Contents
Introduction
Bears
in general
Senses
Physical
traits and abilities
The
bears mind
Food
Habituation
Food
conditioning
Differences
between grizzly and black bears
Grizzly
bear distribution
Black
bear distribution
Grizzly
bear identification
Bear
behavior and society
Bear
social structure
Home
ranges not territories
Personal
space
Dominance
hierarchy
Bear-bear
interactions
Body
language and vocalizations
Bear-bear
conflicts
High
stress displays
Bears
try to avoid injury
Bear-human
interactions
Bears
learn from interactions with people
Human
often unaware of bears
Defensive
bears
Non-defensive
approaches
Curious
bears
Human-habituated
bears
Food
conditioned bears
Dominance
testing bears
Predatory
bears
Risks
from grizzly versus black bears
Reacting
during bear encounters
Avoid
bears whenever possible
If
you cannot avoid, let bears know you're human
Avoid
bears that are unaware of you and unconcerned
Never
approach a bear
Leave
an area where you encounter a bear
If
you hear vocalizations or see unattended cubs
Reacting
to an approaching bear
Facing
defensive bears
Defensive
attacks
Facing
non-defensive bears
Predatory
attacks
Attack
summary
Helping
someone else who is being attacked
Deterrents
Bear
spray
Firearms
Deterrents
in general
Preventing
bear problems
Learn
about bears
Stay
alert
Don't
surprise bears
Travel
in a group
Keep
children close
Dogs
Choose
campsites carefully
Don't
attract bears or reward them with food
Other
detection/deterrent options
First
aid
Communication
Review
INTRODUCTION
The
following program is based on the advice and knowledge of many specialists
with thousands of hours of behavioral observation of bears and extensive
experience with bear and human interactions and conflicts.
We
cannot ensure the advice in this program will prevent you from being harmed by
a bear but the content may help you reduce your risks. If people understand
and apply a few safety principles a much greater degree of co-existence with
bears is possible.
Don’t
wait until you are face to face with a bear to think about how you’re going
to react or what you could have done to avoid the encounter.
In
North America, humans have been living in the presence of black and grizzly
bears for thousands of years. Most people perceive bears as fierce and
frightening or cute and cuddly. The truth is somewhere in between. Bears are
fascinating animals, generally peaceful, but can be dangerous, and deserve
respect. Bears are powerful carnivores certainly capable of injuring or
killing people. What is remarkable is these tragic events happen so rarely.
Bears
are well equipped to do each other serious harm, but they have evolved ways to
minimize the chance of physical injury. Most interactions between bears
involve considerable tolerance and restraint. They usually display the same
tolerance towards people. Most bears avoid people without the person even
knowing it was there. Each year countless interactions occur between people
and bears without harm. A meeting, a mutual departure, no attacks, no injury,
no news. But on rare occasions a meeting between a bear and a person results
in human injury or death. Each year, on average, three people are killed in
bear attacks in North America. More are seriously injured. Sometimes it’s
necessary to destroy bears in defense of life and property, but each year,
hundreds of bears are also shot needlessly.
More
people are living, working and traveling in bear country, and in some parts of
North America, bear populations are also on the increase, resulting in more
interactions between people and bears. Most people don’t know how to avoid
bear encounters and don’t have a very clear idea about what to do when they
meet one.
DO
YOU?
Biologist
John Hechtel has over 25 years of hands-on experience with both black and
grizzly bears. John uses his understanding of bears to educate people on
issues regarding bear and human conflicts, human safety and bear conservation.
John
Hechtel: “The best way to minimize conflicts with bears is by practicing
prevention. Though bears are forgiving of almost all human behavior by
following some simple rules you can reduce your chances of encountering a
bear, and just as important, of attracting one. But despite the best
precautions, you still may occasionally meet a bear. Bears often display many
of the same types of behaviors toward humans that they use with each other,
therefore, the safest way to reduce risk during an encounter is to have
knowledge and understanding of their behavior and motivation. You should be
able to anticipate the most common situations where you might encounter bears
and it’s a good idea to mentally practice how you should respond. This
knowledge and preparation can empower you to act appropriately around bears
and avoid an attack. You have control over most of the important factors that
determine your safety. Safety is no accident. It’s your responsibility.”
