Wow, thanks so much everyone for your input...much appreciated! No problem now that I know, we'll just take bear spray! Yes, I'm aware of things to watch for while ATVing, as I've been doing so for many years, plus we'll have a party of four riding on this trip. Each of us carries a GPS as well, which leaves a 'bread crumb' trail of where you've gone, and it works well to just return via the same trail...if not, the GPS gives us the ability to leave way points along the way. All Four quads have winches...of which 4 years ago this same 'four' of us rode in about 50 miles west...in off the Alaska highway, pulling trailers with all the gear needed for a 2 week trip. We encountered some large mud holes indeed, of which you have no idea how deep it is, so we had to get a stick to 'dip' the hole to see how deep it was. We all have mud (aftermarket) tires, and take turns making sure each rider can get through, so you never encounter everyone getting stuck...as we've ridden long enough to know that it has to be 'safety first'. I'll mention as well that I've hunted for over 30 years in Northern B.C., always for game meat only, but we certainly have seen HUGE Grizzly tracks on the trails as well. To tell the truth this past year has been the worst we've seen for 'predators'....Grizzly and wolves mainly. That is ALL we saw for a week and a half in the north country, but finally where able to take a little meat home for the freezer thankfully.
I usually carry a Mossberg with 18" barrel, with slugs and a single SSG shot as a first shot. It would never be used unless a life where in peril of course, as the bears have even more rights than WE do to be there for sure! I've done a lot of reading on the topic of bears and some of the stories going WAY back on their ferocity, so I'm well aware one doesn't have a lot of time if they decide to head in your direction. I'll also add that I belong to an ATV Club, where we've come across a Cinnamon (black bear) as a group of quad riders, and he/she stayed about 10 yards away, but wasn't interested in moving any further away....so we retreated and went back from the way we came....so what I'm saying is that they not always will move off by the sound of quads.
Thanks again for the information....and if any of you have good info on good area's to ride in the Yukon or Alaska, that would be appreciated as well. Will be checking out 'clubs' in the area as well in my searching.
