Who, what, why: What should you do if a grizzly attacks?

BBC ^ | July 7, 2011 | Unknown

[decimon]

An American man has been killed by a grizzly bear while he and his wife were taking a hike in the famed Yellowstone National Park. Bear attacks are often fatal - so what can you do to protect yourself?

The couple were said to have surprised the bear while she was with her cubs. The woman - who ran before dropping to the ground - survived the attack after the bear picked her up by her backpack, but then left her alone.

While it is not an exact science, most experts say that, in the case of a bear acting in defence, the best response is to either back away slowly, or lie down on the ground and play dead.

>

[decimon]

Do what I have done before; kill it with my bare hands.

So many replies but all would be zotted.

[WestwardHo]

“I’ve heard that high quality bear spray does work”

I’d like to know how that spray works out on a windy day?

[Noumenon]

numero uno: pay attention

numero duo: carry at least one of these when you're traveling through the great outdoors. I do.

Some folks are really out of touch. They think that the great outdoors is just some sort of untidy Disneyland. T'aint so.

[decimon]

“Shake you bear bells, vigorously. Remember vigorously.”

LMAO ,Make sure the Damn bear hears you real good!

That works until the bears learn they are dinner bells.

[SkyDancer]

The difference is those bells chase away black bears. You can tell the difference in the skat between the two by the bells in their poop.

[familyop]

"My advice, should you ever be in such a situation, would be to maneuver yourself so you’re downwind from the charging bear, THEN hit him."

That's great advice for those who carry bear spray--especially in areas like mine (most often high winds). I recommend it for all who worship animals.

[PoloSec]

Now that thar is funny!

Hilarious Even...

[SkyDancer]

Nope. Bear spray only makes you taste better when they’re gnawing on you. The added seasoning helps.

[Cheetahcat]

“Shake you bear bells, vigorously. Remember vigorously.”

LMAO ,Make sure the Damn bear hears you real good!

That works until the bears learn they are dinner bells.”

tape them on the barrel of a .44.

[decimon]

The guy that was killed and mostly eaten was blowing a deer call at the edge of a muskeg and got hit from behind...

That's one problem with the 'big gun theory.' When it comes to actual attacks you read of some guy being bushwhacked before he can bring any weapon in to play. It's a helluva thing that an 800 pound bear can sneak up on you.

[familyop]

"The difference is those bells chase away black bears. You can tell the difference in the skat between the two by the bells in their poop."

When seen, most black bears are not afraid of honking horns, revving engines or hundreds of watts of fast music. It takes a long time for them to leave, if they leave at all. They tend to most often move in slowly, at least at first, and start chewing.

...experience from the past, when living next door to hawg neighbors in a heavily treed area--neighbors who left pizza scraps and all kinds of other trash and garbage around.

As for cayenne pepper, it attracts them from a distance, then puts them off, when they vacuum up a snout-full of it.

Black bears are small in most lowland areas and in wildlife brochures about mountain areas. ...sometimes enormous when directly seen at high altitudes.

[Roccus]

Dial 911

[TexasM1A]

D@mned straight.

[gfbtbb]

BOOM BOOM

I’m not crazy enough to start the discussion as to what is the best BOOM BOOM but BOOM BOOM does it for me.

[Stonewall Jackson]

Last summer, the husband of one of my sister's coworkers was hiking in Red River Gorge here in Kentucky when he encountered a large male black bear who was on the prowl. He attempted to back up to where his family and other bikers were, but the bear pursued and then attacked.

The other bikers were able to beat the bear off him and get him to a road where he was picked up by an ambulance and rushed to a hospital for treatment. Sometimes the bear is going to go after you, despite everything you have done to avoid the situation. It is for these reasons that I always carry a sidearm when I go out in the woods.

[TheThirdRuffian]

"I've heard that high quality bear spray does work . . "

I have a vacation house in Ruidosso, NM, which is overrun by black/brown bears --- not exactly grizzlies.

Anyway, it was summer, late-afternoon. I was getting a wasp nest down when I heard yelping from my old favorite dog (who could barely move because he was so old) that was cornered by a pretty decent sized bear that had decided to eat the dog food.

In a flash of stupidity I charged the bear and sprayed the hell out of its face with the wasp spray (the kind that can spray 20 feet).

The bear started yelping in pain and ran away, confused by the idiot in shorts, flipflops, and t-shirt (and wasp spray) that had decided to defend his old dog.

Mrs. TTR still says I loved that dog more than her, as I'd never take that kind of risk for her. (Untrue, but I did love my dog.)

[Verbosus]

Quote:
“Quickly, turn on your iPad, log in to FR, and search for this thread of useful advice!”

Great idea!
I’ll bookmark this page so as to make it a tad easier.
:’)

[TheThirdRuffian]

“bladder shot w/9mm or larger to any mammal is immediately debilitating?”

Where is the bladder on a bear? And can you shoot it when the bear is charging on all fours?

Or do you wait until the bear rears up to tear out your throat?

[COBOL2Java]

Have no fear! Big Sis will protect you!

Specially trained TSA agents like Bob here will conduct random inspections of all bears and remove any explosive devices!

[Fred Hayek]

Grizzly bears can stalk. 1969, Yellowstone River not far downstream from Lake Yellowstone (meadow area, a bit marshy), watched a griz take down a moose. Watching from a safe distance of course.