OB Approved Safe Encounters with Bears (Mammals in North America):

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JimInBC

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A good read. I live in an area with both active black bear and cougar. I have only seen one bear when I was not in a car. I was on my bike ride to work and we shared a bit of trail together. I stopped, got off my bike put it between us, let him know I was there, He looked back but kept walking along the trail, eventually he turned off and headed down to the lake. I assume to his favourite coffee shop.
I have seen signs of cougar, not the actual cat, but I am sure they have seen me.
I am heading to mainland BC this summer for a bit of exploring and was thinking about the hand held banger launchers, along with spray.
Being bear aware and practicing what you will do, especially with the youngsters is important. As is keeping a clean camp site.
 
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Kyle & Kari Frink

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@Jeff Graham Thanks for taking the time to share this information, I myself have never experienced a bear attack, and I do not carry bear mace. However since I am in the military I have been sprayed with O.C. personally and let me tell you it is an experience for sure lol of the painful sort. Anyways the point I really wanted to discuss is that in the areas I have lived that have bears the locals are either 50/50 on if bear mace works, some say it does but I personally have heard more people say that it just pisses the bear off and will make the situation worse.
 
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Corbet

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Planning a 2 week trip dispersed camping to the wilds of Montana in August. Bears are a concern. I will be carrying a 10mm loaded with hardcast when hiking and a 12 gauge with Brenneke's around camp. The wife will carry bear spray . We also are putting together a solar powered electric fence and audible alarm trip wires to set around camp at night. The current plan is if we come across a bear to leave the area if possible. Bear spray if it follows or otherwise appears more curious than we're comfortable with. However, with 2 small children, I cannot sit out a charge and hope it's a bluff. Any charge closer than 30 yds and it's getting lit up.
Little late to post as you’ve probably already returned from your trip. But anyone who is this worked up about bears should probably choose a different place to vacation. Sounds like your concern about bear activity may interfer with your enjoyment of your trip. In 20+ years of living in the West I’ve never had a negative bear encounter. My only bad experience was in the UP of Michigan where the bears were aggressive about pilfering your camp for food.

Keep a clean camp and your chances of a bear visit are really slim. Yes I have bear spray and yes I carry my .45acp. But I worry way more about big cats than I ever will about bears. Don’t loose sleep over either.
 
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Jeff Graham

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@Jeff Graham Thanks for taking the time to share this information, I myself have never experienced a bear attack, and I do not carry bear mace. However since I am in the military I have been sprayed with O.C. personally and let me tell you it is an experience for sure lol of the painful sort. Anyways the point I really wanted to discuss is that in the areas I have lived that have bears the locals are either 50/50 on if bear mace works, some say it does but I personally have heard more people say that it just pisses the bear off and will make the situation worse.
I’m an engineer by trade: I tend to be persuaded more by empirical, vs anecdotal evidence. NOLS was commissioned to conduct a study. They looked at all available evidence on Bear encounters. This study concluded that chemical deterrents are more affective then firearms. Their have been other studies, that arrived at the same conclusion. It could be argued, that the conclusion of these studies are biased. Trying to be a critical thinker, I looked at a much of the raw evidence. I found myself agreeing with the studies. I started my research looking for the best rifle cartridge to defend against bears. At the end of my research, I became a convert to the value of Bear Away. Others may come to a different conclusion, and I respect that.
 

Kyle & Kari Frink

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I’m an engineer by trade: I tend to be persuaded more by empirical, vs anecdotal evidence. NOLS was commissioned to conduct a study. They looked at all available evidence on Bear encounters. This study concluded that chemical deterrents are more affective then firearms. Their have been other studies, that arrived at the same conclusion. It could be argued, that the conclusion of these studies are biased. Trying to be a critical thinker, I looked at a much of the raw evidence. I found myself agreeing with the studies. I started my research looking for the best rifle cartridge to defend against bears. At the end of my research, I became a convert to the value of Bear Away. Others may come to a different conclusion, and I respect that.
You are very right, being unbiased is almost not a thing lol then one can say human beings are swayed easily by "flashy objects" and not one to go against others so go with the flow. I say don't be those people, actually find the truth and what is best, you may not like the answer but knowing is half the battle.
 

AprilC

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Great post! Thank you! Also, some areas do not let you carry/use bear spray, most if not all CA National Parks. I'm not sure if there are other states like this. It's probably a good idea for people to look up their state or park laws.
 
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Corbet

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One other thing to add. If you’re going to carry bear spray go discharge one once for practice. See how far it sprays and in what pattern. Learn where to aim it to deter a bear. After all if your plan is to carry a firearm I’d assume you’ve practiced with that? Bear spray should be no different.

