Canyon Country Animals
Mammals: Bear
This page contains some basic information on bears and how hikers and campers can prevent negative encounters with the large, magnificent creatures of the wilds.
The Best Way to Avoid Conflict with Bears is to Prevent It
Overview
Bears are alike in many ways and this makes some of their behavior predictable. But, each bear is also an individual with a unique history. This individuality can lead to less predictable behavior and unique responses to various situations. The following guidelines work well for an average bear, but remember that each bear has its own way of interacting with the world around it. And remember, people have been injured and killed by bears, even in our national parks.
Prevention is the Key
People who live in, or visit, bear habitat have a responsibility to the wildlife whose habitat they are sharing. Feeding bears, whether intentional or not, can amount to a death sentence for the animal. More and more communities and campgrounds are adopting a zero-tolerance policy toward people who feed bears and other wildlife. In some places, people are being cited for failing to properly store food and garbage.
A Fed Bear is a Dead Bear
In the spring, bears emerge from their dens with one thing in mind: eating. They travel for miles in search of food, guided by a keen sense of smell. A full garbage can or a messy campsite might seem like the mother lode to a hungry bear, and that's when most bear/human conflicts begin.
The black bear, in addition to being a strong swimmer, sprinter, and climber, is very intelligent. One easy meal from a house, car, or campsite is all it takes for some bears to learn that people and food go together. Once a bear makes this association, it's not a pleasant story for people or bears.
One hungry bear is capable of causing thousands of dollars worth of property damage in a single incident. In some states, by law, a homeowner who has taken steps to eliminate bear attractants but still suffers property damage can obtain a permit from the state's Department of Fish and Game to kill the bear causing the problem
Bears that are accustomed to people can become bold and even aggressive. There are dozens of documented cases of people being mauled, and even killed, by black bears. Although rare, when a bear behaves aggressively towards people, the Department of Fish and Game may need to euthanize the animal to protect public safety.
Living in Bear Habitat
Bears are attracted to anything smelly or edible, especially garbage. Bears are also attracted to bee hives, orchards, and gardens. Occasionally, livestock are killed and eaten. Follow these guidelines to help keep your home "bear-proof":
- Deodorize garbage cans with bleach or ammonia.
- Double-bag garbage to help eliminate odors.
- Separate "wet garbage" and keep it in an air and odor tight container. Use a garbage disposal whenever possible. Freeze meat bones or other smelly items until pickup day.
- Be sure to keep barbecue grills clean.
- Pick up fallen tree fruit, and put away pet food and bird feeders at night.
- Close windows at night on accessible ground floors and decks.
- Don't leave food in or near a window sill or on a counter near an open window.
- Securely block access to potential hibernation sites, such as crawl spaces under decks or buildings.
- Install bear-proof garbage and compose containers.
- Request a bear-proof garbage bin for your neighborhood or apartment complex.
The Relocation Option
Over the years, wildlife agencies around the country have tried to solve bear/human conflicts by capturing and moving "problem bears" to other locations. Almost without exception, the relocated bear suffers one of three fates:
- it returns to the place where it was captured and resumes its problem behaviors;
- it remains in its new location, continuing the problem behaviors; or,
- it dies in its new location as a result of conflicts with other bears.
Bear Education
A researcher in Alaska tried an experiment to determine if bears that routinely raided local garbage cans could "unlearn" their behavior. He randomly placed pellets, laced with a chemical, in the garbage cans. When eaten, the pellets would cause the bears to vomit violently. These intelligent animals quickly learned that the garbage was fine, as long as they avoided the pellets.
Shooting bears with rubber bullets or pepper spray may temporarily scare them away, but it hasn't been successful in changing a bear's behavior if the bear has learned that food is available. At best, it is a short-term, temporary solution in areas that already have problem bears. As long as there is food available, the bears return after the bullets and pepper spray are put away. These tactics are legal for use only by law enforcement personnel and employees of some public agencies.
