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]

:datz 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 :D

[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.:p

[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.:p

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":-? :datz :datz :datz

[tiamalle]

Remember,when being chased by a bear, she only has to outrun YOU!That bear give me ideas:D

[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. :rolleyes:

[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.

[tiamalle]

Please tell me you don't seriously drop your food and pack. :rolleyes:seriously,the first time most soon have skid marks in their drawers

[Newb]

Really, you people. Just grin and bear it.

[Moxie00]

We have more black bears in Maine than any other State on the AT yet it is rare to see one here because they are hunted and hunted hard. Those that havent beeen shot or chased by dogs are very shy and stay clear of human contact. Whenever I see a bear I grab my camera and run right at it and I did exactly that every time I saw a bear in the south of middle atlantic States on the AT. I got very few good pictures because every time I rushed at a bear all I saw was his or her butt heading for the thick woods. If any animal knows you have no fear he will get out of your way, this goes for angry dogs too. An exception is a bear eating or a female with a cub. Just don't get between the bear and her food or baby but otherwise most black bears are shy and just want to be left alone.

[sarbar]

I have seen many bears...but the best one was at Mt. Rainer NP, below Summerland on the Wonderland Trail. It was in early fall 2003. This is a typical part of open subalpine trail, where huckleberry bushes thrive in the thousands. My son (6 at the time) were heading back downhill, came around the corner and there was a black bear in the middle of the trail, eating berries. I stopped, and told Ford to start backing up (rember, never turn your back!) I stood there, trying to think what in the heckola to do. The bear wasn't moving. We couldn't go uphill, nor downhill as it is a narrow trail. Suddenly the bear jumped UPHILL into the tiny huckleberry bushes (out here that would be called Olallie bushes - that is Chinook jargon). I stood there thinking again-when I realized that bear was scared *&^%less of us. So I told Ford to stay right next to, to not look at the bear and get moving. We walked by the bear-less than 3 ft away. I looked over and the little guy was shaking-he was trying to hide so badly-his whole head was exposed. He had gorgeous eyes. As I walked past him, I sang lightly and kept my hands up-make yourself look bigger is the key. Keep your back straight. Show no fear.
I got no photos of that encounter. I found out later he was 3 years old, and just on his own. Poor guy!

In fact I have only ONE photo of all my bear encounters....
My main hiking partner was scared to death of bears (she is from Chicago). In 2003 we were driving to a TH in the Olympic Mts, when lo, I see a fat & lazy Olympic Yogi sitting on the side of the road-the bear was watching the trucks go by, and scratching it's belly....lol!. I hit the brakes, dust going everywhere and yelled "bear!". Rainy about pooped her britches....lol! She never did forgive me for that one-she had the window down and I locked the windows...muwhahhah!! The next summer she got pinned down by a Mt. Goat in the Enchantments in Wa with me, who wanted her salty tasty pee :D
Ok, so my point is, most black bears are just big over sized puppy dogs. They are scared of you, and on all fours are the size of a large overfed dog.

Of course, there IS a huge black bear in MT. Rainier NP that gives birth to triplets almost every time-and flips logs in the air, and shreds them in front of frightened tourons. She is a classic indeed. Go momma!

And there was the bear I watched destroy a hood on an almost new truck-I interrupted some hill billies using their dogs to illegally chase the bear...the bear freaked, and went up high-on the nearest thing-the truck. Youch! This was the same bear I saw hiding in the ladies privy at the TH :p

[weary]

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.
Then there was the mother who thought it cute to photograph her 2-year-old feeding a bear -- until the bear also ate the child's hand.

[Nokia]

I would just chill. You're probably right to slowly back away a little bit, but for the most part bears are pretty chill. You're not really on the menu. If you get scared yell. It'll take off like a shot.

[general]

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.

i like to take some left over steak or ribs for my first night out on a long trip. i lay the bones and fat out on a rock outside my tent to see what kind of wildlife i can scare up at night. no bears though. just some skunks, opossums and raccoons. oh well, maybe next time.

[neo]

spit some beech nuts in his eye cause a country boy can survive:cool: neo

[irritable_badger]

There is a post above where someone is leaving leftovers out to attract wildlife. It is an Olympic class bad idea to get the animals used to people food of any kind. The small critters aren't that big of a deal since they are bottom level scavengers anyway (who wants a people friendly skunk around though) but the larger animals are a real concern. Coyotes and bears, both prevelant in the East are super smart animals. They are some of natures finest eating machines and it does not take them long to realize that people have better food than they do. While you might not be effected, the next camper(s) in that area could be. If the bear gets a yummy rack of ribs from you it will come back for more except it may be a family with children (or me) that the bear comes to for more ribs/steak. Most likely I won't have any and the bear probably isn't going to believe me. After it gets done searching my tent and pack it may start considering the ribs I'm still using, I don't want that to happen. If you have an uncontrollable urge to bait the animals then it should be done miles away from any campsites or potential future campsites for others. Walk several miles out carrying a rack of ribs and wait for something to come along (the key it to keep the ribs/steak tied to your pack, you're almost guaranteed to meet something, just be patient). I do not want to meet a bear/coyote on a BBQ binge.