People
who deal with bears on a regular basis have concluded they are more
predictable than most of us think. Labeling them as unpredictable shuts the
door to understanding. Any interaction with a bear has an element of risk.
Some risk from bears is real but generally much less than most people fear.
In
popular literature, films and television, bears have been demonized or
humanized. Trained bears follow a Hollywood script but still shape people’s
notions of what bears are. Even in a documentary, fight scenes are usually
silent play-fights over-dubbed with sensational roars. Let’s take another
look at this scene. This is what it really sounds like. The public has been
routinely misinformed. Bear safety is not show business, and knowing about
bears, how they react and how they sound during an encounter can help you deal
with the situation.
From
this point on, none of the bears you will see are trained or filmed in
captivity. We cannot show the entire range of bear behavior but you will see
how wild bears behave when encountering each other and people.
BEARS
IN GENERAL
Black
bears and grizzly bears share many common traits.
SENSES
Both
species have excellent senses. Their sense of smell is legendary and they
trust their noses more than their eyes or ears. Their hearing and sight is
similar to that of people. They often stand to get a better look or to catch a
scent. If you can see a bear, chances are it is capable of sensing you. If the
wind is blowing from you to the bear, if sound is not obscured, the bear
probably knew you were there long ago. However keen their senses are it’s
still possible to surprise a bear.
PHYSICAL
TRAITS AND ABILITIES
Bears
are heavy animals with short legs and necks, making them very powerful. They
are strong swimmers, completely comfortable in the water. They can run much
faster than the fastest human, over any terrain, uphill or down. Black bears
are much better at climbing trees than grizzly bears, but many grizzly bears
like this adult female can also climb trees.
THE
BEAR'S MIND
All
bears are inquisitive, intelligent animals with varied dispositions. Mothers
care for and protect their young. The early years are intensely social. Young
bears are constantly learning. Play hones survival skills and prepares them
for interactions with other bears. They continue to learn throughout their
life. If they learn or experience something in one area they can apply that
knowledge over time and great distances.
FOOD
Bears
may travel a vast area and spend most of their time searching for food to
support growth, their offspring and prepare for winter denning. They consume
large quantities of high quality food, most of which consists of vegetation
but some bears eat large amounts of fish and meat. Food and the search for it
influence every aspect of a bear’s life. Bears are also motivated to mate,
to establish or assert dominance, as well as defend personal space, offspring
or food.
Black
and grizzly bears can adapt to areas occupied by humans, but most humans are
less willing to tolerate the presence of bears, especially grizzlies.
HABITUATION
A
bear repeatedly exposed to humans at close range without negative experience
learns to tolerate them at these distances. This is called human-habituation
but does not mean such a bear is tame. Some bear-viewing programs take
advantage of human-habituation in areas where bears congregate and feed on an
abundant food source. These areas can provide safe and unique opportunities
for people to view bears in their natural habitat provided that the bears can
predict peoples activities and that all human food is kept away from the
bears. Most photographs and films of bears are from such places. A
human-habituated bear may not avoid people so it’s more likely to come in
contact with carelessly stored food or garbage.
FOOD-CONDITIONING
Bears
that learn to associate human activity with a meal are called human
food-conditioned. They can become aggressive in their pursuit of human food
causing property damage or occasionally human injury. In rare cases, these
bears have killed and eaten people, but most often the bear is the one killed.
DIFFERENCES
BETWEEN GRIZZLY AND BLACK BEARS
Grizzly
and black bears have much in common, but there are also some important
differences between the species.
GRIZZLY
BEAR DISTRIBUTION
The
names grizzly bear, brown bear and Kodiak bear refer to the same species. For
clarity, we’ll refer to them all as grizzlies. Grizzlies are primarily found
in forested and open habitats in Alaska and western and northern Canada where
they may be locally more abundant than black bears. In the lower 48 states of
the U.S., they occur in a few scattered populations in the northwest.
BLACK
BEAR DISTRIBUTION
Black
bears are a different species. They are the most abundant bears on the
continent, widely distributed throughout the forested areas of Canada, the
U.S. and parts of northern Mexico.
