Idlewild
10-19-2009, 11:06
I just read a great post on a blog with tips from Barbara Spagnuolo, Natural Resource Specialist for the Town of Castle Rock, CO on how to safely enjoy wildlife with your kids. It's too much to list here, but the post is worth checking out: http://www.fivehens.com/experience_wildlife_with_kids/
They had another good one on hiking with kids too. Here's the link to that one: http://www.fivehens.com/happy-trails-hiking-with-kids/
In grizzly bear country, it is important to stay together in a cluster.
To state it another way, it is important not to have "stragglers".
It is vital not to appear "lame" by stumbling, or abruptly dropping to tie your shoe.
I read that mountain lions will attack a lone person running, somewhat like dangling bait in front of a large mouth bass, because animals will have a "food-response" even if they have a full stomach, as did the mountain lion in the Oakland Hills (Oakland, California).
I think other animals respond the same way, because this looks like "prey".
Nice "family dogs" will do it, if running in a "pack".
I saw the police shooting nice "family dogs" running at the edge of town. In fact, the dogs looked like dogs with a pedigree. My first reaction was shock.
Once I heard that nice "family dogs" running in a pack will attack people, I was somewhat incredulous but maybe it could be true.
It is true.
Well, why did I "post" this?
I guess, it is because I read about dog maulings a lot. I haven't had problems with grizzly bears, mountain lions, the wolf pack near me, or coyotes and wolverines or porcupines and every account of a bear mauling or killing it was only people who provoke, or, are with those who provoke the animals get mauled or killed.
Maybe no one told them what makes a "provocation"?
Provocations include feeding them, taunting them, cutting off, or, separating the bears from each other (even: inadvertently) and I have this first-hand account:
Yellowstone N.P. had a lot of bear maulings and killings, in the 1950's.
Arriving at the gate, the ranger asked, "Are there any women in the car?" Leaning in, he saw mom in the passenger seat, and me in the backseat with my brother.
He turned to dad, and said, "If anyone has their period, roll up the windows and keep on driving. Drive thru, do not stop".
I can bet you are not going to hear that from a park ranger again.
I bet my mom made a complaint when the children were not around to hear.
That was "the 50's".
I will say it. Bears are very "territorial" about such things. Do not provoke a bear.
One time, a ranger asked me to walk people back out to the pick up point for the boat (Upper Lake St. Mary, Glacier National Park, Montana). The group wanted to split: one bunch wanted to hike to the second waterfall, one wanted to go back.
One man had a knee injury that hurt. On the return trip, he was lagging back.
I told the women, let's pretend to be really interested in these flowers and keep the "party" together, explaining grizzly bears look at "stragglers" as prey.
We did.
The ranger said I did a good job.