Bean and Wright also had dogs, and they set them on Reelfoot across the gulch. He was fighting bullets and dogs the whole way to get to the men, and they finally downed him after that bear went down a gulch and up the other side to get to them.
To answer Atticus’s question of “Would you live on a remote ranch that is surrounded by large Grizzly Bears?” ANSWER: Yes I would absolutely love to. - Sure, Bears are dangerous …… but so am I.
- Jason/Freedom Fighter Until Death/Vermont, FRA (‘FRA’, meaning “The Failed Republic Of America”)
Amen, I refuse to Iive in fear. I Iive in bIack bear territory aII my Iife and stiII do. I don't want to run into a pissed off GrizzIy, but I wouId Iove to see Yellowstone someday. Live free without fear. 👍
Well said, and I also live in black bear territory. A week ago or so we had about a 300lb. black bear eating our bird seed from a feeder that I left out one night by accident. (We usually bring our two bird feeders inside at night, the bears love them.) So we let him finish eating, and drive the bear away with a 1000 lumen flash light, they apparently don’t like those. We’re careful and respectful to the bears here, but we’re also armed to defend ourselves just in case one decides to get violent. That hasn’t happened ….. yet. Be well & be prepared. 😊👍
- Jason/Freedom Fighter Until Death/Vermont, FRA (‘FRA’, meaning “The Failed Republic Of America”)
I'm from Yreka that's an old local tail
Awesome 👍 sauce 🐻 roooooaaaaarrrrrrr!!!!!!!!🐻
Reelfoot was one intelligent bad ass bear. Great story man!
Love these oId stories, OId Reelfoot was a legend for sure.
I have a tree stand where this bear used to walk. I love this story. I have lived in the rogue valley for 53 years. 7 of us seen a grizzly bear at the end of ginko basin road on the crater lake boundary. Nobody believes it. I'm fine with that. The butt of this bear was bigger than the old Ford truck we were all piled yet. It was brownish blonde and had a massive hump. This bear stood up I swore I would never walk on this ground in this area with a bow and hunt. I was 17 years old then. Then around 2015 I seen a video of another grizzly bear on a trail camera right by fish lake. I hunt bears I know the difference. I'm not trying to start a big foot story. But I know they are still out there. And watching the movements of the second one on the trail camera on video. With dogs barking in the background I could see how smart this bear was. I can understand how they can easily avoid being detected. Most people in this valley don't even realize how many bears are in the woods, Especially around the campgrounds. I think it's very awesome. And I always have my eyes on the ground.
Really enjoyed this episode! My bf got me a mug from your merch shop I can’t wait to use it
Stfu your actual real name is Atticus??? Omg “To Kilk A Mocking Bird” one of the best pieces of literature ever written IMO. Also I had a dog named “Scout” and a bunny rabbit named “Gem” growing up. Atticus is an AMAZING name.
44-40 in a blackpowder load is not a caliber I'd pick, unless I had no better options. 38-55 is a lot better if it was in a longer barrel Winchester 94. Not familiar with that particular Spencer cartridge. I wonder if those guys had experience with shooting grizzles before. And wonder if they upgraded their armament afterwards.
I was reminded of the first grizzly Lewis & Clark encountered and how they marveled how much tougher it was than Eastern black bears.
That story happened in my neck of the woods about 20 miles from where I live. Still plenty of black bears in the area.
That’s a pretty dumb name for a bear.
The other bears probably made fun of him so I don’t think that’s nice.
Another great story, a piece of history! Thank you
We had tons of bears up North.
Trap gun how did the bear figure that out,bears are very intelligent.😮
You sound like Randy Travis your voice a lot like him
That bear was something special
So smart and tough. Love the story ❤❤
Get em' Old Reelfoot!!! Kill! Kill!
Sad thing is, he never killed a person, just cattle and other livestock. Still a legend though.
@@scarybearattacks Well, the cattle are hella expensive, right?