John
Hechtel: “The species of bear isn’t the only factor, which should
determine your behavior during an encounter but it can be useful to
distinguish between a grizzly and a black bear. Knowing which species you are
facing may provide you with an important clue to the bears motives and how you
should respond.”
GRIZZLY
BEAR IDENTIFICATION
Color
alone is not a reliable way to identify either species. The color of a
grizzlies pelt is quite variable, they may be blonde, somewhat red to a dark
brown, some grizzlies are black. Often the hairs are silver-tipped giving them
a “grizzled” appearance. Some may even have a white collar. Grizzly bears
usually have a prominent hump over the shoulder. Their front claws are long
and specialized for digging. Grizzlies evolved in treeless habitats where
escape to cover was not an option. As a result, they are more inclined to
defend when they feel threatened.
BLACK
BEAR IDENTIFICATION
Although
most black bears are black with a tan muzzle, and may have white markings on
their chest or neck, color varies. Chocolate and cinnamon are not uncommon,
especially in drier areas of the west where grizzlies of similar color also
may be found. A few populations of black bear have individuals that are
blonde, a grayish-blue or even white. Black bears lack a shoulder hump, tend
to have a straight face profile and short curved claws. They evolved in
forested habitats and are agile climbers. As a result, when threatened, a
black bear usually escapes to the safety of the forest rather than stand its
ground and fight.
BEAR
BEHAVIOR AND SOCIETY
BEAR
SOCIAL STRUCTURE
Bears
may spend much of their time alone, but they can be quite social, and have
evolved a structured but flexible society.
HOME
RANGES NOT TERRITORIES
Most
bears are not territorial and don’t try to exclude other bears from the area
where they live. Home ranges of individuals typically overlap those of their
neighbors.
PERSONAL
SPACE
Yet
each bear has around it a personal space that it monitors and may defend. The
extent of this space and level of defense can vary with each individual bear
or it’s species.
DOMINANCE
HIERARCHY
They
establish a dominance hierarchy maintained by interactions with each other.
Generally, large confident males dominate. Other bears rank in the hierarchy
based on size, physical condition, and personality. Immature bears and newly
weaned youngsters are lowest on the hierarchy. Dominance determines access to
preferred feeding sites and mates.
BEAR-BEAR
INTERACTIONS
John
Hechtel: “There is much to be learned by watching bears interact, especially
how they resolve conflict. These are lessons relevant to human safety. Bears
do fight, but ritualized displays, avoidance and restraint characterize most
interactions between bears.”
BODY
LANGUAGE AND VOCALIZATIONS
Dominance
and submission are communicated through body language. Vocal sounds, head and
ear position, body posture and movements, are important in assessing bear
behavior. Bears signal different levels of discomfort or stress. Some stress
signals are subtle, such as a pause in activity, a stiffening stance and
change in body orientation, a yawn out of place. Others are more obvious, such
as huffing, moaning and teeth popping.
BEAR-BEAR
CONFLICTS
When
faced with one of their own species, each bear will quickly assess the
situation. Most encounters conclude with the bears increasing their distance
from one another, but low stress interactions have the potential to escalate
if one bear ignores another’s warnings or continues to crowd another’s
personal space. This can take minutes, or seconds, such as this female grizzly
defending her young.
HIGH
STRESS DISPLAYS
High
stress aggressive displays include salivating, rapid huffing, roaring and
open-mouth jawing, paw swatting, guttural sounds or a charge, which may or may
not stop short of contact.
BEARS
TRY TO AVOID INJURY
Whatever
the level of stress, each bear normally reacts to minimize its chance of
injury. The better you understand and are able to recognize these behaviors,
and the motivation behind them, the better your chance of lowering your risk
during an encounter.
BEAR-HUMAN
INTERACTIONS
BEARS
LEARN FROM INTERACTIONS WITH PEOPLE
Except
in some remote areas, most bears have had some previous experience with
people. Whatever a bear has learned from these experiences will influence it’s
behavior during the next encounter. While it’s always safest to prevent
encounters, there are many situations in which bears and humans interact.
