*** Coping with Bears ***

From: sanders1@ix.netcom.com (Trent D. Sanders)
Newsgroups: rec.backcountry
Subject: Coping With Bears
Date: 23 Jul 1995 16:11:52 GMT
Organization: Netcom

There seems to be a great deal of interest in how to deal with bears [Black
Bears] in the backcountry. A few tips from one who has backpacked/
mountaineered, guided, and trekked for the last 35 years:

A Black bear will not stalk or attack a standing/walking/active person
like a Griz or Polar bear [assuming that you're not "threatening" a sow with
cubs]. They will, however, attack a non-threatening person, such as one who
is in a sleeping bag at night, etc.  But 99% of the time their interest is
in what you're carrying that's good to eat. Your concern should be
1] sleeping at night, and 2] your foodstuffs.

Food: Bears detect food scent for an incredible distance. Hang ALL FOOD, AND
YOUR PACK [the pack, stove, etc. absorbs food odors, you can't help it],
from a small limb out of reach. Eight or ten feet is OK. This gets the food
scent off the ground level and allows most of it to dissipate."Park" bears
are smart, and momma will send a cub up the tree and out on the limb
[if it's strong enough to support the cub, which is why you use a small
limb] to chew through your hang rope.

ATTACH A BELL to your pack/food. I use a little dinner bell thing, about 3"
long, that has a wooden handle and weighs only 6 ozs. If a cub goes up the
tree, hopefully you will hear the bell. Then you can "rush" the bear and
drive 'em off [if it's a "park" bear he'll be back in about two minutes and
you'll never get any sleep!].

As for sleeping, and this applies if you are "bivouac" camping without a
tent, sleep in the timber. Find a spot that gives you "noise" protection
from as many sides as possible. "Noise" protection means SOMETHING THAT A
BEAR CAN'T GET THROUGH WITHOUT MAKING ENOUGH NOISE TO AWAKEN YOU. Black
bears don't "attack", per se, people in sleeping bags.  It's more of a
"Hmm, what's this thing? I wonder what'll happen if I chew on it a little?"
And it all goes downhill from there.

If you can, build a little "fence" of small limbs, etc that will fall down
and wake you. I use one or two more "dinner Bells" on fishline to construct
a "noise wall". Bears are incredibly silent when walking. They'll be almost
noiseless even in dry, "corn flakes" conditions so don't count on hearing
them as they walk into your sleeping area.If you're in a tent, and you've
properly hung and "belled" your pack and food, you'll be OK. The bear will
waken you as he snuffels around outside exploring all these weird smells
coming from inside the tent.Your "screams" will frighten him off.

Regarding guns and pepper spray, they're no good if you are already being
mauled in your sleeping bag. And you don't need them othertimes, "rushing"
will work. And finally, regarding Grizzlys, short of having a gunbearer with
a MAJOR CALIBRE WEAPON, a dozen Claymore Mines, and perhaps a small tactical
nuclear device, there is no protection. They [and the Polar Bear] are
extremely dangerous, and are the only mammals on the the North American
continent that will actually stalk and kill a man.

These tips are derived from many years of solo and group mountaineering
/treking through serious "bear country".

Your comments would be welcome.

Trent D. Sanders
sanders1@ix.netcom.comKetchum, Idaho
and La Canada, California

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