What to do if I see a bear?

[Traffic Jam]

Was hiking with my kids just north of GSMNP and my oldest said very matter of factly, "Hey look, a bear".

It was a full grown bear foraging for food probably initially only 10 yards from us. We just stood quietly and observed as it slowly foraged its way away from us. I'm sure we weren't quiet enough that it didn't notice us, but it didn't run from us either. I took a few pictures when it was maybe 25 yards away. The photos look like a typical Sasquatch photo in that there is only blurry fur in the midst of foliage.

Had the bear paid attention to us, it might have been a good idea to try to scare it off.

The one other bear a saw was nothing but a fur streak that lasted about 0.5 seconds.

Perfect! That must have been a great experience. Most of the time in the Smokies, either the bear quickly runs off or eventually moves away without having to disturb him.

[Fredt4]

Ok,but now I'm curious. Where do ya'll keep the Grizzly in California?Zoo?

"With the cooperation of the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Department, the Zoo agreed to provide a home for the two grizzly bears, Kachina and Kiona." I don't know their status, also I thought there was one in southern California, but I couldn't find a link. I'm wishing, a bit dreaming, of their reintroduction into California though it seems unlikely any time soon.

[GoldenBear]

Where do ya'll keep the Grizzly in California?Zoo?

https://zoo.sandiegozoo.org/animals/grizzly-bear
http://www.sfzoo.org/animals/exhibits/grizzlygulch.htm
https://www.oaklandzoo.org/grizzly-bear-cams
https://bigbearzoo.org/grizzlie-bears/

Also, if you head for Berkeley during a football or basketball game, you might get close to a VERY famous golden bear!
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/6f/f7...01bae84b0a.jpg

[jimqpublic]

Sign posted by the backcountry ranger at Rae Lakes in Kings Canyon NP, California. They’re serious about hazing. The best defense is a good offense. (Photo by Carl Wanderung from Sierra Nevada trail conditions Facebook group)


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[jimqpublic]

So why haven't Grizzlies been reintroduced to their natural California habitat by the state? ............

The California Grizzly was considered a separate subspecies and is extinct. Therefore it wouldn’t be “reintroduced” if a different type of bear were brought in. While news reports talk about using genetic engineering to recreate the DNA from tissue samples, I saw a movie once where they did that with different apex predators and it didn’t turn out well.


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[appstate_mj]

I DID SEE A BEAR!!!!!!!!!!!

So I just got back from my hike from Newfound Gap to Hot Springs...saw 1 bear. It was a BIG MAMA bear, with 1 cub. Of course, we accidentally ended up sneaking up on her. What happened was, we had just started the big 3000 ft climb after you leave GSMNP after Davenport Gap...we were a little gassed, and there was also a natural lull in the conversation anyway...I came around a corner that also was a bit of a hill, and BAM there she was. Her head snapped to the side and looked right at me...I saw the cub scurry away out of my peripheral vision. I remembered everything to do, and told my hiking partner to back up slow and talk to it and make noise; I said hold the poles up and bang them together. I actually did not remember to get the spray out...I was focused on backing up calmly. He reminded me of that. We back up until the bear was out of site. After about 5 minutes of loud noise making, we slowly advanced back forward. The bear was STILL there, and she had moved slightly over to where she was now ON the trail. Her ears perked up when she saw us again. We backed up again. A little freaked out because she was still there. This time we stayed back longer. After about 15 minutes, we crept forward again...she was gone. Another corner...we tiptoed around it. For the next 2 miles we were as loud as 2 hikers could be. My only fear at this point was that we'd meet up with the same bear again, and she'd think we were following her. I think she stayed on the trail until she was satisfied that her cub was a safe distance away. My adrenaline was up...I crushed the rest of that incline. For the rest of my hike I made sure to be louder to alert them. Didn't see any more. My other friends saw 3 rattlesnakes...I didn't see any.

Great hike overall. Someone asked me to post a summary which I'll try to do soon when I get caught up with work.

[JNI64]

So cool, good for you. I don’t think spray was needed but if she'd come after you I'm sure you'd remember really quickly lol. You were probably caught up in the excitement of it all but did you get a picture? The ears on a bear don't grow so the smaller the ears the bigger the bear. Sounds like a great hike bears and rattlesnakes and a good forest bathing....

[Traffic Jam]

Very cool appstate.

A hiking buddy and I saw signs of bear in Citico Creek Wilderness today but my constant chatter probably scared them away.

7695A3C6-D2E9-4B56-89A1-05B9EE8514F6.jpg

[TNhiker]

I actually did not remember to get the spray out..

that's good-----you don't wanna be spraying it in your face....

the bear wont need it..........