There are practice cans out there. Not sure if available to the public. But my wife and son were able to use a couple in a bear defense training at Grand Teton last summer. I’ve discharged an actual one before. Once you do that you’ll be very aware of wind direction the next time.
 

titicaca

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Cooking in bear country is a challenge for me with the typical proximity of fire pits and tent site. I love bacon and sausages. This is a cooking proximity issue typical of both wild and organized park's campsites:
P1080371small.JPG

In this situation the splatter on the fire ring was significant. I'm not sure how to deal with this. I suspect the right answer is not to cook on the fire or stove like that. Or if possible cook somewhere else, even drive away to cook, but that can be inconvenient or not practical. What do you folks do?
 
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Corbet

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What do you folks do?
In the backcountry I’d simply set up my tent much further from the cooking area.

In an established campground where your site boundaries are definited I probably wouldn’t worry about it too much. The 1000’s of people who camped there before you probably made a bigger mess. Just don’t bring any of the grease splattered clothing with you to bed. Wash up (hands/face) good before bed.
 

PatriotT4R

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I have to admit Bears are a force to be reckoned with while on the trail whether camping or driving. Situational awareness is your best avenue of approach is becoming familiar with your surroundings this can help mitigate an unwanted encounter with a bear. Try to avoid attracting the bears into your camping area by using Bear bags hung from trees or bear proof canisters to store food items or basically anything that gives off a scent. Build small barricades using brush around your tent this may not deter the bear completely but may buy you valuable time to egress or arm yourself. When cooking outdoors be at least 100ft from your physical camp site and remove any clothing that you may have cooked in .. do not bring the clothing back to your tent you will be inviting trouble if you do. Use a pyramid set-up for the camp site ... Food storage bear bags keep 100ft from your tent, keep cooking areas 100ft from your tent and keep your tent 100ft feet from all the other stuff. Oh yeah do not store food in your vehicle unfortunately the bears will not simple open the glove box nicely they will destroy everything inside the vehicle trying to get what they want.
 
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MOAK

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I’m an engineer by trade: I tend to be persuaded more by empirical, vs anecdotal evidence. NOLS was commissioned to conduct a study. They looked at all available evidence on Bear encounters. This study concluded that chemical deterrents are more affective then firearms. Their have been other studies, that arrived at the same conclusion. It could be argued, that the conclusion of these studies are biased. Trying to be a critical thinker, I looked at a much of the raw evidence. I found myself agreeing with the studies. I started my research looking for the best rifle cartridge to defend against bears. At the end of my research, I became a convert to the value of Bear Away. Others may come to a different conclusion, and I respect that.
Absolutely. I’ve attempted to make this very same point to other folks on multiple occasions. Even taking the effort to copy and paste links to several different studies that all reached the same conclusion. As I recall there have been several human deaths when attempting to use firearms to defend themselves. There have been zero deaths when bear spray is used.. we carry bear spray.
 

titicaca

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Anyone here use Fluid Film to rustproof your rig? So, is it appropriate to use it in bear country? Fluid Film is made from sheep wool oil - it smells, some say like:
- "wool from a dead sheep's bloated carcass that's been waterlogged in a drainage ditch for a few weeks"
- "wet sheep"
- "smells like old people"
- "blueberries"
or, others, "I spray my hair with it"

That doesn't sound like something you want in bear country, that is a major con, but the benefit is product is very effective. I read the smell dissipates after a few days/weeks, one claimed it never really goes away. I overland in bear country mostly, should I apply this?
 
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Jaytperry89

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Wonderful content in this thread, I've definitely gained some new perspective. And maybe I'll change most of my solo trips to the desert and not the mountains lol.
 
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We all enjoy getting out in to nature, and having adventures. When we are pursuing our adventures, it is important to remember we are guests, visiting these wild places. I hope to share some time proven strategies to increase your safety, when you have rare encounters with potentially dangerous animals.

A good policy, when in wild places, is not to surprise the animals. Let them know you are in the area. Travel in groups, the larger the better. It is OK to talk, laugh, or even sing loudly. Be observant, plug in to your environment, not to your iPod.

Bear

View attachment 30914


The good news, is that we know a lot more about bears, then we do Cougars. The bad news, is there isn’t as much consistency with Bears. I would recommend reading NOLS publication “Bear Essentials”. National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) publishes lots of good information for people that want to enjoy wild places.