That 2700 is worth almost 100K today
"Murderer's Row"... I love it! You are getting really good with mixing in the commentary and older bear situations! That's legit.. I'm not here this time to comment on the fact that none of these people had bear spray to run this legit predatory bear off.. (heh). BUT, could anyone imagine if we were their only food source and bears were this smart on the regular??? It might even be a fair fight for those who want to hunt bears... If these "cattlemen" (I am from a long long line of ranchers, though I'm happy to be disrespected ("I was juuust poking fun atcha"): "weekender"... I've never heard this story, and I'm not even interested in checking into it.. This is one of you best ones to date.. Seriously.. I'm the 10mm sheot talker on a lot of this stuff, but bears are smart.. A bear like this could honest to God be called a PREDATOR... Not predation.. No, that is the body count of animals left in its wake! The only thing in this world I am afraid of is... Me waking up in a bad dream with my ex-wife next to me in bed.. Not kidding, but a bear like this.. Don't forget your bear spray!!! :p :). Great story.. Thanks for prompting me to give feedback.. I'm happy to do it for all the right reasons.. Here's to 100k and 1M for sure!
I was told that the movie “Night of the Grizzly” starring Clint Walker was inspired by Reelfoot. Anyone know for sure?
Nope. Night of the grizzlies was based on an actually grizzly bear attack in which 2 people were killed by grizzlies in two different locations in glacier national park in montana in the late 1950s or 60s.
Never realized bears kill large animals 😮
For all that is holy, don't put background music.
Your voice carries this easily.
Thank you!
Darn it!!! Don't know what happened there!! I did drop my phone today boom!!!!! Nothing wants to seem to go right for me!!! I'm looking forward to seeing my twin sis Dawn and family 💞 and my cat Riley meow 😻 My brother Tom is driving 10/6 to 10/9 I would take Amtrak but I'm not ready for that yet If me + Dawn get a pic taken I would love to send to you Atticus!!! We luv ya!!!🥰🥰❤️❤️
I don't know about anyone else but I find it so sad and maddening when bears or any other wild animals are executed when it is not the fault of the animal. We are intruding on their natural habitat, in their wilderness, not ours. I recognize that it is necessary to shoot and kill if it is to protect yourself and others. It's just the sheer stupidity of people that an animal has to be sacrificed
It makes my blood boil. It is always such a shame
🐾♥️
Especially with this bear because he was so intelligent.
I agree with your comment 💯
Great story! Need I say more?
Thank you for telling the story of Ole Reelfoot.
Fascinating!
If these 2 hadn't gotten him then he may have lived until old age. A very intelligent bear! Very impressive to have dragged that cow carcass away from gun trap. Maybe he had watched the man set the trap?
No I don't want to live anywhere surrounded by apex predators of the animal kingdom, especially bears.
I really enjoyed this SBA video.
Would you please tell me about the stunning solid black grizzly who "modeled" quite a bit the story of Old Reel Foot. The first time I saw him, he was shown as the bear that got into the guy's house because he was too tired to check the doors as locked.
So. Like the handsome black grizzly, may he not get into any trouble and l - i - v - e long.
Pilot rock is just north of the California-Oregon border east of I-5 .near where the beast was killed. Not where the pin is located in video, just saying. 👍❤️😁
Thank you! I guess there may be two? What you are saying makes more sense though.
I’m sure it is possible, I haven’t heard of it before but there very well could be a pilot rock in that location,it’s not the one in the story. Great presentation by the way!👍❤️
Amazing and riveting story about 'Ol Reelfoot'.
He was the type of massive bear where it didn't matter if you were armed to the teeth. He'd still make that charge a 50/50 chance at success. His success.
I wonder why none of them old timers didn't consider using a stick of dynamite. 💥
lol
Seriously.@@_smurfitude
human myth all bears kill with that method. Everywhere I have lived had an old Reelfoot bear living there. In reality, old Reelfoot is about 4-5 different bears over many years.
I don't mind the grizzly bears BUT I do mind the ranch work 😁😁😁😁
.....well, that's Ranching, even present time has its Grizzlies again, somewhat,....if you can't coincide,.....if you can't take the heat - get out of the kitchen. Reelfoot must have been one big beautiful Grizz !!.....with quite an IQ,....obviously greater than most men.
Actually, Atticus...the setting of the 50-70 Carbine trap did discharge, but missed ol' Reelfoot.
