Question about Bears

[AudioShockwav]

Good morning everyone, I have a question.
How many of you live, work or camp in areas inhabited by Bear?
I recently got involved in a conversation about how to stay safe while camping in a area with bear activity, and to be honest I was shocked by some advice that was being given to a couple that were planning to camp in a area for the first time with a active bear population this spring.
Thoughts, experience, or comments welcome.

73
Jeff

 

[BC Coyote]

I grew up in country more populated with bears than people and have camped lots in bear country. Advice? Mostly just common sense!

Everything that follows is for black bears, grizzlies are a whole different conversation and are WAY more dangerous and unpredictable in every way!!!

Carry bear spray and a "bear-banger" or air horn at all times.
Keep food out of and away from tents or vehicles. Put it in a container and hang it over a branch with a rope.
Never ever get between a mother and its cubs.
Remember bears are grumpy when they first come out of hibernation in the early spring.

If you have a close encounter with a bear make yourself look big (arms over head etc.) and back away slowly. Haze the bear by shouting; bears also hate any metallic sound so if you have keys etc. jangle them loudly. Avoid ALL perfumes and deoderants or any other scented bathroom product when camping or travelling in bear country. Women on their period should NEVER be camping in bear country...

If a bear starts following you while hiking keep moving. Do not stop. The bear will likely track you to the edge of its territory.
If you have a dog keep control of it AT ALL TIMES. Bears consider loose or uncontrolled dogs to be a threat and will react.

I'm sure there's much more but I think that covers the basics.

 

[AudioShockwav]

I grew up in country more populated with bears than people and have camped lots in bear country. Advice? Mostly just common sense!

Everything that follows is for black bears, grizzlies are a whole different conversation and are WAY more dangerous and unpredictable in every way!!!

Carry bear spray and a "bear-banger" or air horn at all times.
Keep food out of and away from tents or vehicles. Put it in a container and hang it over a branch with a rope.
Never ever get between a mother and its cubs.
Remember bears are grumpy when they first come out of hibernation in the early spring.

If you have a close encounter with a bear make yourself look big (arms over head etc.) and back away slowly. Haze the bear by shouting; bears also hate any metallic sound so if you have keys etc. jangle them loudly. Avoid ALL perfumes and deoderants or any other scented bathroom product when camping or travelling in bear country. Women on their period should NEVER be camping in bear country...

If a bear starts following you while hiking keep moving. Do not stop. The bear will likely track you to the edge of its territory.
If you have a dog keep control of it AT ALL TIMES. Bears consider loose or uncontrolled dogs to be a threat and will react.

I'm sure there's much more but I think that covers the basics.

Good points.
Thanks for the reply.

 

[FlyBoy50]

I bought a Rugar Super Red Hawk 44 Mag as medicine for them. And if all else fails they would never catch me because they would be slipping in my Poop. LOL

 

[FlyBoy50]

On the serious side when I was growing up around here there was no black bear because of too much cleared farm land. You had to go an hour or two away to go bear hunting, but all the small farms are disappearing and the hillsides are growing back in so the bear have returned. No more walking outside at night without a light. They have said they have seen them in my back yard and I run into them crossing the roads. I wash out all my cans before they go in the garbage and don't throw out any food scraps that draw them in. I would suggest bear spray as a minimum. Don't be stupid because they aren't cute. Survival of the Fittest !

 

[BC Coyote]

I wash out all my cans before they go in the garbage and don't throw out any food scraps that draw them in.

Yes! Good advice. We were always taught to "pack in - pack out". Everything you took into the bush comes back out, including garbage. Food waste we would bury or burn in the fire.

 

[AudioShockwav]

Yes! Good advice. We were always taught to "pack in - pack out". Everything you took into the bush comes back out, including garbage. Food waste we would bury or burn in the fire.

Yes, backcountry sites here require everything to be packed out , even used toilet paper and hygiene products.
Human waste can to be buried min 6" deep (cat hole) and at least 100 feet from the trail, any stream or body of water.


