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Survival Skills: Survive a Bear Attack!
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Editors' Choice 2012: Snow Peak SnowMiner Headlamp
A headlamp that doubles as a hanging lantern -
Survival Skills: Survive a Bear Attack!
Learn how to deal with a black bear or grizzly encounter with Shannon Davis and ... -
Backpacking 101: Picking the Right Jacket
Rocky Mountain editor Steve Howe helps you pick the right jacket for any ...
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Most weather reports don't apply to backcountry or mountainous terrain. Gather specific information by calling ranger stations, checking guide books, and researching monthly climate trends.
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READERS COMMENTS
Just hike in peace and be ready to die.
I carry a S&W 500 in bear country... works like a charm.
That was cute, and memorable.
guns can be a bit heavy for a long hike. i do carry one in the winters here in wisconsin because of the wolves, but for bears, a bell is just fine. they hear ya coming and they split. Most of the time.
Look, if I'm in a National Park and my life is in danger, I'd rather face paying fines are jail time than be a meal for a Grizzly. Even firing rounds in the air might work.
Of course this would be a last resort and the odds are in both the bear's and my favor this would not escalate to that point. Does anyone really think it's worth taking a chance like this and not having some real firepower if needed? don't know what the fines are and I would imagine they're pretty steep.
How about keeping hippies off the trails? That seems like a good way to fend off bear attacks lol.
I carry a Taurus "Judge" .45/.410 5 shot revolver and loade it with mixed rounds.
http://www.taurususa.com/video-theJudge.cfm
If you are a poor shot or get too frightened to aim well...
Always remember to count your shots and save the last round for yourself.
"It is not nature we must control, but ourselves"!
You can't carry a firearm in Canadian parks, so you need to have other strategies. After 40+ years of backpacking and lots of bears (no attacks), I find the video really good but not adequate. The more you know about bears, the safer you are. What do they eat, what signs do they leave, what attracts them, where is a surprise encounter more likely, what does their body language tell you? And yes, there are places outside the parks where I would carry a firearm because bears, like us, are predators and they are stronger than we are.
You can't carry a firearm in Canadian parks, so you need to have other strategies. After 40+ years of backpacking and lots of bears (no attacks), I find the video really good but not adequate. The more you know about bears, the safer you are. What do they eat, what signs do they leave, what attracts them, where is a surprise encounter more likely, what does their body language tell you? And yes, there are places outside the parks where I would carry a firearm because bears, like us, are predators and they are stronger than we are.
Apparently the advice isn't so bad. At least, the National Parks Service thinks it's all right on the money; they have the same advice scattered throughout their parks' pages (go ahead, look it up). Kudos to Backpacker for putting it all together and making it accessible!
Good video, and thank god no interns were injured in its making. The advice given is right on the mark and straight forward. As far as the negative comments, I can not imagine where they are coming from. As far as the comment about the 3-inch claws, what are you supposed to do? Bear spray is a great option and should be the first before stepping it up. On the firearms front, a gun is just another tool for someone who is well trained in its. If I encounter an aggressive bear that can not be driven off by any other means, and I'm armed, then I amp it up and use the next tool available and he becomes a rug.
I love this video! It made it really easy to remember what to do. Thank you!
the real trick to avoiding bear attacks is being the cameraman, clearly the bear didnt even notice him!!
Explosives
thanks for providing my surviving spouse's lawyer a deep pocket for replacing my income.Make noise and rocks ok. poke his eye!? The bear already has his 3 inch claws cleaving my shoulder and he is now biting my exposed neck. game over.
good intent, but you went too far w/o explaining better tactics to novices.
GO BEAR GO BEAR HA HA HA I WAS LOLROF
"Hell yeah!"
If you don't feel like carrying a gun or bear spray, another popular alternative is a Perma-Boot device ... www.permabootstore.com
I encourage all you Dirty Harry's to read "Mark of the Grizzly" and see how many hunters have been attacked despite packing "serious heat." Bear spray has a lot more room for error than a handgun while still producing the desired result - both of you walking away alive.
If you have a CCW which is required in some states, a .44 is a great tool for protection.
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