The Russian River and its lakes , lower Russian and Upper Russian support a great number of colorful Brown bears . My earliest personal history dates back to a encounter with my father on Goat creek which drains into Upper Russian lake on the south end . It’s this gene pool of brown bears that surrounded our lodge on Upper Russian lake . From my first encounter and charge at the age of eight 1960 to my last encounter in September of 1985 , I had encumbered on their territory and they caught my scent when the distance had closed in on 30 yards . Being that close to a unsuspecting brown bear in his territory or feeding grounds , is a recipe for disaster .