Comments on: Northern Exposure 07 Survey http://www.adventioneering.com/2007/06/28/northern-exposure-07-survey/ The average man does not want to be free. He wants to be safe. Wed, 01 Feb 2012 18:55:02 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: C. Alexander Leigh http://www.adventioneering.com/2007/06/28/northern-exposure-07-survey/comment-page-1/#comment-592 C. Alexander Leigh Fri, 29 Jun 2007 02:15:28 +0000 http://www.adventioneering.com/2007/06/28/northern-exposure-07-survey/#comment-592 Make eye contact, which is threatening. Speak loudly and firmly, and move away from the bear slowly. Never flee. It may help to exaggerate your size as with mountain lions (open your jacket). If the bear decides to circle you, it is likely to charge or attack without warning. In most causes it will be more interested in your belongings. Black bears will charge to gauge your commitment. Never run, hold your ground. This is your chance to feel like a hero. Be primal. Be angry. An opposable thumb and a million years of evolution is on your side. You are the apex predator. If physically attacked rather than simply charged (statistically, extremely rare), fight back with any means available. Black bears are curious animals but seldom will try to take a healthy person outright; often they get confused (they do not understand tents or bivvy tacks, and then become scared or alarmed when occupants react). We heard dramatic accounts of a man who was dragged out of his sleeping bag and mauled at night in Colorado to this phenomena. The simplest course of action is to avoid encounters outright. Keep your food far away and safe from the bears (there is plenty of advice for this already). Our encounter with a bear was entirely and totally our fault. If you encounter the bear on the trail or road, which happens but is unlikely, keep a safe distance from the bear, even if it appears docile. Make noise while traveling, and bears will avoid you (bear bells). Learn to read for sign (there is plenty of information on this, too). Make eye contact, which is threatening. Speak loudly and firmly, and move away from the bear slowly. Never flee. It may help to exaggerate your size as with mountain lions (open your jacket). If the bear decides to circle you, it is likely to charge or attack without warning. In most causes it will be more interested in your belongings.

Black bears will charge to gauge your commitment. Never run, hold your ground. This is your chance to feel like a hero. Be primal. Be angry. An opposable thumb and a million years of evolution is on your side. You are the apex predator. If physically attacked rather than simply charged (statistically, extremely rare), fight back with any means available. Black bears are curious animals but seldom will try to take a healthy person outright; often they get confused (they do not understand tents or bivvy tacks, and then become scared or alarmed when occupants react).

We heard dramatic accounts of a man who was dragged out of his sleeping bag and mauled at night in Colorado to this phenomena.

The simplest course of action is to avoid encounters outright. Keep your food far away and safe from the bears (there is plenty of advice for this already). Our encounter with a bear was entirely and totally our fault.

If you encounter the bear on the trail or road, which happens but is unlikely, keep a safe distance from the bear, even if it appears docile. Make noise while traveling, and bears will avoid you (bear bells). Learn to read for sign (there is plenty of information on this, too).

]]> By: Victoria Jones http://www.adventioneering.com/2007/06/28/northern-exposure-07-survey/comment-page-1/#comment-583 Victoria Jones Fri, 29 Jun 2007 01:46:50 +0000 http://www.adventioneering.com/2007/06/28/northern-exposure-07-survey/#comment-583 I vote C I vote C

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