73
Jeff

 

[brandon7861]

We don't have brown bear, just black bear, but banging a pan with a stick usually works. Sometimes they just stare at me unimpressed, but most move on. I walked out to our fire pit not paying attention just to look over and see one laying on the ground next to the tipped over burn barrel, we both scared each other and we both took off in opposite directions just to stop at the same time to look back lol. Black bear are curious and next to harmless if you don't get between them and their young though. If they find food at your place, you are gonna have company regularly. Bears come out of hibernation with their cubs so be more alert in the spring.

I've never seen a brown bear, but from what I have heard, you make yourself big and be loud.

Some places in the boundary waters there are metal boxes set up for campers to put food in. If you have them there, use them. A car door will not stop a hungry bear.

I would avoid using gun shots to scare them off unless it is charging you and absolutely necessary. They get used to that sound, some already are and don't get bothered by it. The wolves here have associated the sound of guns with food and often show up when they hear shots.

 

[928bolo]

A buddy and I bought home in rural northern central Pennsylvania to renovate and build a ham radio contest station. We frequently see black bears. Bears find the driveway very convenient. We also have bobcat that likes to use the driveway.

No one lives in the house full time. Our closest neighbor is about 1/4 mile away and they also are not there full time. So the wildlife is not used to people being in the area.

Here are some of the things we do reduce our chances of encountering a bear

• We keep the grill in the basement when not in use.
• We keep trash in the basement and only put it out on the morning of pickup.
• We feed the hummingbirds and take care to keep the feeders high in the trees (rope and pulleys).
• When we leave the house at night we open the door and make some noise and then wait a few seconds before stepping out on the deck.

We have several cans of bear spray around the deck and the yard. So far have had no need to use it.

 

[AudioShockwav]

A buddy and I bought home in rural northern central Pennsylvania to renovate and build a ham radio contest station. We frequently see black bears. Bears find the driveway very convenient. We also have bobcat that likes to use the driveway.

No one lives in the house full time. Our closest neighbor is about 1/4 mile away and they also are not there full time. So the wildlife is not used to people being in the area.

Here are some of the things we do reduce our chances of encountering a bear

• We keep the grill in the basement when not in use.
• We keep trash in the basement and only put it out on the morning of pickup.
• We feed the hummingbirds and take care to keep the feeders high in the trees (rope and pulleys).
• When we leave the house at night we open the door and make some noise and then wait a few seconds before stepping out on the deck.

We have several cans of bear spray around the deck and the yard. So far have had no need to use it.

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Thanks for the reply.

73
Jeff

 

[DXman]

I have had a couple close encounters with the Alaska brown bear in the years pass.

The first run in took place at a fishing village at False Pass, Alaska (1977), I was walking back to the cannery on the board walk around 12:00 am, when I was confronted with a female and her cub. It scared the hell out of me, so I quickly dodged in thru the door of the bunk house.
What came next was even more frighting, big mama decide to put her BIG paws up against the window of the door! My first thought was "I've had it"! But lucky she decide to move on. The next year I packed a Ruger .45 Long Colt pistol up there!

The next one took place at Cold Bay, Alaska (1979) while I was working there. I drove to a small creek near by to fish for some Sockeye, as I got just to edge of the creek, up popped a very large brown head and it was looking dead at me - 20 yrds!! Now let me tell you, I moved very very fast up the bank and back to the 4x4. But lucky for him or her it decided to run away from me out across the tundra.......I thought WHooo, it's now time to go back to the bunk house and have a whiskey...........

So there U have it, a couple Alaska adventures that I will I never forget.

 

[FlyBoy50]

I have had a couple close encounters with the Alaska brown bear in the years pass.

The first run in took place at a fishing village at False Pass, Alaska (1978), I was walking back to the cannery on the board walk around 12:00 am, when I was confronted with a female and her cub. It scared the hell out of me, so I quickly dodged in thru the door of the bunk house.
What came next was even more frighting, big mama decide to put her BIG paws up against the window of the door! My first thought was "I've had it"! But lucky she decide to move on. The next year I packed a Ruger .45 Long Colt pistol up there!

The next one took place at Cold Bay, Alaska (1979) while I was working there. I drove to a small creek near by to fish for some Sockeye, as I got just to edge of the creek, up popped a very large brown head and it was looking dead at me - 20 yrds!! Now let me tell you, I moved very very fast up the bank and back to the 4x4. But lucky for him or her it decided to run away from me out across the tundra.......I thought WHooo, It's now time to go back to the bunk house and have a whiskey...........

