Forest’s can be very dangerous, but safety precautions can be done to reduce the chance of being harmed.
Forest’s are fun and exciting places to go hiking and exploring through. But there is also the chance of meeting up with a wild animal such as a Black or Brown (Grizzly) Bear. Even though bear attacks aren’t that common, they still happen. Bears do not look for trouble, trouble usually finds them. Bears usually attack if a human startles them. Bears also attack to protect cubs or a food source. Female bears with young represent 20% of the bear population but account for more than 80% of the bears that injure humans. They are very protective of what belongs to them. Generally Bears keep to themselves and most Bears respect the fact that you are in the forest. Most Bear attacks are based on the lack of respect for this animal.
Forests don’t have to be dangerous if you know a lot about the forest and what lives in it. The more you know about the forest and the bears that live there, the safer you will be.
What to do when first meeting up with a bear
1. Stop, while talking; back off and slowly walk away.
2. If bear pursues you try to decide weather it is a Grizzly bear or a Black bear. Use the following guidelines for each bear.
Grizzly Bears:
1. When approached by a Grizzly do not run, climb tree, fight or scream.
2. Drop to the ground and use precautions.
3. Lay face down, hands clasped behind neck to protect it from being bit. Spread feet apart to prevent you from being rolled over by the animal.
4. If rolled over, roll with the momentum of the roll and lay faced down again. If you can’t stay faced down, keep hands behind neck and use elbows to cover your face.
5. Keep backpack on if possible for more protection.
6. Do not hold out hands or arms because they can be seriously injured.
7. Never look at the bear and keep face away.
8. Stay down until bear is gone. Make sure that it is gone.
9. When you are positive it has left the area, peak around while moving as little as possible. Determine which way it went and evaluate your options. Then leave the area.
Black Bears:
1. Do not climb a tree when confronted by a black bear. They are good tree climbers.
2. Fight back. Use bear spray. Intimidate it with a branch or rocks. Let the bear know you are not easy prey.
3. It will usually run off. If not play dead. Use the method for the grizzly bear to protect yourself, or use this other method.
4. Lie in fetal position with hands clasped behind neck as well. Keep backpack on for more protection. Face down is slightly better but this still protects most of your body.
5. Wait for bear to leave before getting up.
Other methods of protection
A. Using pepper spray
1. Be sure you are trained to use pepper spray before using it in an attack.
2. Pepper spray may be better than playing dead in some circumstances.
3. Use only as a last resort. Its effectiveness can not be guaranteed.
B. Bear Bangers- They are loud explosives that startle the bear away. Best results when used about 50 to 200 meters away.
C. When at close range under 50 meters use a loud Air Horn.
Guidelines to follow when in bear country.
1. Try not to surprise bears at close distance.
2. Avoid attracting bears (keep clean campsite).
3. Avoid crowding bears; respect their “personal space”
4. Try to maximize your presence. Identify yourself
Bear Signs
1. They are located on well-traveled paths
2. Tree’s tend to not have vegetation around the base.
3. Tree’s have smoothed bark due to rubs from bears.
4. Look for hair caught on the bark of trees.
Things to know about Bears
1. At least one of the 8 bear species currently exists in Asia, Europe, North and South America.
2. Bears can run up to 40mph over irregular terrain. They have a keen sense of hearing and an even keener sense of smell.
3. From 1980 to 1994, 21 bear attacks including 2 deaths occurred in Yellow Stone National Park alone. 18 resulted from surprising the animal.
4. Bear attacks increase during the peak of tourist season, which is July and August.
Conclusion: The object is to avoid a bear attack, not to survive one. Wilderness recreation entails environmental risks. While without some who enter wilderness areas to experience these risks, we would know nothing. Nothing can ensure your safety. However, the more you know about bears and their behavior, the better you will be prepared to minimize the risk of injury from bear attacks.
