Earlier than setting off on a hike, you all the time plan the place you’re going, the timing, and what to take with you, proper? You must also plan forward hike (or camp) safely round wildlife. Particularly bears. It’d seem to be you’ll solely encounter bears should you go to Yellowstone, the Smoky Mountains, or Alaska. However bears occupy a a lot larger space. Do you know that black bears are present in 40 of the 50 states of the US?
Black bear and grizzly bear ranges are rising 12 months after 12 months, so earlier than touring to the wilderness, be sure to test if it’s bear nation. Whether it is, learn on for our security tips about hike in bear nation.
Don’t assume that as a result of it’s chilly, bears will likely be tucked away of their dens. Simply final month (in November) we had a household of 5 bears in our yard within the mountains of North Carolina. Additionally, grizzly bears may come out of hibernation in early March in Yellowstone.
All the time carry bear spray and know use it earlier than you set off in your journey. Bear spray is just not allowed on planes, so if you’re flying to your vacation spot you’ll want to purchase it within the space. REI carries them. Watch the video on the finish of this submit to learn to use a bear spray. *Don’t discharge the bear spray indoors*, study to make use of it outside.
NEVER EVER give meals to a bear, method it, attempt to get a selfie with a bear, or attempt to pet it. In case you are in a nationwide park and see somebody doing this, take a photograph (attempt to embrace the license plate quantity) and report them on the workplace. A fed bear is a useless bear.
Mountain climbing in bear nation
- If you happen to see a bear earlier than it notices you: stand nonetheless, don’t method, and benefit from the second. If it’s transferring in your path, be certain he is aware of you’re there and announce your self with a loud and grave “Hey Bear”. The bear will most probably flip round. If you happen to don’t announce your presence you may startle the bear when it’s too shut and it would react violently. (I imply, should you startle me I’d scream so it’s comprehensible to have a response.) As soon as the bear is transferring away, transfer away quietly in the other way. We had an encounter with a mom grizzly and her cub in British Columbia and we did this. You’ll be able to learn the story right here.
- If you happen to encounter a bear that’s conscious of you: don’t run; operating could set off a chase response. Again away slowly in the other way and look forward to the bear to depart.
- Concentrate on your environment, attempt to make noise periodically, and don’t use earbuds.
- Don’t hike alone.
- Maintain youngsters nearby.
- Make noise in thick cowl.
- Be further conscious when foraging for berries or nuts. Bears are doing the identical!
- All the time KEEP YOUR PETS ON A LEASH or depart them at residence. Canine could harass bears and trigger them stress, and in return, a bear could assault your canine.
- Don’t litter. Pack out your trash. Getting bears habituated to human meals sources makes them extra more likely to have harmful encounters with people.
- Don’t get between a mom and her cub. If a mom thinks her cub is in peril, she is going to defend it. If you happen to see a cub, all the time search for mother and remember.
Tenting in bear nation
- Arrange backcountry camps away from dense cowl and pure meals sources.
- Maintain your camp clear. Don’t depart meals sitting round, and all the time lock it up (within the automotive, or in a bear-resistant container) should you exit for a hike.
- Don’t maintain something that smells like meals or toiletries in your tent. No snacks, no toothpaste, no deodorant, no sodas, no lip balm, no sunscreen, no bug spray.
- If you happen to camp together with your pet and must maintain a litter tray within the tent, use unscented litter and maintain it clear. No pet treats both.
- If automotive tenting, maintain meals and toiletries inside a locked car and ensure all of the home windows are closed. Bears have discovered open unlocked automobiles and bust opened home windows.
- If backpacking, maintain meals and toiletries suspended no less than 10 toes above the bottom and 10 toes from any a part of the tree. Some parks have already got a system in place (see purple arrow within the photograph beneath from a backcountry campsite in Yellowstone). This regulation may fluctuate from nationwide park to nationwide park so all the time test for laws on the park’s entrance.
Cooking in bear nation
- When cooking don’t dump meals waste in your fireplace (or exterior the hearth for that matter). No bean sauce, or meat fats, or anything.
- Cook dinner away out of your tent so that you don’t entice bears to your sleeping space. Many areas suggest a “bear-muda triangle” method, together with your tent on the first nook (ideally upwind), your meals storage at one other nook, and your prepare dinner space on the third, separated by 100 yards. A variation places your wash-up space at yet one more distant level.
- Put all of the trash in a bag inside a bear-proof storage locker or trash can that the majority campgrounds present. If none is accessible, put the trash inside your locked automotive. In case you are on a backpacking journey, put money into a bear-resistant meals container.
Keep in mind to hold your bear spray inside attain, don’t pack it within the backside of your backpack.
WATCH THIS VIDEO AND LEARN HOW TO USE YOUR BEAR SPRAY
Bears will not be out to get you
Keep in mind, bears will not be out to get you. They’re simply going about their lives such as you and me. And such as you, they might quite not get right into a battle. If we study to respect bears quite than concern them, and take just a few frequent sense precautions, we are able to all reside collectively fortunately.
