After watching your channel for several years now (purchased your amazing book as well), I find your approach to wildlife photography and nature to be incredibly respectful and sensitive. The other way to describe your approach is authentic and genuine. Your observation of being in bear country hiking alone is exactly as you described it - be careful, observe your surroundings, make good choices and enjoy the opportunity to explore nature. Photography aside, which is top notch, you’re living the dream getting to do what you do everyday. You are blessed, sir.

Thank you for your "ramble" about black bears. After working and recreating in wild country for well over 50 years, I've probably encountered between 200 and 250 black bears, including females with cubs, and only had two that had me concerned. It's amazing how many people are paranoid about bears and never express any fears of the things they should worry about -- traffic accidents on the way to anywhere; falling limbs; tick-borne diseases; slip, trips and falls that may leave them helpless in the forest; etc.;etc.; etc.

Keep your settings ready. Very useful reminder. Most important point of this video. Thank you.

Always great to see you out and about Steve!  I’ll head over to your website right now.

We came across several black bears in West Texas that were in the oak trees right on the edge of the trail. They were so fixated on eating acorns that they were pretty unconcerned about our presence, even though we were within a hundred feet.

Great video as always Steve !!!

My wife and I are both photographers living in the eastern foothills of the Wind Rivers.  We enjoy watching you since we spend so much time in the Tetons and Yellowstone.  I'm not usually worried if I see a bear and am able to maintain a 100 yards separation.   My concern is more in surprising a female with cubs or stumbling on a kill.  I believe the inherit danger of being a wildlife/landscape photographer in areas like this is that in order to capture these scenes we do just about everything counter to being safe in grizzly country - moving quietly, often off trail, becoming super focused on what we're shooting, and sometimes being alone.  There is always some risk in being in the backcountry which you seem to be well aware.  Being alone is an added risk that you choose to take.  And then there are considerations for bison, moose, and elk which together cause more injuries.   🤔   Take care and keep putting out your wonderful videos!

There’s probably a greater risk driving up and down 89!!

I have always respected you for your respect of the environment, the inhabitants of it and your love of life!!

we don't have a lot of bears around here but enough that I've encountered them a few times.  Never had one get aggressive with me.  Give them their space, let them go about the business of doing bear stuff and don't do anything that may make you look like a threat.  Pretty simples stuff.  It is the 2 legged creatures that concern me a whole lot more than any of the 4 legged ones.

Wow, thsi is simply art! You are amazing photographer and creator my friend! 🔥🔥

Another great video Steve. I think your attitude and approach to the situation is right on. Don't pay any attention to keyboard cowboys. They don't live in the real world. Thanks again and keep up the great work!

How was that black bear a gentle with those berry branches 😍 Amazing video Steve 🥂

I lived in northern Minnesota for a while and hiked alone most weekends. There were bears and wolves in the woods and no one feared them to any great degree. I think you are taking the proper precautions and using common sense. The worst of my interactions with nature was tick-borne illness. I was bitten as a child long before anyone knew about Lyme. The disease stayed dormant until I was in my 50's. It's been a ten year journey of recovery. My advice would be to worry about the little things more than the big things. Be aware of these diseases and deal with them as soon as possible.

I agree with your bear thoughts on both grizzlies and blacks. You are correct about all the other risks out there that are as or more dangerous than black bears. Grizzlies make me head the other direction and cougars just plain scare me.

Everything Steve said about bear safety is accurate. Absolutely nothing wrong with what he is doing photographing black bears. I worked Grizzly Bear Management 2021-22 in the Grand Tetons NP & Bridger-Teton NF and also shot wildlife photography. Looking forward to returning to the Jackson hole area in 2023 to shoot more photography. Due to a conflict of interest with my Youtube channel and photography I won't be working bear mgmt anymore. In regards to GGOs I found another one on the Hwy earlier this season which had a radio transmitter on it. Gave it to the Raptor center. Apparently the X-rays shows it was a result of a vehicle strike. Total bummer! Anyways, really like this channel, it was the reason why I ended up spending a couple years working and playing around GTNP 2020-2022. Gunner

For me, going downtown after dark is risky, in comparison.  Great Fall video,Steve.  Thanks for sharing it.👍👍

Black bears are very timid, secretive and not interested in people.  They generally run at the first sign of humans.  I respect your knowledge of local wildlife and situational awareness.  Great video!

Even more dangerous are crazy humans!:) Nice video as always!

It's great to see what to expect after my move to Teton county in less than a month!  I've been doing what I can with what I've got here in central North Carolina and cannot wait to get out there and get started, sounds like August is going to be a perfect time to catch all the seasonal transitions into the winter :-) Great content!

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With wildlife,  practical knowledge, experience ans general awareness is everything. Over here in Wales we don't have any potentially dangerous animals but al those attributes you mention are equally important to allow us to get close enough to photograph wildlife without putting it under pressure.
Great video.
Best wishes.