View Full Version : Bear Dangers
On my last trip I got pretty close to two black bears. They just ran away from us. Has anyone had any experience with aggressive bears on the trail? Just curious.
No, Nobody has ever seen a bear on the trail ever, you're the first.
When I was in GA. a bear was just hanging out on the trail and every time we would blow our whistle the bear would just run down the trail about 75 yards and stop and we would have to blow the wistle again. We did that all the way to unicoi gap.
I was confronted by a mama bear in the snp about fifteen years ago. The two cubs ran up the tree and the mother stood straight up on her hindlegs and growled. My hiking partner frooze and I ran back down the trail (mindless). I eventually regained some composure and talked my then girlfriend out of the situation. You know the old saying, you don't have to out run the bear, you just have to out run your girlfriend. We road walked for the next few miles.
wrongway_08
01-17-2009, 14:47
Never came across a aggresive bear anywhere. Seen 13 bears while thru-hiking last year, chased after a few and even came across one that had two cubs, she did do a few bluff charges and the jaw snapping but thats not being aggresive, thats just protecting her young.
Did have a human shoot two other campers that were one day behind us...... worry more about people... they are still the biggest danger you'll come across.
No, Nobody has ever seen a bear on the trail ever, you're the first.
No need for the attitude. The question was whether people had had experience with aggressive bears, not if they had ever seen one.
Wise Old Owl
01-17-2009, 15:31
Never had a problem - Yet, for a couple of years the folks here at WB have played down the idea of an attack. Then an immature scout put candy and snacks in the bottom of his bag and got attacked here in Pennsylvania at Hickory Run. I am sure there are other examples on the AT. So long as you take care and common sense it won't happen.
Now that I too have played it down, allow me to be a complete hypocrite!
Click on the link, view the top five gross images click on the far right image and scroll down.
http://images.google.com/images?sourceid=navclient&rls=GGLG,GGLG:2006-28,GGLG:en&q=bear+attack&oe=UTF-8&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi&oi=property_suggestions&resnum=0&ct=property-revision&cd=3
Wise Old Owl
01-17-2009, 15:38
I SEE A BEAR
If It Does Not Approach
If spotted in the distance, do not approach the bear. Make a wide detour or leave the area immediately. Report your sighting at the first opportunity.
If you are at close range, do not approach the bear. Remain calm, keep it in view. Avoid direct eye contact. Move away without running.
If the Bear Approaches
If the bear is standing up, it is usually trying to identify you. Talk softly so it knows what you are. If it is snapping its jaws, lowering its head, flattening its ears, growling or making 'woofing' noises, it is displaying aggression.
Do not run unless you are very close to a secure place. Move away, keeping it in view. Avoid direct eye contact. Dropping your pack or an object may distract it to give you more time.
If it is a grizzly, consider climbing a tree.
Good Rules
Travel in groups and only during daylight hours.
Be alert and aware of your surroundings. Think ahead and be prepared. In open terrain, use binoculars to look ahead for bears. If you see a bear at a distance, take action to avoid surprising it.
Watch for bear signs such as: tracks; droppings which contain vegetation, berries, or hair; claw marks or stripped bark on trees; torn up stumps or rotten logs; and upturned earth.
Never approach a fresh kill. Be cautious of loose piles of dirt, branches and vegetation. They may hide a carcass which a bear has cached, and the bear may be resting nearby to protect it.
Carry food in airtight or bearproof containers and avoid carrying foods with strong smells.
Make noise where visibility is limited. Announcing your presence may help you avoid surprising a bear. You can sing, shout or talk loudly. Some people carry noisemakers such as bells or air horns. However, do not become overconfident - noise may be masked by sounds such as wind or water, or may go unnoticed by a bear that is busy eating.
Do not carry articles that have a strong artificial smell and avoid wearing scented cosmetics.
Menstruating women should try to minimize odours through careful personal hygiene, use of internal sanitary protection and burning sanitary materials in a hot fire.
WritinginCT
01-17-2009, 16:10
I've seen several black bears of varying sizes hiking in Connecticut's northwest corner- I've never had any issues with aggression. More of a curiosity than anything I think. And they really don't like it when the boxers bark at them! That generally sends them packing. Plus I'm not exactly a "quiet" hiker. I talk to the dog, I whistle, et cetera- so they generally hear me coming.
I scrolled through the pictures on the above link. "Bear Attack" searches can be misleading. There is a world of difference between polar bears, grizzly bears, and black bears. They all react and interact with humans differently. (Although it was neat to see a picture of Bart the Bear and that baby polar bear was just adorable.)
Maybe I'm too complacent about bears, but honestly- snakes worry me so much more.
Had a juvenile delinquent bear want to play king of the hill with me a few years back in the SNP. This was just after a brief meeting with a family of three that were running the other direction who claimed this bear was following them. I thru rocks at it until I popped it on the nose. It crashed a few yards into the brush below the trail and thrashed around a bit as I hiked by. He also smelled like he had been hiking a few weeks since a shower.......
A mama bear did three of those short charges toward me in the Smokies. She was very upset. Prior to this behavior I noticed her and cubs heading away from me toward a small tree. Once the cubs were at the tree base she turned around and huffed and drooled and shook her head then ran maybe 10 feet or so toward me. I yelled. She charged closer. I spoke to her as a if talking to a puppy dog. She charged a second time. I began a long-stride side-step off-trail away and one more time she charged. I didn't stop for, oh, four hours I guess. I don't recall where or when I regained the trail either but I missed the side trail to the shelter I was heading to.
