Healthbolt How-To: Avoid Being Dinner for a Bear
September 17, 2008 by Liberty Kontranowski
Filed under Adventure, Animals, How To, Misc., Prevention
If you’re heading out into the wilderness for some nature-like fun (not my bag, but hey, to each his own), you may come across a bear at some point. You are in their habitat, after all. And while this is scarier than the release of Gigli, there are certain steps you can take to protect yourself and your family, since most black bears are not interested in people and can usually be scared away. Take a look:
1. Stand up as tall as you can
2. Hold out your arms to appear bigger (if you’re wearing a jacket and have the time, open it up)
3. Speak in a loud, deep voice (what you choose to say is up to you, though I imagine explicatives might be part of the package)
4. Back up slowly
If this doesn’t work and the bear starts charging at you, you should actually fight back – and hard. Try to hit him in the nose, which is a bear’s main sensory organ. However…DON’T RUN! Running will torment the bear, and heavens knows, he can outrun you.
Keep in mind, this advice is all true for black bears, not brown grizzlies (which are found west of the Rockies). If you come across a grizzly, it’s best to play dead.
Hey, I’d rather play dead than become dead, wouldn’t you?
Source: Parents magazine
Depending where you are, most black bears will not bother you unless you get between them and their cubs. I have seen ankle bracelets with a sleigh bell on it that some places suggest you wear while hiking in the woods. This give any animal with ears a chance to hear you coming. They say sometimes when bears attack (Especially non aggressive type) it’s because you startled them and perhaps they think you are a predator…in funny clothes.
You can always carry a big ass pistol. This prevents having to ‘wrastle’ the bear…