A Crash Course In Bear Safety
Written for Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah
“Bears are where they find you.” is a commonly used phrase by Dr. Tom Smith, a longtime bear researcher in Brigham Young University’s College of Life Sciences. Bears are large, voraciously hungry, and usually leave us alone. But on the occasion our paths cross and things get, well, hairy. Since Utah is in black bear country, and just south of brown bear territory, learning safety around these fascinating animals is critically important.
Avoiding a close encounter with a bear is the most important thing you can do. Bears are not roaming the woods looking for people to devour, but they are opportunists and will eat the easiest food available. Far too often this includes dumpster food in camping areas. Avoid dumpsters at dusk and dawn when bears are foraging, unless you have a wish to participate in the circle of life (not recommended).
Hike at speeds that allow you to be aware of your surroundings since hiking faster can walk you right into a bear. Also, avoid hiking in thick brush where you cannot see well and hike in groups of two or more, making noise when approaching dense vegetation. Do not hike while wearing headphones or earbuds: your awareness matters. Hiking with dogs in bear country is highly discouraged since dogs actually attract bears—there are exceptions, but as a rule of thumb dogs and bears are not a winning combination for anyone. Finally, and this is a no-brainer, if you see a bear do not approach it!
What about camping in bear country where the odds are that a hungry bear might come to investigate the delicious aroma of your hotdogs? Preparing your campsite is vital to being safe around bears.
Dr. Smith recommends hanging your food in a tree at least 100 yards away from camp or storing it in a bear resistant container. Other suggestions include setting up a portable electric fence around camp (in which case you store food in camp) and having your tents set up in a row instead of a circle.
Have your most experienced campers sleeping on the two ends of the line, each with bear spray, and keep a flashlight handy. If a bear approaches within 25 yards of camp, begin as a group to shout at the bear and throw rocks. Do not abandon your gear or each other!
Encountering a bear while hiking requires similar responses. Again, do not hike alone in bear country! If you see a bear, observe the bear’s behavior; if it hasn’t noticed you, then it is not a threat and you should retreat to a safer distance. If you encounter a bear up close, stay together as a group and HOLD YOUR GROUND, DO NOT RUN! Shout, throw rocks, but don’t run! And don’t waive your arms in the air, that is how Inuits attract bears. Bluff charges are common, so even if it is running at you, hold still.
Keep bear spray on you and easily accessible. If a bear gets within 20-30 feet then spray at it in two second bursts. Bear spray has been proven over hundreds of encounters to be effective, no matter what the NRA magazine might say.
Moving to the next stage of conflict, the bear has charged and physically engaged with you, now what? You fight. Any aggression from a black bear must be taken as an immediate threat and handled aggressively with whatever resources you have available. Do not play dead.
If attacked by a grizzly, defend yourself and especially protect your head. If knocked over, roll onto your stomach. If you have no method of fighting back, lying still can cause the bear to believe that you, as a perceived threat, have been neutralized and it may back off. However, if it begins nipping at you, continue to fight back.
Bear maulings are incredibly rare, but if we learn the skills needed to be safe around bears, then we can go into bear country with confidence and competence. We will see bears less as threats, and more as an exciting part of our wilderness experience.