Protection from bears

[scoatw]

How does one go about protecting themselves at night from bears. I mean, when you're all bundled up for the night in your tent. Are there any methods or devices to warn you of a bear entering your camp. And in the middle of the night,when it's pitch black and and your sound asleep,what do you do when a bear starts sniffing around. :8o:

This message was edited by scoatw on 7-20-07 @ 7:33 AM

[valygrl]

Brown bears:
The bears want your food, they don't want to bother you.  

To prevent close encounters, don't eat in your tent, don't bring any food-related or scented items into your tent: all food including complely sealed packages, stoves, pans, storage containers, toothpaste, suncreen, bug stuff, clothes you spilled food on, waterbottles that had sportsdrink in them.   Cook far away from where you are going to camp.  Keep all your food-related/smelly stuff in one or two panniers, and hang those panniers in a far-away tree.

If it starts sniffing around, I would panic. ;>  Actually, yall at it.  My sister had one in her camp once, and she yelled "Get the F outta here" and that worked. Have heard that a couple times.  

Actually, I had one nuzzle my neck once in Camp4 (yosemite) but I was so out of it after coming down off a bigwall that I barely (haha) noticed what was going on, so i did nothing.

Grizzly bears:
uh.... anywone else know?

[TwoWheeledExplorer]

Grizzly bears and brown bears (Ursus Arctos Horribilus) are the same species of bear. Black bears (Ursus Americanus) are the smaller, more common species. The last griz seen in California was erradicated in 1922, even though it is the official state symbol.

For good information on how to behave in bear territory, go to the "Be Bear Aware" website at: http://www.centerforwildlifeinformation.org/BeBearAware/bebearaware.html

Ride safe,
Hans


St. Brendan's Spoke Bicycle Travel Club
www.stbrendans-spoke.org

[Peaks]

Where are  you going camping?

In most places, bears are not a factor.  However, when in bear country, take precautions as ValyGrl suggested.  

At established campgrounds in places like Glacier National Park there are bear boxes in the hiker-biker campsites.  

[scoatw]

We're talking Black bear in WVa. Thanks for all of the Info. Very helpful.

[HONDO]

I live near a national forest in wva. and see them quite often throughout the summer.As of yet I havent met one that didnt turn and run away when he caught scent of me.   with a black bear encounnter you stand up, make yourself look as large as possible, be aggressive, not passive.All the other advice sounds good.

[valygrl]

Oops, sorry for the bad information!  I was talking about the california bears, which i guess are black, i stand corrected.  

[WetDogRider]

Bears, and Camping . . . Prefer without Females ! Just for your safty , DO NOT camp on your special time of the month . The Bear is an excellent hunter , and it WILL smell you , and come looking for you .
As mentioned prior , cook and leave all food items away from your sleeping area .Carry pepper spray self defense canister with . They can be found in most hunting shops in such areas , or through catalogs like Cabellas , ( tell them I used their name ) . Use caution , make noise while passing threw bear country ( Bells on your bike ) . Its better that they hear you coming , and can leave before you get there , than surprising them and their young . . .
Ride On/Stay Safe

[valygrl]

http://www.nps.gov/yell/naturescience/bears_women.htm

[TwoWheeledExplorer]

WetDogRider said: "Prefer without Females ! Just for your safty , DO NOT camp on your special time of the month . The Bear is an excellent hunter , and it WILL smell you , and come looking for you."

Urban...er, backcountry myth. Quoting the NPS in Yellowstone National Park: "There is no evidence that grizzlies are overly attracted to menstrual odors more than any other odor and there is no statistical evidence that known bear attacks have been related to menstruation (Byrd 1988). However, park visitors have been injured and killed by bears (Gunther and Hoekstra 1996). If you are uncomfortable hiking and camping in bear country for any reason, you should probably choose another area for your recreational activities."

'nuff said!
Hans

[jan404]

Hi,

what else is there to worry about? In europe we extinguished anything potentially dangerous... so I am not really sure what to expect, so far I know of:

Bears: The most dangerous animal, however, in Glacier NP they have 0.4 fatal injuries/year and more than a million visitors. So the risk of beeing killed by a car is much greater...

Mountain Lions: I am over 6ft so usually I should be no prey...

Rattlesnakes:?? How fare north is there habitat. I ll be around in Mt, WY ID most of the time above 2000ft, to cold for them??

Poison Ivy: At least painful, dangerous?

Beaverfever: More likely in warm water and lakes, however, I ll try avoid drinking from streams...

What else to worry about?


Life is lifethreatening...(German saying)

Jan

[vgbailey]

All this is good info. - especially since bear populations is on the increase on the mid-atlantic - I'm talkin' black bear.  One night a bear visited the lodge (I was camping outside the lodge) in a tent.  I was so terrified all night that every rustle of leaves that the wind would blow, I would sit up in sheer terror - that was no fun.  The next night, somehow I was able to relax enough to get some sleep.  How about the young boy that was recently dragged from his tent while he slept, and mauled to death by a black bear.  This happened in the midatlantic area.  Again, numbers are increasing.

                         

[jnorth]

alaska method:
1.) bear spray-high capsicum percentage
2.) fireworks-crackers or cherry bombs (if no fire danger)
3.) air horn
4.) .44 pistol
this is no joke.
regards-janet

[5thdown]

You can always use a portable light weight electric fence. You will be able to sleep soundly.

http://www.udap.com/bearshock.htm