bear!..scream?run?or play possom?

[mweinstone]

bear directly in your path as you come around a blind corner.your lathered up in a hot sweat,the bear is eating bluberries.distance from nose to nose is 10 yards.go..........[ in georgia,in spring]
personaly ,i walk backwards as i take off my pack and pull out my food bag and still holding both but ready to drop the food and run with my pack i continue walking backwards untill i trip and fall and get ignored to death by yogi.

[Footslogger]

I had pretty close to the same experience on my thru in 2003. Rounded the corner and there is was. I just froze in place and raised my arms/treking poles in the air and began talking to the bear in a normal voice. It looked over it's shoulder at me, then turned around and finally walked off trail into the woods.

The whole ordeal lasted all of 20 seconds at the most but it seemed like a lot longer.

'Slogger

[kyhipo]

none of the above I incountered a few bear in my days,in jersey I was due to pick up a mail drop and some parts, it was raining out and well,I just stared right back at him or her pretty big bear at that.I thought to myself your gonna get out of my way its raining I got food down the road and I aint budgen.We stared at each other for 5 minutes atleast,then all the sudden It shrugged its huge shoulders and just took off running.Needless to say I reckin I was pretty fortunate ky

[Ender]

None of the above... It's the east coast, and they'll be Black Bears... harmless unless you A. Really p!ss it off or B. Get too close to a cub.

I vote for option 4, get the camera out and start snapping.

[gargamel]

your lathered up in a hot sweat,the bear is eating bluberries.distance from nose to nose is 10 yards.go

Perfect opportunity to pack out your stove, a pack of instant pancake dough and to invite the hairy guy for some tasty blueberry pancakes

[Max Power]

The Hoch's at the Hike Inn say "BARK." That will make them think they are being hunted. I would say do not drop your pack, especially your food. If this was to become a habit by hikers who ran into bears (even during chase,) the bears would be wise enough to begin attacking humans for food if we continued to drop our food.
This isn't too realistic to happen on the AT, but we shouldn't practice this just in case.

[Lone Wolf]

I'd just yell at the sumbitch.

[Fiddler]

I'd wave my arms and yell real loud. Worked once, bunch of years ago, might work again. You shoulda seen that bast*rd run ! ! !

[The Solemates]

i think i would go try to pet it.

[irritable_badger]

Take as many pictures as you can Don't approach it or freak out. (If you're shooting 35mm the noise will probably scare it off anyway) The post above is correct, unless you really piss it off (scare it, get close to a cub, or take it's blueberries) a Black Bear does not want to hurt you. If you're cool it probably will be too. It's kind of like meeting a crazy bum in a dark alley, 9.5 times out of 10 you'll be fine and you can't plan your life around that .5 I've met 7 bears at 15-50 feet away in the Citico Creek Wilderness Area in East TN and they have always been great experiences, not scary, thrilling would be a good term. If you're scared though, yell at it and it will probably run away and watch you from a distance for a while. They hide really well, if you watch where it runs to you can probably see it up there for a while checking you out.

[tiamalle]

My girl friend raised her bra and the bear started chasing her and she yelled what am going to do.I said Tell him real hatefully that you have a headache
that always works when I'm chasing you.

[lbbrown]

My girl friend raised her bra and the bear started chasing her and she yelled what am going to do.I said Tell him real hatefully that you have a headache
that always works when I'm chasing you.

Remember,when being chased by a bear, she only has to outrun YOU!

[tiamalle]

The Hoch's at the Hike Inn say "BARK." That will make them think they are being hunted. I would say do not drop your pack, especially your food. If this was to become a habit by hikers who ran into bears (even during chase,) the bears would be wise enough to begin attacking humans for food if we continued to drop our food.
This isn't too realistic to happen on the AT, but we shouldn't practice this just in case.

I don't want to sound sarcastic but do any of you eat bear?SSSSSSSSSt I just did"I forgot to ask about the ramps"

[tiamalle]

Remember,when being chased by a bear, she only has to outrun YOU!

That bear give me ideas

[digger51]

I just stood as tall as I could and hit my hiking poles together to make noise. The bear about 10 feet away looked at me and ran uphill and away. Always knew I was ugly, but so much so to scare a bear.

[Frolicking Dinosaurs]

Take pictures and then make noise to get the bear off the trail so you can pass. Tiamalle - bear is greasy and stringy - and ramps are pretty decent when prepared correctly.

[tiamalle]

Take pictures and then make noise to get the bear off the trail so you can pass. Tiamalle - bear is greasy and stringy - and ramps are pretty decent when prepared correctly.

when I grew up and got beef or pork I thought it was someones birthday,ps after eating bear meat as a child our parents made us sit on a towel for a day or two while inside the house.

[Sly]

Please tell me you don't seriously drop your food and pack.

[mweinstone]

im thinking i could get a bear eating out of my hand.that would be so cool.i know ,i know,its wrong. but how cool would it be to try.?id try it i think if someone had my back the first time.anyone else this dumb?its tempting cause there so cute.just kidding.

[mweinstone]

i walk around them when they move off the trail just like most.first i stair at them alot.