Advice on Bears on Hatcher's Pass (safety, trailer, activity)

[notreesininceland]

Originally Posted by Glitch

If you are downwind and close to a brown bear, you will know it even if you can't see them. They reek of decaying salmon.

Isn't this true of only the Katmai bears and/or bears that are close to streams with salmon runs? The brown bears of the interior are unlikely to be snacking on salmon.

[starlite9]

Originally Posted by notreesininceland

Isn't this true of only the Katmai bears and/or bears that are close to streams with salmon runs? The brown bears of the interior are unlikely to be snacking on salmon.

Nope, the bears North of the Brooks Range may not eat a lot of salmon, but the interior bears eat a lot of salmon that come up the Yukon and other major rivers.

The Toklat Grizzles have a winter salmon run due to open water from warm water springs that allow the to access them.

They have the "Ice bears" that dive for Salmon at -40 in the open water and have Ice hanging off their fur that was armored against spears and arrows.

[alaskalive]

Originally Posted by Glitch

My philosophy is that it is always better to be armed for bear and not need it, than to need it and not have it. Anytime I go hiking or fishing, I always carry a 12-gauge loaded with slugs.



Bears have terrible eye-sight, so if they are standing upwind of you, they may not recognize you as human. While making noise will certainly notify any bear in the area of your presence, and help avoid any unwanted surprises, it also has a similar effect on all the other critters. I don't know about you, but one of the reasons I enjoy hiking in Alaska is to see the wildlife, and if I am making lots of noise, I will not be seeing much.

• Be observant and watch for fresh bear sign;
• Keep a clean camp;
• Hang your food between two trees at least 15 feet off the ground when camping; and
• Don't sleep where you cook, if you will be camping overnight.

If you do these things you are not likely to have a surprise encounter, and still be able to enjoy watching the wildlife. Being aware of your surroundings is the most critical of all. Most people just focus on the trail ahead of them. They are not paying attention to what is happening to their left or right as they walk. This "tunnel vision" is what leads to surprise encounters. Use your ears and nose in addition to your eyes. If you are downwind and close to a brown bear, you will know it even if you can't see them. They reek of decaying salmon.

I was thinking, If I go up there wearing bells, and making noise.. I will never see wildlife to take photos of! But I not want to say it.
I guess if you are going to go creeping about, silently, then you need to carry a big gun and know how to use it.
Not to be redundant, but one of the main reasons I go out, is to grab awesome photos of nature, scenery, wildlife, flowers, ... all that!
I guess it is much better to be safe than sorry.

If you are hiking along, in wooded areas, and slipping about quietly... like you are hunting... should you be able to hear a bear moving around in the woods before you get up on one, if it is not sleeping or laying down, of course?

[alaskalive]

Originally Posted by starlite9

Geese, I can't believe that nobody has given you all the proper bear proticals....

First item is foot wear in bear country when hiking with a group. Wear a very light pair of tennis shoes and then tell the others that they need to wear a good quality "heavy" hiking boot. The oject isn't to outrun the bear, just the slowest person in the group.

Having said that, you also need to carry a good walking stick. This is for shifting the rules of the Darwin scale in the event that you are still the slowest in the group, you can use it to "Wack" the faster runners as they run past you in the knee to ensure your ability to "Not" be the slowest in the group.

If you are hiking by yourself, then you are pretty much on your own and a can of the "bear" pepper spray is more for the bears in as they like spicy food too.

I will be sure and do exactly as instructed here.
lol

[Rance]

You usually will see a bear before you hear it. As big as they are they are very light footed.

[starlite9]

Originally Posted by Rance

You usually will see a bear before you hear it. As big as they are they are very light footed.

Sometimes....

[notreesininceland]

Originally Posted by Rance

You usually will see a bear before you hear it.

With the new iBear app for the iPhone you can make the bear invisible.

[onthamove]

what you need is a .22 magnum put the bear where he belongs, no i dont want to kill bears but if one is gonna lunge at me he is getting as much metal in him as possible, i am not dying for a bear

[Grannysroost]

Originally Posted by notreesininceland

With the new iBear app for the iPhone you can make the bear invisible.

Consider yourself repped....invisible bear...yup

[Rance]

I remember when I was a kid...I saw an episode of Daniel Boone where he had wrestled a bear. He had this neat claw mark on his upper arm. I thought man that is so cool to have a bear claw mark on your arm. I always wanted one!