[KirkMcquest]

I always carry alittle salmon oil in a squeeze bottle. Just squirt alittle on your partner ( always hike with someone slow) and take off in another direction.
At night it would be wise to tie your buddies shoe laces together. This will enable you to make a fast getaway, without being followed

[general]

There is a post above where someone is leaving leftovers out to attract wildlife. It is an Olympic class bad idea to get the animals used to people food of any kind. The small critters aren't that big of a deal since they are bottom level scavengers anyway (who wants a people friendly skunk around though) but the larger animals are a real concern. Coyotes and bears, both prevelant in the East are super smart animals. They are some of natures finest eating machines and it does not take them long to realize that people have better food than they do. While you might not be effected, the next camper(s) in that area could be. If the bear gets a yummy rack of ribs from you it will come back for more except it may be a family with children (or me) that the bear comes to for more ribs/steak. Most likely I won't have any and the bear probably isn't going to believe me. After it gets done searching my tent and pack it may start considering the ribs I'm still using, I don't want that to happen. If you have an uncontrollable urge to bait the animals then it should be done miles away from any campsites or potential future campsites for others. Walk several miles out carrying a rack of ribs and wait for something to come along (the key it to keep the ribs/steak tied to your pack, you're almost guaranteed to meet something, just be patient). I do not want to meet a bear/coyote on a BBQ binge.

i don't camp near you.

[irritable_badger]

How do you know where I camp; I camp a lot. And it's not just me, it's the next person/group that camps there.

[general]

i don't camp near anyone, you know, to enhance the wildlife experiment, oops, i mean experience.

[mweinstone]

i use female bear in heat fermones on anyone who pisses me off.later when i find there carcass ,i usally kick it of the trail so i dont get in trouble.skunk attractant works too.but then the guy sees you in town and chases you.its all good.

[irritable_badger]

That's funny. :D

[Newb]

I like to wait until my fellow campers are asleep, then I rub peanut butter and grape jelly on their feet. I sit back and wait for the hilarity to ensue.

[khaynie]

I always walk with someone that I am faster than...

[Almost There]

Gills you shouldn't talk about your wife like that yet! You haven't been married long enough.:jump

[khaynie]

Gills you shouldn't talk about your wife like that yet! You haven't been married long enough.:jump
Hopefully, she won't read this thread. Haha!

[Gray Blazer]

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":-? :datz :datz :datz
Yummmm!!! Tastes just like manatee (or was that Bald eagle....would you believe spotted owl......? ;) Seriously, the two times I walked right up on a bear, I instinctually knew not to act afraid and I started yelling and cursing at them. They both gave me a look like "you stupid human" and turned around and sauntered off.

[atraildreamer]

i think i would go try to pet it.

Then your trail name would be "Lefty". :eek:

[Wonder]

Just ran into my first one at Clarks Ferry Shelter in PA! I was alone, so when I heard it I did the "peek my head out the shelter thing" I don't know what scared it more....my coughing fits, or my great, tops of the lungs rendition of "Teddy Bear Picnic"

[blackbishop351]

I've met a coupla bears in the Smokies. My .02 -

Black bear - just leave it alone and keep hiking. I wouldn't recommend sticking around longer than a couple of pictures. Never know when there might be a cub you can't see. Err on the side of caution.

Grizzly - never met one (we don't have them in NC), but my uncle recommends a 12 guage slug. He's one of the biggest wildlife protection guys I know, but he was attacked by a grizzly some years ago in Alaska. He carries a single-shot 12 guage with a 3 in. magnum slug whenever he goes into the back country now.

[TIDE-HSV]

is a brave man indeed. With grizzes, I would want more than one arrow in my quiver. The bear that stole my wife's pack at Sheep Pen Gap in GSMNP could be run off with yelling and throwing rocks. Problem was, he kept coming back until he won, if "won" includes stealing an empty pack. He didn't look like a big dog; he looked like a black mountain. He was able to barely reach our food, which was at least ten feet in the air, and he couldn't jump more than two inches - I watched him, while I decided whether or not to make one more try at running him off. The most harrowing encounter for me, though, was years ago in the old Pecks Corner shelter in GSMNP. The whole night, a bear tried to get through the chain link, roaring all the time. He had already bent one of the 2.5" corner poles in about 3". It was hard to believe that flimsy fence would stop him. Nobody slept that night.

[Ridge]

I'm still waiting for the GSMNP to remove the bear fencing from all the shelters, can't wait to hear the bear phobics on that one, should they do it. That said, the newer fenceless IceWaterSpg shelter only seems more crowded.

[TIDE-HSV]

what you said. That means that the food WILL be out of the shelter and hung...

[corentin]

My hiking partner can outrun me so I'm planning on marinating her pack in barbacue sauce before entering any heavy bear areas. As a bonus, this should also make her more attractive to insects as well.

[ed bell]

can't wait to hear the bear phobics on that one, should they do it. ... and you want people to empathize with your dog phobia?;) I always hated the fences, it turns the shelter into a reverse zoo and it encourages lazyness in regards to lessening the chances of a bad bear encounter.

[Ridge]

My hiking partner can outrun me so I'm planning on marinating her pack in barbacue sauce before entering any heavy bear areas. As a bonus, this should also make her more attractive to insects as well.

Honey will work a lot better to attract the bears and the bugs.

[Wonder]

My friend convinced me to cowboy the smokies(we bounced our tents).......just sleep out with someone who snores :-) ..........and you don't feel like you are in prison




I'm still waiting for the GSMNP to remove the bear fencing from all the shelters, can't wait to hear the bear phobics on that one, should they do it. That said, the newer fenceless IceWaterSpg shelter only seems more crowded.

[The Solemates]

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.

Just had this experience this past weekend, except the bear was about 25 yards away. I just stood there for watching it for about 30 seconds, before it ran off. A great experience!

