Being Bear Aware

Many of the locations that you and I fish are in bear country. For most people, this may not seem like a big deal, since they’ve never had a close contact bear encounter, but depending on how they handle an encounter it may mean the difference between having a great time and having not so much of a great time. So, since male bears typically emerge from their dens early March to late April and females typically emerge from their dens from mid-March to mid-May, I thought it would be a good time to review about being bear aware when you’re in the woods.

In all my years of backcountry hiking and fishing in the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem, I’ve only had three close contact bear encounters. All three encounters were with black bears that were within 20 feet of me, and all ended uneventfully with the bears running away from me at full speed. But despite these uneventful encounters, I take being bear aware very seriously. I know that it only takes one poorly executed encounter to change the outcome from uneventful to one with injury on my part or the bear’s.

Given that I’ve had only a few bear encounters, I don’t consider myself an expert on bears. However, I’ve learned a few things that help me avoid unwanted bear encounters. These mainly fall into two categories: avoid meeting bears and deterring bear attacks.

Avoid Meeting Bears

When it comes to avoid meeting bears, noise is your friend. I love the quiet of the woods as much as the next person, but walking through bear country as quietly as you can is a recipe for a surprise bear encounter. It’s best to make noise. Personally, I don’t use bear bells. The data for using them is sort of weak. It seems that the best noise to avoid meeting bears is the human voice. As I walk, I periodically yell “Hey bear”! Yes, I’m sure I look like a pretty strange fellow walking through the woods yelling “Hey bear”, but I’m OK with that. I don’t mind looking strange, but I do mind being maimed or killed by a surprised bear.

Another way to make noise is by traveling in groups, but this isn’t always possible (or desired), so just make noise. Clap your hands loudly and yell “Hey bear” every few minutes, especially when approaching an area with limited visibility.

Deterring Bear Attacks

But even when you do everything right, you may still encounter a bear. To avoid triggering an attack, keep facing the bear and slowly back away while calmly talking to the bear. Talking out loud helps the bear know that you are human and not a prey species. But when these things fail to deter the bear and the bear is determined to check you out or attack you, I prefer bear spray.

I know, I know, as a red blooded American I could be carrying a gun, but I’m in the camp that bear spray is more effective for bear attacks than a sidearm. I’ve discharged bear spray before, and it makes a wide, breath-choking barrier. I’m not sure I could draw a pistol, aim, fire and hit a bear charging at me at 30 mph. I know the realities of my limitations and I’m not going to argue the point. I prefer bear spray as a deterrent for bear attacks. As far as sidearms, some say they serve as an effective deterrent for the most dangerous animal in the woods, human beings.

When it comes to bear spray, I prefer Counter Assault. I carry the 10.2 ounce canister and I keep it on my side in a quick-draw holster. However, if I’m approaching a low visibility area, such as willow thicket, I take the spray out of the holster and remove the trigger guard. That way I’m ready with spray in hand (all the while I’m calling out “Hey bear”).

The holster I like is the FHF Gear Expandible Bear Spray Holster. It’s well made and has a quick draw, even with the big 10.2 ounce spray canister.

When I’m storing my bear spray at home or transporting it in a car, I place it in a Kozee-Tote Bear Spray Carrier. There’s nothing worse than a leaking canister in your house or car (testified by what happened to my daughter on her way to the Big Horn Mountains in Wyoming)! The Kozee-Tote controls any leaks without a dangerous mishap.

And one more thing regarding bear spray canisters, they have a shelf life (more for declining propellant pressure than capsaicin potency). For most bear spray canisters, that’s about four years. So every three to four years, I take my old bear spray into the yard and practice discharging the canister. It lets me get a feel of how the canister fires, and how the spray acts in the air currents. I highly recommend practicing with your old canister.

Oh, and the question of those air currents? Yes, bear spray is still effective in wind. I know there’s a lot of blah blah on the internet regarding blowback and that bear spray is worthless in wind or rain, but data shows it still reaches effective distances even under adverse conditions. So, carry bear spray in the appropriate environments, and if you need to use it, then use it, even if it’s windy or raining!

For more bear aware information I recommend reading “One of the Foremost Experts in Human-Bear Conflict Has Something to Tell You About Bear Safety“, by Alison Young in The Trek (formerly known as The Appalachian Trials). It’s an excellent article that should get you thinking about bear safety.

Another resource is the BearWise.org. It is a good resource for bear aware information and cites published data on bear science. It has videos and other links that are informative.

And if you are going to be fishing in Central Idaho, Northern Montana or the Great Yellowstone ecosystem, then check out the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee website. It is an excellent source of reliable information regarding bears and bear attack prevention, particularly when it comes to the brown (grizzly) bear.

So, have fun out there, but be safe. Bears are in more places than you might think — trout country is usually bear country. Assume they are present (not just in the West, in Appalachia too). Avoiding a conflict is easier and more effective than dealing with one. Remember that a “human habituated” bear is a dangerous bear. Inform and educate yourself on hiking, fishing, and camping in bear country. You want everyday in the woods to be a good day for you, as well as for the bears.

Reader Participation: Have you had a close contact bear encounter? Where? What did you do? How do you protect yourself in bear territory?

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