ACTUAL FACE-TO-FACE Bear Encounters?

[Rain Man]

I'd like to hear from anyone who has had an actual personal face-to-face encounter with a bear on the AT. What was the situation? What happened?

I am NOT interested in hearing second-hand, word-of-mouth, rumors, "my brother's Scout Troop once upon a time...," statistics, I think a bear got my food bag, I think I heard a bear sniffing around in the dark, "I saw on TV" or "I read in a book," encounters OFF the trail, or similar kinds of stories. ONLY actual personal face-to-face encounters by YOU on the AT.

Did the bear see you and run away? Did it charge ferociously and rip your leg off? Did the two of you sit down and share a Snickers candy bar? What?

THANKS!

Rain Man

[chris]

I finished eating dinner one May evening at Spence Field Shelter in the Smokys, all by myself. Hung my food in the cables and sat down to drink some bourbon and do a little reading, it being around 6 pm. I was sitting out from of the shelter, when out of the corner of my eye I spotted some movement in the trees. Looking over, I saw a cute bear with tags in his ear wandering up. Slowly, not threatening. I sat and sipped on my flask as the bear got closer and all I could think of was, "How cute." The bear wandered around for a few minutes until I realized that there was a bear in camp. I picked my stuff up and moved it into the shelter. The bear walked around the campfire area and sniffed up where my food was hung. He got within 15 feet a few times, which drew a shout from me. He ignored it and continued to walk around, but didn't come closer. I had some socks drying on the toolbox there (10 days of hiking on them) and he ate one of them, which I thought rather funny. After 30 minutes, he left.

All of my AT bear encounters have been in the Smokys, and I've seen a lot more off the AT than on it. Mother bear and two cubs in the Bone Valley. She growled, I backed off slowly until out of sight, then hauled ass. Feeding bear in the same general area saw me and took off like a rocket. Suprised a bear near Derrick Knob and he fled very quickly indeed. All the bear I enountered this summer on the PCT reacted in the same fashion: Run away as fast as possible.

[Blue Jay]

I've had many face to face encounters with Black Bears. Most of the time they completely ignore me, the rest of the time they run away FAST. Two years ago, at the first overlook after Springer, I was not paying attention and walked up behind a small bear and froze. It was clear he/she was sitting there looking at the view. I was so close I could see it's chest move as it breathed. I went to move away and made a very small sound on a rock. It left sooo fast it was almost like he disappeared. Actually that one was a face to back of head encounter as he never even looked back at me. Another time I came around a turn and there was a big one, right in the trail facing me. It started to make crying sounds, I backed up as it walked off the trail to my left. A baby ran up a tree several yards behind it. I walked way around them to my right, always away from them, saying softly, "It's OK I won't hurt your cub". She just watched me. At least eight times I have walked by bears tearing apart logs. They look over at me and go back to what they are doing. Two of them snorted in a way that made me think, "Oh, it's just another one of those aholes." I like bears, although that might change if they ever eat my food.

[Skyline]

Living in the shadow of SNP, and hiking at least two days a week, I've seen scores and scores of bears. Some at a distance, some right close, some with momas and cubs, some solo, but only once did I have a scary "encounter" with one. Usually they either run off, continue whatever they were doing, or stare at me from a distance. One even stared at me for half an hour from the nearby woods as I cut the grass at Pass Mt. Hut two summers ago. Didn't even offer to help!

The one exception was a "bluff charge" in 1999 on the blue-blaze to Stony Man viewpoint just north of Skyland. I was SOBO, and took the blue blaze to the viewpoint to have dinner there. About 200 yards before the rock outcropping, Mr. Bear, probably in the 300-350 lb. range, came bolting down the narrow trail right at me. There was thick brush, rocks, and trees on either side of the narrow trail. Behind the bear, his only escape was to jump off a cliff. That left him, I thought, one option: to go through me.

I'd heard of bluff charges before, but never experienced one. Well here it was, with only a second or two to decide what to do. Rangers, naturalists, and veteran hikers all had told me at various times to try and look as imposing as possible, make lots of noise, wave my arms or better yet hiking poles, and try to scare him off (advice is for eastern black bear, not western grizzly!). Yeah, I'd thought sarcastically at the time, THAT'S gonna work. But what else could I do. I followed the advice, and having a large pack on may have helped make me look at little bigger, I dunno. The bear kept coming. Less than 10 feet away, at the last second, he bolted through the dense summer forest to my right and disappeared into the woods.