[sirbingo]

I would whip out my 44. Magnum and ask the bear if it "feels lucky?...Well do ya Punk!!!"

[mambo_tango]

My hiking partner can outrun me so I'm planning on marinating her pack in barbacue sauce before entering any heavy bear areas. As a bonus, this should also make her more attractive to insects as well.

You think I will still have my pack on if I am running from a bear?? I'll leave it with you my slow sister.

[SGT Rock]

I would whip out my 44. Magnum and ask the bear if it "feels lucky?...Well do ya Punk!!!"

Make sure you file the front sight post down first.

[jlb2012]

LOL - good one Rock

[berninbush]

My siblings and I were hiking in the Cherokee National Forest last week and spotted a bear in the distance. My sister sang the Llama Song at the top of her voice, and it seemed to scare him away. ;) Now honestly, if you were a bear, wouldn't this scare you too?

http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/llama.php

[Habakkuk]

There is a post above where someone is leaving leftovers out to attract wildlife. It is an Olympic class bad idea to get the animals used to people food of any kind. The small critters aren't that big of a deal since they are bottom level scavengers anyway (who wants a people friendly skunk around though) but the larger animals are a real concern. Coyotes and bears, both prevelant in the East are super smart animals. They are some of natures finest eating machines and it does not take them long to realize that people have better food than they do. While you might not be effected, the next camper(s) in that area could be. If the bear gets a yummy rack of ribs from you it will come back for more except it may be a family with children (or me) that the bear comes to for more ribs/steak. Most likely I won't have any and the bear probably isn't going to believe me. After it gets done searching my tent and pack it may start considering the ribs I'm still using, I don't want that to happen. If you have an uncontrollable urge to bait the animals then it should be done miles away from any campsites or potential future campsites for others. Walk several miles out carrying a rack of ribs and wait for something to come along (the key it to keep the ribs/steak tied to your pack, you're almost guaranteed to meet something, just be patient). I do not want to meet a bear/coyote on a BBQ binge.

I agree the worst thing anyone can do is to get bears (or any other wildlife) accustomed to equating people with a food source. First, such activity may supress the animal's natural foraging habits and they could be in great need when human donars are not to be found. Animals acclimated to human activity are easy prey for hunters. Animals accustomed to human food in the backcountry often wander into towns or dumps where they could be hit by a car, trapped by officials or shot.

Of special note as far as bear aggression and human food are those "in between season times" where one of their food groups are in decline and another food group has yet to ripen (for example in the late fall, early winter when the berries have played out, but nuts and other items are not available). It is at those between season times that animals are on the prowl for an easy meal.

Why doesn't some enterprising soul teach the bears to eat the mice in the shelters. Seems like that would be quite a match! :eek:

[max patch]

This happened to me at Mt Leconte in the GSMNP. I just watched the bear. He ate. When he was finished he left. No big deal.

[max patch]

Popular spot. A LOT of piles of purple scat.

[nutlub]

Make sure you file the front sight post down first.

I don't get it?!? :-?

[blackbishop351]

Now honestly, if you were a bear, wouldn't this scare you too?

http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/llama.php

Thanks a lot...I'm gonna have llama nightmares tonight! :eek:

[Skidsteer]

Originally Posted by SGT Rock
Make sure you file the front sight post down first
.


I don't get it?!? :-?

:D It's a precaution a hiker with foresight might employ in the very possible event that the bear objects to your show of deadly force, disarms you, and reacts to perceived surliness with blunt force trauma in a nether region. :eek:

[Gypsy"04"]

We just spent the weekend on the Grafton loop trail and Saturday night, as I was sleeping in my tent, I heard two cubs coming directly at my tent. I knew that momma bear had to be real close, so I just made a loud noise and then next thing I heard was crashing through the bushes beside where I was sleeping. I thought, as I looked at my watch and saw it was 2:30 am, what am I going to do now until the sun comes up. Needless to say, the next thing I remember was waking up at 5:30 to daylight. All in all, I would say it was a very interesting experience.

[veteran]

I don't get it?!? :-?

Read this Post (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showpost.php?p=220033&postcount=27)

[atraildreamer]

Her mother and grandmother told this following story to my wife, Gwen. It occurred in 1960:

When my wife was 6 years old, she suffered a head injury. After she was released from the hospital, and was still recovering from the injury, she, and her 3 siblings, were taken to Elkins, NH for their annual vacation stay with their grandparents. :banana

During their stay, Grandpa Raymond and Grandma Florence took the grandkids out in the woods for a day of strawberry picking. Gwen, being still somewhat incapacitated by the aforementioned head injury (She still had bandages on her head, and suffered some balance problems when she walked) was left sitting on a blanket in a clearing, and put in charge of watching the bucket that contained the strawberries that the others were picking.

She was not left for long; the others were always just a short distance away, in the bushes, picking strawberries, which they would bring to Gwen, to be emptied into the bucket.

Grandma Florence stepped out of the bushes and saw that Gwen had company. :eek: A small black bear was sitting next to her happily consuming the handfuls of strawberries that my future wife was giving him. Apparently, since Gwen had never before seen a bear, thought that her guest was some sort of large dog! The bear also licked the remains of the strawberries off of the hands and face of Gwen, who also had been busy eating. :p

Grandma Florence yells for Grandpa Raymond, who, along with the other grandkids, comes a running out of the bushes and sees what is going on.

