[Calpernia]

This is getting a little disturbing. Most of my trips I take with my kids is hiking...fishing...birding.

They love it. I'm starting to wonder if I'm putting them in danger.

[Diddle E. Squat]

Just talking, making a good bit of noise, and staying together while hiking should be good enough to keep the animals at bay.

[tcostell]

In general terms Bears aren't dangerous to hikers. To minimize your odds of a confrontation just make sure you make plenty of noise so the Bear knows where you are.

In areas where they are common it's often reccomended that hikers wear bells so the bears can hear them. Most of the time they would rather steer clear of people than confront them. Just don't suprise them or get between a Sow and her cubs.

Since it's well know how children tend to creep quietly and stealthily through the woods (and everywhere else they go), I don't think you'll have any real trouble.

But if you have private property in that area of NJ and are concerned about the bear that lives there just drop me a note and I'll stop by during the season appropriately equiped to address the situation for you.

[ZULU]

If you live in an area with bears and travel without a shooting iron, you are putting them in danger. A bear is the most dangerous animal in the woods in North America
(outside of a homicidal fellow-human).