A Cameraman’s Wild Encounter With Bears in Alaska | Short Film Showcase

the idea the value of this place we

the idea the value of this place we always have to ask that question like

always have to ask that question like

always have to ask that question like why save a place for the future what

why save a place for the future what

why save a place for the future what will be valuable about this in future

will be valuable about this in future

will be valuable about this in future generations in wilderness sometimes man

generations in wilderness sometimes man

generations in wilderness sometimes man is not the top of the food chain here

is not the top of the food chain here

is not the top of the food chain here the great brown bear roams from

the great brown bear roams from

the great brown bear roams from mountaintop to estuary and every day can

mountaintop to estuary and every day can

mountaintop to estuary and every day can be a fight for survival okay dude

be a fight for survival okay dude

be a fight for survival okay dude seriously needs to stop butting in here

seriously needs to stop butting in here

seriously needs to stop butting in here so anyways this is the Koontz new

so anyways this is the Koontz new

so anyways this is the Koontz new wilderness and bears are the reason I’m

wilderness and bears are the reason I’m

wilderness and bears are the reason I’m so pumped to be here aside from all the

so pumped to be here aside from all the

so pumped to be here aside from all the conceptual stuff wild animals are

conceptual stuff wild animals are

conceptual stuff wild animals are something I absolutely love and bears

something I absolutely love and bears

something I absolutely love and bears are one of the main reasons why I chose

are one of the main reasons why I chose

are one of the main reasons why I chose the Tongass as a place to travel to for

the Tongass as a place to travel to for

the Tongass as a place to travel to for me there’s nothing quite like watching a

me there’s nothing quite like watching a

me there’s nothing quite like watching a bear get his breakfast do a little

bear get his breakfast do a little

bear get his breakfast do a little boxing

boxing

boxing or even a belly flop and this wilderness

or even a belly flop and this wilderness

or even a belly flop and this wilderness is one of the best places in the world

is one of the best places in the world

is one of the best places in the world to see them do it

it’s always good to have a guide with

it’s always good to have a guide with you when you’re with wild animals and

you when you’re with wild animals and

you when you’re with wild animals and when it comes to these bears no one’s

when it comes to these bears no one’s

when it comes to these bears no one’s better than Don mcdougal he’s been a

better than Don mcdougal he’s been a

better than Don mcdougal he’s been a seasonal wilderness Ranger here on the

seasonal wilderness Ranger here on the

seasonal wilderness Ranger here on the island for years even though some of

island for years even though some of

island for years even though some of them by name we’re here at pack Creek

them by name we’re here at pack Creek

them by name we’re here at pack Creek it’s evening sun starting to go down

it’s evening sun starting to go down

it’s evening sun starting to go down over the horizon we get a couple of

over the horizon we get a couple of

over the horizon we get a couple of hours out Sal with two cubs two young

hours out Sal with two cubs two young

hours out Sal with two cubs two young spring Cubs in the sow was one spring

spring Cubs in the sow was one spring

spring Cubs in the sow was one spring cub a small adolescent male just passed

cub a small adolescent male just passed

cub a small adolescent male just passed those guys and another older adult

those guys and another older adult

those guys and another older adult female that just went up the creek I

female that just went up the creek I

female that just went up the creek I really usually just meet there it’s one

really usually just meet there it’s one

really usually just meet there it’s one of the highest densities bears anywhere

of the highest densities bears anywhere

of the highest densities bears anywhere in the world 1,600 square mile island

in the world 1,600 square mile island

in the world 1,600 square mile island somewhere between one and one point two

somewhere between one and one point two

somewhere between one and one point two bears per square mile so anywhere

bears per square mile so anywhere

bears per square mile so anywhere between probably 1500 and 1700 bears

between probably 1500 and 1700 bears

between probably 1500 and 1700 bears probably a lot of it has to do with the

probably a lot of it has to do with the

probably a lot of it has to do with the fact that there’s a little bit of

fact that there’s a little bit of

fact that there’s a little bit of development and this has been preserved

development and this has been preserved

development and this has been preserved over the years nobody’s messed with the

over the years nobody’s messed with the

over the years nobody’s messed with the abbot at so they can thrive here as a

abbot at so they can thrive here as a

abbot at so they can thrive here as a wildlife cameraman whenever I’m out on

wildlife cameraman whenever I’m out on

wildlife cameraman whenever I’m out on an assignment

an assignment

an assignment I’m always given a shot list a series of

I’m always given a shot list a series of

I’m always given a shot list a series of behaviors I need to capture in the

behaviors I need to capture in the

behaviors I need to capture in the amount of time I’m given but here I’m

amount of time I’m given but here I’m

amount of time I’m given but here I’m capturing moments I never even think to

capturing moments I never even think to

capturing moments I never even think to look for and it’s a great feeling

there’s something to be said for being

there’s something to be said for being in a place like this without

in a place like this without

in a place like this without expectations or just something to look

expectations or just something to look