Grandpa, who was always prepared, takes the shotgun that he had brought along, and fires one barrel into the air, encouraging Gwen’s furry guest to quickly depart the scene.

Gwen, somewhat upset by all the commotion, and because the “doggy” had run away, starts crying :mad: while Grandma, Grandpa and the other grandkids gather up Gwen and quickly departed for the safety of home!

This story, which really happened, shows that God takes care of little children, and the occasional hiker!

[mweinstone]

the bears are dead. global warming.

[FLHiker]

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.

It's simple, take one of your trekking poles, come up behind, take a full swing - similar to a swing with a driver, and hit him squarely in the back of the knee, or across the shin. Then run like Hell.




There is no way your hiking partner will out run you after that!:)

[mweinstone]

i dare any bear to look me in the eyes and see who flinches first. i eat bear ice cream for breakfast. i have a bear shinning my boots right now. i buy and sell bears like ,.....well,......like,...stuff.

[maxNcathy]

A friend fed a bear once as I looked on from about 20 feet behind him.The bear came up and ate from friend's left hand and then ate the hotdog from my friend's right hand....THEN the bear got annoyed when the food was gone! He made strange sounds and was sniffing up and down both my friend's arms!!
My friend stood up and backed off quickly as we yelled at the bear. Luckily the bear left.
He never tried THAT again!

[knicksin2010]

I've had a dozen or so bear encounters hiking in NJ all of which were cool but uneventful the bears saw me I made lots of noise and they ran away, but on November 13, 2004 at Yards Creek Scout Camp about 2 miles off the AT a mom and 2 cubs walked into camp. I instructed a group of scouts sitting around to get up grab pots and bang them together. The bears ran scared out of their wits. It was quite humorous acctually, one tried to climb a tree and fell down. Later when everyone got back to camp, we informed everyone of the bears in the area and instructed them on what to do if they encountered the bears.

That night while we were sitting around a campfire we realized that a group of 3 boys had not returned from breaking down an orienteering course, and they should have been back by now. We quickly mounted a search party and headed to where we believed they'd be. We began shouting thier names, when one of the boys came running down this trail shaken up and said something along the lines of "Their pinned down by 3 bears". So at this point we were scared out of our minds envisoning fighting off bears with our bare hands. When we arrived we found the 2 boys in a state of shock one of them in a serious state of shock who said he'd "been bitten". The "attack' was reported to the ranger and boys were treated for shock and questioned about what happened.

One of their backpack which had a poptart in it (We specifically tell them not to bring food from home and to leave all food in camp during the day and in cars at night) was left by a tree. They encountered the bears eating the contents of the pack and paniced. They failed to follow instructions and did the worst possible thing, they crouched up into a ball. One of the cubs came over and licked and nipped one of the boys and broke skin on his hand, and all three of them then left. The 3 boys didn't move and stayed still for 30 minutes.

I wouldn't be suprised if they were doing something more stupid like trying to feed the bear or taunting it, but it made the local news and was brought up in the context of the NJ bear hunt debate that year.

[knicksin2010]

The kid who was "bitten" had to get 7 rabies shots, but all of them were fine the next morning.

[maxNcathy]

In the 50s one year I enjoyed the friendship of two cub bears from early spring to late fall. The mother had been killed. My my older bro bought them and brought them home one day.We lived by a river in the country and the cubs were free and happy playing with each other and following us around the property every day.
It was a sad day for me and my bros and sisters when my dad sent them off forever on a train to a zoo far away.
My wife was really puzzled when I stopped to talk to two young bears we saw out west along the road while on a motorcycle trip...she understood better when I told her the cubs we had when I was young.

[scope]

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.

Bears don't eat out of hands, they eat what's there, including your hand if its got food in it. We don't have anybody named Captain Hook, do we? Good, let's keep it that way.

Now, back to the original post... poor bear, just trying to get a meal and along comes a stinky hiker! I've thought about it, never experienced it, but I think my choice would be to #1, not show fear, perhaps linger for a short time depending on the bear's activity, and only take a picture if I had a camera where I could turn the flash off. If I have to turn around, I do so, wait for a while and come back. Sounds to me like the bears really don't care to be around us anyway, and they typically move off. We must really stink, no matter how long we've been on the trail!

[mweinstone]

im gonna turn my back to the bear and yell back down the trail as if theres other hikers comming saying,...hey you guys i found one,...bring the really big guns.and the bear witll think other hunters are comming and split. then when hes gone ill yell real loud,....SUCKER! HAA HA!

[atraildreamer]

Great video (but not for the bear). Tough little buggers!

http://www.stupidvideos.com/video/Kentucky_Fried_Bear_2/?p=32&y=540

[Topcat]

ONe of my favorite Dan Akroyd moments from Saturday Night Live was when he played an author of the Book entitled "Mauled". He came out with a horribly scarred face. When asked if he learned anything from his experience, he said "Yes, never put the end of a hotdog in your mouth and say, here bear, here bear......"

[nicodemus]

i think i would go try to pet it.
can I have your watch when all they find is your arm

[TIDE-HSV]

(1948) and on a trip to Gatlinburg with my folks. We were watching a sow and a cub from too close and the lady beside me picked up the cub (the Disney syndrome). My problem was that I was on crutches with a badly cut left foot. I could run pretty fast on them and, fortunately, the bear wasn't really trying after the woman dropped the cub...

[mweinstone]

i wonder if taking off all your clothes would scare the bear away?

