Bear Encounters of the Third Kind
Many hikers and outdoor enthusiasts always have bears on the back of their minds when they are out enjoying God’s country – Or at least they should…
Bears are just animals and there is no need to be afraid of them by any means. However, not being afraid doesn’t mean not respecting them, especially their space. If you don’t bother them, they will not bother you. As long as they can hear you coming, they will usually simply run off and keep their distance. Some days though, due to the wind direction, or a sharp hill in the terrain you may find yourself coming up on one real quick. It could be coming around a sharp bend in the trail, or over the top of a hill where you may surprise it – which could lead to aggression. We all know about the dangers of a she-bear with her cubs, but what do you do if you have an aggressive encounter?
The Type of Bear
All depends on the type of bear you are dealing with, so know your bears of the area you’ll be in. Grizzly, play dead. Black bear, fight. Turn your back, never. Best practice is to make enough noise that they hear you coming, and carry the biggest bottle of bear spray you can buy. Although they can be pricey, they are well worth it. The $30 or $40 dollars you’ll save on the cheap stuff will pale in comparison to your medical bills!