I gotta wonder what had her all uptight. I suspect I missed some earlier encounter of some sort. Lessons learned: DON'T MAKE EXTRA NOISE if they already know you're there......it pisses them off. DON'T MAKE EYE CONTACT, that seems to piss them off. DON'T TALK TO THEM AS IF THEY WERE A HOUSE PET as that definitely pisses them off as well.
Otherwise all of the bears I have run across have been skidish or just curious. I am much more concerned with lightning or "nonhikers" on the trail than a bear, unless it happens to be an older juvenile delinquent with nothing to loose and maybe a few cards short of a full deck ;)
About 15 years ago I volenteered for GSMNP as a hut caretaker. My huts included Russell and Spence field shelters. We had an agressive bear at spence field that use to get on to it's hind legs and shake the old chain link fence that used to enclose the opening. Eventually, the park service had to tranqualize the bear and helicopter it out to a more remote part of the park. Beyond that, I've seen many bear throughout the trail and never had a problem.
Wise Old Owl
01-17-2009, 16:25
Writing in CT
Yep you are right but I could have put "Black Bear Attack" had a simmilar result the asian in the middle was a black bear attack.
WritinginCT
01-17-2009, 16:45
Writing in CT
Yep you are right but I could have put "Black Bear Attack" had a simmilar result the asian in the middle was a black bear attack.
I know. There's no really good way to search. I didn't mean that comment against you personally, Owl, sorry if that's how it seemed. :o
I'd like to see bear attack statistics (well, animal attacks in general) separated out by people actively seeking out the bears (ie hunters, scientists, photojournalists) versus people who casually encounter bears (ie while hiking).
johnnybgood
01-17-2009, 23:08
The only aggressive bear story I know happened while hiking in Dolly Sods Wilderness in W.VA . I was hiking the Blackberry Trail when approached by a startled couple running toward me screaming that a huge bear had charged them at their campsite which was a good 1/4 mile away . The bear bluffed a charge at them initially to keep them from getting to their backpacks ,but when Jim tried again to get their packs the bear stood up on his back legs and displayed his pearly whites . Then
johnnybgood
01-17-2009, 23:12
.....their arses were down the trail.
Wise Old Owl
01-17-2009, 23:21
I know. There's no really good way to search. I didn't mean that comment against you personally, Owl, sorry if that's how it seemed. :o
I'd like to see bear attack statistics (well, animal attacks in general) separated out by people actively seeking out the bears (ie hunters, scientists, photojournalists) versus people who casually encounter bears (ie while hiking).
Aww heck, I knew that, I didn't even take it that way. So far the only thing I have seen was WIKI with a small list of fatalities, Hold on.....
OK its not scientific, but it is a somewhat interesting link and a fun read.
http://www.blackbearheaven.com/bear-attack-statistics.htm
elmotoots
01-18-2009, 01:51
About 15 years ago I volenteered for GSMNP as a hut caretaker. My huts included Russell and Spence field shelters. We had an agressive bear at spence field that use to get on to it's hind legs and shake the old chain link fence that used to enclose the opening. Eventually, the park service had to tranqualize the bear and helicopter it out to a more remote part of the park. Beyond that, I've seen many bear throughout the trail and never had a problem.
Wow Could it be?
DChiker In 1995 we were bluff charged by a bear at Spence Field. She was a sow, that already had two tags in her ear. The women and children were screaming as the bear came down the hill. After we stoned the bear into the woods, one of the hog hunters came into the camp wondering what all the screaming was about. We told him about the bear, he said he was going to call it in, and the bear would have to be relocated because of the two tags.
We all begged him not to call, could this be the same one?
By the way that was before the cables, and a bear got 4 of the scout leaders packs that night. Even after i told them they were not hung right.
BumpJumper
01-18-2009, 21:14
Totem that wasnt very nice.
Hey Thru, if you look further down the list on this forum topic, you will see another bear topic. It gets good.:D
joshua5878
01-18-2009, 21:30
No need for the attitude. The question was whether people had had experience with aggressive bears, not if they had ever seen one.
Agreed... Nothing wrong with the post. All the more reason I can't wait to disapear NOBO shortly. People are nasty sometimes...
It's easy, don't hit the reply button. Give it a shot.
Elmotoots,
That sounds like the same bear. Another week, I met a guy at russell field who was an idiot and slept outside the spence field hut in just a sleeping bag. A bear decided to see what he was and lightly bit down on his feet. No damage but scared the s**t out of him. I had a blast that summer. Would love to volunteer there again
elmotoots
01-19-2009, 17:12
DCHIKER
thanks for the info, this would be a really cool story if the bear had not been relocated. I am sorry that happened.
That sow got within 6 feet of me, and my wife said one of the scout leaders ran past his own son and got into his sleeping bag, i guess he was really scared. I did not see him run past his kid but I did see him in the bag when i went into the shelter after running the bear off.
If we ever meet I'll tell you the whole story
Elmo
Rockhound
01-19-2009, 21:46
Every year it seems the number of food bags disappearing at Walnut Mountain shelter seems to increase. They just put cables up last year. use em'. Of course I would not say the bear/bears there are aggressive. Just hungry and they now look to that shelter as a food source.