[Turbo Joe]

most of the time the bears i encounter are real friendly and don't bother me but one day one was realled P Oed so i yelled at him and said his mother was a rug among other things it didn't work though but i relieved a lot of stress

[vf457l]

I have had a handfull of bear encounters while camping and hunting in NJ and PA. I have a few good pics in my gallery of bears I saw in NJ on the A.T. All I do is keep an eye on them without making eye contact, they take that as a threat.And I either back away slowly or just stand there and let them go on their way. I am not worried about being attacked.

[DonQuixote]

Just grin them down.

Nothing is as disarming as a full ear-to-ear grin.

[jpepper]

back in '94 the bear at cosby knob shelter followed me up the trail for maybe 15 min. i talked at 'em, gyrated and contorted, clapped and farted but nothing could turn him around. when i ignored him he finnally split..........maybe this all had something to do with some boy scouts tying thier trash up on the fence:-?

[mweinstone]

your farts smelled good to him. your mistake was the farting. the bear was like,.....snnnnnif,.....mmmmmm.......macs and cheese with pepperoni.

[jpepper]

ahhh ha!! left him a little trail treat i guess...........they do smell like blueberries...................

[jpepper]

and pepperoni..........

[mweinstone]

charge the bear full on. chase that son of a bitch till it says uncle. kick in its den and take his berries and smack him around a little. then put a leash on that sucker and put him to work as my trail lacky.he can wash dishes,scare hikers away to make more space for me.

[hikerjohnd]

I had my first real encounter this past week. As I passed the water source at Rock Spring Top, there was a bear drinking from the spring. I had never been quite that close to a bear before (30-50 feet maybe). As I hiked along the trail, the bear looked up and I froze. He looked up at me, blinked, then went back to drinking. I very slowly moved to the side of the trail and kept moving. I am glad I did not need to stop there and get water, and looking back I do not know what I would have done if I did need to get water. As to the bear - he was definitley an older cub - maybe 2-3 feet tall (on all fours) and very skinny. I have no illusions that I would have won in a fight, but I easlily outweighed him and I think that contributed to my lack of terror (although I freely admit I was very afraid)

So, having survived the experience, I do not really think there is a right or wrong way to deal with any situation - the circumstances will dictate the response.

[frieden]

I just finished watching Grizzly Man. I'm glad I did. When I heard the story, I thought the guy was an idiot, getting so close to the bears. After watching it, I realize that he didn't die because of his bears. He stayed at the feeding site, after his bears left. New, desperate bears moved in, and he stayed anyway. They were so desperate for food, they were diving to the bottom for dead salmon. They were literally starving. You don't "hang around" any starving animal.

It reminded me of a feeling I had, when I was around some strange squirrels. I know the ones around here, and they know me. They grew up with me. They will come running down the sidewalk, when they see my car. I don't let them get really close to me, but unless I startled them, I doubt they would bite. I was out in the woods out west, and came across some large squirrels. It's hard to explain, but the feeling I got, along with their mannerisms, made me feel nervous. These were different, and not what I would call friendly. They were just squirrels, but I would not have turned my back on them.

Treadwell tried to act like these strange, desperate bears were just like his friend bears.

If you have wildlife friends, don't assume that all of them are like that. There are good and bad in all species. A healthy respect (and distance) of wildlife is a good idea.

[Ridge]

We don't need to turn this thread into a GrizzlyMan thread but I will say this. Treadwell was told by Rangers if he cared about these bears he would leave them along and obey the NPS rules for camping and for distance rules concerning bears. He also was told if he gets killed by one then the bear(s) responsible would be destroyed, possible several bears. He was asked to keep bear spray just in case of an attack, if he could repel an attack then he in essence saves the bears life. He refused, mainly because he was so stupid that he actually believed the bears were his guardian angels and they would never harm him. Well, that theory turned to bear crap fast enough. If he really loved them like he claimed, he would have keep spray around just in case. He had a death wish, no doubt.

[FLHiker]

I saw part of that last night also. My take - and I'm not trying to be funny - is he had metal health issues, and it's a shame that it was not ID'ed and addressed before Tim, his girl friend, and the bear(s) had to die.

[frieden]

He had issues, but he said on camera multiple times that he had issues. He knew, and felt that being out in the wilderness was his therapy. We've all been there at some level.

He wasn't killed by his bears - the bears who knew him. They didn't "turn" on him, which is what people make it sound like. He broke the common sense of the bears, stayed way past season, and put himself (and his girlfriend) at the mercy of the "criminal element" of the bear population. These were the cutthroat, waterfront bears, who were desperate for food. He proved his point that he could live among grizzly bears, without being harmed. .....for something like 13 seasons!

It would be like if I walked down the street in my subdivision every night for 13 years, and people warned me not to walk at night. Then, out of the blue, I walked around the worst part of town at night, with a Rolex on my arm. People would say, "see, we told her not to walk at night!" It would have nothing to do with "night"; it would have to do with "location". The bears didn't "turn" on Treadwell. For some reason, out of the blue, he walked out into the bad part of town wearing a Rolex.

Why? Well, if I had to guess, I would say it was because of his girlfriend. He looked extremely sad in the last tape. She didn't want to be out there, and was scared of the bears, but she loved her boyfriend. It is entirely logical to think that she told him that she wouldn't come out again, and that he would be facing the possibility that he wouldn't go out with the bears for awhile. That doesn't make her a bad person by any stretch of the imagination, but it would explain why he wanted to stay as long as possible - even past common sense.