I was shaken, sure 'nough. Went out to the viewpoint, sat down, and got myself together. A few minutes later I came to a new realization: this had been a GOOD thing. Now I'd experienced a bluff charge, did what I was supposed to do, and it worked. This episode has given me more confidence in the woods. I ate my dinner and watched a beautiful sunset. Some tourists came and went, terrified after I told them what had happened, but Mr. Bear stayed away.

I have to figure this particular bear might have been more acclimated to humans than most. The location is a heavy tourist site, and most likely he'd pulled this stunt with other folks who wrongly dropped their packs and ran, providing a buffet for the bear. Also, it's near Skyland Resort, where bears have been known to yogi from tourists as well as raid garbage dumpsters behind the restaurant.

Park policy once they identify such a "problem" bear is to relocate it to give it a second chance. Unfortunately, a few have to be destroyed if they continue an aggressive behavior pattern. IMO it's a "people" problem that creates the bear "problem," but the bear often pays the price.

[Alligator]

It was fall in the Smokies and I was hiking ahead of my buddy. The buckeye (?)nuts had been falling steadily, so I was zoning out dropping items from trees. I heard something drop so at first I thought "Oh, just a nut". Still hiking, I looked ahead to my right a noticed it was a stick that had fallen. Then I looked up and saw the bear in a tree about 15 ft ahead and maybe 15 ft up. Bear facts or no, my first instinct was to turn around and head back, it was still up the tree. I took two steps and glanced back and that bear was already down the tree, like a fireman sliding down a pole. Fortunately, the bear took off into into the woods away from me. Flashing the image through my mind, it was only a female or juvenile male, maybe 100-150 lbs. My suggestion is to try to respond appropriately(which I did not) treed or not, because they are just too fast to get away from.

[Pedestrian]

I'd like to hear from anyone who has had an actual personal face-to-face encounter with a bear on the AT. What was the situation? What happened?
Rain Man

Rainman!

I’m looking forward to reading your trip report. Also, thanks for the kind words to the GATC yahoo group. It’s always good to here from someone who had a good experience on our trail.

Bear encounters:

My first bear encounter was about 100 yards north of Hog Pen gap at the trash cans. It was a Sunday evening in the fall. Somehow the bear managed to get into the bear-proof trash cans that were very full after a weekend of heavy use. As soon as my gaze was upon him, with a loud huff he was gone in a black blur.

Another encounter was just before Neels Gap. My family and I were coming down the hill almost to the highway when off to our right we see a flash of black fur running full steam up the mountain paralleling the trail at about 30 yards. We all looked at each other with jaws dropped. Was that a bear?!?

My third encounter was at Bird Gap campsite. We were camped with another group who had brought along a smallish dog. In the middle of the night I was awakened by his frantic barking. I laid there listening for what had caused his eruption. When I heard something of considerable size walking around. When I looked out there was a very good sized bear standing on his hind legs reaching with all his might for our bear bag that was juuuust out of his reach. After about an hour of listening to that dog, he finally gave up and left the area. The other campers were not going to hang their food that night but when I offered to hang it on my rope they accepted. I wonder if they had not hung their food what would have happened.

[ga>me>ak]

Both encounters in the SMNP.
First one, I walked and then ran away, but he was to close. YOU WILL NOT outrun a bear. I then stopped, turned around and yelled, flung arms, etc. and he stopped and hauled butt.
Second time, mother and 3 cubs up in separate trees as I passed by an empty shelter. Maybe 8-10 feet up the tree and the same off the trail. I just kept going and momma didn't even budge. I really wanted to snap off a pic as it is really an awesome thing to experience.However, thought it might be really stupid to stop, get my camera out of my pack, and really piss mom off. She was tolerant the first time.

[slabfoot]

Two years ago on the old rail bed just east of rausch gap shelter I walked up on a blackbear laying on the bridge. I had to cross the bridge, so I shouted and waved til he slowly got up and waddled to one side of the trail. As I then continued I spied his twin just twenty feet off to my right. What a surprise as they filed back onto the trail about thirty or forty yards behind me and followed me as the sun set and I could not see them any more. Both were about eighteen months old and seemed rather curious.

Bill

[mongo]

For me it was reached the top of the hill before you drop down to the road that leads into front royal. There was a fence on my left where the "zoo" is. Out of the undergrowth to my right a bear pops out. It was maybe 2 meters away. I used my copyrighted Kiwi bear scaring technique! That is shouting "F..k off" in my loundest vioce. I didn't even feel slightly nervous as I had seen a mountain lion 4 days before and that scared me!

Mongo!

