Bears (travel, health, home)

[Marty Van Diest]

Generally it's not very dangerous. Bears do get a few people every year, but that is only a few.

Don't bother with a gun unless you know how to use one. If you see lots of large bear tracks, (brown or grizzly), it might be a good idea to camp somewhere else.

Most people don't have problems with bears. Most people don't camp in the middle of bears either. Use your head and you will be OK.

[RayinAK]

Nothing wrong with using a firearm for bear defense, as much as nothing wrong with using pepper spray, a knife, a park bench, not anything that can be considered a weapon. If a person can place that many shots into a circle, I can only assume that the person is very proficient with that gun.

The link I posted above includes things one could do to prevent bear/human confrontations, how and where to set the campsite, the food, etc. Down at the bottom of the page there is also information on bear defense, and also destruction.
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Now, this is how my hunting partners and I set and use our campsite
I sleep by myself in a very comfortable 8'x10' canvas tent, with all sorts of amenities to complement my home away from home. My hunting partner does the same, and hist tent is approximately 75' from mine. Right in the middle of the campsite we built a food cash on the trees, and right below the cash we sometimes hang moose meat for it to cool during the night. We place a lantern right next to it to it to keep the area illuminated, with the hope that a bear will make enough noise to wake us in the middle of the night, but "no cigars to us" (bears have never bothered us so far).

One of my hunting partners has bad knees, son when he skins and quarters a moose he kneels down on the bloody hide, and slides around on it like a sled on the snow. Needles to say, his Carhartt's are covered with moose blood when he is done with it. Then we bring and hang the meat at the campsite, he hangs his coveralls-fool of blood-on the tent post by his tent's door, and shortly after I can hear him snore from my tent.

I always keep a clean tent, and wash myself the best way I can. I even place all my dirty clothing in a sealed container. However, sometimes I can still smell onion, bacon, steak, and all sorts of aromas left behind in my nostrils from the foods we cook on the BBQ grill in the middle of the campsite

I know, I know. It's not funny.

[icarian]

Well, he does have bad knees doesn't he? How does the saying go..."you only have to be faster than the other guy" or some such

Clean camp, be mindful of blind spots (most maulings that I've read about happened because a sow w/cub got surprised), follow the info in the links provided by other posters will take you far.

Yeah, the Mrs and I both pack heat when camping out. Mainly for a little confidence when sleeping in that mesh sided tent. The pistols are a 2d or 3d choice behind using common sense and bear spray...if neither work and you still get chewed on, maybe you can use said weapon on yourself and end the misery?

[Arcticthaw]

Originally Posted by icarian

Well, he does have bad knees doesn't he? How does the saying go..."you only have to be faster than the other guy" or some such

Clean camp, be mindful of blind spots (most maulings that I've read about happened because a sow w/cub got surprised), follow the info in the links provided by other posters will take you far.

Yeah, the Mrs and I both pack heat when camping out. Mainly for a little confidence when sleeping in that mesh sided tent. The pistols are a 2d or 3d choice behind using common sense and bear spray...if neither work and you still get chewed on, maybe you can use said weapon on yourself and end the misery?

Are you aware that nylon tents is a petroleum product, and Kevlar is a petrolum product (subject to User @ approval) so your actually sleeping in a bullet proof tent. (laws of substitution)

[icarian]

Very funny

[RayinAK]

Originally Posted by icarian

Very funny

Oh, and don't discharge that pepper spray inside the tent

[plf86]

"Bears do get a few people every year, but that is only a few"

isnt that known as thinning the herd?

[Dusty Rhodes]

Originally Posted by Arcticthaw

Are you aware that nylon tents is a petroleum product, and Kevlar is a petrolum product (subject to User @ approval) so your actually sleeping in a bullet proof tent. (laws of substitution)

HEHEHEHEHE, Ain't Sophistry grand!!!!

[alaskarain]

Being a photographer, I have found my self face to face with a few grizzlies and black bears, we surprised eached other. I had a momma sow with her 2 cubs walk right up on me as I was getting stuff out of the back of my jeep. Never heard a thing until I heard momma snort. I knew right way what it was and my heart fell to my butt. I figured I was done for. I slowly turned my head back over my shoulder to find her less then 10 feet from me, cubs in tow. I was still on the road and just starting to gather things up to head off hiking when they popped up over the ridge. I had food in the back and the cooler was open. I stayed very still and very slowly back up to the side, I had already decided they could have the food at this point if they wanted it. To my amazement, she just walked right by, she sniffed the air and just strolled on by. The two cubs started coming towards me, im thinking to my self..don't do that, she will come back for sure. I took my foot and rubbed the loose gravel just load enough to spook the cubs, they ran ahead of her.
It was so amazing to be this close. I grabbed my camera and went to taking pictures.
By this time other folks had came up the road and was taking picturs of me taking pictures of this bear and her cubs so close up. The rush was amazing and I almost peed on myself but if I never get another experience like that again, im a happy woman.

I always carry a can of bear spray, I always have my knife handy on my hip, I also carry a very loud air horn, I have found this will stop a aggressive bear dead in its tracks and send it running like a scared puppy. The big grizzly below in the picture was being kind of aggressive but he was more or less trying to feel me out. He would grunt, snort and stomp but that was about it, if I would of turned my back on him, or if I would of ran, or squatted down, he would of charged me. But I stood my ground, screamed at him and did not make direct eye contact with him. I snapped some photos and slowly backed up making alot of noise as I did.

Knowing how to read the area you camp in for active signs of bears is something worth learning, make sure someone knows where you are.
Have your food in a air tight container away from your camp site. Do not bring small dogs that could be seen as food or can be smelt. Keep things like bug spray and tooth paste in the container with your food.
Their hearing is very accute so to them the noise is painful and startling. I never wear perfume, I wear odorless deodorant, odorless soap, and my cloths washed in unscented soap. I do not carry a gun.

[Arcticthaw]

Great shot of the bear claws! Others are good too, just like the CLAWS!!!