How Not to Avoid Black Bear Attacks

I know the title sounds funny, but if I were saying how to avoid black bear attacks, it would not fit in with what I did during my encounter with a black bear at our campground. The bottom line is, perhaps I got lucky, but you should not follow or chase a bear into the woods or across a campground.

It all began when our little girl came running home from the neightbors place crying saying there was a bear on the hill and it was coming toward her. My wife and I both responded immediately and ran outside to where she saw the bear, of course I grabbed my camera on the way out. When we got to the area where the bear was located, we saw the bear just sitting on the hill and looking down at all of us which included four adults and about 6 children.

I don't know if my curiousity overwhelmed me, or if I just instinctively sensed no aggresiveness or danger from his body language, but after taking his picture, I wanted some closer and better shots. Please kids, don't try this at home, but I began climbing the hill, not directly toward him, but parallel to him but about 30 yards away. As I reached the same level on the hill as him he watched me. I could tell he was becoming a little uncomfortable, and from my new position I could see the hair on his back standing up, just like my wife said it was before I started climbing the hill. He watched me long enough for me to get a couple more snapshots, then he turned and went up the hill. I guess he was finished and had seen enough of us, but not me, I wanted more.

I figured by his appearance, he had not been on his own for very long and was probably a 2 year old cub, however if he stood on his hind legs he was still probably 6 feet tall and a couple hundred pounds and could easily have made minced meat of me had he so desired. Unconcerned about the possible threat and not concerned about how to avoid a black bear attack, I continued my persuit and followed him up to the next level on the hill. At this point I thought he was going to climb a small tree as he stood up and clawed it a little then moved on up to the next level.

Once again, I continued my pursuit and watched as he entered and then exited an old park trailer then moved on up the road away from me. I did not pursue him any further but I continued to take pictures. He finally reached a spot on the campground road with a small pine tree where he turned and gave me a look, then stood up and mauled that pine tree bending it over till the top touched the ground and bit off a few small branches. After showing his prowess on that small tree, he then turned and took a few steps in my direction and pushed his nose into the air a few times sniffing as if to see what kind of morsel I smelled like.

It was at this point that for the first time I felt as if his demeanor were changing a bit and decided maybe this was the confrontation point, the point where it could go either way. Having read up on bears before moving into the campground, I did as instructed, I showed no fear, I did not back away, instead I held my walking stick and both my arms high into the air. As soon as I did this, he quit sniffing the air, looked at me for a few more seconds, then turned and continued up to the last level of the hill. While I was still not satisfied and still wanted more pictures, I thought better of it and I also turned and walked back down the hill. the confrontation was over.

After the entire ordeal was over and a couple days had passed, what I did began to soak in a little more. A bear as big and clumsy as they look, can run at speeds up to 35 miles per hour, I might possibly ski downhill that fast. At any moment a bear can change their demeanor and go from being curious to being angry and aggressive. I walked away, but next time I might handle the situation a little differently, like not chasing him up the hill. By the same token, this bear having only been a couple years old, obviously did not have much fear of humans as he entered the park during the daylight hours and approached a group of kids. Perhaps my actions and lack of fear may make him reconsider how much threat a human can be. That is one we will never know, but at leat I got a few good pictures of him to share.

Black Bear attacks are responsible for around a half dozen deaths each year. Unlike Grizzleys, Black Bear attacks can be predatory not just aggressive response, so when hiking or living in Black Bear territory always keep a concious eye around you and stay alert.