Black Bear Camping Questions

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knivesngear

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Nov 23, 2010
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i go camping a lot in the Catskill area and i usually have a black bear come and explore the campsite. now i don't usually go camping at campsites (believe it or not they can be more dangerous than the woods) and I don't keep any food or snacks around camp or in the tent, but my question is: how safe am i with these black bears around when im camping? what are the chances of something happening? I heard that blackbears are gentle and are afraid of people, but some of the bears these days are used to human's and have lost some of their fear. please feel free to share any personal stories/experiences. thanks

-stephen
 
http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/7230.html


Mostly black bears aren't a big deal unless they have cubs near or you surprise them, and somjetimes they'll still run and leave the cubs.

Not to say that they can't lay down a butt whipping if they want...I mean, they're BEARS. You sound like you're using some pretty good precautions though.
 
md02geist said:
http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/7230.html


Mostly black bears aren't a big deal unless they have cubs near or you surprise them, and somjetimes they'll still run and leave the cubs.

Not to say that they can't lay down a butt whipping if they want...I mean, they're BEARS. You sound like you're using some pretty good precautions though.
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true. In my area there is a black bear population explosion (time for hunting). it gets a little nerve racking for me (im 15) when im in a tent and a black bear comes around to explore.
 
totally understandable. I mean...it's still a huge monster who could crush ya. Nothing wrong with being cautious.
 
md02geist said:
totally understandable. I mean...it's still a huge monster who could crush ya. Nothing wrong with being cautious.
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i hear ya. it's pretty easy for people to say "just clean up the camp" or "don't have food in the tent" but when your really out there its completely different.
 
Bears? I spent most of my life in the Alaska wilderness. Killed more bears then I can count. Usually not a problem. Well except the one I kicked thinking he was my dog getting into stuff. Oh yea and that one time I shot one and started skinning and he was not dead and jumped up and ran off. There's that time I had 3 light loads in the 357 and I did not get to a hot load till the bears was about on top of me. Dang. Other than that- there all just good ole boys. It’s about attitude …. Well like there seems no reason to me to think you might be a ‘victim’ Generally it should be the bear that is the victim. But guess that is why I like Alaska. We do not have bear problems – the bears have theproblems. But what to do when you cant be armed or are not used to being buddies with Smith and Wesson? Pepper spray or fog horn. Oh. You know how to tell a grizzly from a black bear scat? The griz is the one with the scat that has bells in it. Seriously- pepper spray or fog horn. Yes they are animals and might have a sense of ethics, but it may not agree with yours. I mean if people can put the bears stuffed head on the wall, it seems only fair the bear should be able to bring your head home to his den right? The secret is to suggest he not do that. Sometimes words work. Sometimes it’s the click of a hammer coming back. Hope this helps. Hey if the bear gets ya can I have your knife?
 
I've had numerous black bear encounters through the years,and as the fact that I'm writing this attests, nothing bad happened. Generally bears run away when they encounter humans, but ultimately there is only one thing you can count on with ANY animal (wild or not): they are unpredictable. Don't let your uncertainty about bears keep you out of the wild. It's called the wild for a reason after all! ;)
 
milesofalaska said:
Bears? I spent most of my life in the Alaska wilderness. Killed more bears then I can count. Usually not a problem. Well except the one I kicked thinking he was my dog getting into stuff. Oh yea and that one time I shot one and started skinning and he was not dead and jumped up and ran off. There's that time I had 3 light loads in the 357 and I did not get to a hot load till the bears was about on top of me. Dang. Other than that- there all just good ole boys. It’s about attitude …. Well like there seems no reason to me to think you might be a ‘victim’ Generally it should be the bear that is the victim. But guess that is why I like Alaska. We do not have bear problems – the bears have theproblems. But what to do when you cant be armed or are not used to being buddies with Smith and Wesson? Pepper spray or fog horn. Oh. You know how to tell a grizzly from a black bear scat? The griz is the one with the scat that has bells in it. Seriously- pepper spray or fog horn. Yes they are animals and might have a sense of ethics, but it may not agree with yours. I mean if people can put the bears stuffed head on the wall, it seems only fair the bear should be able to bring your head home to his den right? The secret is to suggest he not do that. Sometimes words work. Sometimes it’s the click of a hammer coming back. Hope this helps. Hey if the bear gets ya can I have your knife?
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really good way of thinking about it. i have guns and would have no problem shooting a bear. i just need some more experience in the woods (im 15) and with bears. this post helped, thanks a lot. i'm glad people like you are still around:)

by the way that knife you will get if i get eaten by a bear: Custom Buck 110, Nickel bolsters, s30v blade, heritage walnut wood inlays with rivets. :D
 
knivesngear said:
i go camping a lot in the Catskill area and i usually have a black bear come and explore the campsite.but my question is: how safe am i with these black bears around when im camping? what are the chances of something happening? I heard that blackbears are gentle and are afraid of people, but some of the bears these days are used to human's and have lost some of their fear. please feel free to share any personal stories/experiences. thanks

-stephen
Click to expand...