[The Solemates]

We were in the Smokies staying at Silers Bald shelter when a bear came into our camp. It was about dusk and everyone was cooking dinner outside the shelter, which must have drawed him towards us. The bear came in and ripped up a bunch of stuff. Took someone's map bag, someone's food bag, and sliced open a wine bladder somebody was using for water. Then he tried to eat, or something of the sort, someone else's stove. I was just waiting for his nose to burst open in flames, but it never did. Anyways, we stayed in the "caged" shelter and watched him only 10 feet away. He stayed for about 30 minutes and then left. It was quite interesting, and the only bear i have seen that wasnt a half mile away. In Alaska I saw several grizzlies, but there were always on the opposite hillside.

[Peaks]

Let's see,

There was Roscoe at the Wayside in SNP. I was enjoying a burger at a picnic table outside when he came around the corner. I calmly picked up my food and walked back inside. He hung around outside as tourists gathered to watch him.

In Pennslyvania I was about 5 to 10 minutes out of the shelter on morning when 2 crossed the trail ahead of me. I yelled at them, for what ever good it does, and they walked off the trail. I can assure you that bears to poop in the woods.

At High Point NJ, a bear made it's rounds early one morning, checking the bear box and elsewhere before moving on. I watched from the shelter.

In North Carolina and Tennessee, all I saw was the hind end as the bear hightailed it over the ridge away from me. Happend 2 or 3 times.

[illininagel]

My closest bear encounter was in SNP two years ago. It was about 7 PM in the backcountry and as my brother and I were walking the trail back to camp, the bear was walking the trail directly towards us! I would say that the bear approached to within 30 yards of us before all of us stopped in our tracks.

I had to tell my brother to stop walking. He was oblivious to the bear's presence! We slowly back away and off the trail and into the brush. The bear also slowly backed off and walked up the hill on the opposite side of the trail. He observed us from a distance for quite some time. We got back on the trail and walked slowly by the bear---he was still observing from up on the hill to our left. The bear never moved or followed us and we arrived back in camp about 20 minutes later.

We were a little concerned for a while, because it was time to prepare dinner and we knew that a fairly good sized bear was in the vicinity. But, things worked out. We never saw the bear again that trip.

[chknfngrs]

first and only bear encounter so far occurred this past summer in SNP. My girlfriend and I were hiking on the Neighbor Mtn Trail near the intersection of Jeremy's Run Trail. We were into our hike when out of the corner of my eye, approximately 10 yards away in a tree, a small black bear spotted us. While we froze, it zipped down the tree and met it's sibling (at least in size) and both shot off like a light into the woods.

I was so upset that I didn't have my glasses on, however thankful for the way it transpired.

This is good stuff, makes work fly by. I can already see myself hiking this weekend. Thanks!

[Bankrobber]

I also live near Shenandoah National Park (Charlottesville is 20 miles from Rockfish Gap). I have seen numerous bears in the park and on the AT. None of them stand out particularly. I was growled at by a sow and her cub near the junction of Rip Rap Hollow Trail and the AT. A few have been up in trees, a few in cars, and a few off in the woods.
Interesting fact: A yearling bear was hanging out in the woods on the grounds of the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. He bluff charged a couple of folks, and was raiding birdfeaders in the area.
My parents live a few miles from the junction of Kelly Stand Rd. and the AT just south of Stratton Mtn in Vermont. They have had a bear wandering into their yard lately.

[steve hiker]

It was a chilly morning last November when I got my public health doctor’s release, picked up my pack, and hit the A.T. to see this Joisey goil I met a few months earlier. About 3 miles after I headed out, I heard someone coming up the trail behind me. Turns out it was this really cute gurl from Dumcannon with one sock on. We spoke briefly and I learned she'd be working, um I mean staying at, my shelter later that night. With thoughts of this gurl in my head, I wasn't paying as good attention to things as I should have.

Day dreaming as I hiked along in a light mist, I head a loud huffing noise off in the bushes to my left. My heart beat fast as I tried to make out what it was. As I cautiously moved back, with a flash and a large crash, a huge bear came tearing through the brush before me. Forgetting all my knowledge of proper bear behavior, I turned and fled like a chipmunk running from a rabid moose. In my haste, my foot caught a root in the trail and down I went, face first into a pile of horse poop. Covered in horse crap, I sobbed deeply and knew my lustful thoughts were to blame for all this misfortune.

But wait, I remembered I'd bought the special Backpacker-Rated #1 Bore-Tex baclava with the optional poop remover. Boy was I glad I did. Pressing a chip in the neck, the poop wicked away instantly. Then, remembering the reason I fell in the first place, I looked behind me just as the 1,000 lb bear lunged at me...."

