Earlier this week I read a story about a woman in Colorado who was attacked and partially eaten by a bear. She had taken her dogs out for a walk and not returned home. The woman’s boyfriend found the dogs at home and not his girlfriend so he started to search for her. He found her dead from an apparent bear attack. Tragic.
Bear attacks are rare in America yet they do occur. And you should always be prepared if you live in bear country.
Soon I’ll be visiting my father in northeast Washington where bears are not uncommon. Many years ago he did have an encounter with a mama bear and her cubs while he was fishing. He had a firearm , remained calm, and was able to retreat from the river to his vehicle with no interaction with the mama.
Since then, he always carries bear spray and has it at hand. When I’m visiting him and we go for hikes in the mountains or stop off at a rest area we carry bear spray:
Me and dad (above) walking his doggies at a rest stop. I’m carrying bear spray in my left hand. You never know when you might need it. Better to be safe than sorry!
Here‘s some tips for carrying/using bear spray from the National Park
Service. Also, watch this video:
Know the basics of what to do during a bear encounter and how to survive one. Remain calm, don’t approach bears for a “photo op,” and leave them their space (and yours) to retreat.
And always, be prepared!
DCG
Now, why would anyone approach a wild bear for a photo-op? Morons!
Thank you, DCG, for the warning.
I’ve seen people at the refuge get out of their cars to get better pictures of the bison. Fools…
Natural Selection at work.
😀
DCG you have really provided excellent info for the rest of us. Expecially, the film clip showing exactly how to use “bear spray.” Bravo to you.
I always carry bear spray in the form of a S&W Performance center 44 mag with bear loads. If a bear attacks, you won’t find bear scat with lead in it as you might find bear scat with pieces of bear spray can in it.
I worked for the City of Seattle and lived in the North Cascades in Wa. State. It is bear and cat (bobcat and cougar) country. A coworker named Lars went camping and encountered a bear with the result being that they both ran in opposite directions. I told Lars he needed to get bear spray and instead he got air horn in a can to scare them. Lars went for a hike and a baby bear ran in front of him and climbed a tree. The baby began crying for mom and mom jumped into the trail and started growling at Lars. Lars sounded his air horn in a can and momma bear growled louder and started bouncing on her front feet getting ready to attack. Lars slowly and successfully backed down the trail and escaped a bad situation. When Lars told me the story I asked him why he didn’t get bear spray. He said: What happens if I get the spray in my own eyes? I said: Who cares as long as you get it in the bear’s eyes first! True story.
Nine rounds from a Colt 45 does the job on any bear.
I’m not so sure about that….
Thank you DCG for this interesting post and for the valuable safety advice. My husband and I went camping at Buck’s Lake in CA and after we went to bed, a huge bear came and opened up the outdoor cabinets we had, taking out various canned foods and granola bars. He also looked at our Yahtzee game and Scrabble game we had sitting on a picnic table. He was very reverent with these two games and studied them and decided to leave them alone. He proceeded to unwrap every granola bar leaving a trail all around the camp site. He then ate the canned food, and opened them with his huge paws and mighty fingernails. He literally ripped the cans apart. He finally left and we were so grateful. We just sat there very, very quiet. We prayed. . .
Scary Bears aren’t only in the West. On the East coast, Brown Bears happily mingle w/humans in search of food, almost as common as are coyotes now everywhere. These encounters can be as dangerous, b/c the bears come into a “human zone” rather than visa versa when bears are encountered on hikes into “their zone.” A memorable summer yrs ago on a visit “back East,” my mom rented a condo in a ski resort in central PA, our ancestral home….so that our scattered relatives could gather to reunion. Perfect—no skiers, all summer weather, tennis courts, walking trails, a restaurant, bar, swimming pools, hot tubs, cheap rates, simple evening entertainment, great lodging….but BEARS who brought their cubs to dinner!!!! We could not have picnics or the ‘resort-sponsored” bar-b-ques outside without bears charging us. We’d scatter to 4 corners and hope that the poor entertainment (a little guy with an electronic keyboard—so “Dirty Dancing” resort reference, if you can picture it) made it out alive.This was in addition to circumventing the copperhead snakes on the pathways to the swimming pools…..But ahhh….we lived. We remember it fondly after so many of our elders have passed. And now, bear-wise…I just get reports from my PA relatives who tell me that the Brown Bears are now coming down out of the mountains (that are being developed into housing) and into their farm cornfields to feed in broad daylight……..