Survival in bear country

[mike_mck2]

Two guys are getting ready to hike into bear country, and the first guy watches the 2nd guy putting on running shoes.

First guy asks why the 2nd guy is putting on running shoes.

2nd guy says it's in case they run across a bear.

First guy points out that everyone knows you can't outrun a bear.

2nd guy replies that all he has to do is outrun the first guy.....

 

[CY_]

that's old as the hills

this summer went backpacking for two weeks at Philmont scout ranch. there were several bear sightings.

everyone followed strictest bear procedures. all smellables goes in bear bag that's hung high at night. no smellable like insect repellant after a certain hour.

brush your teeth over the sump only. no traces of food left, all dishes washed and placed away from camping area.
we had a BEARmuda triangle from sump, fire ring and bear bags we all couldn't camp in line.

 

[RickJ]

Good one Mike!

 

[mete]

I hear all the stories about how to defend yourself against bears. The ones I've met close up [10' away] ignored me !!! I ask them 'aren't you going to attack me, even a little ?? But they just walk on ! These are black bears who rarely cause problems .

 

[GA LITTLE]

Most black bears are not a problem but like other animals (humans) individual bears can be big trouble. In NJ we have had over one hundred and fifty incidents this year including a bear that chased three children untill interrupted by a truck driver. They were on the menu.I'm one of the first responders in my county trained to determine whether 1. the bear is just walking through (no action) 2. he needs some aversion therapy (rubber buckshot) or 3. is a danger to humans or livestock (pets included) in this case euthansia. The main reason for these confrontations is human enroachment and population density with the food sources bears like most; garbage. We had a camper pulled out of a tent at Stokes State park and bit on the leg also. Considering the number of campers and hikers in the woods this is a very small number of incidents.

 

[Tony Turner]

I hear all the stories about how to defend yourself against bears. The ones I've met close up [10' away] ignored me !!! I ask them 'aren't you going to attack me, even a little ?? But they just walk on ! These are black bears who rarely cause problems .

Keep that mind set and you will be one of the statistics we read about. One of the only reasons why these Black Bears didn't cause you any harm, they didn't think you were an immediate threat.

 

[Cynic1]

Apparently american bears are more aggressive then european. Our bears take off like a rocket if they see people. Then again they´re actual wild bears, so.... We dont tend to have these nature parks/zoos where you feed black bears like pets...

Arent those bears the most dangerous, the ones that are practically domesticized and have no respect/fear of man...??

 

[Will]

Apparently american bears are more aggressive then european. Our bears take off like a rocket if they see people. Then again they´re actual wild bears, so.... We dont tend to have these nature parks/zoos where you feed black bears like pets...

Arent those bears the most dangerous, the ones that are practically domesticized and have no respect/fear of man...??

More dangerous if you provoke them, less dangerous if you leave them alone.

It totally depends on the bear and the situation. Bears that are used to being around people are used to scavaging garbage. Although they are not really afraid of people, they have little interest in eating people. However, if you bother them, they will be more likely to attack. Up in the North, where bears are not used to people, they will ocassionally (this is very very rare) stalk and kill people to eat. Almost all bear attacks here are provoked in some way or another, and the bear is acting defensively.

Will

 

[Horse]

That is a good point Will. Bears in true wilderness are MUCH more ready to just flee. However, Occasionally you can run into one with a crappy attitude...

A buddy of mine works on an island in Alaska that has a load of Brown bears. They come into the compound at night. In the morning, they are usually gone. Sometimes one is running late, and that is when it is best to have another cup of coffee and let them move along at their own pace!

 

[Brian Jones]

Q. What do you call a motorcyclist in bear country?

A. Meals-On-Wheels.

Q. What do you call a compact car with 4 people travelling in bear country?

A. Boxed Lunch.

Ah, still love all these corny bear jokes...

 

[Danzz]

Two guys are going into bear country, a novice and an old dude. The old dude says, "If we see a bear fall down, play dead and close your eyes". The newbie says "Why close my eyes" and the old guy says "So you won't figure out I'm running away while the bear is distracted with you!"

I've never seen a bear in the wild. I think I'd freak out.

 

[Will]

I grew up hiking and camping around bears, and am very used to encountering them in the wild. I follow all the rules, and have never had a problem with them. I have learned to respect them, and do my best not to interfere with their routines. They are amazing creatures to watch in the wild.

