PART
1: BEAR’S CHARACTERISTICS, BEHAVIOR AND SOCIETY
MIND OF BEARS
Bears
are intelligent.
Curious
Individuals
More
predictable than most people think.
PHYSICAL
TRAITS
Amazing
noses and ears and eyes are good.
Strong
and fast, good swimmers.
Black
bears are great at tree climbing, but grizzlies are not bad.
BLACK
VS GRIZZLY BEARS
Grizzly
distribution more limited but locally can be the most abundant.
Grizzlies
more likely to attack when threatened.
Black
bears rarely attack defensively.
Grizzlies
more dangerous than blacks, but risks from either much less than people tend
to fear.
Humans
are more tolerant of black bears.
BEAR
SOCIETY
Flexible
social structure that allows bears to function at low densities or at
concentrated food sources with reduced chance of injury.
Bears
do fight but more often use avoidance, restraint, and posturing to prevent
injury.
THREE
MAJOR ASPECTS OF BEAR SOCIETY
Body language and vocalizations to communicate with each other
Dominance
hierarchy or pecking order
Personal
space
BEARS'
MOTIVATIONS
Bears
have varying motivations for what they do.
Food
and the search for it dominate a bear’s life
Mating
and raising offspring
Investigating
novel stimuli; curiosity
Establishing
and asserting dominance
From
a safety standpoint it’s important to understand the difference between
"defensive" and other motivations, especially ones that might lead
to “predatory” attack.
It
is also important to understand the psychology of bears as they grow up.
There's a big difference in the mentality of a recently weaned 2 to 4 year old
bear versus an adult female with cubs or an adult male.
PART
2: BEAR-HUMAN INTERACTIONS
Most
bears have previous experience around people and learn from each interaction.
Humans
usually don't even know they came close to a bear, BEARS USUALLY AVOID PEOPLE.
Two
major categories of bear-human interactions where bears don't avoid or even
approach people: Defensive and Non-defensive.
DEFENSIVE
INTERACTIONS
Bear
thinks you are a threat to itself, its cubs or its food.
Usually
you approached it and entered into its personal space, surprising or crowding
it.
Most
likely will appear agitated and stressed.
Closer
you are too it before it becomes aware of you, more likely it is to react
defensively.
Almost
always stop short of contact, fight/flight is triggered.
Defensive
response that results in an attack (physical contact) almost always involve
grizzly bears surprised at close range, on a carcass or protecting young. The
few defensive attacks by black bears have been females protecting cubs (but
these are very rare).
NON-DEFENSIVE
INTERACTIONS
A
number of different non-defensive motivations that may appear similar to each
other:
Curious
bear
Human-habituated
bear
Food-conditioned
bear
Dominance-testing
bear
Predatory
bear
AVOID
BEARS WHENEVER POSSIBLE
LET
BEAR YOU CANNOT AVOID KNOW YOU ARE HUMAN by talking and slowly waving your
arms. Try to give the bear your scent
AVOID
BEARS THAT ARE AWARE OF YOU AND UNCONCERNED
NEVER
APPROACH A BEAR
LEAVE
AREA YOU ENCOUNTERED A BEAR
IF
YOU HEAR VOCALIZATIONS OR SEE UNATTENDED CUBS…
be
extremely cautious and leave the area silently the way you came.
Review
of your response during bear encounters:
·
Identify yourself as human to bears you cannot avoid by talking and slowly
waving your arms. Try to give the bear your scent.
·
Increase your distance from the bear, even if it appears unconcerned.
·
Do not run, it could invite pursuit.
If
a bear approaches you:
·
Stand your ground!
·
Quickly assess the situation. Is the bear behaving defensively or in some
other way?
·
Remain calm, attacks are rare.
·
Do not run unless you’re absolutely sure of reaching safety.
·
Group together. Prepare your deterrent
If
the bear is approaching in a defensive manner:
·
Stand your ground. Try to appear non-threatening.
