For more than a few hikers and campers in Canada and the USA, there’s no greater fear than an encounter with a bear. Bears are the classic bogeymen of the North American wilds: the go-to explanation for any thump in the night outside the tent or crash in the underbrush along the trail.
The danger they pose, however, is vastly overrated, and every outdoorsperson should appreciate the ecological value and brawny spirit represented by these intelligent, resourceful beasts. Your average bear will normally go out of its way to avoid a run-in with a human being. Many bad bear/human encounters boil down to disrespect, negligence, or sheer unawareness on our part.
Read the full article at: https://www.mountainhouse.com With spring just around the corner a lot of people begin thinking about hiking to see nature return to life after a long winter slumber. With this brings concerns from some about bears and the potential danger associated with them. Mountain House has put together a great “Bears 101” article to shed some light on bears, their desire to avoid you as much as you desire to avoid them and some precautions you can take to protect yourself in the unlikely event of a bear encounter. The full article is worth the read and while there check out the great products available from Mountain House.
A couple of years ago two friends and I went on a 6 day backpacking trip in the Smokey Mountain National Park. I was unsuccessful in seeing any bears. However, that same year a teenaged boy was attacked while sleeping in one of the campsites that we had reserved. I have never really been afraid of black bears while hiking, but now I have more respect for them.