Recent photos of the legendary grizzly bear named ‘The Boss’ by award-winning nature photographer Jason Leo Bantle. Photo by Jason Leo Bantle

Content of the article

When photographer Jason Leo Bantle started following a grizzly’s fresh tracks in the snow in Banff National Park, he wasn’t trying to find the bear that left them — and he certainly didn’t expect to encounter the Bow Valley’s most prolific cause twice. in one day.

This ad hasn’t loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Content of the article

“You don’t go hunting for a grizzly bear when it’s fall,” joked the award-winning nature photographer from Canmore. Sign up to receive daily news headlines from the Calgary Herald, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. By clicking the subscribe button you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link at the bottom of our emails. Postmedia Network Inc. | 365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3L4 | 416-383-2300

Thanks for subscribing!

A welcome email is on its way. If you don’t see it, check your spam folder. The next issue of the Calgary Herald Headline News will be in your inbox soon. We encountered a problem with your registration. PLEASE try again

Content of the article

Cautiously, Buddle followed the tracks back, finding a den where the bear had spent the night and a series of freshly dug holes where it was looking for one of its last meals before settling down for the winter. Satisfied with the curiosity, Buddle got back in his car to leave, but spotted something “shining” outside his window as he drove away. “I’m like, ‘What? Was it a bear?’ he said. “I stepped back and sure enough, there was dirt flying in the air digging under a log looking for another ground squirrel.” About 100 meters away from the grizzly, he pulled out his longest lens to capture the moment from a safe distance. Upon closer inspection, his suspicions were confirmed – it was The Boss.

Advertising 3

This ad hasn’t loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Content of the article

“I knew it was him when I took the first picture… you can see his right ear, he’s only got half an ear. I believe that’s where his ear number 122 was,” he said. “That’s its signature feature, plus its sheer size. It’s just a huge creature.” Recent photos of the legendary grizzly bear named ‘The Boss’ by award-winning nature photographer Jason Leo Bantle. Photo by Jason Leo Bantle Officially known as Bear No. 122, The Boss is considered the toughest and most dominant grizzly bear in the Bow Valley area. The estimated 300kg grizzly is believed to be over 20 years old. “He’s a guy who, to a degree, really drives the grizzly bear population in Banff,” said Buddle, who has a background in biology. “He has been able to make a living in many places where, unfortunately, grizzly bears end up being killed due to human disturbance. He is a bear that has navigated the Banff Lake Louise area and lived a long life.”

Advertising 4

This ad hasn’t loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Content of the article

The Boss is best known for a series of headline-grabbing incidents, including eating black bears, surviving being hit by a train, and Buddle said the bear is likely to have given birth to 70 percent of the babies in the area. Bantle said he was honored to be in the presence of the valley’s most famous bear – which he had only encountered a few times before – describing the situation as “surreal”. “The light was fading as if it were sunset, the mountains lit up behind them. I mean, it was just a beautiful scene of nature. And with a myth; he’s legendary, that guy,” he said. Award-winning nature photographer Jason Leo Bantle. Bantle left for a bite to eat and returned later in the day to try to recapture the massive devastation on camera. He sat at the edge of a meadow and was lucky enough to catch the boss falling into the snow for a second brief photo opportunity. “I’ve only experienced the Boss four or five times and each time it’s just — he’s such a huge creature … From my experiences with him I find him to be a gentle giant, but then again, he’s a wild animal,” he said. “He doesn’t pose for long. he’s just doing his thing. He’s a nice guy.” [email protected] Twitter: @michaelrdrguez

Share this article on your social network

This ad hasn’t loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Comments

Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion and encourages all readers to share their views on our articles.  Comments may take up to an hour for moderation before appearing on the site.  We ask that you keep your comments relevant and respectful.  We’ve enabled email notifications—you’ll now receive an email if you get a reply to your comment, there’s an update on a comment thread you’re following, or if a user follows the comments.  Visit the Community Guidelines for more information and details on how to customize your email settings.