Encountering bears is more common than many other animals. Some bears have become food conditioned and habituated. These bears are often referred to as nuisance bears, because they have learned to associate people with food. Often this forces authorities to kill the bear, to prevent potential loss of human life. These bears are far the most dangerous bear you are likely to encounter. These bears are actively searching out humans, and can get very aggressive. Keep a clean camp, and don’t accidently feed bears by leaving food behind. Practice Tread Lightly principles, and carry everything out, that is carried in. I bear that feeds on human food, is a dead Bear.

Bears have an incredible sense of smell. This is their primary sense used for locating food. Food storage is very important in bear country. Good information is available at the discussion at:
https://overlandbound.com/forums/threads/where-do-you-store-your-food-is-it-safe-to-store-it-in-the-car.5722/ I will not revisit this topic. I only want to add, that anything with a sent will attract bears. Not only food, but cosmetics such as: soap, woman’s makeup, and aftershave. These should be treated like food, with all the same precautions.

If you see a bear at a distance, these are some good ruled to follow for Viewing Etiquette:
  • Respect a bear's space. Binoculars and spotting scopes allow you to view bears without getting too close.
  • Never approach, crowd, pursue, or displace bears. If a bear changes its behavior because of your presence, you are too close!
  • Stay in groups and minimize noise and movement. However, in areas of low visibility or when you're out on the trail, reduce chances of surprise encounters by staying alert and talking calmly to identify yourself as a human, not another animal.
  • Stay on designated trails whenever possible.
  • Leave "orphaned" or sick bears alone. Young animals that appear alone usually have a mother waiting nearby. Never get between a mother and her cub.
  • Leave pets at home: Our pets can be troublesome around bears. At times, a barking dog can induce a fight instinct in Bears.
  • Let bears eat their natural foods. Do not feed the bears
  • You are responsible for your safety and the safety of wildlife. If a bear approaches you, it is your responsibility to move away and maintain a safe distance.
Once a bear has noticed you and is paying attention to you, additional strategies can help prevent the situation from escalating.
  • Identify yourself by talking calmly so the bear knows you are a human and not a prey animal. Remain still; stand your ground but slowly wave your arms. Help the bear recognize you as a human. It may come closer or stand on its hind legs to get a better look or smell. A standing bear is usually curious, not threatening.
  • Stay calm and remember that most bears do not want to attack you; they usually just want to be left alone. Bears may bluff their way out of an encounter by charging and then turning away at the last second. Bears may also react defensively by woofing, yawning, salivating, growling, snapping their jaws, and laying their ears back. Continue to talk to the bear in low tones; this will help you stay calmer, and it won't be threatening to the bear. A scream or sudden movement may trigger an attack. Never imitate bear sounds or make a high-pitched squeal.
  • Pick up small children immediately.
  • Hike and travel in groups. Groups of people are usually noisier and smellier than a single person. Therefore, bears often become aware of groups of people at greater distances, and because of their cumulative size, groups are also intimidating to bears.
  • Make yourselves look as large as possible (for example, move to higher ground).
  • Do NOT allow the bear access to your food. Getting your food will only encourage the bear and make the problem worse for others.
  • Do NOT drop your pack as it can provide protection for your back and prevent a bear from accessing your food.
  • If the bear is stationary, move away slowly and sideways; this allows you to keep an eye on the bear and avoid tripping. Moving sideways is also non-threatening to bears. Do NOT run, but if the bear follows, stop and hold your ground. Bears can run as fast as a racehorse both uphill and down. Like dogs, they will chase fleeing animals. Do NOT climb a tree. Both grizzlies and black bears can climb trees.
  • Leave the area or take a detour. If this is impossible, wait until the bear moves away. Always leave the bear an escape route.
  • Be especially cautious if you see a female with cubs; never place yourself between a mother and her cub, and never attempt to approach them. The chances of an attack escalate greatly if she perceives you as a danger to her cubs.
Bear attacks are rare; most bears are only interested in protecting food, cubs, or their space. However, being mentally prepared can help you have the most effective reaction. Every situation is different, but below are guidelines on how brown bear attacks can differ from black bear attacks. Help protect others by reporting all bear incidents to a park ranger immediately. Above all, keep your distance from bears!
  • Brown/Grizzly/Kodiac Bears: If you are attacked by a brown/grizzly/kodiac bear PLAY DEAD. Lay flat on your stomach with your hands clasped behind your neck. Spread your legs to make it harder for the bear to turn you over. Remain still until the bear leaves the area. Fighting back usually increases the intensity of such attacks. However, if the attack persists for longer than a few seconds, fight back vigorously. Use whatever you have at hand to hit the bear in the face.
  • Black Bears: If you are attacked by a black bear, DO NOT PLAY DEAD. Try to escape to a secure place such as your rig. If escape is not possible, try to fight back using any object available. Concentrate your kicks and blows on the bear's face and muzzle.
If any bear attacks you in your tent, or stalks you and then attacks, DO NOT PLAY DEAD —fight back! This kind of attack is very rare, but can be serious because it often means the bear is looking for food and sees you as prey.

