10 Mistakes People Make While Hiking and Camping in Bear Country

Summer is the time for campers, hikers and bears alike to get out and enjoy the weather, the peace of the mountains, and the freedom of the open space. But if you're camping in bear country, don't make these mistakes that could cost you your life or at the least, your camping gear and food:

1. Leave home without any containers for hanging food and other odorous things in or rope for hanging the container. Without hanging your food, toothpaste, even deodorant in a container from a tree 100 yards away from your camp, you may wake up to find your camp site ransacked and your food gone.

2. Leave home without bear spray. This is a precaution that is fairly cheap and could save your life. Even having 2 or more cans of this spray is worthwhile. One should always be on your person and another should be in the campsite, especially in your tent at night.

3. Spray the campsite with bear spray. Bear spray is not a repellant. It will not keep bears away and in fact might even attract them if sprayed in camp. They are naturally curious animals and attracted to strange smells. It is only to be used in case of a potential bear attack and then sprayed straight in it's face.

4. Set up camp right next to a berry patch or spawning stream. These may be frequented feeding grounds for bears and should be avoided.

5. Wear the same clothes to bed that you wore while cooking and eating your dinner by the fire. Bears have an amazing sense of smell and will follow the scent of food into your tent and directly to you.

6. Walk quietly through areas where bears are known to dwell. Suddenly coming across a bear who did not hear you coming could lead to disaster. Just like people, bears don't like to be startled and may choose to fight rather than run at this point. If you are hiking and making plenty of noise through singing, talking or clapping, a bear will hear you coming and will most likely choose to get as far away from you as possible.

7. Bury garbage in or near your campsite. All garbage should be hauled out of your camping area by way of containers that are well sealed to keep in the odor. Bears will smell garbage buried in the ground and will dig it up.

8. Go off hiking alone without any bear spray or other weapon. Sometimes it is nice to go off by yourself when you're out in the back country to clear your head and be alone with God, but remember to take your bear spray and sing loudly as you go to wherever it is you are going. Being alone is great, but not at the risk of losing your life after startling a bear and her cubs. It might be better to find a place near camp to claim as your own meditation spot, close enough for others to hear if you need assistance.

9. Run away from a threatening bear. If you think you can make it to a tree to climb, forget it. Bears are faster than you and can climb trees. The best thing to do is hold your ground, talk quietly and back away, always keeping an eye on the bear. Bears will usually make a bluff run at something they feel threatened by. This would be the time to use your bear spray. The fear of seeing a bear running towards you is something that is difficult to imagine unless you've experienced it, but keep remembering that it is most likely a bluff charge and when it is within about 30 feet, spray once. If it continues to come toward you, spray again at a closer range. Just keep remembering that you can't outrun a bear, nor can you fight it and win, so the bear spray is your only hope with a charging bear. Stand your ground and keep spraying.

10. Go hiking without telling anyone where you are going or when you plan on returning. It is always important to tell someone where you are going, even if you are not going alone. A situation could come up where trouble befalls your entire hiking group and if you have not returned by your estimated time, a search party will know where to begin looking for you.

Bear attacks are very rare, but they do happen. It is better to be prepared and never encounter a threatening bear than to not be prepared and run into a situation you have no way of getting out of. Be safe out there and enjoy the beauty God has given us.

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Be Bear Aware While Hiking in National Parks

National parks offer some of the most scenic wild lands in North America. Each year, many millions of people visit national parks throughout the United States and Canada. Many choose to explore the less traveled parts of the parks by hiking in the backcountry. Hiking the backcountry of a national park is rewarding, exciting, and adventurous; however, there are many potential hazards of which people should be aware. There are high streams, cliffs, geothermal features, waterfalls, falling rocks, steep terrain, thunderstorms, high elevation snowfall, and wildlife just to name a few.

Wildlife can be found in every national park although the species and population numbers vary significantly by geographic location. One of the most majestic animals is the grizzly bear. The grizzly bear (Ursus arctos horribilis) is a powerful predator, capable of out sprinting a horse, and weighing as much as 350-600 pounds. Grizzly bears can be found in Yellowstone, Grand Teton, and Glacier National Parks in Montana and Wyoming. Larger populations of grizzly bears area also found throughout western Canada and Alaska.

Grizzly bears are omnivorous, which means they eat both plants and animals. They often feed on new grasses and winter-killed carcasses when they first exit hibernation in the spring. Bears have a keen sense of smell, and they may detect food several miles away. Under normal circumstances, grizzly bears are afraid of humans and make every effort to avoid them. However, bear encounters do occur for various reasons, and they can be dangerous for both the bear and the outdoor enthusiast.

