View Full Version : Who's afraid of bears?
By reading many of the posts, it appears lots of you. Serious bear encounters are about as likely as getting hit by lightening. If you're fortunate to ever see one in the wild, it'll most likely be it's hind end running away.
Stop being so paranoid. :rolleyes::D
I'm not afraid of them as long as they are running away from me! But I was afraid of the two cubs I saw near by the water source for a shelter, I didn't see mama and they weren't running away, saw very fresh bear prints and scat the next morning. don't remember which shelter off the top of my head.
Frolicking Dinosaurs
10-10-2006, 21:04
I've seen many bear hind ends - and a problem bear or two raiding picnics at Cades Cove (southwestern GSMNP). They are big and I would want to mess with a cub, but they pretty much don't want anything to do with humans unless food is involved.
By reading many of the posts, it appears lots of you. Serious bear encounters are about as likely as getting hit by lightening. If you're fortunate to ever see one in the wild, it'll most likely be it's hind end running away.
Stop being so paranoid. :rolleyes::D
I'm afraid of the dark.:eek: :o
I'm afraid of not getting a signal for my cell! :)
I'm afraid of not getting a signal for my cell! :)
LOL... You need to switch to Verizon! :p
I'm afraid of the dark.:eek: :o
Lighten up! :sun
the goat
10-10-2006, 22:40
i've had dozens of encounters, spending so much time in snp. been chased once: trailrunning, unleased dog, yada, yada, he always listens to me, blah, blah, black bear on my ass at a dead run. it wasn't funny 'till a coupla days later, i really thought i was dead.
i've also had one stand its ground in the middle of the trail and not let me pass. it was on a high mountain ridge, but i thought he woulda at least walked the opposite direction. i ended up turning around, after watching him for a while, and not wanting to test him.
but i agree, pretty rare. the only serious one was a result of my own indiscretion, and my meat-headed dog.:D
Lone Wolf
10-10-2006, 22:40
I'm skeered of a wet dream!:eek:
My friends always ask me whether I am afraid of getting eaten by a bear. I respond, no, but I am a lot more likely to die in a car accident on my way to or from the trail.
A quick internet search shows 42,000 annual deaths on the highways and 43 black bear mauling deaths recorded over the years up to 2000.
Good stories Goat. Respect is one thing, paranoia is another.
By reading many of the posts, it appears lots of you. Serious bear encounters are about as likely as getting hit by lightening. If you're fortunate to ever see one in the wild, it'll most likely be it's hind end running away.
Stop being so paranoid. :rolleyes::D
Sly, The correct term for this condition is: Bearanoid.
I once raised honeybees in my backyard. Needless to say, the bears put an end to that hobby. I went out one time to find a bear in my bees and went to chase her, but didn't see her three cubs. She huffed, stomped the ground and charged me. Let me tell you, I can run really fast.
We see bears in the yard maybe once a month now. They get my birdfeeders (which I now make from soda bottles), dump the trash occasionally, and split my cherry tree last June.
My wife and I enjoy seeing the bears. We would never report any of the damage for fear the bear would be destroyed. Relocating them in NJ hasn't been very successful.
By the way, I have never seen a bear on the AT.
Sly, The correct term for this condition is: Bearanoid.
LOL... Good word!
By the way, I have never seen a bear on the AT.We saw a nice one (big) near the Brink Rd Shelter.
Hikes in Rain
10-11-2006, 05:54
Saw the west end of an east-bound one a few minutes into my section-hike out of Woody Gap. Too shocked to be afraid. Had a serious mental encounter the following rainy, foggy night all alone in Whitney Gap shelter after reading the shelter log. Never saw the real one, though.
LOL... Good word!
LOL! .......... :D
Mountain Maiden
10-11-2006, 08:56
I have a fondness (and RESPECT) for bears. When I lived on the mountain, I had one on my front porch. At the Camp (SC), I had one that catapulted himself thru a very small basement window that was 6’ off the ground. I have a picture of one standing in the bed of my pickup truck. Just last week in Maine, I woke up to one under my bedroom window. I guess he could smell the aroma of food cooking from the crockpot in the kitchen!
This, compared to the few I saw on the AT—a couple in Shenandoahs, and one that dropped out of a tree beside my tent during the night at Zeta pass. Oh—then there was the old arthritic bear at that got a little too close for comfort during the night at Gentian Pond —thankfully—he was more interested in the old rotted tree than in me!
I like bears and they seem to like me, too! :sun
Scared of bears on the AT? Not even remotely. Heck, I didn't even see a bear on the AT until just a couple of years ago (not counting the zoo, of course). Treat them as you would any other wild animal and you'll be fine.
BTW, I love, "Bearinoid"... brilliant!