No thanks I sure wouldn't like to live in Brown Bear country! 1800 pound Grizzly Bear could kill you quick!
According to sources 2700 dollars in 1882 is roughly equivalent to 85,000 today. I don't know but 85,000 sounds like enough money to get me to go hunt a grizzly and I'm not a hunter
No thanks to living around grizzlies. Amazing brave men to pursue him relentlessly!😊
I remember my dad reading a short story 100 years ago in that would have been 1862 population of clear lake was around 100 people and 150 grizzly bears
Cloudy Wednesday Scary Bear Attacks FTW YO !
Old bear can be a real problem to ranchers, farmers.
Livestock is easy prey..
Defending off coyotes, even wolves can be done successfully with dogs donkeys, llamas etc.
But when it comes to rogue bear, that's another story.
A large majority are either young inexperienced ormore likely older males that cannot fend for themselves in the wild.
Animals especially bears aren't stupid. They know the terrain and where easy meals exist.
Livestock is one. Humans another.
Again it's only a few percent if that and usually has to do with prior interaction or old age.9
RIP, Old Real Foot.🐻❤️👏👍
yes, yes, no. the old rifle still exists? very cool indeed. I wonder what an old grizzle would taste like? I wonder how much "eatable" meat there would be on a 1800 lb beast?
Speaking of scary predators , did I ever tell you about the time I fought a 6 pack of wolves ? They killed me .
I would love to live in a remote ranch even if it was surrounded by hungry grizzlies. I’d just sleep a pack of really big livestock guardian dogs and a well armed VFW man around to keep us all safe. Heaven on earth
What a great job those hunters did finally getting that evil cattle killer Old Reelfoot! WAY TO GO and thank Jesus the bear did not get any humans that we know of.
Not sure bears have much place in the modern world. They are something to see. But in the nightmares of people who have survived bear attacks. I think they would agree with me.
Poor bear, trapped it’s foot, then hunted and shot, why do humans have to kill everything
Thanks!
Thank you very much, Sheila! I hope you have a wonderful weekend :)
RIP Old Reelfoot.Traps are cruel and in my opinion the reason why he killed cattle and not eating them on some occasions.He most have hated people.
I live where glacier park is my back yard and have grizzly Onondaga my deck with his nose on my bedroom window right now there is a very large griz roaming our property leaving big piles of scat
I doubt this bear would have attacked humans for food even if cattle weren't available. He probably would have hunted moose and elk. It's sad that he wasn't smart enough to know that eating cattle would cost him his life even though he was very intelligent.
No I would not want to live anywhere near bears and maybe if that bear hadn’t been killed and it kept killing livestock and ate all the livestock it could have killed people, but I don’t know for sure.
I hope old reelfoot sired many a cub with his superior genetic qualities when not busy with his clandestine ranch raids.
Raw beautiful power ‼️👵🏻👩🌾❣️
I was hoping the bear would move on , living out his life elsewhere....
I guess it depends on what you've grown used to, but as for me, no-go on living near bears.
Has there ever been a bear that specialized in swiping picnic baskets? Besides Yogie that is. :)
I did met a grizzly in Alberta 12 years ago i did manage to take some video film while the bruin was walking at a distance it was a bonus in my hunting trip.
You sound like Randy Travis your voice a lot like him
Do you think grizzlies are as smart as they were back in the day?
😊❤ fine story sir
I believe if it were not for the feeding source of the cattle if he would have turned to eating humans they would have disposed of him even faster than the time he had to take all of the other cattle if those world have been human with no cattle it would have been a national catastrophe😢
Us human beings are more offended whenever our babies become more offended then when the losing of the livestock which is the income and the food source for the human population so is very important but people protect their babies like Mama Bear and Papa Bear when you poke the😮
“Pedro smith” not sure why I find that name funny but I do 😂
That is one impressive animal…intelligent and powerful
★ This is a story of adventure as well as a look into the past.
Thank you!
Sounds like night of the grizzly
Thank You 🙏 I love this channel and the way you tell the stories 💯👍
The music is really distracting.
Awesome story thanks buddy
Atticus you rock keep them coming