Other than the one who killed them, I don't think he endangered the bears. He wasn't feeding them; they weren't relying on him for anything. He was just living among them, like Jane Goodall. (sp?) The bears would not have trusted a stranger, unless they were with Treadwell.

[Ridge]

Jane Goodall was a scientist, Treadwell was suicidal nut. Goodall was killed by natives, Treadwell by the bears. Treadwell's watch was found on his detached arm, so robbery can be ruled out. I hear someone is thinking about a sequel to "Grizzly Man" called "Grizzly Chow".

[TIDE-HSV]

is still alive - see www.janegoodall.org. You are probably thinking of Diane Fossey...

[Footslogger]

Aren't the dangerous bears the ones that have bear bells in their stomachs at autopsy ??

'Slogger

[FLHiker]

is still alive - see www.janegoodall.org (http://www.janegoodall.org). You are probably thinking of Diane Fossey...

I thought so too. - - reminds me of one of my favorite Far Side cartoons- the one where the one chimp is cleaning the other chimp, finds the human hair and says "out with that tramp Jane Goodall again?" (or something like that)

Jeff

[frieden]

Jane Goodall was a scientist, Treadwell was suicidal nut.

I know everyone knows this one:

What is the difference between a scientist and a suicidal nut?

A piece of paper!

[Ridge]

Jane Goodall is alive and well, she was not killed. Dian Fossey was the one killed.

[strnorm]

Firecrackers work very well

[mweinstone]

being human repels all animals but dogs. we are king of the jungle. caught in a stare by a bear? lift your pinky finger or bat an eye lash and he runs like a bandit who just stole his own life.

[TIDE-HSV]

LOL:rolleyes:

[Nate]

First I would grab my camera and turn the flash off. Better yet I'd turn it to video mode. Scientists say to play dead and I cannot agree. If a bear has her cubs with her and you drop to the ground, I would guess you'd be seen as a threat, just not a moving lunch. For God sakes don't scream, I've never done it but I'd guess that would piss off a 500lb bear. My guess running wouldn't be a good idea, you know they run fast and for a long time and I just think after I run I'm usually hungry. If you do run don't take off your pack either, dispose of the food while your running, while keeping enough to hike out. If the bear does catch and then attacks, at least your back is covered and hopefully the top of the neck too. This can be achived with a pack on. See there's no reliable method to use with any wild animal, just a whole lot of luck and fair amount of God and fate. Look at the bright side if you get a good video or a picture or two, you then know and you'll have the science community. And if you survive you'll have a hell of a story to tell your grand kids.

Nate

[atraildreamer]

Stand your ground!!! This is how to deal with a bear!!! :eek:

http://www.stupidvideos.com/video/Bear_Fight/?p=3&y=0

(PS_Get you affairs in order first! :D )

[mweinstone]

im sure i can get a bear eating out of my hand. and im sure i can get one to play wrestle on the ground with me. as i am also sure i could get one to crash thru the brush or take a small nap with me. the only problem is that at some point either sooner or later,.. the bears gonna wanna bite me and rip me open. not cause he would be upset with me mind you now. no no. because bears are skitzophrenic and insane and nuts and one fry short of a happy meal.and why you may ask are bears nuts? from our activities in there habitate. we tag and drug and trap and kill and skin and eat and make clothes out of them. duh! id be crazy against an enemy that sick too!

[TIDE-HSV]

when you asked the bear "Why?" he'd reply "It's just my nature." :)

[Brrrb Oregon]

They know bears in the Brooks Range of Alaska:
http://www.nps.gov/archive/gaar/Expanded/wilderness/avoiding_bears.htm

This is what I was taught: Wild animals all know whether their species strategy with regards to bears is running or fighting. Your Darwinian fitness depends on using your Darwinian advantage: your brain. In other words, act as if you are a fighter, but one that is not looking for trouble with Mr. Bear. If you are lucky, the bear you meet will be like most bears: uneducated about people.

Do not run. Running means you are prey. Unlike their natural prey, you cannot outrun a bear. Your hiking partner may be slower than you are, but you may look more meaty. Besides, we don't want a bear learning that people are slow runners. It may try harder, when its hungrier.

If the bear approaches you, don't drop your pack. You don't want to teach an uneducated bear that backpacks have food in them...."Hey, I don't know where that ugly excuse for a coyote caught this, but it is good!" Besides, your pack makes you look bigger and more intimidating. The bear may not even know it isn't part of you. Just freeze. Stand your ground, even if they charge....that is sometimes a bluff. This is what a fighter would do.

If they attack aggressively, fight back, and viciously. If they attack you defensively--you surprise them--you might play dead, covering your vital organs, but if they don't stop when it is obvious you're not aggressive, you should fight like you're ready to eat them. Again, this is what a fighter would do. You won't win, but the bear might decide you are not worth the trouble.

If the bear has noticed you but not done anything more than stand up to get a good look at you, just back away, slowly waving your arms over your head, talking in a low voice....in other words, do an imitation of someone who is calm, non-aggressive, and not afraid of bears. Maybe like another bear who's slightly bummed that he won't be getting berries but unwilling to fight for them, for instance. That would suggest to me no eye contact.

At any rate, if a bear takes notice of you, it is a slightly more educated bear than it used to be. Note the bear's size and color and where you met up with it. You should report your encounter at the first opportunity, even if it was benign.

