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| Bear |
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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. |
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| Topics |
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| Overview |
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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 Motherlode 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.
What About Relocation?
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.
What About 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. |
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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. |
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| Photos |
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| Notes |
The photo of the bears at the top of this page is taken from a commercial clipart 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. |
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| Books
and Resources |
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| Related
Sites |
Note: 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 only 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.
Arizona Wildlife Mammals
by William R. Hernbrode; 1959;produced by the Arizona Game and Fish Department, 2222 West Greenway Road, Phoenix, Arizona 85023.
Bears.org
Dedicated to the preservation of accurate bear beliefs.
Bearwatch
Phone: 505-281-9282.
Black Bears
Black-bears.org.
Black Bears
Canadian Wildlife Service.
Black Bears
Sevilleta LTER Data.
California Department of Fish and Game
Eastern Sierra-Inland Deserts Region, Bishop Field Office, 407 West Line Street, Bishop, California 93514; phone: 760-872-1171; 24-hour dispatch: 916-445-0045.
Camping With Bears
Discovering Sierra Mammals
by Russel K. Grater; 1978; published by the Yosemite Natural History Association and the Sequoia Natural History Association in cooperation with the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.
A Field Guide to the Grand Canyon
by Stephen R. Whitney; 1996; published by The Mountaineers, 1001 SW Klickitat Way, Suite 201, Seattle, Washington 98134. |
Grizzly Bear Information Sheet
Columbia Mountain Institute.
Grizzly Bears
National Wildlife Federation.
Grizzly Bears
USGS.
North American Bear Center
Save the Great Bear
Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks
Visitor Information, Three Rivers, California 93271; phone: 209-565-3134.
Tahoe Council for Wild Bears
USDA Forest Service, Inyo National Forest
873 North Main Street, Bishop, California 93514; dispatch: 760-873-2405; Forest Headquarters Office phone: 760-873-2400.
Utah Division of Wildlife Resources
801-538-4700
Yosemite National Park, Public Information Office
Yosemite National Park, California 95389; phone: 209-372-0265. |
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