HUMANS
OFTEN UNAWARE OF BEARS
The
most common situation is when a bear avoids you or remains undetected without
you knowing it was there.
Let’s
find out why a bear wouldn’t avoid you.
DEFENSIVE
BEARS
John
Hechtel: “There are reasons why a bear may not avoid you. It might be
defensive, that is, threatened by your presence to the point it shows
aggression. Defensive behavior is almost always a result of you entering a
bear’s personal space, surprising or crowding it. Occasionally an unaware
bear approaches you and is surprised.”
A
defensive bear perceives you as a threat to itself or its cubs or it may be
protecting its food. It will most likely appear agitated or stressed. The
signs of stress vary with the level of a bears agitation. These may range from
low stress to high level aggression, such as a charge. A common example of
defensive behavior is a sudden encounter with a female grizzly and cubs. The
closer you are to a bear when it becomes aware of you, the more likely it is
to react in a defensive manner. You also have less time to react. Though most
defensive interactions with bears stop short of contact, they do sometimes
result in attacks. Defensive attacks almost always involve grizzly bears
surprised at close range, on a carcass, or protecting their young. Defensive
attacks by black bears are very rare and the few recorded cases have been
females defending cubs.
NON-DEFENSIVE
APPROACHES
We’ve
seen some defensive behavior, now lets look at other reasons why a bear might
approach.
John
Hechtel: “In contrast to defensive behavior, there are other reasons a bear
may not avoid you or even approach. It could just be curious or used to
people. It could be after your food or a bold bear testing it’s dominance.
In the rarest case it might think you are potential prey. All of these
non-defensive approaches may appear similar to each other.”
CURIOUS
BEARS
A
curious bear might come from a distance to investigate human activity.
Sometimes it circles downwind to get a scent. At closer range it usually makes
a slow, hesitant approach with its ears cocked forward. Its head and nose
raised as it uses its senses to identify what you are.
HUMAN-HABITUATED
BEARS
Human-habituated
bears tolerate people at close distances without apparent concern, especially
in places they’re used to encountering them. Don’t take this as an
invitation to approach. A bears personal space shrinks as its habituated but
its still there. To crowd it can be dangerous.
FOOD-CONDITIONED
BEARS
Food-conditioned
bears may be bold and approach deliberately to get to your food. They can come
right into your camp, rip into your tent, or enter a building.
DOMINANCE
TESTING BEARS
Sometimes
a bear may boldly approach you attempting to assert dominance. They can be at
any level of the bear hierarchy, from a dominant adult male that expects right
of way, to a young bear testing its status. They may walk deliberately toward
you with apparent confidence, indirectly in a zigzag fashion, or circling,
paying little attention to you but occasionally glancing as they advance.
PREDATORY
BEARS
A
predatory bear will be intensely interested and focused on you, a potential
meal. It may not show much stress and will probably have its head up and ears
erect as it persistently or suddenly closes in on you. Predatory bears,
especially ones that have been food-conditioned, have been known to enter
human structures and attack people. Contrary to our greatest fear, predatory
attacks under any circumstances are exceedingly rare.
RISKS
FROM GRIZZLY VERSUS BLACK BEARS
Stephen
Herrero is professor emeritus of environmental science at the University of
Calgary. He has done research on bear ecology, behavior, conservation, and
attacks for over 30 years. He is author of the classic book, “Bear Attacks:
Their Causes and Avoidance”.
Stephen
Herrero: “Over the past 33 years, I’ve studied serious and fatal injuries
inflicted by bears to people throughout North America. The data clearly show
that although bear attacks are rare, grizzly bears are more dangerous than
black bears. Most serious and fatal grizzly bear attacks are defensive, while
such attacks by black bears are typically predacious. Your response to a bear
encounter shouldn’t just depend on whether it’s a black or a grizzly bear
but on the circumstances and the bears behavior.”
REACTING
DURING BEAR ENCOUNTERS
We’ve
seen the different types of behaviors a bear may display during an encounter,
now lets find out how to respond to them.
AVOID
BEARS WHENEVER POSSIBLE
To
be as safe as possible while in bear country, avoid bears, just as most bears
avoid you.
