Bear bites Appalachian Trail thru-hiker in the Smokies - WBIR.com

[Lnj]

> firecrackers.......although i think that is frowned upon by the Park

With an air horn, you just pick it up and pull the trigger -- done.
With fire crackers (illegal at all times in all national parks, all national forests, and several AT states) you have to pick them up, find their ignition source, light them, then throw them into an area with absolutely no dry tinder -- doing the last part (usually) in the dark.

Firecrackers aren't frowned upon because rangers hate fun-times, it's because they injure (sometimes kill) people and cause wildfires.
http://www.nfpa.org/~/media/files/re...orks.pdf?la=en
Remember that, if a fire starts because of your use of firecrackers, you will be responsible for all damage & cost of fire suppression.
http://www.steamboattoday.com/news/2...d-hayden-wild/

I was thinking the firecrackers was a joke....

[OldNorth]

A shelter near where a black bear bit a camper last month at Great Smoky Mountains National Park has reopened. The park euthanized a 400-pound male black bear that was darted and captured near where the attack occurred, but DNA tests determined it was not the bear involved in the attack.

http://www.wxii12.com/news/shelter-r...okies/39957846

[rickb]

I was thinking the firecrackers was a joke....

Years ago in the Deleware Water Gap a ranger decided that he would teach a bear a lesson that he treed with the help of defensive spray of some sort next to our car-camp site.

He had something like a toy pistol that shot a firecracker up at the bear.

The laws of gravity being what they are, the fire cracker reached up to the bear but then dropped down near the ranger's head before going off.

When the ranger instinctively reached for his service revolver on hearing the blast, I concluded the bear was the least of my concerns.

I asked him to just back off and let the bear come down and teach it a lesson another day.

[CamelMan]

He had something like a toy pistol that shot a firecracker up at the bear.

In Canada, "bear bangers" are legal. Maybe it was something like that.

[MuddyWaters]

Black bears evolved alongside grizzlys, among other large carnivores like big cats.

They survived by running away, and climbing trees.

Today, they believe that we are the top predators they innately fear.

Until they get enough exposure to people, that they figure out they dont need to fear us.

Then, anything can happen, and does.

A 400 lb bear in a national park, thats not hunted or has any natural enemies, or adverse encounters with people, evntually thinks he is king of the forest.

[Traveler]

A 400 lb bear in a national park, thats not hunted or has any natural enemies, or adverse encounters with people, evntually thinks he is king of the forest.

Good point, I would imagine a 200 pound man in the same place would arrive at the same conclusion.... until he meets the 400 pound bear.