I think it is very interesting that Alaskans do not allow self-defense as an excuse if you've acted like an idiot and asked for it. Oh, and your trip is over if you have to "defend" yourself. If you don't know how to skin a bear, you'd better be able to find someone to do it for you, Greenhorn:

Firearms should never be used as an alternative to common sense and sound bear avoidance principle. They are to be used for protection only as a last resort when an attack is imminent. Bears will sometime approach to within 10 feet before turning and running away. It is legal to shoot a bear in defense of life or property in Alaska ONLY if you have made efforts to avoid problems in the first place. Note: In the event a bear is killed for self-protection, you are responsible for ending your planned itinerary and transporting the skull and properly skinned hide to the State of Alaska. Further information on these regulations are available from the
Alaska Dept. of Fish & Game (http://www.nps.gov/cgi-bin/intercept?http://www.state.ak.us/adfg/).

I also didn't know that pepper spray can make you smell tasty:


Defensive aerosol sprays which contain capsicum (red pepper extract) have been used as an alternative for protection against bear attacks. This spray, has proven effective in several situations. It is easy to carry and has a range of up to 6-8 yards. You must handle it carefully - if sprayed upwind, it may blow back into your face and disable you. Similarly, do not transport it in a vehicle or light plane unless it is in an air-tight container because accidental discharge could disable the driver or pilot. Check it frequently during your trip to be sure it hasn't accidentally discharged. If left to linger it may act as an attractant rather than repellent.

[Colter]

Coincidentally, I spent the summer hiking and paddling across Alaska along the Brooks Range. I saw lots of wolves. I had numerous grizzly encounters. THREE TIMES I had bears spot me from a distance and head my way. Twice they came running at me, and once just hustling towards me. I had about four grizzlies "in camp," at least two at night.

Luckily, I've been around grizzlies quite a bit or it might have about scared me to death. But I'd seen grizzlies AND black bears come running my way from a distance a number of times in the past, and each time it was in remote country where the bear didn't expect to see people. So, assuming I was a caribou or a moose, and probably hoping it was injured or sick, they came loping over to see if there was an easy meal. In every case the bear got closer and closer and upon discovering I was a person, they whirled and ran.

In most cases it was open tundra. Once I was spotted by the bear, I would move out into the open and stand upright. I'd leave my pack on, and in one case stood up on a big rock. I'd start calling to the bear, "Hey bear!" With the bear that got the closest, I opened up my jacket to look even bigger.

Don't run, don't scream, and don't scare yourself to death. Contrary to what you might think, you are far more likely to get killed in a fall or by lightning or by being stung by a bee.

The danger of bears on the AT is about 1% of the danger of grizzlies in the Brooks Range, and in recorded history, only 3 people have been killed by bears in the Brooks. With very few exceptions, bears have no interest in trying to hurt you, because they know instinctively that messing with humans is likely to turn out bad the for bear.

I've got the story of my summer's hike at the following site and have been adding photos every day if you'd like to check it out.

http://www.bucktrack.com/Alaska_Brooks_Range_Traverse.html

[mweinstone]

i usually get corona bear.ahh mexican bear. cold smooth and with lime.

[Turbo Joe]

Just grin them down.

Nothing is as disarming as a full ear-to-ear grin.
i would have to disagree on this note because animal such as wolves and i would presume bears as well take showing teeth as a threat

[mweinstone]

anybody wanna play the bear game? i dug this out of the trash. it was on pp 16 of 120 in old threads on general fourum.

[DavidNH]

OK...so ya come around a bend on the trail and there is a bear maybe 10 yards away..what do you do? I think thatis what this post asks.

For god sakes don't yell. Just stop, stay quiet. And watch the bear. So many hikers never get to see a bear, you should enjoy the good fortune. There are plenty of berries out there to keep the bear interested. So just watch quietly and the bear will waltz away and then you can go on.

I saw three bears in Virginia this way and one one the trail in NH just S of Route 2. He walked towards me and then off to my left. No danger. of course..I was not out hiking at night when the bears are most active, and do realize they are animals not teddy bears. Basic common sense and you'll be fine.

I really think folks have blown "dangers" of black bears way out of proportion. Afterall, we are walking in their house not them in ours. Seeing a bear in the woods is a treat. There is a certain nervous excitement about it.

DavidNH.

[Gray Blazer]

Matt, the most interesting thing about this thread is your spelling and grammar used to be a lot better even just last August.

[moxie]

You will find all your answers at:
<http://12121.hoslinguk.com/teddybears.htm>

[RAT]

Advice from a GSMNP ranger: "Just bonk em on the nose, they hate that ! "


LOL (true story)

RAT

[Socrates]

Where's the option where you unload 2 magazines of a Glock 40? (If it's charging of course.) Laugh if you want, but I'm bringing a mini air horn to deter any "curious" bears.

[RAT]

NWAP (Nurse Without A Purse) had one of those when I met and hiked with him in `91 from Springer to points way north. Blew that thing every night before turning in, was hillarious. (wasnt as louid as his snoring tho lol ) A total waste of weight I say ;)

RAT

[CHUCKY JACK]

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.

Growing up in East Tennessee, I have bear hunted and hiked extensively. My advice to all hikers in bear country is to carry pepper spray. Most bears will run from you unless they have cubs with them or nearby. Keep in mind that there have been two fatal black bear attacks in the Smokey Mountains in the past several years.

[RadioFreq]

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

Never play "possum"....bears eat possum....play "skunk". :D

[mweinstone]

man this thread wont die. do you know how long ago it was born on?

[mweinstone]

january frikin 30th , 2006!

