Bear Safety

When I was young, I thought of bears as friendly, funny, lovable creatures.  If you asked me on a word association test, my response to “bear” would have been “Pooh” or “Yogi” or “Smokey the Bear”.  Ask me now on the same test, and I am likely to answer “grizzly” or “predator” or “talons.”

There have been a couple of mauling’s in the national news, so I write this blog as a public service announcement.  Having recently returned from vacation in Alaska, where they take their bears very seriously, I pass along to you what I learned about the rules of bear safety.

Bear safety was addressed in the very first chapter of my Alaska tourist guidebook. It said that if you see a black bear, make a lot of noise, and try to look large and intimidating.  However, if you see a brown bear, a.k.a. grizzly bear, you might want to play dead.  In other words, if you are attacked you must first differentiate which color of bear is coming at you and then you must quickly decide which of two strategies to employ . .  . and try not to get them backward.  Sure.

I asked a local merchant how seriously I should take the warnings about bears. She assured me that there was a real risk and proceeded to sell me a $30 can of bear spray, which included a hip holster and a manual devoted to bear safety.

According to the manual, bears like to hang out near stream beds, in dense foliage, or in berry patches.  I actually saw one bear in Alaska, a grizzly about ½-mile away and up the hill, content to ignore me while eating its way through a patch of blueberries.

Try not to surprise a bear.  Make plenty of noise when hiking.  If you have to do your business in the bushes, announce your presence. A loud whistle comes in handy.  If you spot a bear cub, get out of the area quickly.  You don’t want run into mom. But should you encounter mom, stay calm, avoid eye contact, and don’t run.  If there is a climbable tree nearby, make sure you have time to climb at least 14ft. before the bear can reach you.  Climb as high as you can and stay there until the bear is gone.  But be aware that some grizzlies and all black bears can climb trees.  Hmmm.

There are several reasons why a bear might attack.  A bear might be protecting its cubs, it might be surprised and startled, or you might have ventured too close to its food supply.  The manual also mentions a fourth reason.  It might be a predatory bear expecting you for dinner.

If a bear charges it could be a ‘bluff charge’, in which case the bear will stop short of you, veer off and run past you.  However, if instead you find yourself being mauled, and playing dead hasn’t worked too well, you might have to fight back.  If so, try hitting the bear in the head, the eyes, and the nostrils.  I’m not making this up. This is what the manual says.

Be sure to carry your can of bear spray within easy reach, and not in a purse or backpack. I kept mine in a holster close to my right hand and, like in the wild west, I practiced my quick draw.  For the most part, the tourists I encountered while hiking took bear safety seriously and were armed with their cans of bear spray. The Alaskans I encountered while hiking also took bear safety seriously and were armed with their Magnum 45’s.