But
what do you do if you see a bear? Anytime you see a bear, stop, remain calm
and assess the situation. Does the bear know you’re there? If it appears to
be unaware of you and you can move away undetected, do so quietly when the
bear is not looking toward you. Keep your eye on the bear. If its moving in
your general direction watch for any change in its behavior. Make a wide
detour or leave the area the way you came. Be most careful not to crowd or
surprise bears, especially grizzly bears. For instance, shouting at a grizzly
bear that is unaware of you may provoke an attack.
IF
YOU CANNOT AVOID, LET BEARS KNOW YOU'RE HUMAN
What
do you do if the bear becomes aware of you? If you cannot leave without the
bear becoming aware of you, calmly, and in a non-threatening way, from as far
away as possible, identify yourself as human. Talk to the bear in a low
respectful voice and wave your arms slowly. Increase your distance. If
possible try to move upwind to give the bear your scent.
AVOID
BEARS THAT ARE AWARE OF YOU AND UNCONCERNED
When
a bear is aware of you and appears unconcerned, you should take this
opportunity to leave. Don’t run, it could invite pursuit. Keep track of the
bear as you move away. Give it plenty of room. Continue to increase your
distance.
NEVER
APPROACH A BEAR
Never
approach a bear even if it appears calm. That just means you’re outside its
personal space. If you insist on approaching, you may provoke an aggressive
response. Usually when a bear becomes aware of you its most common response is
to move away.
LEAVE
AN AREA WHERE YOU ENCOUNTER A BEAR
The
safest thing to do after the bear has moved on is to leave the area. If you
must continue, give the bear some time, proceed with caution, stay alert and
make noise.
IF
YOU HEAR VOCALIZATIONS OR SEE UNATTENDED CUBS…
If
you hear bear vocalizations, or see young bears on the ground or in a tree, be
extremely cautious and leave the area silently the way you came.
REACTING
TO AN APPROACHING BEAR
What
do you do if a bear approaches you? A bear approaching you is a more serious
encounter. Your best response is to stop for a moment, stay as calm as
possible, and quickly assess the situation. Is the bear acting defensively or
in some other way? Don’t run unless safety is near and you’re absolutely
sure you can reach it. Climbing a tree can sometimes be an option, but is
still no guarantee of safety. Group together if possible. Prepare your
deterrent. Its very important to understand the difference between defensive
bears and those with other motives, because your responses will be different
from this point on.
FACING
DEFENSIVE BEARS
What
do you do when you’re facing a defensive bear? A defensive bear is a
stressed bear. You have entered its personal space and the bear perceives you
as a threat. The bear may retreat, or remain nearby, nervous and uncertain. It
may approach you, or charge. Whenever a bear approaches or charges, stand your
ground. This may be difficult, facing a defensive bear can be a terrifying
experience, but physical contact is rare. Most charges stop short. Try to
appear non-threatening. Talk to the bear in a calm voice. This may reassure
the bear as well as yourself.
Don’t
shout or throw anything at a bear acting defensively. It may provoke an
attack. When the bear is not moving toward you, cautiously try to increase
your distance, keeping your eye on the bear. Remember, you have entered it’s
personal space. Increasing your distance is the best way to resolve the
situation. Usually the bear will calm down as you retreat. If the bear
continues to advance, Stop! Continue to stand your ground. Keep talking
calmly. If it stops its approach, try again to increase your distance. If you
have a deterrent such as bear spray or a firearm, use it as a last resort if
the bear charges and appears intent on contact.
DEFENSIVE
ATTACKS
An
attack is when a bear physically contacts you. If it’s a defensive attack,
fall to the ground as close to the actual contact as possible. Lay on your
stomach with your legs spread slightly apart. Lock your fingers behind your
head. This position will protect your face and neck. Bears often focus
defensive attacks on a person’s face if unprotected. If the bear flips you
over, continue rolling until once again your stomach and vital organs are
protected against the ground. If you kept your pack on it may provide some
protection for your back and neck. Do not struggle or cry out.