[Traveler]

Reminds me of an episode at a remote camping area on a brisk fall afternoon. A newlywed couple had set up a tent, stashed their packs (with food) in it, and went off to a nearby lake. Sometime during that process I arrived with a hiking buddy who said casually they should think about hanging their packs to prevent forest critters getting into their food and gear. The young man reached into a fanny pack he had on and hauled out a can of Bear Spray, thrusting it at us saying he was well prepared for bears, beaming at his level of preparedness.

We set up our tents a short distance away, hung our packs and left the site to explore some views. We returned to a lot of noise from the couple, who discovered during their absence raccoons had gotten into their tent and were tearing through their food, refusing to be scared off (getting the famous raccoon look "whatcha gonna do about it"). The young man excitedly pulled the Bear Spray out of the fanny pack and fumbling with it pulled the discharge preventer off, turning the can around somehow, and with a hearty "stand aside" command pulled the trigger, instantly covering himself in a toxic cloud. Dropping the can and falling to the ground (I think he hit the ground sooner than the can) his new wife came to the rescue, grabbing the spray can and emptied it into the tent. Fortunately the raccoons, sensing their buffet had come to an end escaped in the confusion just before the can of Bear Spray was released into the tent.

Suffice to say, the young man had a face full of Bear Spray and the fight was out of him, the young woman had coated all of their gear and tent interior with the pepper spray oil and rendered it useless, the raccoons were well fed enjoying the show. We helped as best we could in flushing the spray out of the young man's eyes so he could tend to washing off in what had to be 45-degree lake water. At this point the repellant had attached itself to most everything in the tent and the tent itself. The young woman started coughing as she tried to get the packs out, slowly succumbing to the irritant in handling the gear.

It takes longer to tell than the event actually took from start to finish. My friend suggested we pack up "to give the newly weds some privacy", though he knew it would be a long night for them without a usable tent and constantly re-exposing themselves to the irritant from gear that now needed to be thoroughly cleaned. We offered our sympathies, wished them well and got out of there in record time, camping about 3-miles or so down the trail. Later that night it started to rain.

There were, of course, several parts of this episode that were comical in nature and makes for a great cautionary campfire tale on many levels It left me with tremendous respect for bear spray and its power, to the point I do not carry it unless I am in Brown bear country and even then I do so reluctantly. I sometimes wonder if the couple is still together after that experience and the horrible night they must have had exposed to the rain and spray residue. Hopefully they did and were made stronger for it.

[Five Tango]

That was quite a story.Inquiring minds want to know how far they had to walk to get back to the trailhead?Also,could you tell how effective his cold water bath was in removing the capsicum resin from his skin or clothes?

[TNhiker]

. The young man excitedly pulled the Bear Spray out of the fanny pack and fumbling with it pulled the discharge preventer off, turning the can around somehow, and with a hearty "stand aside" command pulled the trigger, instantly covering himself in a toxic cloud

in one of the FB hiking groups-----a lady had to go to the ER after accidentally discharging hers and leaving burns on her back.......

she had the can in a side pocket-----snagged the pin, and it went off......

[JNI64]

Pretty funny story there Traveler, the raccoons got one hell of a show. There're probably still telling that story to their kids and grandkids

[Traveler]

That was quite a story.Inquiring minds want to know how far they had to walk to get back to the trailhead?Also,could you tell how effective his cold water bath was in removing the capsicum resin from his skin or clothes?

They were about 5 to 6-miles back to the trailhead parking from where we were. Though it was not too strenuous a hike under normal conditions I have to think it became untenable after a little time inside that tent with a steady rain and more than likely resulted in a late night walk out.

I am not sure how the "washing" of the skin went, I presume there was a change of clothing but not sure. What I am sure about was the increasing misery level that was unfolding would not improve overnight, so we decided to break camp and move a few miles up the trail.

[Five Tango]

Thanks,Traveler.I have a can of Counter Assault and only carry it when I go places where critters are known to be habituated.Stored properly in it's holster it would be impossible to accidentally deploy but I can see how an inexperienced user might get confused in a panic situation but I can't imagine anyone deciding to hose down their gear and sleeping quarters with it.

[Time Zone]

This reminds me of the scene in Anchorman where Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell) maces himself.

[JNI64]

Thanks,Traveler.I have a can of Counter Assault and only carry it when I go places where critters are known to be habituated.Stored properly in it's holster it would be impossible to accidentally deploy but I can see how an inexperienced user might get confused in a panic situation but I can't imagine anyone deciding to hose down their gear and sleeping quarters with it.

Like new york?