Bear Safety Tips – Part 1

While Jake and I were preparing for our Yellowstone backpacking trip this summer I had done quite a bit of research and prep work about the whole bear situation there. I was extremely nervous about camping in the back country. As well as all the risks that are involved and possibilities of not just having a run in with a bear but with elk or moose. One of the things I did right before the trip was buy a new can of pepper spray. 

My other one was a at least five years old and doesn’t have as much umpf as a new, fresh can would to deter a bear from attacking me.

This handy, dandy bear spray came with this little booklet of “Bear Safety Tips.” I of course, saved it to read one night while we were out camping because normally those little “how to use” guides aren’t really all that helpful (which is why I didn’t read it before the trip). I brought it with us on our second night out while we were camping. We had backpacked about three miles to the campground over by Shoshone Lake. I didn’t really know it at the time, but that area is super well traveled so there aren’t really any run-ins with bears…or any other animals for that matter besides squirrels and birds.

So we hike in our three miles and enjoy a gorgeous view of the lake. It was super windy and the sun wasn’t too far from setting so we made it to the campsite about a half mile away in pretty good time. We enjoyed our nice camping meal…which we were too tired to do much cooking (read my earlier posts to see why we were so tuckered out!), so we ate our peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and apples and then headed to the tent. I get out my headlamp since it really wasn’t all that late and ask Jake if he wants to hear the instruction manual for the bear spray. He says sure and I am thinking he will probably fall asleep in no time since I am reading a manual.

Lol, well that was not the case. This manual almost reads like a mini novel! I actually wanted to share the most important tidbits with you all since this ended up being the most succinct and efficient bear encounters booklet I have come across to date. With all the research I did for safety and what to do when I encounter a bear, I wish I would have read this sooner. Needless to say, the UDAP Industries, Inc did a great job! I wouldn’t suggest reading this right before bed though especially when you are in bear country camping out in a piddly little tent that won’t protect you from anything except inclement weather!

Please do share this company’s link with others you think could use the information! It is extremely useful and informative! Especially for any newbie’s or novices to the back country world!

BEAR SAFETY TIPS
Most bear encounters can be avoided, but there is always a chance of encountering a bear. Please note, nothing is 100% effective but here are some tips that can prove to be useful if you come across a big ‘ol fluffy bear.

• Always have your bear spray in its holster ready for immediate use. Don’t bury it in your pack. Just look at that guy who was attacked twice by the same bear out in Montana last month. He had his gun at his hip but the bear came at him so quickly he wasn’t able to grab it in time.

• Be alert in bear country, especially if there was recent bear activity. Common areas for bears to frequent are: avalanche chutes, stream beds, dense edges of cover and in late summer, berry patches.

• Avoid traveling on trails at night or at dawn or dusk.

• Be careful with food smells. Never cook close to camp. Store all foods in plastic away from camp at night and when camp is unattended. 100 yards from camp and at least 14 feet up in a tree hung 4 feet away from the trunk.

At Yellowstone, most back country campsites have bear poles, but not all. We had a small bear barrel with us that worked very well. One thing I learned when I was buying the bear barrel, they aren’t smell proof, only tamper proof. I found some great smell proof freezer bags online that worked like a charm. Also, never put your bear barrel by a stream. I had a friend who almost lost all of their food on the first night because a bear was trying to get into the barrel and brought it into the water. Luckily the stream was running low and they found it a few yards away downstream caught by some rocks.

• Watch for fresh bear signs (scat or bear tracks) on the trail or near possible campsites. Here is what bear poop looks like!

• If possible, make plenty of noise on the trail, especially on blind curves, in dense vegetation or areas with limited vision.

• Be aware of which was the wind is blowing. Bears have an excellent sense of smell. If the wind is at your back, chances are a bear will smell you and leave you alone. If the wind is blowing in your face, your chances of an encounter greatly increase. In high wind situations or along creeks and streams, a bear might not hear you coming or you might not hear it.

• If you come across a dead animal carcass, immediately leave the area. Bears will often feed on a carcass for days and also stay in the area to protect the food.

• If you see a bear cub chances are the sow (momma bear) is close by. Female bears will fiercely defend their young. Leave the area immediately and find an alternative route.

• Keep dogs under control. Dogs can lead an angry bear back to you…or kill your dog.

• Avoid traveling along in bear country. At least three people is the best.

PRIME BEAR HABITAT
If you can avoid areas where bears are most likely to be, you can reduce your change of a run in by quite a bit. If you can’t avoid these areas (or you don’t want to because you want to see a bear) just be extra cautious and alert when traveling through those areas.

• Bears like to travel on saddles, ridges, game trails and along water.

• They’ll eat dead animal carcasses

• They feed on green grasses and other vegetation that grows in wet areas

• They often rest in cool, dark, thick forests during the day

• Grizzly bears (please note grizzlies act different than black bears and are much more aggressive) are typically active dawn, dusk and nighttime hours.

• In spring and early summer, bears are often found in lower elevations along rivers and streams. They love to catch fish when the spawning runs are going. They also search for winter killed animals in these areas.

• In the summer, bears usually spend time at higher elevations, often in park like areas. They’ll eat wild berries when they are ripe.

• In the fall, bears are often found in white bark pine stands eating pine nuts. Sometimes a bear will dig around a tree to try to locate a squirrel’s cache of nuts. They also dig for roots in mid-elevation meadows, especially in years where there are fewer pine nuts.

Read Part 2 here

Blog post written by Amy Karras
​www.unnamedadventures.com