See the Grizzly Bear up above? See the big paws? Yep, those are BEAR tracks! Actually, they are Grizzly Bear tracks! The above pictures were taken while we were hiking in June 2008 in Denali National Park, Alaska.
During our trip, we saw 15 Grizzly Bears. It was amazing! But at the same time, we were a little nervous when one Grizzly walked right right in front of us about 30 Feet Away! If you ever wanted to see some grown men pee their pants, just try that trick! haha - well, truthfully, it wasn't that bad, but we were nervous.
So, that brings us to our next question, What About the Bears? Is it really safe to hike into "Bear Country?"
Honestly, I've been on many many backpacking trips around the country, and only in 2 places have I ever run into Bears. While I've seen Bear scat (bear droppings) in many places, we've only ever personally seen them in Glacier National Park (at a great distance) and in Alaska (up close).
Does that mean you won't see a Bear where you're hiking? By no means! In fact, the Black Bear is found all over North America. And just because you don't see them doesn't mean they're not there! We just returned from a Hike in the Monongahela National Forest and while we didn't see a bear, we saw bear tracks and bear skat multiple times.
Now, back on track . . . How can I be safe hiking and camping when I know there are Bears out there?
There are some very simple principles that you can put into practice that will greatly limit the chance of having a negative encounter with a bear.
1.) Make Noise While Hiking - don't buy those bear bells, just talk to your fellow hikers and avoid hiking silently. If you're are in an area with thick vegetation, you may occassionally call out "Hey Bear!" Why? Studies have shown that the human voice travels further than those little bells and that a Bear will take greater note of the human voice and detour around you before you ever see him!
2.) Never Run from a Bear! - If you do encounter a bear, you will probably want to immediately get out of the area. But resist the urge to run. If the bear doesn't see you, quietly and calmly detour around the bear or turn around and go back where you came from. What if the bear sees you? Speak calmly and directly to the Bear, while backing away slowly! Let him know that you are a human and you are No Threat to him. If the bear approaches, stand your ground and continue to speak to the bear. If its a Grizzly Bear and he charges you, realize that most charges are "Bluff Charges." Typically the bear is just trying to scare you off! DO NOT RUN! Remain calm. If the bear continues the charge and you feel he is going to make contact, your best option is to Lay Down on your Chest with Your Pack ON, covering your neck with your hands, until the Grizzly leaves the area. If its a Black Bear, experts normally say to Fight Back!
3.) Carry Bear Spray for Added Protection. This extremely strong Pepper Spray (similar to Personal Defense Spray, but Stronger and in a Larger Quantity) sprays a cloud of irritant about 20 feet away from you into the face of the charging bear. Recents studies have shown that Bear Spray is a more effective deterant that a Fire Arm. In fact, they've found that there were many fewer injuries with the use of Bear Spray over the use of a Fire Arm. If you choose to carry Bear Spray (I do now and had it ready to go in Alaska!) you must still remember to practice common sense and follow good principles. Don't let the Bear Spray give you a false sense of security.
4.) Keep Food Odors Away from Sleeping Areas! While you are in camp, avoid dropping food scraps around on the ground and on your clothing. While you're never going to avoid all odors, it makes sense to try to limit the food odors. Never cook or bring foods into your tent. Its a good practice to cook and eat in an area away from your tent. While you're not actively eating your food, it is wise to hang your food suspended from a tree limb, at least 10 feet off the ground. Why? If a bear gets human food, it will associate humans with food and result in negative encounters. If the bear doesn't cause injury to a human, it will still look for humans and invade camps trying to find a free meal. Eventually such a bear would have to be put down. The expression "A Fed Bear is a Dead Bear" really is true. Bears are shot when they make it a regular habit to "shake down" humans of their food. As you can see, we need to do all that we can to avoid such encounters, for our sake and the bears!
If you practice those 4 basic principles when hiking, you're chances of a negative encounter with a bear are very slim. I'm not going to promise you'll not ever have a bad experience, but I can tell you that reports of bear attacks are very minor compared to the number of hikers that head into the wild. Unfortunately because Bear Attacks are so rare, they get alot of attention when they happen. While these events are very sad, they should serve as a reminder to use good common sense when hiking into the wild. Don't let them keep from experiencing the Backcountry! Its a truly awesome place!
