Later the same day, after we saw mom and cub part, she was seen mating with one of the large males that had come down on to the estuary the day before. The little grizzly cub sat and watched for his mom, but for the first time she did not come looking for him. Instinct told him he had to move on and he began feeding on his own around the estuary. He continued to feed throughout the season, but if he saw his mom he would often try to approach her only to be chased away quite sternly. This may have seemed harsh, but quite often early in their separation, mom was seen in the company of a large male, who would not have taken lightly to the presence of the young cub.