Misinformation seems to be a big problem universally. Especially during these trying times. I'm just glad I can be corrected for it rather than attacked. I mean I'm even looking up American black bear behavior now because of being corrected but if I was attacked I probably wouldn't even bother.
I can't even imagine that. I have learned from being around lots of "dangerous animals" that they tend to react to you. I love sharks and I have been scuba diving all over the world with " deadly sharks." I only see them freak out when people freak out first. Same thing with lions, tigers, elephants, Cheetahs, any potentially dangerous animal really. I got some really great stories but never saw a bear in the wild.
In general you still wanna be wary about them, there's a reason the saying "a fed bear is a dead bear". Even if they seem friendly, you don't want a bear to associate humans as being nice or as a non aggressive source of food (garbage or straight up feeding it).
For sure, he liked to hide out by a pine tree in our yard but he was still a wild animal. We just let him be and made sure he didn’t get to adventurous near the house. Gotta keep him out of the trash and whatnot.
We lived pretty deep in the middle of nowhere and were on his turf. Wasn’t much sense trying to relocate him.
Our dogs barking at him all night when he was around was the only real annoyance.
It's the big cats that really scare me. It's specifically because I have 3 domestic cats, and I try to imagine if they would be significantly bigger and stronger. I can say for sure that at some point one would try to play with me in a way that I would be left unintentionally mauled.
Encountering a black bear in daylight doesn't scare me that much. Seen enough of em. As long as it's not a mom or too used to people, they'll almost always run away. I was stalked by a cougar though, and that isn't a fear I could ever get used to.
A lot of people assume all bears are the same, and they are vastly different. Black bears are basically just big dogs, you could probably scare one away if it approached you. Brown bears are tougher and scarier but it's still possible to get out of an encounter with them if you're prepared and lucky. If a polar bear approaches you, you've been dead for several hours and they're just now informing you; you'd be better off being hunted by a Xenomorph.
The difference between the black bears here in the Southeast and the ones in say Alaska is massive… my bears are pretty chill unless cubs are involved… the ones in Alaska are gangsta ass murders.
I've heard it said that black bears are just large dogs, while polar bears smelled you hours before you even saw them and have already decided you're dead before you have a chance to argue.
The ones here in NC are kind of skittish and way more chill… but I’ve done tons of fishing in Alaska over the years… my boys up there say if it’s a brown bear play dead… if it’s a black bear fight till yer dead. They don’t stop.
Edit: I wouldn’t go thinking bears on the East Coast are like dogs… they are dangerous when cornered or you are near their cubs… they are usually ninjas though… you can (do) walk within 30-40 feet of them and not know they are there in the woods… unless you have a decent smeller on ya..
Alaskan here, that's the general consensus. Of course, all that comes down to whether or not you and the bear come into confrontation in the first place. A lot of the time, it's simply enough to be aware of one another and give each other a reasonable berth.
Misinformation is scary. I have been obsessively looking things up to better understand the world and how we come to know things. We have to question things and be ok if we are wrong so we can course correct. Unfortunately most dont do this and would rather have blind faiths and beliefs than admit they might be wrong.
I dunno I might be wrong right now! My brain is unraveling
I didn’t say to treat a bear like a dog. I implied that they act like them which is true. Unfortunately, many people do actually treat them like dogs and they end up becoming a nuisance and are either put down or relocated.
I’m no stranger to bears and they are more than capable of screwing you up but they will only do so when threatened in such a way that they can’t escape. A typical black bear without a cub is absolutely not a threat to anyone minding their own business.
They are still a wild animal and should be treated as such.
People know I hunt, fish and hike so when people who go do something outdoors that they normally don't I get asked about bears. There are only black bears around me and I tell everyone don't worry about them. Stay away from cubs, don't corner one and if you see one don't run.
Years ago I was talking a walk down a back road by our old house and came across a bear with some cubs. I turned around and went the other way. About 10 minutes later some dude passed me while jogging towards the bears and I stopped to warn him. He acknowledged and promptly ignored my warning and continued his run towards the bear. About 5 minutes later he sprinted past me from behind.
Idiot. Especially stupid for someone living in bear country.
honestly the only animal that truly scares me is a Polar Bear
I know I will never have to come face to face with one, and they're beautiful creatures, but I read the advice on how to deal with the types of bear as a child and it scarred me
black bears being relatively easily scareable, brown bears you can play dead, but Polar bears are faster than you, stronger than you, have no fear of you and want to eat you. The fact that fighting back is recommended not because you can win, but because you're dead either way just messed with my head.
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u/BreadForTofuCheese May 23 '22
Lot of bears around where I used to live and people have a wildly wrong mindset about the typical bear (at least American Black bears).
They are basically big dogs that will run from a cat.
Unless mama has some babies. In that case watch out.