(to be continued ........)

[Hikerhead]

All good stories....

I've seen 3 bears this year. While walking the Limberlust Trail/SNP with my mom, we stopped for a second, facing each other. Then, mom's eyes got as big as plates as she said "We gotta go, there's a bear!" By her look and tone, I thought it was standing right behind me getting ready to take my head off. Sooo, I didn't even look back, we just took a few steps and then I did a looksee and there was a big bear (300 lbs?) just 10 feet away on the other side of a huge hemlock that had died and fallen. It must have been there when we walked up. Sleeping perhaps. But, it started walking along very slowly looking on the ground and stopping to sniff every now and then. It didn't give a crap if we were there or not. I've taking mom on two hiking trips to SNP and both times we had close encounters with bears. She's a bear magnet.

Another time, climbing to Dragons Tooth from the south, Trout Creek, I stopped for lunch, heard a noise thinking it was deer. I froze to see what it was, a bee started flying around my head, I swatted at it with my hat and off it went down thru the woods, from the other side of a boulder that was in front of me. This one I didn't actually see but the only way I can describe the noise it made going thru the woods was if two sumo wrestlers were to race thru the woods. It must have been watching me trying to sit still, until I moved my hat.

The other time this year was on Tinker Mtn/Daleville. I've hiked up this mtn more times than I can count, never seeing a bear. This time I noticed some rocks overturned when I got up on the ridge. Coming down, right below the ridge I heard something in the brush. I walked slowly on down the trail and then a small bear took off. From the sound I could tell he didn't go far and he went right down to where I had to go, so I got my camera out and made sure the flash was on. It was almost dark and I thought for sure this would be a Kodak moment. I walked on down, went around a swithback and then I heard it again, right up ahead digging in the leaves. This time he was looking for me and bore down the mtn breaking limbs as he went.

Last year Hammock Hanger and I were almost to the Bald south of Wise Shelter/Mt Rogers. We were standing there taking a little break when she hollars "there's a bear!". I turn and just see the butt end going into the weeds. She watched it walk 10 feet behind me but she said she was so surprised that she couldn't speak at that moment.

[Rain Man]

All good stories........

Yes, all super stories so far. Thanks to ALL!!!!!

Rain Man

[gumball]

I had to tell my brother to stop walking. He was oblivious to the bear's presence!

I had to chuckle when i read this--my husband and I were walking in SNP late this summer when the same thing happened. I'm walking along in front of him, and somewhere in the recesses of my mind, I hear him calling my name and telling me to stop. When I finally realized he was talking to me, I stopped and turned around, and said "what?"...and then he looked at me and pointed to just in front of me, where a medium-ish sized bear was sitting, just off the trail, staring at me...I'd almost walked into her. Eeks. She was the most beautiful, coal black animal I'd ever seen, although I doubt that would've been my last thought if she were curling her canines around my head if I'd kept moving toward her, oblivious. I looked for just a moment, and then slowly backed up. She scooted off into the woods.

[Kerosene]

My younger brother and I tented just off the Trail in SNP, hanging our food about 40 yards down the Trail on a good high branch.

Something woke me up at 2 AM and I laid in my bag straining to catch a telltale sound. I kept thinking I heard something pacing, but couldn't be sure until a sizable rock was flipped. Now I was sure it was a bear. I shook my brother awake and told him I thought there was a bear out there, and he just replied, "Oh" and went back to sleep. I laid there for another 15 minutes or so until I couldn't take it anymore. I put my penlight in my mouth, pulled out the Swiss Army knife and metal spork, stepped out of the tent, and shone my puny flashlight on a black object about 50 feet away while clashing my knife and spork together with a mighty "tink, tink".

Needless to say, the bear wasn't very impressed. S/he swung around slowly, looked at me, then lazily sauntered off into the woods on the other side of the Trail. (What was I thinking????)

I scared up a bear during a day hike across Smarts Mountain in western New Hampshire this July. I never got a good look at him; he just took off in a big rush with a lot of noise.

[10degrees]

while southbound in the 100mi wilderness in 2000. i was sitting in a tiny little clearing, eating my lunch when a dang bear walked out of the woods into my clearing. i was a little startled, as you can imagine, but he/she paid no attention at all to me or my lunch. rather he/she had an interest in some berry bushes. i think the only reason he/she noticed me was all the noise i was making trying to fetch my camera from my pack. happily, i did get a few nice pics. it surprised me to see a bear in maine cuz several maniacs told me i wouldn't likely. of course, i saw several bears in GA to VA, most notably in SNP.