Bear pepper spray can be an important thing to carry when exploring the back country. It is used defensively to stop an aggressive, charging, or attacking bear. Although it’s used in the same manner you would use mace on an attacking person, bear pepper spray and human pepper spray are not the same. Make sure you select an EPA approved product that is specifically designed to stop aggressive bears. It is not a repellent so do not apply to your body or equipment
Fun facts about (grizzly) bears:

- they can run 45kph, for an hour. You are NOT going to outrun it.

- grizzlies will eat you till you are dead. Read that again - if a grizzly is intent on eating you, it will pin you down and eat chunks out of you until you die.

Be smart, be safe, carry appropriate defense items, and know how to use them. Your life may very well indeed depend on it.
 
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jaymoore24

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I suggest you practice using a little shooting game we'd use on Kodiak. Get a regular sized paper plate on a string pulley system, about 3-5' off the ground, and about 50 yards away. Have someone start pulling the plate towards you as fast as they can, while you draw and fire, seeing how many times you can hit the plate before it gets to you. If you can hit it, great...now add in the pure adrenaline that will be dumped into your blood stream.

Unless you kill that bear with one shot, just wounding it will only piss it off - UNLESS it gets scared away. When hunting Kodiak brownies, I've seen one take MULTIPLE shots from a .338 Win Mag and a 500grain .45-70. They just don't stop.

The absolute best bear protection was my marine shotgun with extended mag tube. First shot is a loud cracker, followed by 2 rounds of heavy birdshot, followed by the biggest slugs I could find. Served me well in my 9 years on Kodiak, and only had to fire twice. Never carried a handgun, only the shotgun.

Actually, the best bear protection is a single shot .22LR pistol. You shoot your buddy in the knee and you take off, leaving him behind. :)

"Actually, the best bear protection is a single shot .22LR pistol. You shoot your buddy in the knee and you take off, leaving him behind. :)"
:tearsofjoy::tearsofjoy::tearsofjoy::tearsofjoy::tearsofjoy::tearsofjoy::tearsofjoy::tearsofjoy:
 
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jaymoore24

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Reading all of these comments in regards to cooking in proximity to where you sleep has me thinking about folks utilizing RTT's. Most , cook out of the back of there rig, store the food in there rig, then sleep directly above it. has anyone had any experiences or know of someone that has had a bear go thru there vehicle while sleeping rooftop? or trying to enter a RTT? this thought is kind of killing my potential of selling the wife on the need for the investment of a RTT :tearsofjoy:
 
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RAMXPLR

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Planning a 2 week trip dispersed camping to the wilds of Montana in August. Bears are a concern. I will be carrying a 10mm loaded with hardcast when hiking and a 12 gauge with Brenneke's around camp. The wife will carry bear spray . We also are putting together a solar powered electric fence and audible alarm trip wires to set around camp at night. The current plan is if we come across a bear to leave the area if possible. Bear spray if it follows or otherwise appears more curious than we're comfortable with. However, with 2 small children, I cannot sit out a charge and hope it's a bluff. Any charge closer than 30 yds and it's getting lit up.
I suggest you practice using a little shooting game we'd use on Kodiak. Get a regular sized paper plate on a string pulley system, about 3-5' off the ground, and about 50 yards away. Have someone start pulling the plate towards you as fast as they can, while you draw and fire, seeing how many times you can hit the plate before it gets to you. If you can hit it, great...now add in the pure adrenaline that will be dumped into your blood stream.

Unless you kill that bear with one shot, just wounding it will only piss it off - UNLESS it gets scared away. When hunting Kodiak brownies, I've seen one take MULTIPLE shots from a .338 Win Mag and a 500grain .45-70. They just don't stop.

The absolute best bear protection was my marine shotgun with extended mag tube. First shot is a loud cracker, followed by 2 rounds of heavy birdshot, followed by the biggest slugs I could find. Served me well in my 9 years on Kodiak, and only had to fire twice. Never carried a handgun, only the shotgun.

Actually, the best bear protection is a single shot .22LR pistol. You shoot your buddy in the knee and you take off, leaving him behind. :)
That’s morbidly hilarious. You don’t have to run fast, just faster than the slowest guy.
 
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