Bears
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Traveling in bear country can be quite thrilling. Coming face to face with a bear would
be terrifying. Most bear attacks can be avoided, but there is always a chance of encountering a bear. Although nothing is one hundred percent guaranteed effective, here are a list of some tips that might prove to be useful in a bear encounter.
Be Alert in Bear Country
. Always have Bear Deterrent Pepper Spray in its holster ready for immediate use. Dont bury
it in your pack.
. Be alert where recent bear activity has been documented by park officials: Fish and Game, Forest Service, and other Public Service people. Some Common areas where bears like to roam are: avalanche chutes, stream beds, dense edge cover and, in late summer, berry patches.
. Use extreme caution when traveling on trails at night or at either end of the day.
. Be careful with food smells – never cook close to camp. Store all foods in plastic away from camp at night when camp is unattended. Store them at least 100 yards away from camp. Hang them at least 14 feet up a tree and hung 4 feet away from the trunk.
. Watch for fresh bear scant or tracks on the trail or near possible camp sites.
. If possible, make plenty of noise on the trail, especially on blind curves, in dense vegetation or areas with limited vision.
. Be aware of the wind – bears have an excellent sense of smell. If the wind is at your back, the chances are a bear will smell you and leave well before you reach it. If the wind is blowing in your face, the chances of an encounter will greatly increase. In high wind situations or along creeks and streams, a bear might not hear you coming or you might not hear it.
. Dead animal carcass – If you come upon a dead animal carcass, immediately leave the area. Bears will often feed on a carcass for days and also stay in the area to protect their food.
. Bear cubs – If you see a bear cub, chances are the mother is not far away. Female bears will fiercely defend the young, so it is best you leave the area and find a different path.
. Keep dogs under control – dogs can lead an angry bear back to you.
. Do not travel alone in bear country. Invite a friend. It is always safer to travel in groups if possible.
Avoid Prime Bear Habitat
Avoiding areas that bears like will reduce the chance of a bear encounter. If you cant avoid these areas, be very cautious while traveling through them. Bear like to travel on saddles, ridges, game trails, and along water. They feed on green grasses and vegetation that grows in wet areas. Also, bears feed on dead carcasses anywhere.
In spring and early summer, bears are often found in lower elevations along rivers and streams. They love to catch fish when spawning runs are going on and search for winter killed animals in these areas.
In the summer, bears usually spend their time at higher elevations, often in park like areas. They love to eat wild berries. If you go out wild berry picking make lots of extra noise and keep children close at all times.
In the fall, bears are often in whitebark pine stands eating pine nuts. Sometimes bears dig around trees to locate a squirrels catch of nuts. Bears also dig for roots in mid-elevation meadows.
Body Language Of Bears
A bear that stands on its hind feet is usually just trying to get a better look and smell by sniffing the air. This is not an aggressive
posture. It means that the bear is unsure what is in front of him, but could still drop on all fours and charge.
A bear that swings its head from side to side, or turns sideways from you, is expressing a reluctance to charge and is looking for a way out of the situation.
If a bear looks you in the eyes directly and has its ears back, its warning you that youre too close and it feels threatened. A bear may also make woofing or moaning sounds to show this.
If a bear “pops” its jaws, it is very agitated and will most often charge. Charges are often a test to resolve the situation and are often “bluff charges” where the bear stops short of you, veers off and runs right past you.
A bear that attacks you and knocks you down, is attempting to remove a threat. The bear