expectations or just something to look for I’m just letting the Bears do what

for I’m just letting the Bears do what

for I’m just letting the Bears do what they do and getting to observe I

they do and getting to observe I

they do and getting to observe I mentioned this to Don and he comes up

mentioned this to Don and he comes up

mentioned this to Don and he comes up with an idea for where we’ll go next the

with an idea for where we’ll go next the

with an idea for where we’ll go next the only issue is this time I don’t know

only issue is this time I don’t know

only issue is this time I don’t know where he’s taking me the next morning we

where he’s taking me the next morning we

where he’s taking me the next morning we rise early and take off in the boat the

rise early and take off in the boat the

rise early and take off in the boat the bear action has been unbelievable and

bear action has been unbelievable and

bear action has been unbelievable and leaving that goes against everything I

leaving that goes against everything I

leaving that goes against everything I know as a wildlife filmmaker I’m not

know as a wildlife filmmaker I’m not

know as a wildlife filmmaker I’m not sure what Don has planned but I hope

sure what Don has planned but I hope

sure what Don has planned but I hope it’s worth it

it’s worth it

it’s worth it hey bear hey hey bear

so we got a heavy thimble berry thicket

so we got a heavy thimble berry thicket and then we get heavy alder cover so if

and then we get heavy alder cover so if

and then we get heavy alder cover so if you’re looking at this from the beach it

you’re looking at this from the beach it

you’re looking at this from the beach it looks pretty foreboding and then when

looks pretty foreboding and then when

looks pretty foreboding and then when you step inside the canopy you see a

you step inside the canopy you see a

you step inside the canopy you see a whole different world one of the reasons

whole different world one of the reasons

whole different world one of the reasons I took you here was because of this tree

I took you here was because of this tree

I took you here was because of this tree that we see right in front of us it’s

that we see right in front of us it’s

that we see right in front of us it’s just an amazing specimen and it’s so

just an amazing specimen and it’s so

just an amazing specimen and it’s so different from everything else and it’s

different from everything else and it’s

different from everything else and it’s just huge in ancient and everything

just huge in ancient and everything

just huge in ancient and everything trees well they’re probably pretty

trees well they’re probably pretty

trees well they’re probably pretty ancient old-growth forests I would say

ancient old-growth forests I would say

ancient old-growth forests I would say you know several hundred to maybe a

you know several hundred to maybe a

you know several hundred to maybe a thousand years old I’m up yeah every

thousand years old I’m up yeah every

thousand years old I’m up yeah every time I look at it I just in awe and awed

time I look at it I just in awe and awed

time I look at it I just in awe and awed by just the structure of it in the size

by just the structure of it in the size

by just the structure of it in the size and you know it’s almost leaves you

and you know it’s almost leaves you

and you know it’s almost leaves you speechless the first time you see it

you know sometimes we get focused on on

you know sometimes we get focused on on the really big things you know the the

the really big things you know the the

the really big things you know the the really cool big guys the Bears you know

really cool big guys the Bears you know

really cool big guys the Bears you know because you know they’re really neat

because you know they’re really neat

because you know they’re really neat animals and it’s great to see them fish

animals and it’s great to see them fish

animals and it’s great to see them fish and play and all that stuff but there’s

and play and all that stuff but there’s

and play and all that stuff but there’s a whole lot more life going on around

a whole lot more life going on around

a whole lot more life going on around there too

there too

there too there’s sort of a relationship that goes

there’s sort of a relationship that goes

there’s sort of a relationship that goes back and forth the Bears eat the fish

back and forth the Bears eat the fish

back and forth the Bears eat the fish they drag the carcasses into the

they drag the carcasses into the

they drag the carcasses into the surrounding area around the around the

surrounding area around the around the

surrounding area around the around the creeks the nutrients from the fish go

creeks the nutrients from the fish go

creeks the nutrients from the fish go back into the soil that feeds the trees

back into the soil that feeds the trees

back into the soil that feeds the trees the trees get bigger I think is just

the trees get bigger I think is just

the trees get bigger I think is just really important to have places like

really important to have places like

really important to have places like this where we can we can always have

this where we can we can always have

this where we can we can always have that preserved forever for Don

that preserved forever for Don

that preserved forever for Don wilderness is more than an iconic photo

wilderness is more than an iconic photo

wilderness is more than an iconic photo it’s a beautifully connected ecosystem

it’s a beautifully connected ecosystem

it’s a beautifully connected ecosystem and really a place of discovery I can

and really a place of discovery I can

and really a place of discovery I can sometimes think of a day out here as

sometimes think of a day out here as

sometimes think of a day out here as another day at the office but this is

another day at the office but this is

another day at the office but this is such an amazing reminder that if we keep

such an amazing reminder that if we keep

such an amazing reminder that if we keep our eyes and ears open wilderness has so

our eyes and ears open wilderness has so

our eyes and ears open wilderness has so much to show us and teach us