·
Don’t shout at the bear. Talk to the bear in a calm voice.
·
If the bear stops its approach, increase your distance.
·
If the bear resumes its approach, stand your ground, keep talking calmly, and
prepare to use your deterrent.
·
If the bear cannot be deterred and is intent on attack, fall to the ground as
close to contact as possible and play dead.
·
When the attack stops, remain still and wait for the bear to leave. If an
attack is prolonged or the bear starts eating, you it is no longer being
defensive.
If
the bear approaches in a non-defensive manner:
·
Talk to the bear in a firm voice.
·
Try to move away from the bear's travel path; that may be all it wants you to
do.
·
If the bear follows you with it's attention directed at you. Stop! Stand your
ground and prepare to use your deterrent.
·
Act aggressively toward the bear. Let the bear know you will fight if
attacked. Shout! Make yourself look as big as possible. Stamp your feet as you
take a step or two toward the bear. Threaten the bear with whatever is at
hand. A bear that is initially curious or testing you may become predatory if
you do not stand up to it. The more the bear persists, the more aggressive
your response should be.
·
If the bear attacks, use your deterrent and fight for your life. Kick, punch
or hit the bear with whatever weapon is available. Concentrate your attack on
the face, eyes and nose. Fight any bear that attacks you in your building or
tent.
Remember:
·
If an attack (that is, physical contact is made) is defensive… Play dead.
(Don’t play dead before you have used all possible means, such as deterrents
to prevent an attack).
·
If the attack is predatory… Fight back.
HELPING
SOMEONE BEING ATTACKED
You
may be able to drive away an attacking bear from someone else, but if you do
this you risk drawing the attack to yourself.
PART
3: DETERRENTS AND PREVENTING PROBLEMS
DETERRENTS
BEAR
SPRAY
Used
to deter bears at close range.
It
is not 100% effective or a substitute for avoiding an encounter.
Use
only approved bear sprays.
Carry
it ready to use and keep it handy in your tent at night.
Exercise
caution
More
information
Click
here for 51kb pdf about Bear Spray versus Bullets
FIREARMS
Make
sure it’s adequate
Practice
Mentally
rehearse the situations where you would use it.
DETERRENTS
IN GENERAL
Know
their capabilities and limitations.
Can
be useful but should not give you a false sense of security.
Training
and practice are essential.
Observe
regulations governing their transport and use.
Consult
with local authorities.
PREVENTING
BEAR PROBLEMS
Most
of bear safety is prevention.
LEARN
ABOUT BEARS
AVOID
ENCOUNTERS
Move
away undetected from bears that are unaware of you or distant.
STAY
ALERT
Be
aware of your surroundings.
Look
for signs of recent bear activity.
DON'T
SURPRISE BEARS
Warn
bears of your presence.
TRAVEL
IN A GROUP
Groups
are noisier and easier to detect and several people are more intimidating to a
bear.
KEEP
CHILDREN CLOSE
DOGS
Keep
it on a leash or leave it at home. The exception is a specially trained dog,
but most dogs are not.
CHOOSE
CAMPSITES CAREFULLY
Don’t
camp on bear travel routes
Use
local knowledge of bears and recommended camping practices.
DON'T
ATTRACT BEARS OR REWARD THEM WITH FOOD
Keep
a clean camp free of attractants.
OTHER
DETECTION/DETERRENT OPTIONS
Trip
wires, motion detectors and compact electric fences can be useful
FIRST
AID
Be
proficient in first aid.
Carry
sufficient medical supplies.
COMMUNICATION
Inform
others of your plans.
Communication
can save lives.
The
content of this page has been provided courtesy of the Safety in Bear Country
Society (SIBCS). The Society is made up of a number of world-renowned bear experts
who have worked in collaboration with the International Association for Bear
Research and Management to create a series of videos about safety in bear
country. The first of these videos is titled Staying Safe in Bear Country.
For a brief synopsis of this video/DVD, or to order a copy, please 