Grizzly Bears lived in Monterey County in the 1860s

Camp No. 29, Jolon Ranch, on San Antonio River.
May 8.(1861)

I did not write last Sunday as there was an American ranch near our camp and we borrowed some magazines, rare luxuries for camp, and I read them all day. The American who has this ranch, keeps fifteen or sixteen thousand sheep. He is a very gentlemanly Virginian and was very kind to us. He says that the loss of sheep by wolves, bears, and rattlesnakes is quite an item. We are in a bear region. Three men have been killed within a year near our last camp by grizzlies.

this is a quote from "Up and Down California in the section on

Book 1, Chapter 7
SALINAS VALLEY AND MONTEREY 

a book called:

Up and Down California in 1860-1864: By William H. Brewer.

http://www.yosemite.ca.us/library/up_and_down_california/

My wife was telling me that in 1849 there were more grizzly bears in the state of California than people which is why the Grizzly Bear is on the state flag. Unfortunately, you have to now go to Yellowstone or into Alaska or the border of Canada and the U.S. to see Grizzly bears now in the wild even though smaller non-grizzly bears still live wild in places like Yosemite and throughout the Sierras and Cascades.