So there U have it, a couple Alaska adventures that I will I never forget.

I'm happy to hear you survived the unpredictable brownies. They are worse than the blackies. I think I would want to step-up the ammo against brownies. Every year I read stories about the things tourist take chances with unpredictable dangerous creatures and just shake my head. It's one thing if you are forced into a situation because of having to make a living but tourist have no excuse for tempting fate. Yellowstone Park gets some real winners. LOL

 

[AudioShockwav]

I have been awaked several times in the spring to a dirty hungry bear rummageing around the property looking for food after crawling out of a hole in the spring.
I have seen them destroying a garage door to get to a 40 bag of dog food .

I have had a couple close encounters with the Alaska brown bear in the years pass.

The first run in took place at a fishing village at False Pass, Alaska (1977), I was walking back to the cannery on the board walk around 12:00 am, when I was confronted with a female and her cub. It scared the hell out of me, so I quickly dodged in thru the door of the bunk house.
What came next was even more frighting, big mama decide to put her BIG paws up against the window of the door! My first thought was "I've had it"! But lucky she decide to move on. The next year I packed a Ruger .45 Long Colt pistol up there!

The next one took place at Cold Bay, Alaska (1979) while I was working there. I drove to a small creek near by to fish for some Sockeye, as I got just to edge of the creek, up popped a very large brown head and it was looking dead at me - 20 yrds!! Now let me tell you, I moved very very fast up the bank and back to the 4x4. But lucky for him or her it decided to run away from me out across the tundra.......I thought WHooo, it's now time to go back to the bunk house and have a whiskey...........

So there U have it, a couple Alaska adventures that I will I never forget.

I still have the CD that you sent me when you were working up north Larry, I am going to have to dig it out.
I stashed it with a bunch of Radio stuff and in storage.
I think I posted a picture of that beautiful pelt you have up the wall
Thanks for the comment.

73
Jeff

 

[AudioShockwav]

I'm happy to hear you survived the unpredictable brownies. They are worse than the blackies. I think I would want to step-up the ammo against brownies. Every year I read stories about the things tourist take chances with unpredictable dangerous creatures and just shake my head. It's one thing if you are forced into a situation because of having to make a living but tourist have no excuse for tempting fate. Yellowstone Park gets some real winners. LOL

This is kind of what started this thread, I heard some of the worst advice I have ever heard in my life.
Example
You can put food in your car at night, if you hear them breaking in just hit the alarm on the fob.
You can keep food in your tent, just bring a couple cans of Wasp killer and spray it on your tent and around your camp, that will stop them.
It gets worse unfortunately.......

Yellowstone Park gets some real winners. LOL

We get our fair share up here as well, I have seen some reckless behavior, Lady walking towards a bear and her cubs for a close -up.
She actually got irate when I yelled at her to get back and she screamed at me ' I am just taking a PICTURE.......'
I have seen doors torn off of cars to get to a cooler sitting on the front seat.

One morning, first round through Curry Village there was a tent cabin with the sidewall ripped out because the campers had food and snacks inside the tent, even though there was a locking steel bear box 20 feet away.
They spent the rest of the night huddled in there car, and proclaimed they would never come back to Yosemite again....

It seems like it doesn't matter how many signs you post or how much you try to warn people they seem to think it doesn't apply to them for some reason.

73
Jeff

 

[FlyBoy50]

It seems like it doesn't matter how many signs you post or how much you try to warn people they seem to think it doesn't apply to them for some reason.

Only a fool under estimates the severity of a situation and sometimes they pay the price. I walked the streets of a foreign land alone in time of war but I was always scanning for trouble and danger. We don't fire warning shots especially if it might kill me. Somethings only worry about their survival and act on their instinct. I had a racoon destroy a tent to get at food & a little cute chipmunk sink his teeth into my finger when I was a stupid little boy. Was it the animals fault ? NO it was only acting on survival instinct. The one that makes me laugh is the person who has dangerous snakes for pets. You reap what you sow. LOL