Grizzly Encounter

I had a great encounter with a young grizzly during my visit to Montana in April. The bear leaned against a tree like a honeybear.

It's hard to age and sex a bear, but I think it's a 4-year-old female judging from her size.

She likely is one of the twins I photographed in the same meadow two years ago in April when they were following their groggy mom down the mountain in northern Yellowstone. She would have been a two-year-old in this pic. I got to photograph them on four consecutive days during that visit.

 

Now she's a full-grown grizzly living on her own.

She emerged from hibernation in great physical condition, ready to take on the spring.

But first a little butt scritch against a favorite tree.

I saw a dozen bears during my trip, but this encounter was especially cool.