Howdy,

First of all here is an encounter that I have had and survived in the wild and beautiful country called the USA:




Custer State Park, South Dakota

The reality is, you have a much greater chance of being flattened by a semi on the way to the trail-head than you do having a problem with a bear once you're on the trail. But, unlike the runaway semi, the bear danger is mostly controllable with correct education and common sense, so you have a responsibility to take sensible precautions and know how to respond to the danger if encountered.

I'm a photographer by trade though retired and in my days on this globe I have had many encounters because I like photographing them while on vacations. By the way I hate zoos and seeing animals caged. Planet of the Apes in reverse! Indeed I do hate zoos! In fact I try to seek bears out only in the wild, does that sound crazy or what?

Here are some suggestions that you should follow when in bear country(I never do, because I can make excellent dollars in my retirement, and have, photographing bears).

The number one rule is a bear will feel threatened if surprised (Duh)!

Hike in a group or make noise when you hike. Whistle, sing, or carry a noise maker(happy new year). Most bears will leave if they are aware of your presence.

Be especially careful when hiking into the wind. A bear may not get your scent and be forewarned of your presense. And, in dense bush and near rushing water, the animal may not hear your noise-maker.

Walk on if you come across dead animals or berry patches, important food sources for bears. Bears mostly eat plant life, but will eat meat when available, so don't be available.

Leave fido at home. Unleashed fido might come across a bear and may come running back to you with a bear in hot pursuit!

Keep children close at hand always on trails.

Avoid wearing strong cosmetics, perfumes, hair sprays and soaps.

Bears can smell blood! Women should be extra careful when in their monthly cycle.

Most bear encounters occur in camp when bears smell food and come looking for the source. If the food is stored in your vehicle there are rarely problems for campers.

But once a bear finds easy food from a human camp they will expect any camp to contain easy food. A fed bear is a dead bear, and park rangers will eventually kill a bear if the bear has lost it's fear of humans.

In my next thread I'll talk about the close encounter: When You Meet Yogi, Yikes!

Howdy,

Despite your best efforts you may still encounter a bear wandering during its daily travels. Upon spotting a human, the naturally curious bear will either run away or stop and check you out.

If you see the bear before it sees you, stay calm and quietly back away, but by this time the bear has seen you. Begin talking to yourself in a normal tone of voice, so the now curious bear can determine you are a human...that may be enough for it to want to leave. They usually do by this time if their escape way is not blocked by you. Bears are like a bigfoot, they do not want to come in contact with humans! Most will run upon first scent, but if you had washed earlier in the day and have on perfume or an after shave it could smell sweet to them and bears like children love sweets.

If a bear rears up and stands on its hind legs and waves its nose in the air, it is only trying to identify what you are and how you smell. Please forgive the cap lock here but this is very important if happenstance brings you and Yogi face to face. A STANDING BEAR IS CURIOUS, NOT THREATENING.

Avoid direct eye contact, bears like any other large carnivore, precieve this as a direct challenge! Don't make any sudden movements. Don't throw anything! Don't yell! If necessary, back away slowly to give Boo-Boo plenty of room, including the right-of-way on the trail. You are only visiting his woods, he lives there! STAY CALM!

In a couple of days I'll continue what I learned through my father who lives in Northern Minnesota near the boundary waters now(they moved back there when he retired). He has always been and still is a great north-woodsman, yesterday he was 82 years young.

I ain't talkin' credit! Some would say, stick your head between your legs and cry. But watch the signs of the bear. Aggressive behavior: snapping it's jaws together, making a whoofing sound, or if you got good eye sight and can see it keeping it's head down low with it's ears laid back. He's upset! If you don't see this behavior, talk to it in monotone no loud, not soft voice. Commanding, not demanding presence is the best. Bears, rarely attack unless they feel threatened or provoked so don't throw sticks and stones. Cuss it out but in monotone!

If a bear charges, make yourself tall and secure and stand absolutly still. This takes guts! But believe me it works, if the bear charges. Black bears often "bluff" charge. But again I say...Do Not Run! Bears can outrun man! Bears can outclimb man! Now is a darn good, excellent time to have BEAR PEPPER SPRAY! If you hike or camp in bear country, consider yourself warned. If it makes contact, fight back and do anything to injure the animal. I have been bluffed charged twice and neither time did the darn thing want to fight. But with a grizzley its better not to fight. Yikes! Pay dead! I've seen grizzleys out but I avoided them and they avoided me.

If you make noise while you are hiking you should never fear because most bears will run if they smell you, hear you or see you. Remember, a black bear will only charge if it's provoked! Duh! I'd charge if I was provoked but then its been 35 years since I been in the military.