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[at-l] re: bears

R J Hayes wrote:

>>>   Make noise
(talking loudly, not shouting, not banging pots - you're not trying to
scare the bear, it already is scared.   <<<

i think this is quite true of non-national park bears.  however, in
shenandoah, the smokies, and my personal favorite for anthropomorphised
bears, yosemite, the bears are not so much scared as wary.  they know where
the food is (backpackers, campgrounds) and actively seek out these spots,
despite the human presence.  in these cases it has been my experience (not
overly extensive, mind you) that you need to go out of your way to make
loud noises or some other means of startling them because they are not
afraid of you merely being near them.

again, this is in regards to a park bear going for your food.  i have no
experience in dealing with a charge.  the one non-park bear we've seen
close up (we were downwind so it got to within a hundred yards before it
noticed us) surveyed us for 3 seconds then turned around and took off.  

i don't ever want to have to find out how to back away slowly while a bear
homes in on you   ;)

mike
ke kaahawe
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