This is part of a recurring series to help you stay safe from insects, poisonous plants and other critters you might encounter.
Kate Benson was enjoying a peaceful morning hike in Yosemite National Park when she spotted a bear headed toward her down the trail.
Benson, Scouting America’s national director of Cub Scouting, was pretty sure the bear didn’t see her, and she stayed calm. But it was close enough that Benson could see its muscles rippling as it walked.
Benson climbed onto a large chunk of granite to get a better view. She knew the bear could climb up there too, but at least she appeared taller. Within a couple of minutes, the bear appeared about 50 yards away.
“What do you do? You make noise,” Benson recalled.
She looked at the bear and called out confidently but without yelling, “Good morning, bear!”
It worked. The bear looked up, saw her, turned and ran up the hill.
Benson’s encounter ended safely — and with a funny story to tell. But it offers an important reminder for anyone exploring the outdoors: Knowing what to do when you encounter a bear can keep you safe.
Bear sightings are getting attention
Reports of an increase in bear sightings have been making headlines nationwide this year, putting a spotlight on what hikers, campers and Scouts should do when they encounter one of these powerful animals. In Colorado alone, bear sightings and encounters have nearly doubled. Through mid-September, Colorado Parks and Wildlife reported 6,129 bear sightings and incidents, up from 3,115 during the same period last year.
However, seeing a bear doesn’t necessarily mean you’re in danger. According to Tree Kiester, Scouting America’s national director, SAFEguarding, bears generally just want to find food and avoid people.
What to do if you encounter a bear
Tree says that prevention starts before you ever see a bear. Travel with a buddy or group, stay aware of your surroundings, and make enough noise so animals hear you coming and you don’t surprise them. Talking to each other — even singing as you hike — can alert bears to your presence, giving them a chance to move away.
If you spot a bear that hasn’t noticed you, back away slowly while keeping your eyes on it.
Give the animal time and space to leave. If it remains off the trail and doesn’t appear interested in you, you might be able to move around it at a safe distance. If that means taking a detour, take the detour.
If the bear sees you, stop and remain calm — just what Benson did in Yosemite.
Tree recommends making yourself look bigger by standing tall and slowly raising your arms. If you’re with a group, stay together and present yourselves as a group. Speak in a low, steady voice so the bear recognizes you as a person rather than potential prey.
“Hey, bear. No, bear,” Tree suggests saying, calmly identifying yourself as human and encouraging the animal to move away.
What not to do
Whatever you do, Tree says, don’t run or turn your back or do something silly like try to climb a tree. Bears can run up to 30 miles per hour, making them faster than world-class athletes. And they are excellent climbers.
A bear might charge, but many charges are bluffs. Keep facing the animal, stay as calm as possible and continue speaking in a steady voice.
Be especially cautious around a mother bear with cubs. Give the family plenty of room and change your route to avoid getting between a mother and her young. If a bear is feeding, stay far away rather than approaching it.
Tree also stresses that bear safety extends to camp.
Store food and scented items properly, follow local park guidance, and keep cooking and food-storage areas away from where you sleep. Never assume a bear-proof container is completely odor-proof.
Staying safe breaks down like this:
- Hike and camp in groups.
- Avoid surprising a bear.
- Give a bear room to move away.
- If a bear sees you, stay calm, speak in a low, steady voice and make yourself tall.
- Never approach for a closer look.
- Park officials know where encounters are most likely. Check with them before going out.
- Make sure everyone in your group knows the plan if you see a bear.
Fun facts about black bears
You’re much more likely to see a black bear in the woods than a brown bear or grizzly. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimates a black bear population of 480,000. That includes 100,000 in Alaska. Brown bears – including the grizzly subspecies – make up about 40,000. There are only an estimated 2,000 grizzlies in the lower 48 states.
- Black bears can live up to 30 years
- Black bears’ fur can be black, cinnamon, gray, blue-gray or even white — but more commonly brown.
- They’re North America’s smallest bear species. Even so, adults can weigh between 200 and 1,400 pounds.
- Black bears are thought to have the keenest sense of smell in the animal kingdom.
- Instead of hibernating, black bears enter a state called torpor, in which their body temperature drops and metabolism slows, but they can wake more readily than true hibernators.
- Cubs are born blind, hairless and without teeth.
- A mother bear can have up to six cubs. One to three cubs are the most common litter sizes.
- Cubs stay with their mother for about two years.
Advertisement