Stephen
Herrero: “Typically, a defensive bear will stop attacking once it thinks you
are no longer a threat. When the attack stops, remain still. Wait for the bear
to leave. If you start moving before the bear is gone, it may resume its
attack. If an attack is prolonged its no longer acting defensively.”
FACING
NON-DEFENSIVE BEARS
What
do you do when a bear approaches you in a non-defensive manner? A bear that
deliberately approaches you, showing little or no stress is not acting
defensively. It may have other reasons to approach you. The bear is either
curious, human habituated, food conditioned, asserting dominance or possibly
predatory. The way these bears approach may appear similar but your best
response to all of them is the same. Stop! Remain as calm as possible and talk
to the bear in a firm voice. Assess the situation. Try to move well away from
the bears path or trail, that may be all it wants you to do. Watch the bear.
If it follows with its attention directed at you Stop! Stand your ground! At
this stage, all but an aggressive or predatory bear would most likely have
abandoned its advance. You could now be in a dangerous situation.
A
bear that is initially curious or testing you may become predatory if you do
not stand up to it. Now is the time for you to act aggressively. Let the bear
know you will fight if attacked. The more the bear persists, the more
aggressive your response should be. Shout at the bear. Stare it in the eye.
Challenge it. Make yourself look as big as possible. Stamp your feet as you
take a step or two toward the bear. Move slowly uphill of it. Stand on a log
or a rock. This is the time to use your deterrent. Threaten the bear with
whatever is at hand. Most bears stop short of attack but they may approach,
very close.
PREDATORY
ATTACKS
If
you can’t deter the bear and it attacks, fight! 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.
ATTACK
SUMMARY
The
two main types of serious attacks are defensive or predatory. A defensive
attack is when the bear is trying to remove a threat. In a predatory attack
the bear is intent on eating you. Your initial response should be the same.
Stand your ground! If you are unable to deter the bear before it physically
makes contact your response to these two types of serious attacks are
different. In a defensive attack play dead. A predatory attack, fight back.
HELPING
SOMEONE ELSE WHO IS 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.
DETERRENTS
There
are tools that can help you to deter a bear. These deterrents include bear
spray, firearms, non-lethal projectiles, and a variety of noisemakers.
BEAR
SPRAY
Bear
spray has been used to deter bears at close range in a number of situations.
Its not 100% effective and should not be a substitute for avoiding an
encounter. Make sure you purchase an approved bear spray, not a personal
defense product, and carry it ready to use, not in your pack. Keep it handy in
your tent at night. Exercise caution, if discharged upwind or in a confined
space, bear spray can disable the user. Sprays are only meant to be discharged
at close range in the face of an approaching bear. More
information. Click
here for 51kb pdf about Bear Spray versus Bullets
FIREARMS
If
you intend to carry a firearm, make sure it’s adequate. 30 caliber or larger
or a 12-gauge shotgun with rifled slugs. Practice until you can shoot quickly
and accurately under stress and at close range at an object moving rapidly and
irregularly toward you. Mentally rehearse the situations where you’d use it.
Wounding a bear can make the situation a lot worse.
DETTERENTS
IN GENERAL
Know
the capabilities and limitations of the products you choose. Deterrents can be
useful but should not give you a false sense of security. Training and
practice are essential. Both bear spray and firearms have regulations
governing their transport and use. Consult with local authorities about what
is allowed in your area.
PREVENTING
BEAR PROBLEMS
Most
of bear safety is prevention. Avoiding a bear encounter is the best way to
stay safe in bear country.
LEARN
ABOUT BEARS
Find
out what species of bears you could encounter and where they are most likely
to be. Learn about their ecology, habits, and foods.
STAY
ALERT
When
in bear country stay alert. Be aware of your surroundings.
DON'T
SURPRISE BEARS
Warn
bears of your presence. Make lots of noise when necessary, especially when
moving through thick vegetation. Sing, talk, clap or carry a noisemaker. Pay
attention to wind direction. Bears downwind are more likely to sense you at a
distance. Be cautious in noisy areas such as streams where chances of surprise
encounters are high. Look for signs of recent bear activity. These may include
tracks, droppings, evidence of digging, torn-up logs, overturned rocks, and
claw and bite marks on trees. Be especially careful in the early morning and
evening when bears are often most active. On hot days, bears may be resting in
cool, shaded areas, such as thick vegetation or near creeks. Foul odors or
scavengers may indicate a dead animal nearby. Be extremely cautious. Go back
the way you came. A grizzly bear feeding on a carcass is particularly
dangerous.