Bears are running rampant on the left side of the Hudson. NJ's first bear hunt in seven years started today at 6:30 a.m., and by sundown approx. 150 black bears were killed. That is a lot of bears, and they ain't hanging with Snooky down the shore. They are all in northern NJ, just miles from Harriman and not all that far from the Catskills.

Over the years I've seen plenty of bears mountain biking in Jersey and hiking in Harriman and the Catskills. I've had no problems yet, but they seem pretty comfortable around people, and that's where the trouble starts.

I would suggest you follow all the standard bear precautions and get some bear spray or a big a$$ gun to ease your mind.
 
Bear spray is a must, the electric bear fences around camp are supposed to be the bomb but I never got one, firearm, and lastly take a friend along who runs slower than you. :) If a black bear attacks a human it is most likely a predatory attack (it want to eat you) so fight with all you have, unlike most brown bear attacks (play dead).
 
Living and working where I do black bear encounter are pretty much a weekly experience whether it's out working or recreating. Typically bears are more afraid of you than you them. Bear encounters normally happen for three reasons, they are protecting young, food or territory, the others fall into plain curiosity. Keeping your camp clean is a great place to start. Keeping food, garbage and toiletries away from camp is always good. Some sort of deterrent is always good too, like others have posted, something loud like air horn, bear bangers or pots and pans work. Bear spray works also but the bear has too be closer to you to work and you run the risk of getting yourself. Avoidance and bush smarts usually take the cake.

There are many an argument to be made about what to do during an actual attack, play dead vs. fight, I don't think there is really a definitive answer, each encounter will be different.
 
I am seeing black bears more and more all the time, in my local mountains and in the Sierra! Either bears are getting more numerous or less timid, or perhaps both? At one time, you only saw bears at night, but now I am seeing them out in the broad daylight. Also, use to live in SE Alaska and BC Canada, so have had to deal with the really big bears in the past, on a daily basis.

Making lots of noise and a ruckus has always worked for me. Still, I always have a handgun (357 or 44 in black bear country, or 454, 460, 500 in big bear country) backing up a combat shotgun loaded with buckshot and slugs....just in case.

If you are camping off a vehicle, the size and weight of your firearms doesn't really matter. I like the Ruger SP101 and GP100 in 357, and the Ruger Alaskan and SuperRedhawk in 44 or 454. (Got to get a 500 some day, just to have one!) Remington 870 for shotguns.

Backpacking brings on a whole different set of problems because of the weight factor. Currently I carry an ultralight 357 S&W 360SC Kit Gun in black bear country. It is now out of production, so today I might go with the M&P360 or maybe one of the NightGuard series. In big bear country, probably would go with a S&W 329 NightGuard or PD for backpacking.
 
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This past summer I was in a fully occupied campsite , set up near the outer edge. While sitting by the fire a black bear walked slowly by about 100ft away. I noticed him because I was facing the bush ,but my wife and 8 yr. old son didn't. They where facing me. I opened the truck and told them they might have to get in if he comes over. I never hear him coming. He didn't come over but had he , my only choice would be to get in the truck. Can't fire anything off with people around plus it's illegal. If push came to shove I would though to protect my family or myself. ( I carry an 870 with slugs/buckshot)
This was my 3rd close encounter. All three times I never heard them going through the bush. Not a peep. The last one I saw I was berry picking and so was he , 20 feet away after I stood up. Wild animals are unpredictable. And food is usually the #1 thing on their mind. Keep it out of your tent no matter how small .
 
I've always thought that I was doing the bear a favor by making him wary of me. I'll pitch a rock at him and yell loud and, hopefully, he'll learn that it isn't comfortable to be around humans and he or she might live longer by staying away.
 
bears have incredible noses & after one ate my bacon in a cooler outside my tent i certainly enforce the practice of keeping food outside of camp a little distance & it's best to hang it from a decent elevated limb. even when it was illegal i always carried a big pistol in the sierras & rockies. better to be illegal & alive than legal & dead.
dennis
 
Miles again-- 15 huh? Ya well main thing is attitude. Being afraid is more of a danger then any bear. Example- local guy takes his son out moose hunting. They sleep in a tent. Middle of night kid crawls out to go pee. Crawls back in. Dad wakes up-- assumes kid asleep next to him- and thinks he is being attacked by bear. Shoots his son. Be careful, us common sense, be alert be, prepared, and experience will do the rest. Bears are (or can or should be) less dangerous than people.
 
...didn't you see the last episode of Sarah Palin's Alaska? They had a bear survival class ... sheesh ...:p

- I just carry my normal GLOCK 27 .40S&W load when hiking or camping in BB country - as I am much more concerned about 2-legged problems than bears - however, I would upgrade to a G20 10mm in grizzly country (and an appropriate longarm - If Sarah Palin used a 12 GA slug gun that is good enough for me;)) ...but I find just keeping a clean campsite and leaving them alone on the trail is the best strategy
 
can't speak about the bears in NY, but I see them all the time here in North Florida.
So far, other than the one I killed back in 1970, I have not had any problems with them, despite several very close, chance encounters.
I have not had any issues camping with bears in the area.
 
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