Bear Safety
For Your Protection and Theirs…
Photo courtesy of Joe James taken at Brooks Falls in Katmai National Park, Alaska. This image is believed to be Otis who’s been fishing the jacuzzi at the base of the falls since 2007/2008. Otis is famous for just sitting there with his paws in the water seemingly doing nothing only every few minutes, up comes a salmon popsicle. While the other bears are busy using up all their energy chasing and jumping after fish, Otis just sits there letting them swim right to him!
Bears are truly magnificent creatures. They’re extraordinarily intelligent with a larger brain to body ratio than people. They have incredible memories and far superior navigations skills than any human. They also have excellent senses. They can hear a much greater frequency range than humans, and pick up scents a mile away. That’s more than seven times greater than a bloodhound.
They also exhibit a deep love for family members. Cubs are extremely playful and curious. Just like humans, their mothers often have to stop them from doing things to protect the little ones from getting hurt. They will even risk their own lives to save a cub or a sibling from danger. Cubs have been found grieving a mother’s death or crying and wailing when separated from one another.
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Photo courtesy of Joe James taken in Katmai National Park, Alaska.
In many native cultures, bears are healers and spiritual protectors representing courage, strength and powerful medicine.
Learning bear safety not only protects you, it helps protect these incredible animals.
What to Do If You Encounter a Bear
First things first. What do you do if you encounter a bear?
If you see a bear, let’s be honest. Most of us (including me) probably think ‘where’s my camera?’ If you’re at a completely safe distance, by all means, go for it. However, if you encounter a bear up close and personal, no photo is worth the risk of getting hurt.
The best thing to do is stay calm and speak to the bear so it realizes you are human. Screams and sudden movements may trigger an attack. Give the bear a clear path to walk away. Do not block its movement. Many times, it will simply turn and walk the other direction. My husband has deterred bears quite a few times by simply talking in a low, non-threatening tone and slowly and deliberately moving out of its path giving it plenty of room to move along.
If you have small children with you, pick them up immediately.
Photo courtesy of Joe James taken in Yellowstone National Park. Meet the very famous grizzly who lives on the north east side of Yellowstone Lake. Fans call her “Snow” for her light coloration that almost looks white in the right light. According to James, Snow is a lot of fun to watch because she’s so tolerant of people and a bit of a homebody often seen in early Summer.
The bear may come closer or stand on hind legs to get a better look. Know that a standing bear is usually curious and not threatening . You want the bear to realize you’re human so it will leave the area.
If a bear is approaching and you’re not able to deter it this way, or the bear is acting aggressively, make yourself appear as large as possible. Open your jacket big and wide as you move your arms out to the side. Move to higher ground if possible. If you’re at your campsite, you can also bang pots and pans to scare it off
If you have bear spray and it comes too close for comfort, use it. This will typically stop it in its tracks. (See more below on bear spray.) In the rare case the bear does attack you, here is what to do depending on the type of bear you’ve encountered.
Brown Bears & Grizzly Bears: Play dead. Leave your backpack on and lay flat on your stomach, hands clasped behind your neck. Spread your legs so the bear will have a tougher time turning you over. Remain still until it leaves. Fighting back usually intensifies the attack. Of course, if the attack persists, hit the bear in the face with anything you can find like a rock or stick.
Black Bears: Do NOT play dead. Try to escape and if you can’t than by all means, fight back. Be aggressive. Concentrate blows to the bear’s face and muzzle.
Never approach a bear. If the bear does get ahold of food, do not attempt to take it away. And most importantly, never allow yourself to get between a mother and its cub.
Photo courtesy of Joe James taken in Yellowstone National Park.
Carry A Bear Bell
So, what exactly is a bear bell? A bear bell is a small bell that comes with either a thick Velcro strap or a carabiner so you can attach it to your belt strap, backpack or other gear. You carry it while hiking in “bear country” so bears hear you coming and keep their distance. It’s a great way to avoid startling a bear or other wild animal that might otherwise lead to a potential stand off or attack. Most bears will avoid humans if they hear them coming and limiting encounters is the key to staying safe.
Most bear bells come in a pouch. You take the bell out of the pouch when you want it to make noise, then put it back in the pouch to silence it. Some also come with a magnetic silencer.