TRAVEL
IN A GROUP
Whenever
possible, travel in a group. Groups are noisier and easier to detect and
several people are more intimidating to a bear than one or two.
KEEP
CHILDREN CLOSE
Keep
children close at hand and in sight.
DOGS
Unless
your dog is well-trained and accustomed to bears, keep it on a leash or leave
it at home. A poorly trained or unleashed dog may bring an angry bear back to
you.
CHOOSE
CAMPSITES CAREFULLY
Don’t
camp on bear travel routes. Bears usually follow the path of least resistance.
Along riverbanks, trails, ridges, and lake shorelines. Use local knowledge of
bears and recommended camping practices. Your risk and responsibility increase
when you enter high-quality bear habitat, especially feeding areas such as
berry patches and salmon streams.
DON'T
ATTRACT BEARS OR REWARD THEM WITH FOOD
Many
odors attract bears. Don’t cook or store food in your tent. Minimize smelly
food and garbage. Store all food and garbage so bears cannot smell or reach
it. Manufactured bear resistant food containers have proven effective for
camping, and are required in some areas. Handle pet food with as much care as
your own. If possible, completely burn your garbage in a hot fire. Seal and
pack out anything that you can’t burn completely. Don’t bury it. A bear is
just going to dig it up. Bears are attracted to petroleum-based products, such
as fuels, oils, some plastics and rubber. Keep these out of reach. There is no
evidence that bears are more likely to attack menstruating women but it’s
wise to use tampons instead of pads and dispose of them as you would any
attractant.
Clean
and store your cooking utensils and dishes after each use. Dispose of strained
waste-water in a small pit dug well away from your campsite. Don’t let bears
learn human food or garbage is an easy meal. Your safety and the safety of
others who follow may depend on your actions. Failure to do this often has
serious consequences for people and bears.
OTHER
DETECTION/DETERRENT OPTIONS
Trip
wires, motion detectors and compact electric fences can be effective at
detecting or deterring bears but are not a substitute for a clean camp.
FIRST
AID
Be
proficient in first aid and carry sufficient medical supplies.
COMMUNICATION
Inform
others where you are going to be and when you plan to return. Consider 2-way
radios, cell or satellite telephones to keep others aware of your location.
Such communication can save lives.
REVIEW
Even
if you take precautions, you may still encounter a bear. Be prepared. Consider
carrying a deterrent and know how to use it. Your knowledge of bear behavior
and motivation and your responses to them can influence the outcome of the
encounter.
Now
let’s review your response to 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.
·
Prepare your deterrent
If
the bear is approaching in a defensive manner:
·
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 bears travel path.
·
If the bear follows you with its attention directed at you. Stop! Stand your
ground and prepare to use your deterrent.
·
Act aggressively toward the bear. Shout! Make yourself look as big as
possible.
·
If the bear attacks, use your deterrent and fight for your life.
Remember:
·
If an attack is defensive… Play dead.
·
If it's predatory… Fight back.
Though
bears rarely attack people, they can be dangerous. Treat them with caution and
respect. Learn as much as possible about bears and how your behavior can
prevent problems. The safest thing to do when in bear country is to avoid all
encounters with bears.
Most
of safety is preventing encounters:
·
Stay alert and be aware of your surroundings.
·
Don’t surprise bears, warn them of your presence.
·
Choose campsites carefully.
·
Keep a clean camp free of attractants.
·
Move away undetected from bears that are unaware of you or distant.
Bears
are an important part of our natural heritage. By learning about their
behavior and habits, people can avoid situations that endanger themselves and
bears. This knowledge can help us appreciate and enjoy bears and the places
they live. It may also reduce some of the human intolerance so detrimental to
these majestic animals.
For
some interesting statistics regarding the risk from wild bears: click
here
The
content of this page has been provided courtesy of the Safety in Bear Country
Society. 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 