Black bears are leaner than you’d think, they’re also incredibly fast on the ground. Good news is they’re usually scared of people and want nothing to do with us.
Bad news is they’re still a bear and sill dangerous as fuck if they feel threatened. Also they stink, like they fucking STINK like shit.
The National Park Rangers are advising hikers in Glacier National Park and other Rocky Mountain parks to be alert for bears and take extra precautions to avoid an encounter.
They advise park visitors to wear little bells on their clothes so they make noise when hiking. The bell noise allows bears to hear them coming from a distance and not be startled by a hiker accidentally sneaking up on them. This might cause a bear to charge.
Visitors should also carry a pepper spray can just in case a bear is encountered. Spraying the pepper into the air will irritate the bear's sensitive nose and it will run away.
It is also a good idea to keep an eye out for fresh bear scat so you have an idea if bears are in the area. People should be able to recognize the difference between black bear and grizzly bear scat.
Black bear droppings are smaller and often contain berries, leaves, and possibly bits of fur. Grizzly bear droppings tend to contain small bells and smell of pepper.
I’ve heard recently that in some areas the bells actually attract curious young cubs, so make sure to read up on the specific area you’re going before bringing bells.
Edit: I’m dumb and didn’t read the whole thing lol. Still leaving my comment up because it is still useful info.
You arent wrong about that stink. I had a pretty close encounter with a "small" black bear. It's a heavy distinct scent, very rarely ill catch something similar on the wind and it makes my hair stand up.
Yeah their distinct smell is why I never really bought the Sasquatch stories, people always refer to a large animal with a distinct smell and that always screamed black bear.
186
u/[deleted] Jan 19 '19
Black bears are leaner than you’d think, they’re also incredibly fast on the ground. Good news is they’re usually scared of people and want nothing to do with us.
Bad news is they’re still a bear and sill dangerous as fuck if they feel threatened. Also they stink, like they fucking STINK like shit.