What to do when confronted by a bear?

Question

Getting ready to travel to a part of the country where bears are very aggressive and come into town to eat garbage. I remember that there is one kind of bear that you can play dead and one you have to fight off but I cant remember which one is which. I believe where we are going there are black bears.

Answer 1

Black bears usually attack when threatened, so you will probably be safe. Grizzlies are the dangerous ones.

Answer 2

get a gun and shoot it

Answer 3

Always take a companion with you, and make sure it's a slow one.

Answer 4

If you see a bear, quietly move away in another direction.  NEVER run away from a bear, this will instinctively let them know that you are prey and bears can run much faster than a human.

You should carry bear pepper spray when hiking, it is much more effective than a gun because you don't have to aim.  and a bears sense of smell is much more sensitive than ours.



If a bear does attack you, and you don't have pepper spray. play dead by curling up into a ball with your face down, hands behind your neck, and arms protecting the side of your head.  If you have a backpack on, leave it on. It will protect you.

When you are curled up, and a bear trys to roll you onto your back, roll with it so that you lay face down again.  

If the bear you encounter is sickly, old, and or skinny.  BEWARE.  These are the types to be potential man eaters.  You might have to find a way of fighting it off.

Answer 5

black bears

do not run

do not climb tree

do not swim away

wear bells when walking to alert them first

if you have food and you are confronted give it to them and walk away

make youself appear larger if you are confronted