The park ranger at the end with the pickup should have just let nature go about it's course. I mean, everyone there is there to see nature....
But realistically if that was me, I'd have some very not friendly words over that intercom.
I don't believe that's a park ranger although it might be the NPS logo on the side. Maybe a maintenance vehicle, which are usually all white other than the arrowhead logo on the door. Park ranger patrol vehicles have a green stripe going almost the entire length. Non law-enforcement (aka "interpretive") rangers often drive in unmarked vehicles, although I've seen the NPS arrowhead on the side.
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I've been there and seen that with an American black bear in Yellowstone and a "bear jam". We opened the window and asked the ranger what was going on, and he matter of factly said "black bear", so obviously being there wasn't a problem. We found a paved, designated parking space (maybe 200 feet away) and walked back in to look with binoculars and took telephoto pictures. But while we were there (about 250 feet away from the bear) the ranger said we were fine. We certainly didn't crowd the bear or approach it closely. But the big thing he was doing was yelling out that anyone parking and leaving a car on the side of the road had to have all four wheels off the pavement, or he would be writing up parking tickets.
True, I forgot they had those green stripes along the side usually. I've been through a bison jam in Yellowstone. It was crazy, they walked right between cars like nobody's business.
There was a time when you'd see lots black bear along the Rogue River (Hwy 62) in Oregon. Those cubs are super cute!
When I was living in Montana, there was always a story on the evening news about tourists from CA getting mauled by a Grizzly.
I don't cross paths with any kind of bear, even when armed with a .375 H&H.
Nothing on that page recommends moving toward the bear, ever. In all cases except when a bear is very close and / or charging toward you, the recommendation is to move away. If you are being charged, "stand your ground" because they enjoy a chase and you're not going to outrun it.
Nothing on that page recommends moving toward the bear, ever. In all cases except when a bear is very close and / or charging toward you, the recommendation is to move away. If you are being charged, "stand your ground" because they enjoy a chase and you're not going to outrun it.