Let's take a look at grizzly bears. Encounters with them out West were very common, and not all ended well for either party.

Form W.A. Ferris:
Passing down the valley, we met a number of grizzly bears, one of which of a large size, we mistook
for a buffalo bull, and were only convinced of our error when the huge creature erected himself
on his haunches, to survey us as we passed. These animals are of every shade of colour, from
black to white, and were seen singly in the prairies, busied in digging roots, which constitute their
chief subsistence until fruits ripen in the fall.

Also from Ferris:
On our return to camp, we learned that one of our men had been severely wounded by a grizzly
bear, during an excursion for buffalo, in our absence. It appeared that himself and several others
discovered one of these formidable animals, near a grove of willows on the margin of a small
stream. They approached and mortally wounded him; but he succeeded in crawling into the
brush. Our unlucky comrade, unwilling to let the animal escape, advanced to the bushes, and was
at the same instant attacked by the enraged bear, who sprang upon and threw him. His companions
were so paralyzed with the fear that he would be torn to pieces, that they could render him
no assistance, with the exception of one, a well known one eyed Spaniard by the name of Manuel,
a famous hunter, who, quick as thought, threw his gun to his eye, and fired; fortunately the ball
was well directed, and the huge beast fell lifeless beside the prostrate man, who escaped with life,
but was so severely bitten in the hand, arm and thigh, as to be unfit for duty for several weeks.

From Peter Skene Ogden:
Wednesday 4th.- Last night we received 13 Beaver from the Traps. On account of bad weather
this day we did not raise camp. Depot had a narrow escape from a Grizzly Bear, attacking him
while setting his traps, be saved his life by diving into the river. We had rain, snow and hail during
the day. 7 Beavers from the Traps.

Also from Ogden:
Monday, 26 March. The Indian guide saw a grizzly bear of large size, wh. the trappers fired at and
wounded. The Indian requested the loan of a small axe with bow and arrows. Stripping himself
naked, he rushed on the bear but paid dearly for his rashness. I do not suppose he will recover.
He was injured in the head and lost one eye wh. was literally torn out. The bear remained in the
bushes.

From Osborne Russell:
Travelled down the Yellow Stone river about 20 Mls. This is a beautiful country the large plains widely
extending on either side of the river intersected with streams and occasional low spurs of Mountains
whilst thousands of Buffaloe may be seen in almost every direction and Deer Elk and Grizzly
bear are abundant. The latter are more numerous than in any other part of the mountains.
Owing to the vast quantities of cherries plums and other wild fruits which this section of country
affords In going to visit my traps a distance of 3 or 4 mils early in the morning I have frequently
seen 7 or 8 standing about the clumps of Cherry bushes on their hind legs gathering cherries with
surprising dexterity not even deigning to turn their Grizzly heads to gaze at the passing trapper
but merely casting a sidelong glance at him without altering their position

Hunting the Bear, by Alfred Jacob Miller

I have always liked the Joe Meek story of the grizzly that suddenly appeared in his camp with one other guy and not being able to reach their rifles they pulled a blanket over themselves. The grizzly walked all over the blanket several times sniffing and huffing and kept it up for a long time before finally wandering off. When they felt it was safe Joe grabbed his rifle caught up with the bear and killed it. He then tells the story that after the bear was prostate and lifeless Joe stomped all over its body so "it would know how that felt".

I was surprised to read some years ago in David Douglass' journal that grizzlies were fairly numerous in western Oregon's Willamette valley where I live.

Here ya go 'Peeler:

Neither Indian nor wild beast disturbed their repose,
as they slept, with their guns beside them, filled with comfort and plenty. But who ever dreams of
the presence of a foe under such circumstances ? Certainly not our young trapper, who was only
awakened about day-break by something very large and heavy walking over him, and snuffing
about him with a most insulting freedom. It did not need Yankee powers of guessing to make out
who the intruder in camp might be: in truth, it was only too disagreeably certain that it was a full
sized grizzly bear, whose keenness of smell had revealed to him the presence of fat cow-meat in
that neighborhood.
“ You may be sure,” says Joe, “ that I kept very quiet, while that bar helped himself to some of my
buffalo meat, and went a little way off to eat it. But Mark Head, one
of the men, raised up, and back came the bar. Down went our heads under the blankets, and I
kept mine covered pretty snug, while the beast took another walk over the bed, but finally went
off again to a little distance. Mitchel then wanted to shoot; but I said, ‘no, no; hold on, or the brute
will kill us, sure.’ When the bar heard our voices, back he run again, and jumped on the bed as before.
I’d have been happy to have felt myself sinking ten feet under ground, while that bar promenaded
over and around us! However, he couldn’t quite make out our style, and finally took fright,
and ran off down the mountain. Wanting to be revenged for his impudence, I went after him, and
seeing a good chance, shot him dead. Then I took my turn at running over him awhile! “

I guess my version had suffered the effects of time and toil on my gray matter. Thanks K, that's the story for sure.

K Snow, wasn't it Clark who said they'd rather deal with ( a stated number) of hostile Indians than one grizzly bear ?

There are a number of them here . It would be nice to open up hunting season on them.

I don't have their journals handy, but if I recall correctly, their first encounter with a grizzly did not go as planned, and they vowed not to engage with one again.

Stripped naked and rushed at the griz
Sounds like Beowulf! “We will fight as equals”

You menfolk are silly creatures

From Lewis' journal:
May 11, 1805
these bear being so hard to die reather intimedates us all; I must confess that I do not like the gentlemen and had reather fight two Indians than one bear.

May 5, 1805
Capt. Clark & Drewyer killed the largest brown bear this evening which we have yet seen. it was a most tremendious looking anamal, and extreemly hard to kill notwithstanding he had five balls through his lungs and five others in various parts he swam more than half the distance across the river to a sandbar & it was at least twenty minutes before he died; he did not attempt to attact, but fled and made the most tremendous roaring from the moment he was shot.

May 6, 1805
I find that the curiossity of our party is pretty well satisfied with rispect to this anamal, the formidable appearance of the male bear killed on the 5th added to the difficulty with which they die when even shot through the vital parts, has staggered the resolution of several of them, others however seem keen for action with the bear; I expect these gentlemen will give us some amusement sho[r]tly as they soon begin now to coppolate.

Thank you , you found the story I was remembering.

All I can say is thank goodness for modern firepower. They can have those old rifles.

I love my flintlocks, but they sure wouldn't be my first choice for going after grizzly bear.

Common K! If you're gonna play mountain man you need to be authentic right? Make sure you got some buddies along too, just in case to help stitch you up!