If you’re not keen on hearing a bell clang around as you walk, you can always simply talk in a very loud voice as you hike to avoid startling a bear. The trick is to just let them know you’re human and you’re there.
Bear Spray
Bear spray is an absolute must if you ask me. Although it’s very similar to pepper spray, it’s not the same and is designed specifically to stop bears.
It’s a safe way to protect both you and the bear should you find yourself in a dangerous situation. I will repeat that - it protects BOTH of you. It’s a non-lethal deterrent designed to stop aggressive behavior which not only helps reduce your chance of getting hurt, it limits the number of bears killed each year by humans acting in self-defense. It’s so much better than facing down a bear with a rifle and killing it, and keeps people from going out after an attack, tracking down the bear and putting it to rest.
To be affective, you need to spray it at the bear’s eyes and nose where it causes swelling of the membranes of the eyes, nose and lungs. This results in a temporary loss of sight and severe breathing restrictions. It’s the best non-lethal way to stop a bear in its tracks.
I carry bear spray with me at all times when I’m in bear country whether I’m hiking or just lounging around the campsite. I even keep it with me inside my tent at night just in case.
It’s unlikely you’ll ever need to use it but it’s so important. My husband has been camping and backpacking regularly in bear country since he was a child, over 50 years, and has never once had to use his bear spray.
On a side note, I actually used my bear spray once. Need a good laugh? Read more.
Photo courtesy of Joe James taken in Yellowstone National Park circa 2018. Snow in her younger years with her mother “Raspberry” who just had a new spring cub in Summer 2020. The infamous pair stayed together a year longer than most grizzlies.
Important Things to Know:
Bear spray does expire.
Bear spray will explode if it reaches 120°F.
Bear spray is not allowed in some national parks like Yosemite.
CAMPING IN BEAR COUNTRY
Use Bear Boxes
If you plan on visiting a national park or other campground in “bear country,” they almost always have bear boxes for storing food. These are big metal boxes with special locks that prevent access by bears. Use them! They are mandatory in many national parks and you can be ticketed for non-compliance. All food and ANYTHING with a scent (think toothpaste, deodorant, lotions, sunscreen, first aid kits, bug repellant, etc.) must be stored in the bear box.
Bears are incredibly intelligent. They can actually recognize items like camping stoves and ices chests. They have no doubt been rewarded by special treats finding these items and will target them even if they are empty.
For more information on bears and food storage, visit the NPS website.
What to Do If There is No Bear Box
If there is no bear box, leave all food and other items in the trunk of your car in air-tight containers or if you have no trunk, leave them completely out of sight. Cover them so they are hidden from view. Bears are incredibly clever when it comes to breaking into cars.
Backpacking and Bears
If you’re backpacking in the wilderness, carry food in portable animal-resistant food containers. REI has a great article on bear canisters. You can even rent containers at some national park visitor centers and many areas require them especially during certain seasons. Avoid bringing odorous food that attracts bears and be sure to store non-food items that are scented including soap, toothpaste, deodorant, trash.
Photo courtesy of Joe James taken in Yellowstone National Park.
Counter-balance Method
The counter-balance method is a way to store food while backpacking. But before I explain what it is or how to do it, know that it often fails in national parks as bears have learned to defeat it or there may not be the type of trees necessary to pull it off. Many parks actually require bear canisters and they are definitely encouraged. Be sure to check park regulations.
To store food using the counter-balance method, you must first find a tree with a live, down-sloping branch approximately 20 feet off the ground that stretches over 10 feet from the tree’s trunk. You basically divide your food and all other scented items into two bags of equal weight. You then toss a rope over the branch at a spot at least 10 feet away from the trunk and tie one bag to the end of it then pull it up to the branch. You tie the other bag as high up as you can, leaving a loop out so you can retrieve it, tossing and pushing it up so both bags are about 12 feet off the ground where a bear can’t reach down to them from the branch, up to them from the ground or over to them from climbing the tree trunk. Much more detailed instructions can be found here.
Additional Tips
Do not get food on clothes. Bears have an insane sense of smell. If you do get food on clothes, do not wear those clothes to bed or take them into your tent.
Dispose of all trash properly. Even an empty trash bag laying around the campsite will attract a bear. They will recognize it. They are that smart.
Do not leave food wrappers or other scented trash in pockets.
Never take food into your tent under any circumstance.
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