How_to_Survive_ Bear_Encounter
How to Survive a Bear Encounter
One thing we all never want to face in the outdoors is an encounter with a bear. Although cute and cuddly looking bears are more than meets the eye. It can be very traumatic experience and leave you with a life threatening injury or even death. We all know common sense, but when you need to react quick common sense does not always come into play unfortunately. We sometimes do the first thing that comes to mind when we are in danger. After you read this article hopefully you remember a few tips I give you in surviving a bear encounter and possibly an attack. Although bear attacks are rare, it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Bear Defense
Thankfully there is a great selection of bear defense products on the market. Some which include pepper spray and guns. The gun is not always the first answer in defense. Testimonials have proven that bear pepper spray is more effective than bullets. The spray causes the bear to become temporarily blinded long enough for you to escape the site of an attacking bear. Setting bear traps if bears really become a problem near your home or camp site is a good idea also.
Precautions
Watch for signs of bear tracks in the area you are hunting or hiking. Don’t leave open food containers unattended for a long time. Make lots of noise or buy a bear scaring special bell when hiking. I advise not to travel alone in bear country. Be conscious of the wind, because bear can travel to your scent. Lastly be aware of any documented recent bear activity by your park officials. Fresh bear droppings are easy to spot, if you see any steer away from being in that area of the woods.
In The Moment
In the unfortunate event a bear does attack you, the best thing to do is play dead and avoid any sudden movements. Avoid eye contact with the bear. Whatever you do, don’t try climbing a tree. Move with the bears blows in the fetal position and stay motionless. As your last resort fight back using any possible weapon you can find. That is about all you can do to survive a bear attack.
Bear Breed Identification
I am going to describe some bear breeds to help you identify what kind of bear you may encounter. The grizzly bear is dark to medium brown in color. Grizzly bears have a unique shoulder hump when they walk. They are on average 6.5 ft. in height. Grizzly bears have fairly long claws. Grizzly bears can be found in Canada, Alaska, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Dakotas, and some northwest regions of the US.
Black bears can range in color from black to even a light blond color. Black bears are noticeably smaller than Grizzly bears and their claws are shorter. Black bears live in mostly Canada and are found in 41 of the 50 US States.