I work in the remote backcountry, as a geologist, with other geologists, and I have to say, geolgists are the biggest pussies when it comes to bears . I have never seen people so terrified of anything in my life. Even funnier, is that most of them don't know anything about bears, refuse to learn, and the fear is really a result of ignorance. There are far bigger risks out there than bears.

 

[k_estela]

Sounds like something we say diving.

Why do you carry a dive knife? To stab sharks if attacked?

No, to stab the guy next to you before you swim away!

Stupid humor.

Kev

 

[Will]

Sounds like something we say diving.

Why do you carry a dive knife? To stab sharks if attacked?

No, to stab the guy next to you before you swim away!

Stupid humor.

Kev

Ya, if you are with someone else in bear country, all you need is a .22 pistol . If you are alone, you need something bigger.

 

[mete]

GA LITTLE, Was the Stokes incident the one that was filmed ? I thought that happened in High Point . In any case I wonder if the camper had food in his sleeping bag . Food is always the BIG problem and it seems impossible to get people to not feed the bears intentionaly or accidently. I live about 20 miles from High Point but our NY bears are well mannered !! One bear here, fed by people , broke into a home and in a short time created a kitchen for Bob Vila to fix .

 

[Cynic1]

Maybe we in Finland are more in touch with wilderness as a whole, cause NO ONE FEEDS BEARS IN CAMPING TRAILS HERE!!!!!!!!!!

Cause thats just stupid.



(And oh yeah, we dont use a huge p----s lenghtener of a knife to do a job thats meant for, and better done with an axe. Or as a shovel. :foot: )

*runs away from incoming fire**laughs*

 

[Tony Turner]

That's pretty funny

 

[Outdoors]

Maybe we in Finland are more in touch with wilderness as a whole, cause NO ONE FEEDS BEARS IN CAMPING TRAILS HERE!!!!!!!!!!

Cause thats just stupid.



(And oh yeah, we dont use a huge p----s lenghtener of a knife to do a job thats meant for, and better done with an axe. Or as a shovel. :foot: )

*runs away from incoming fire**laughs*

My experience with bears was spending a week working in some bear rich habitat in Alaska. Let me just say that when they roar, it'll scare the living crap out of you.

Pat

 

[GA LITTLE]

No, the Trail bear attack was not filmed. There are considerably more confrontations with bears than make the press. I have access to law enforcement statistics that are more complete than the sanitized ones generally available to the public. Only some bears are trouble,much like people. Sorry about the delayed response but this is a busy season for animals.

 

[Bob W]

this summer went backpacking for two weeks at Philmont scout ranch. there were several bear sightings.

I worked at Philmont for ten summers, mostly in the backcountry. Bears were everywhere! The precautions that Phimont takes are a result of past incidents, increased understanding of bears' habits, and increased environmental awareness in general. I saw hundreds of bears, some at very close range. As long as they were doing natural "bear things" I would watch them for a few minutes and continue hiking. If the bears were in campsites or being curious about campers' gear, it was our job to chase them off and attempt to keep the bears afraid of people. If the bear could not be chased off, it was captured and hauled off, sometimes hundreds of miles. Each bear receives three chances, then it is killed.

When the bears are relocated, they sometimes integrate into their new area. But more often they return, sometimes from hundreds of miles, or are killed trying to do so. It used to be believed that young relocated bears had a high success rate because they rarely returned. The truth was, they were being dropped into other bears' territory and killed.

Almost every bear "incident" was the result of campers or staff (sometimes people on the nearby towns and public campgrounds) not properly protecting their food or "smellables". Many bears died as a result. A Fed Bear is a Dead Bear is the State's bear awareness slogan.

Two or three years ago a woman in Mora, NM was killed and eated by a black bear. The Game Department researched to see how long it had been since a black bear killed a person. They were suprised to find out that had never happened before in New Mexico. The thing is, she had been feeding the bear and/or allowing it to get food and trash. Once a bear is no longer afraid of humans, it's a threat.

We often have black bears in our front yard even though we live right downtown. They come into town during the summer to raid dumpsters or snack from fruit trees. About three years ago was a dry summer and the were really overpopulated and became quite a problem. Hundreds of bears were killed in this part of New Mexico that summer.

Best Wishes,
Bob