Never hike alone in bear country. Bears are much less likely to confront a group of hikers than a solo hiker. It is also a good idea to pay attention to the direction of the wind and be aware of conditions that could lead to surprising a bear. If the wind is blowing into your face, then it is unlikely that any bear in front of you will be able to detect your scent. Such a situation does not require you to turn around and walk in the opposite direction; however, it does mean that you should pay extra attention to what is in your path. Be cautious when approaching the crest of a hill or hiking out of the forest into a meadow. In such cases, any bears that are present may not be able to see you coming. Hikers should also exercise additional diligence when hiking near a swift stream as the noise caused by the fast-moving water will likely make it difficult for any bears in the area to hear you coming.

Bear encounters can be particularly dangerous under three different circumstances. Never approach a bear with cubs, never approach an animal carcass, and never surprise a bear. Bears are extremely protective of their young, and they will ferociously attack anything they perceive to be a threat to their cubs. Bears are also very protective of their food sources, and they will attack anything they believe is attempting to steal their food. Finally, bears are highly unpredictable and they often attack out of fear when surprised. Another important consideration applies to overnight campers in bear country. Never store food in your tent or in a place that can be accessed by bears. Your food should always be stored in a bear-proof box or hung from a tree at least ten feet off the ground, and campers should prepare meals at least 100 yards away from the tent site when camping in backcountry areas inhabited by bears.

Most dangerous encounters can be avoided by simply being aware of your surroundings and following the bear safety rules. Nonetheless, people need to know how to respond in case they find themselves in a bear encounter. The first rule to remember in a bear encounter is to never run. By running, a hiker may trigger the bear's natural predatory instinct to pursue, and even olympic sprinters cannot outrun a bear. Although it will certainly prove difficult, the best approach is to stand your ground. It is recommended that hikers carry bear spray when venturing outdoors in bear country. However, people need to know how to use the bear spray in order to avoid negative outcomes. For example, bear spray typically has a maximum effective range of 30 feet, which means you don't want to begin spraying too soon only to run out of bear repellant before the bear is close enough to feel any effects. In addition, it is important to be aware of the wind direction when using bear spray. If a stiff wind is blowing into your face, you are likely to do nothing more than debilitate yourself with the bear spray when it blows back into your face. This can be a lot of information to process under stressful conditions that are far less than ideal.

If you encounter a grizzly bear and it charges in your direction, stand still. Sometimes, bears will bluff charge which means they turn off into a different direction at the last moment. If a charging grizzly bear does make physical contact, drop to the ground, lay face down, and lock your hands behind your neck. If you are wearing a backpack, it will provide additional protection for you. Remain still and as quiet as possible during the attack, because the grizzly bear will typically disengage and move on when it no longer perceives you to be a threat. Resisting a grizzly bear during an attack will only further provoke the bear. Before moving, listen carefully and look around to be sure the bear has left. Do not get up until after the bear has moved out of sight, and then leave the area immediately preferably in the opposite direction from where the bear went.

For encounters with black bears, it is generally advised that you fight back. Black bears behave differently than grizzly bears, and they have been known to stalk humans. The main factor is to know whether you have surprised a sow with cubs or whether you are being stalked by a lone black bear. If you are being stalked (e.g. slowly approached) by a black bear, then you need to be prepared to fight back with everything you can use (e.g. bear spray, rocks, and sticks). It's also important to remember that black bears are excellent tree-climbers, and you will not be able to simply escape by climbing the nearest tree. Often times, a predatory black bear can change its mind about pursuing a person if it determines that the required effort will be too great.

In conclusion, people should not stay out of the wilderness simply because bears live there. In fact, the presence of bears actually confirms the wild nature of the land and the adventurous experience that awaits the outdoor enthusiast. Most hikers never even see a bear when hiking in the backcountry of national parks such as Yellowstone, Grand Teton, and Glacier. A few lucky ones enjoy the rare experience of seeing a bear from a safe distance in the wilderness. Although the vast majority of hikers never see a bear during their excursion, it is always important to be bear aware when exploring the backcountry of national parks where bears roam. By being knowledgeable and prepared, your outdoor experience will be much more safe and enjoyable. Get outdoors this summer and experience the many grand things that can only be found in the backcountry. Learn more about Yellowstone and Grand Teton wildlife.

http://www.nationalparktravel.com

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