A practical guide to not getting attacked by a bear while hiking or camping this summer
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If it sounds like you’ve seen a lot of bear attack headlines lately, you’re not.
In the past few weeks, a series of high-profile incidents have brought bears back into the national conversation. A hiker has been killed in Glacier National Park – the first fatal bear attack in nearly three decades. Another hiker survived a traumatic injury on the Grinnell Glacier Trail a few weeks later. Visitors to Yellowstone also found themselves in the wrong phase of meeting a polar bear and her cubs near Old Faithful.
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Scary, yes. But before you vow to hike forever, let’s add some perspective.
A brown bear is standing in a forest area. (Images by Getty Creatives)
Millions of people visit bear country every year without incident. Most bears don’t want anything to do with people, and most negative interactions are the result of unexpected encounters, improperly stored food or unfriendly people walking into them.
But a little knowledge goes a long way.
So before you lace up your boots and head into bear country, here are a few things every hiker and hiker should know.
Don’t be surprised bear
Many bear encounters occur because no one knew the other was there until it was too late.
That’s why the No. 1 rule of hiking in bear country is simple: make noise.
You don’t need a bear bell. In fact, many wildlife experts will tell you that they are not effective because they are not loud enough to warn a bear until it is close.
Instead, use your voice. Your foreign voice, as they taught us in kindergarten.
MISSED BEAR RUNS, DRAGS DOZENS OF FEET AROUND GLACIER NATIONAL PARK
Yell “Hey Bear!” from time to time. Talk to your hiking buddy about where to get beers afterward. complain a lot about the slope. Whatever it is. The goal is to let the bear know you’re coming so it has plenty of time to leave the area before you arrive.
This is especially important near running water, in blind corners and in dense vegetation where sound and visibility are limited. In fact, one commonality in recent bear encounters — including Daniel Crago’s grizzly attack in Glacier National Park — was that natural conditions made it difficult for a bear or hiker to sense one approaching.
Travel in groups whenever possible
Bears usually choose easy problems and low-risk situations.
A group of hikers is bigger, louder and more intimidating than a single person walking through the woods.
Although there is no magic number, hiking with three or more people is often recommended in bear country. If you’re heading deep into the backcountry, this is one of the easiest ways to reduce the chances of a bad encounter.
Store your food properly
I don’t know how many videos of bears breaking into cars need to be broadcast before people accept that these animals have amazing smells.
Bears don’t just smell your hot dogs and hamburgers. They smell of toothpaste, deodorant, lip balm, sunscreen, the beef jerky wrapper you forgot and the shirt you wore while cooking bacon.
The Bear Country sign at Shenandoah National Park in Virginia warns visitors to protect their property and store food properly. (Titoslack/Getty Images)
At camp, keep your sleeping area, cooking area and food storage area separate. Use bear-proof cans or bear boxes whenever available. If you can hang grub, do it.
And for the love of all things holy, don’t keep food in your tent.
Keep the campsite clean
A clean camp is a safe camp.
Wash the dishes quickly. Dispose of trash properly. Don’t leave leftovers sitting around. And if you’re in grizzly-sensitive country, some experts even recommend changing clothes after cooking before climbing into your sleeping bag.
I promise to be there again carefully beating the hungry midnight visitor every time.
Carry bear spray – and keep it within reach
Notice I said “carry it”. Not “your” one. Not “park” it. Carry it.
If your bear spray is buried under a rain jacket, two bags of trail mix, a first aid kit and three layers of backpack zippers, they might not be.
Keep it on your chest or waist where you can reach it quickly. Practice removing the safety clip before your trip so you don’t try to read the instructions while experiencing high pressure.
Know when and how to use bear spray
Bear spray is not something you use every time you see a bear in the distance. If the bear is calmly minding its own business 100 yards away, stop and continue to create distance.
Bear spray is designed for situations where a bear is approaching aggressively or charging.
If that happens, remove the safety clip, hold the can with both hands, and prepare to spray when the bear is 30 to 40 feet away. Aim slightly downwards to create a cloud between you and the animal.
Think of it less like aiming a water gun and more like building a wall for the bear to run through.
If you encounter a bear, don’t run
I know. This goes against every survival instinct in your body. And it’s easier for me to say from behind a laptop — when I’m not being looked down upon by a grizzly. But don’t chase the bear.
Bears can run 35 kilometers per hour. Usain Bolt’s human speed record is 27.78 mph. You’re not Usain Bolt, and you don’t need me to do that math for you.
A bear emerges from a tree full of red berries near people carrying bear spray and hiking poles on the Exit Glacier track in Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska. (Janice Chen / Getty Images)
If the bear doesn’t see you, back away quietly to give it space.
If it sees you, calm down. Stand strong. Speak in a calm, firm voice and slightly make yourself look bigger by raising your arms.
Most bears will leave if given the chance.
Keep dogs under control
Your dog may be friendly. The bear doesn’t care.
One of the most common ways to encounter a bear is when an off-leash dog runs towards a bear, provokes it, and then runs back to its owner with angry predators in pursuit.
Keep dogs on a leash in bear country, and keep them under control at all times.
The Cubs are only fun to watch at Wrigley
If you see a bear cub, congratulations. You are probably closer to your mother than you would like to be.
Do not approach the lambs. Never put yourself between a mother and her cubs. And never stop for a photo – no matter how amazed you are by the dangerously dangerous puppies.
A peaceful mother bear will—you if she thinks you are a danger to her cubs.
Not all bears are created equal
The good news is that many bear encounters do not escalate into attacks.
But when things go wrong, the type of bear you’re dealing with can influence how wildlife experts recommend responding.
Black bears they tend to panic more and are more likely to back down if you stand your ground, make yourself look bigger and fight back when attacked. In the rare case of a dangerous black bear attack, experts usually advise fighting with everything you have.
Grizzlieson the other hand, there are more opportunities to attack defensively – especially if the cubs are surprised or defending. In those cases, playing dead may be the recommended response if physical contact occurs and bear spray fails to stop the attack. National Park Service guidelines are to lie down on your stomach, hands tied behind your neck, legs spread apart to make it difficult for the bear to roll over you.
God, that sounds horrible. But it’s great information to have.
A shiny bear stands in the wild, taken from its natural habitat. (Jillian Cooper / Getty Images)
Of course, the goal is to never find yourself in this position in the first place. That’s why making noise, storing food properly and carrying bear spray within reach are always your best defenses.
The recent series of bear encounters is a good reminder that when we go into the wilderness, we are tourists.
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The bears do not know that we come in peace. They don’t understand that we’re just there to come in, take a few pictures and then go home for burgers and a shower. They are just bears.
Most of the time that is not a problem. But a little preparation and a healthy respect for wildlife can make the difference between a good story being told and one that ends up on the evening news.
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