Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
We don't know what happened before, but what we may be seeing is some idiots that purposely pulled up to a bear approaching them and pulled out there cell phone cameras. I see no backpacks on these guys, one looks like he has a day pack, so I assume they just jumped out of the car from the paved parking place they were on. I don't see this as being a chance encounter, park police should have arrested them. That being said, I am told bears in Katmai are very used to humans.
Staying calm is fine. But contrary to what you said - you should make noise! Not scream when you see the bear, but announce your presence in bear country so that you don't get a bear encounter like this. They should be backing away from the bear slowly, and they had plenty of chance to do that.
If they wanted to see bears in the natural habitat, eating fish, Katmai has viewing sights on the river. They would have been rewarded with a much more dramatic video.
If this was Brooks Camp in Katmai (and it looks like it could be but it's been awhile since I've been there), those kind of encounters happen all the time. And, no, they wouldn't have been in a car to jump out of to take pictures because there are no cars there.
I agree with a previous poster, after the bear clearly knew they were there he should have stopped with the "hey bear" thing. You do that to alert the bear to your presence as you are hiking and it isn't necessary after the bear sees you.
My wife nearly stepped on the head of a sleeping grizzly at Brooks Camp. Both her and the bear were quite startled but it thankfully ended well in that my wife only screamed, but didn't run, and the bear decided it was going to find a different spot for a nap.
Their tour guide should have a shotgun with slugs handy, or these tourists should come armed too. Not saying they should shoot any animal at first sight, but just in case.
These tourists got lucky and should have shut up instead of continuing to talk to it. He was aware of their presence. No need to keep drawing his attention.
Ya really! I would not be interested in having a conversation at that point. Let him pass, no eye contact and slowly leave the area.
My wife nearly stepped on the head of a sleeping grizzly at Brooks Camp. Both her and the bear were quite startled but it thankfully ended well in that my wife only screamed, but didn't run, and the bear decided it was going to find a different spot for a nap.
I almost stepped on a massive black bear taking a snooze under some debris in a contract logging company clear cut while walking a wildlife survey. Not sure what shocked me more...realizing where I almost placed my boot or wondering why the bear didn't hear me approaching. That particular clearcut was a horrific obstacle course and my angry cussing should have woken it up from a lot farther away. . The bear sat up sleepily. I was anything but sleepy. We stared at each other for a moment then both of us turned around and headed in opposite directions. I made record time through the debris without even noticing and stood panting, shaking with adrenalin on the adjacent beach.
This has gotten me thinking, with the Afghan withdrawal and all.
What do combat patrols do when they run into wild predators. If they try to scare off by making loud noises, they will alert their enemies of their presence. Do they all carry bear spray?
These tourists got lucky and should have shut up instead of continuing to talk to it. He was aware of their presence. No need to keep drawing his attention.
This makes no sense.
Bears aren't stupid. As you note, the bear knew they were there. it's not like every time it glanced away, it completely forgot about their presence. Talking at that point was irrelevant to the bear's behavior.
There are several dangers in encountering bears. Surprise is the big one. That's why people in the backcountry try to make noise. They want to alert any bears of their presence before they get inside the bear's 'comfort zone'. If a bear doesn't detect a person until that person is 'too close for comfort', the bear needs to decide whether or not to flee or to not. The vast majority of the time, it flees. Even when it doesn't, a confrontation is unlikely. Even when there is a confrontation, it's usually a bluff. Other dangers are cubs and a kill. Bears will defend both. Apparently, none of those situations were at play here. So the bear simply didn't care. It wasn't about to say "Hey, these people are talking. Maybe I'll eat them after all!".
Also, the 'not screaming' in the thread headline makes no sense. Screaming might spur a bear to get the hell away from there, but it's not going to provoke an attack.
Quote:
Originally Posted by NJ Brazen_3133
This has gotten me thinking, with the Afghan withdrawal and all.
What do combat patrols do when they run into wild predators. If they try to scare off by making loud noises, they will alert their enemies of their presence. Do they all carry bear spray?
The predator leaves. They're animals, not terminators. Not only do humans not fit their prey profile, but groups of large humans (and combat patrols tend to be comprised mostly of tallish adult men) making weird noises (gear means metal clinking on metal, which bears can hear - and metal-on-metal is an unnatural sound). They're not going to attack.
PS - Part of Afghanistan is in the range of the brown bear.
Bears aren't stupid. As you note, the bear knew they were there. it's not like every time it glanced away, it completely forgot about their presence. Talking at that point was irrelevant to the bear's behavior.
Which is why continuing to talk to it was not making it "more aware" of their presence but might have attracted it's curiousity. You want it to be aware of you not to focus it's attention on you.
I PERSONALLY experienced a close encounter with a bear (thankfully, black bear as opposed to a grizzly) in Yellowstone Park, as my family and I spread out our food on the picnic table and were ready to dig in. We noticed the bear looking in our direction (food on table....yum), and we calmly and slowly walked away, LEFT all food, did not look back, and got into the car parked 50 yards away. When we were safely in our car, we looked back, and Yogi was on top of the picnic table, helping himself/herself to our fried chicken, cole slaw and potato salad.
A very strong memory, even though it happened decades ago.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I would not be interested in having a conversation at that point. Let him pass, no eye contact and slowly leave the area.
. The bear sat up sleepily. I was anything but sleepy. We stared at each other for a moment then both of us turned around and headed in opposite directions. I made record time through the debris without even noticing and stood panting, shaking with adrenalin on the adjacent beach.