[DavidNH]

I would stop and casually observe the bear.. and slowly back away. I'd get my camera at the ready and snap a couple of pictures. Then I wait patiently for the bear to finish eating and move to the side of the trail. Then I'd move on. This was about the story when I saw a bear in the Kittitiny mtns of New Jersey. In anycase..no point in running..bears are faster than we are.

Folks..if you see a bear..consider your self lucky, stop observe, snap a picture. I met Several hikers that only saw bears in the Bear mtn zoo!
Why would they want to eat you with all them yummy berries about? Unless they some how feel threatned by you.

Incidentally, my best bear picture was near rt 2 in New Hampshire.. snapped a shot of a black bear walking towards me at maybe 10-20 yards max. No fear. he casually walked to side of trail then I moved on.

I think the fear of bears on the AT has been way over blown.

David

[wolf]

ask him for a date

[Dr O]

i don't camp near you.

Hope the bear never does either.

[Dr O]

.



:D It's a precaution a hiker with foresight might employ in the very possible event that the bear objects to your show of deadly force, disarms you, and reacts to perceived surliness with blunt force trauma in a nether region. :eek:

I figured it was some "ultralight" thing...

[Dr O]

Aren't the dangerous bears the ones that have bear bells in their stomachs at autopsy ??

'Slogger

No, the dangerous bears are the ones that have bear bells in their stomachs and are still alive....

[Dr O]

In anycase..no point in running..bears are faster than we are.

But if you MUST run, run downhill. Bears have shorter front limbs and have a hard time running downhill.

[superman]

Winter was directly in front of me as I noticed something black on the left hand side of the trail up ahead. I thought it was a stump partially obscured by leaves. As we got closer the stump ran across the trail about 10 feet in front of Winter. When the little bear got right in front of us Winter put all the hair up on her back and leaned forward. I whispered "stay." While the bear was still in front of her Winter eased back, fur down and just stood there. Then I realized that the big mother bear was just out of sight on the right side of the trail. As the baby got to the right side of the trail I whispered "heel." Winter and I slowly backed away and continued walking away to give the bears some space...and to restart my heart.

[mudhead]

Fine animal. Minds well. Go buy it some arthritis stuff from the vet. 'spensive, but works good.

[superman]

Fine animal. Minds well. Go buy it some arthritis stuff from the vet. 'spensive, but works good.

Yes, she trained easily as a young dog. She never chased or bothered with other critters because she was socialized to them. She's an old dog now and she gets hill's prescription diet and rimadyl as needed. She's more than worth it.

[Old Wolf]

There I was face to face with a very hugh bear. He stood up on his hind legs and roared at me. I must have scared him. I looked down at the ground. He started toward me and I got down and went into a fetal position. I could feel the earth thumbing and he approached me. His hot breath and grunting as he got closer he beagn to smell me out. He took hold of my pack with his sharp teeth and started dragging me into the woods. We came to a cave and he dragged me in there. I was forced to play poker with him and a few other bears. They took all my food and threw me out of the cave. I was pissed, to say the least, and I had to go without food for a bit. They did let me keep my pack. Advice, watch out for those black poker playing bears.

[mweinstone]

this thread willl be two years old on jan 30 2008 at 14:14 . bear on!

[Ramble~On]

When you see a bear in the woods and you're smart about it you grab the ba$tard by the scruff of the neck, hoist your pack onto him, jump on and ride the thing to the next AYCE.:D DUH !
----less of course you're one of those purist types and view riding a bear as cheating.

[Tin Man]

When you see a bear in the woods and you're smart about it you grab the ba$tard by the scruff of the neck, hoist your pack onto him, jump on and ride the thing to the next AYCE.:D DUH !
----less of course you're one of those purist types and view riding a bear as cheating.

Bear blazing. Forget about what purists think - this is best left to the experts. In other words, don't try this one at home folks. :D

[saimyoji]

Throw snowballs in winter.

[johngalt]

Descending from Shuckstack firetower on a day hike I heard a loud crashing through the woods ahead. Just then a cub ran across the trail 30 feet in front of me. Just what the books say don't let happen. I dropped my pack and scrambled up a 6 inch wide tree. ( I know...idiot idea ). Well, after 30 minutes of me making a lot of racket and hearing it returned from up ahead, I got brave and climbed down. Cautiously creeping around the bend, there it was... 20 feet up an oak tree. Maybe 20 yards off the trail. turns out the old saying was true in this case. They're just as frightened as you are. Here I am up this tree, and she's climbed up hers. After snapping a few pictures, I got to thinking she could probably come down just as fast as she went up and I continued on down to Fontana.

[Frolicking Dinosaurs]

When you see a bear in the woods and you're smart about it you grab the ba$tard by the scruff of the neck, hoist your pack onto him, jump on and ride the thing to the next AYCE.:D DUH !
----less of course you're one of those purist types and view riding a bear as cheating.Now there's a photoshop waiting to happen.....

[wrongway_08]

Yes, she trained easily as a young dog. She never chased or bothered with other critters because she was socialized to them. She's an old dog now and she gets hill's prescription diet and rimadyl as needed. She's more than worth it.

Dang, my dog would piss the bears off, run off to a safe distance and just sit there and watch me try to figure my way out of the mess!

[RadioFreq]

http://www.chron.com/apps/comics/showComic.mpl?date=2001/5/3&name=Non_Sequitur_pan (http://www.chron.com/apps/comics/showComic.mpl?date=2001/5/3&name=Non_Sequitur_pan)

[atraildreamer]

Scream :eek: ...run away:jump...change underwear! :mad::banana