Continuing our mini - series on bear safety…..

If you encounter a bear while in the Park -

If you spot a bear on the trail, stay calm and give it plenty of room. Do not startle it; detour slowly, keeping upwind so it will get your scent and know you are there. If you can’t detour wait until it moves away from your route before moving again, and try and keep it in sight so you know its location.

When a bear first detects you, it may stand upright and use all of its senses to determine what and where you are. Once it identifies you it may ignore you, move slowly away, run, or it may charge. A wild bear rarely attacks unless it feels threatened or provoked.

A sow with cubs is almost always defensive, and will aggressively protect her cubs (this is probably your most high risk encounter).

A bear may show agitation by swaying its head from side to side, making huffing, whoofing, or grunting noises, or clicking its teeth.  A charge or retreat may follow. Flattened ears and raised hair on the back of the neck also indicate aggressive intent. If a bear runs with a stiff, bouncing gait, it may be a false charge. I’m not sure I could mentally process a difference in a bear’s gait during a charge, but it’s something to think about. 

Any bear moving toward you must be considered an aggressive bear. 

The Park staff requests that you report all bear sitings, particularly in the backcountry.  The Park also maintains an online data base updated every couple of weeks that you can readily access to review the most recent bear sitings and activity in the Park.

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Tags: Skills: Bear Safety