Reporting Nuisance Bears
In Utah
If you see a bear in a residential area or you encounter an aggressive bear, contact the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources immediately at one of the following offices:
- Cedar City: 435-865-6100
- Ogden: 801-476-2740
- Price: 435-613-3700
- Salt Lake City: 801-538-4700
- Springville: 801-491-5678
- Vernal: 435-781-9453
Roadside Bears
Bears and roadsides are not a good combination. Bears feeding along roads quickly become habituated to vehicles and people. When people stop for a closer look or to take pictures, habituated bears become even bolder and my approach cars or people. Eventually, someone will feed a bear, creating a very dangerous situation that may lead to human injury and the bear's death.
Camping in Bear Habitat
- Bring only the minimum amount of food and toiletries needed. Take time to plan your meals. Reduce surplus food. Select well-sealed and less odorous food items.Keep a clean camp at all times, day and night. Clean up and store food and garbage immediately after meals.
- Keep your cooking items clean. Properly dispose of wash water and food waste away from your camping area.
- Use bear-proof garbage cans or store garbage in a secure location with your food and toiletries whenever possible.
- Store food, toiletries, and scented items in bear-proof containers, storage lockers, or in a secure location whenever possible. This may include storing items in an airtight container in your trunk or other location out of sight in your vehicle, although no vehicle is secure from damage by a bear searching for food.
- Never keep food in your tent.
- Keep a close watch on children, and teach them what to do if they encounter a bear.
- Leave dogs at home when going into bear country. Bears may chase them.
- Please help by becoming a part of our long-term solution to reduce availability of food, trash, and other attractants to bears. With your commitment, we can work towards breaking the cycle that teaches bears and other animals to depend on human food and trash to survive and help keep the "wild" in Wildlife.
- Bears sometimes bluff their way out of threatening situations by charging and then veering off at the last second. If this happens, do your best not to scream or run. The bear will probably retreat as soon as she has made her point (this is her territory) and scared you senseless. See Bear Attack for more information.
Hiking in Bear Habitat
Make Noise
Bears don't like surprises and will usually move out of the way if they hear people approaching. Make plenty of noise, especially when approaching blind corners, dense shrubs and streams, and when walking into the wind. A loud shout every few minutes is more effective than wearing bear bells. Do not hike after dark or before dawn.
Travel in a Group
If possible, never travel alone on trails in bear country. Always keep your group together; be especially diligent in keeping children with you at all times.
Be Observant
If you see signs of recent bear activity (i.e., fresh diggings along the trail, bear scat, tracks, etc.), be especially vigilant. Consider going back the way you came; it is better to cut your hike short than to risk an encounter with a bear.
Pets on the Trail
Leave dogs at home when going into bear country. Bears may chase them.
Upon Encountering a Bear
Do not approach bears. They are exceptionally fast and you can not outrun them. To learn what to do if you do encounter a bear, see our Bear Attack page.
Bears and Menstruating Women
Considering bears' highly developed sense of smell, it may seem logical that they could be attracted to odors associated with menstruation. Studies on this subject are few and inconclusive. If a woman chooses to hike or camp in bear country during menstruation, a basic precaution should be to wear internal tampons, not external pads. Used tampons should be double bagged in a zip-lock type bag and stored the same as trash.
Photos
Notes
- The photo of the bears at the top of this page is taken from a commercial clip art package and was not produced by the author.
- On one visit to Yellowstone I got to see a female grizzly and her cub browsing in a meadow, but at some distance, from a paved road. In the summer of 2006 we got to see a small black bear wandering around another grassy meadow in Yellowstone. But even though we've done quite a bit of hiking in bear country, those are our only encounters.
Books and Resources
More Resources |
|
|
|
Related Sites
Remember to bookmark this site before you venture off down these side trails. They lead to other Web sites that we do not control. We cannot vouch for the content on, nor do we endorse, these sites. The following links are intended to assist you in your quest for further related information. If you discover a broken link, or a link with inappropriate content, or know of a link that should be listed here, please let us know.
|
More Outside Links |
||
