grizzly bears (Hoonah, Fort Greely: house, travel, work)

[Rance]

It's not that bad. They arn't climbing in windows and doors all the time.

[Rainy]

That would be quite a vacation, locked in a hotel room in Anchorage.

Sometimes people build up a fantasy of Alaska that has nothing to do with the way it actually is. The state used to have a fund to send these people back where they came from, not sure if they still do.

[skibladnir]

I have run into bears in Alaska,Canada,Oregon and California. You just have to remember the Ps & Qs mentioned prior and that they are smart so don't consider them dumb..they know how to back track and stalk very well but can be a joy to watch and photograph but never underestimate them. I have had face to face confrontation,have been in a situation where the only choice was to run..have been caught between a mother and cubs who chased my cousin and I to our fence line before it stopped. We only made it because bears don't run downhill very well because of their back legs being higher than their front legs and throws them somewhat off balance but do not think they are slow either..when we reached the fence and home we looked like we had been mauled from branches and berry vines hitting us. When you are being chased by something the size of a D4 cat..you don't care what brush is doing to you. So don't lock yourself away..just use caution and remember the prior advice. I have also had good encounters so not all bears are going to eat you for dinner.

[Liz1_06]

RE : Treadwell

In My Opinion ~

It's very sad that one man has caused such a controversy...

It's also very sad for the state of Alaska, the people who live there, and The Bears....

When I first seen the commercials for the " Grizzly Man " to be aired; I was intrigued... I even thought ~ " wow, living in the wild ~ how cool is that "

Till I seen the show and was horrified !!!!!!!!

Although I understand his line of thinking ~ I will never agree or condone his behavior !!!!!

This man did EVERYTHING WRONG !!!!!!!

He took everything that was pure, natural, innocent, untouched and beautiful and TRASHED IT !!!!!!

No longer are " The Bears " known just for being " The Bears " they have now been tainted with the human blood of Timothy and Amie !!!!!!

When are people going to learn ANIMALS ~ WILD ANIMALS ARE JUST THAT !!! WILD; THEY ARE NOT PETS !!!!!!

They do NOT belong in kennels or cages in the back yard !!!!!!

Tigers are Tigers, Monkeys are Monkeys ( NOT meant to wear diapers ), And Bears ARE WILD !!!!! Not our SNUGGLE BUDDYS !!!!!!

[Placidstorm]

Originally Posted by Rance

Brown Bear: Travel in groups, make noise, if you encounter, back off slowly, do not run, if the bear advances shout, wave, drop pack and continue to back away, do not run, if the bear charges and it get's closer than 20 feet...hit the dirt, do not run, lay on your belly, place hands interlocked behind your neck and head (like a full nelson), sure there are rogue bears that will eat a man, but normally you should only get gnawed on for a little while, and they will leave.

Black Bear: Travel in groups, make noise, if you encounter, back off slowly, do not run, if the bear advances shout, wave, drop pack and continue to back away, do not run, if the bear charges and it get's closer than 20 feet...hit the dirt and start kicking and screaming, swing a stick or throw rocks. If it's a black bear chewing on you...chances are it'll eat and swallow you. So put up a good fight!

Polar Bear: If you have a polar bear on your butt you've already screwed up beyond hope. If you have a gun...shoot yourself. If you don't...run...run hard and fast. And perhaps praying will ease the pain of getting ripped to shreds and eaten. Polar bears are going to eat you, no if's, and's or but's! You've turned your back or not paid attention, left out trash or some other food scent they've picked up 10 miles away...and now here you are...in a cold baren waste land...running for your life...freezing your lungs...and about to become the hot lunch program for a 1000 pound hungry, afraid of nothing on the planet (except killer whales) polar bear.

This should be under Alaskan Trueizms . Hence the total quote .

And it's not so much the "correct approach" when encountering any kind of bear. It's more the "correct approach" before encountering a bear of any kind .
I lived around Brownie's for about 3 years in an area called "Kootznahoo" or Fortress of the bear on Admiralty Is. And i do mean "lived around" as the bears out number people 3 ta 1 on that island . I have vidio of me within 10' of a mother and 3 cubs , and i've seen bears that i would not come within 100 yards of without a cannon and a cannon backup .
Haveing bears in the yard on a daily was not uncommon and only had to shoot 1 the whole time we where there . But i did have to fight off another that came for the carcass of the 1 shot .
rule 1 . Bear's are the top of the food chain in alaska .
rule 2 . The only time you will encounter a bear in the wilderness not 1 rung up on you is when you are -locked and loaded with the approprate firearm - see the bear before he see's you - at the approprate range for your firearm- with 2 buddys thusly equiped and prepaired . If any of these 4 things are missing refer to rule 1
rule 3 . Polar bears don't read well , they only know rule 1
rule 4 . all other bears will wish to debate rule 2 if givin the opportunity.

rule 5 . Never ever ever ....ever walk up to a mother and 3 cubs. they can't read at all .

"alaskan bear storys" and "more alaskan bear storys" very good read

[beephonkbeep]

i hope i don't sound naive... but are polar bears everywhere????!!!!

[Placidstorm]

Behind every tree LOL . Just kidding , mostly behind evey chunck of ice if your alone and without protection lol again .
The exact range i am not shur of but north west alaska and the north slope for the most part . When i was in Nome i dont think they had many problems but Shishmaref just a few hundered miles north of there they would have a polar bear hot line because they were in town alot . Hunting by btw . Rance will probly chime in on this for you .

[mal_flisk]

Most people who hunt polar bears, or deal with them, will tell you polar bears are by far the canniest ursine in the world. Hunters tell tales of tracking polar bears, only to find that the bears ahve circled around and come up behind them.

The range is generally coastal above the arctic circle. Sea ice is a usual requirement for their breeding areas. They can (and have) interbreed with Grizzlies (brown bears). They are smarter because their normal prey are seals who tend to be a little smarter than the average land mammal. They are also excellent scavengers (par for bears as a whole) with an outstanding sense of smell. They have tracked recently killed caribou as far as 12-15 miles, pushing in a fairly straight line. Hmmm. I don't know if a recent shower, or not bathing is better, and I am not testing this theeory in person.

Volunteers are welcome (in the interest of science,of course). Experience not required (due to a dearth of survivors, for some reason). Empirical observation only, second hand stories are too common.

[Alaskagrl]

Hahaha LOL! U R cute...No polar bears are NOT everywhere...they are only up in the northern truly arctic coastal regions as their diet is mainly seals and sea lions. I'm not totally sure since I don't live up there, but I think there are not too many encounters between people and polar bears...however, in some of the arctic villages I bet this is not totally true. My dad once worked up in Churchill and he said one time after someone had left some food out, two bears came around his mobile home living quarters and started shaking the snot out of it; almost tipped it over...can't remember how they got rid of the bears or if they just got bored and left.

[Alaskagrl]

I COULDN'T AGREE MORE! Did you see the movie that was made about Treadwell?? It made me so mad it almost made me sick.
What this mentally ill person didn't realize is that he actually endangered more bears by his actions; one, by teaching kids and trying to teach others in a way that gave bears human characteristics. They are not humans, and they don't have "emotions" the same way humans do...bears are animals and animals run 99.9% on instinct. If they are hungry, they will eat what presents itself to be eaten. If they are angry or stressed, they will attack what gets in their way.
If there's one thing I've learned since moving to AK it's that most people nowadays do not understand how the real natural world works. We've seen too much Disney, and even some naturalists have messed with our heads. Timothy Treadwell caused the death of at least one grizzly bear (probably more) who could have just lived peacefully without the bozo interfering.