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This article is part of
Wilderness Way
VOLUME 4, ISSUE 2.
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(Continued)
Bear Encounters
Bears are basically solitary animals. The only times they are in company with other bears is while they are in a family group (mother and cubs), during the mating season and in areas where food is extremely abundant (such as salmon streams or open dumps). Over the centuries bears have developed a complex set of signals to communicate their concerns to other bears. During chance encounters or food 
related encounters, the primary message is “stay away from me.” That message is also punctuated with a more subtle message that says “I’m the toughest animal in the area and if you mess with me you’ll be sorry,” or it says “I know you’re tougher than me so I won’t challenge your dominance.” By expressing these messages through body language and noises,
bears can assert themselves, or retreat without fighting. There is an obvious advantage to avoiding a fight when dealing with an animal as tough as a bear. Therefore, it is to our advantage, as humans, to try and understand what a bear is telling us so we can avoid being mauled by a bear, or avoid killing a bear.
Following is a discussion of the most common bear encounters and what you should probably do during the encounter. However, we are making general statements about a complex situation. As mentioned earlier, every bear has its own individual personality and every bear/human interaction/encounter is different. There is value in the following statements, but the better you understand what may be going on in a bear‘s mind, the better prepared you’ll be to possibly diffuse the situation.
1) The bear sees you; you don’t know the bear is around. This is the most common encounter. Given their choice, most bears avoid detection by people and will move out of the area. Bears do not hide in the bush, waiting to attack people.
2) You see the bear and it doesn’t seem to know you’re around. Move away slowly. Avoid intercepting the bear if it is walking. If possible, detour around the bear. If the bear is close to you, stand where you are or back away slowly. Do not act threateningly toward the bear, it may know you are there but has chosen to ignore you as long as you are not a threat.
3) You see the bear and the bear sees you. Do not act threateningly, but let the bear know you are human. Wave your arms slowly, talk in a calm voice, walk away slowly in a “lateral” direction, keeping an eye on the bear (but don’t stare directly into the bears eyes; this is a possible threat/challenge signal). Unless you are very close to a car or building
NEVER RUN FROM BEARS. In a bear‘s world, when something runs, it is an open invitation to chase it. It (running) may trigger a predatory response. Besides, bears can run as fast as the fastest race horse for short distances, so humans don’t have a chance of outrunning a bear.
4) You see the bear, the bear sees you and stands on its hind legs. This means that the bear is seeking more information. Bears stand on their hind legs to get a better look, or smell, at something they are uncertain. That’s your cue to help it figure out what you are. Help the bear by waving your arms slowly and talking to it. In spite of all the standing, snarling stuffed bears we’ve seen in museums, standing is not a precursor to an attack. Bears do not attack on their hind legs.
5) The bear sees you, recognizes you as human, but continues to come toward you slowly. This may mean several different things, depending on the bear and the situation. It may mean the bear doesn’t see you as a threat and just wants to get by you; or the bear may want to test your dominance (it views you as another bear); or, if it is a black bear it may be stalking you as food (a very rare occurrence). In all cases, your reaction should be to back off the trail slowly, stand abreast if you are in a group, and talk loudly. If the bear continues to advance, you should stop. At this point it is important to give the bear the message that if he continues to advance it will cost him. Continue to make loud noises and present a “large” visual image to the bear (standing abreast, opening you coat). In bear language, bears assert themselves by showing their size. If an adult brown bear continues to come toward you, climbing 20’ up a tree may be an option if one is nearby (remember don’t run). Keep in mind though, brown bear cubs and all black bears can climb trees, and adult brown bears can climb 10 - 15 feet high.
6) The bear recognizes you as a human and acts nervous or aggressive. When bears are nervous or stressed they can become extremely dangerous. This is when it is important to try to understand what is going on in the bear‘s mind. Nervous bears growl, woof, huff, make teeth or jaw popping sounds, rock back and forth on their front legs, urinate, and often stand sideways to their opponent. “A universal sign of a nervous bear is excessive salivation.” Sometimes it looks as if they have white lips, or white foam around their lips. When a bear shows any of these signs, stand where you are and talk in a calm voice. If you are in a group, stand abreast. If you have a weapon, be prepared to use it.
7) The bear charges. If all the other signals fail, a bear will charge. Most bear charges are just another form of their language and they do not end up making contact. The vast majority of these charges are “bluff charges.” The bear stops before making contact with their opponent. There are many different kinds of bluff charges ranging from a loping, uncertain gait, to a full flown (but bluff) charge. If a bear charges, stand still. If you have a weapon, take appropriate action, but remember, if a bear is wounded, a bluff charge may turn into a real charge as the bear‘s mind shifts from an offensive mode to a defensive mode.
8) The bear attacks. When all else fails, a bear may attack. Attacks may be preceded by all of the behaviors we have previously described or they may be sudden with no warning.. Seemingly unprovoked attacks are often the result of a bear being surprised or feeling threatened, a bear defending its food cache, or a female defending her cubs. When a bear attacks it usually runs with its body low to the ground, legs are stiff, ears are flattened, hair on the nape of the neck is up and the bear moves in a fast, determined way. Front paws are often used to knock the opponent down and jaws are used to subdue it.
If you are attacked by a bear, your reaction depends on the type of bear that is attacking. If it is a black bear, fight vigorously, for your life may depend on it. Black bears have been known to view humans as prey, and if you struggle with the attacking bear, it probably will go elsewhere for its meal. Brown bears are a totally different story. Brown bears attack because they feel threatened, and they will continue to press the attack until the threat has been neutralized. If you fight and struggle, the bear will continue to fight, and you will lose the battle. If you roll into a ball, place your hands behind your neck, and lie still when you are attacked, a brown bear will no longer see you as a threat, and may stop the attack. This has proven to be the best way to survive a brown bear attack. Note, however, that if you
fall down and play dead “before” a brown bear actually makes contact, the bear may come over to you and try to figure out what is going on.
Actual maulings by bears are rare. The state of Alaska has more bears than anywhere else in the world (brown, black and polar), and there are hundreds of thousand of people living, playing and working in these bears‘ back yards. Yet, since 1900, there have only been an average of about 2 people per year mauled by bears in the state, and very few of those maulings resulted in death.
Summary
Bears are very intelligent, wild animals. They are neither man-eaters lurking behind every bush nor real-life stuffed animals waiting to be cuddled. People who live, work or play in bear country have a responsibility to themselves and to the bears to attain a greater understanding of bears. Through such knowledge we can allay our own fears and better appreciate bears. This will result in better and safer interactions for both bears and humans.
A few basic rules of thumb to remember include:
1) Think of bears as large wild dogs.
2) Always keep food and garbage away from bears.
3) Avoid areas where bears are likely to be found and make noise when you are in areas where you are probably going to encounter bears.
4) Steer clear of sows with cubs altogether.
5) If you encounter a bear, don’t panic. Try to understand the message the bear is conveying. Identify yourself.
6) Bears don’t like surprises.
7) Never run from bears or imitate bear sounds.
8) If a bear attacks, stand where you are - fight if it’s a black bear, play dead if it’s a brown bear.
HATS OFF TO LARRY VAN DAELE
AND THE ALASKA DEPARTMENT
OF FISH AND GAME.
Disclaimer:
The whole subject of bear behavior and what to do in bear country is controversial. It is advised that you consult a wide range of materials and opinions before striking out in dangerous bear country.